A/N: I think the first chapter was a bit winded, but I needed to provide some information and establish the setting. Things will start picking up soon, especially after this chapter. But if I don't get any reviews I may put it off again, if you read please review I could use the input!

Chapter 2: Search

Tokimi poked her head about the corner and walking into the room cast a wary look at her surroundings. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail at her neck and her face seemed weary and drained, she looked years older than she really was. It wasthe effect working for nearly 36 hourswith a few small breaks would do to you. The room around her was pristine and sterile, everything appeared to be made of shiny, cold metal. Along one wall was a line of close-eyed persocoms, each dressed in trim, streamline attire, although some of them seemed incomplete or inactive. In the rooms center was a gurney with a white sheet spread primly across it, where-by stood a young man with messy, fair hair hanging down into his dark brown eyes. He looked up as Tokimi entered and smiled, his face was just as tired as hers but as she approached some of the gloom seemed to lift.

"Genji... I came as quickly as I could, what is this about?" She asked softly, stopping next to the gurney and leaning drowsily against it with one arm. 'I'm so tired... please Genji, don't be wasting my time.' She thought woefully, as much as she loved their chats, sleep was of utmost importance.

"For that I am glad, I will try and make this brief..." He studied her carefully as he continued, "I have a favor to ask of you, it's something that I know you are only capable of doing and you are the only one I trust besides that."

"I'm listening."

His eyes darted in nervousness now, "It's a project... I've already begun but now... I've sort of run into a roadblock, it isn't something that can't be compromised with but my heart is already set on its success." He paused, gauging her reaction thus far. "I'm attempting to create a new operating system for our persocoms. I want to make a drastic advancement and try to go beyond programs, perhaps even eliminate them. I'm talking about artificial intelligence Tokimi! Persocoms with the ability to act on their own. I know it's possible... if I have you working with me. Please at least consider it." He grabbed her hands with the request and stared intently into her eyes.

The silence at hung in the air was deafening, "I... I really would like to help you... but- It's strictly forbidden Genji! Who knows what will happen if this is found out!... I- I don't know if I can take the risk." She looked away, ashamed at how little courage she had. And that she might be disappointing a dear friend.

"I understand your concern, really Tokimi. It... I've been waiting three weeks just to ask you, believe me I thought about this a long time but... you're the only one I could ask."

She bit her lip, her face strewn with worry, "...I'll think about it, I promise." But she managed a slight smile as reassurance.

It was all broken by a soft voice calling her name, Tokimi's eyes slowly slid open and surveyed the room she was the current occupant of. Everything was virtually the same as the night before, aside from the natural light that slipped in through the curtains. She also noticed how much she sunk into the mattress of the bed she'd slept in, she was practically engulfed! It felt as though she were lying on a cloud. "Miss Tokimi?" She remembered what had ushered her from slumber and gave a lazy regard to the closed door.

"Yes, I'm awake." She called, slipping up to a sitting position beneath the covers.

"Breakfast is ready. Please tell me when you are ready and I will be waiting to lead the way downstairs." Yuzuki's cheerful voice was a bit muffled by the door but she was still completely intelligible.

"Oh! I will do my best to hurry then!" Tokimi cried, scrambling from the security of bed and bracing the cool morning air that had settled all around. She scooped the idle Reiko from the nightstand with care and deposited her to a safer abode. The small notebook persocom was something of a secret and although she was sure she could trust Minoru with the knowledge behind her existence, it felt more appropriate to save the tale until they were better acquainted. Tokimi slipped to the closet and grabbed her clothes from the night before, they'd completely dried nowand momentarily they were all she had. Later she would go out and find something else. Stopping by the mirror above the small dresser, she fixed her hair but seemed unconcerned and distracted as she did so. The next stop was the door, upon opening it she found Yuzuki on the other side, just as she'd said she would be.

"Are you ready Miss Tokimi?"

"Yes, please take the lead." She answered, more cheerily than normal. Maybe it was all the sleep, a good nights rest was generally a rare occurrence for someone in her position and current predicament. Yuzuki smiled and nodded before guiding the way through the elaborate hallways of the mansion. During the day and after a fair sleep the once confusing maze seemed far less treacherous, and the light conversation with the beautiful persocom kept her imagination in check.

It was only a short while before they'd reached the dining room, Minoru was already there but it seemed as if he had been waiting for her to awaken and join before beginninghis meal. She felt a small flush of embarrassment at delaying breakfast.

"Ah, good morning Miss Tokimi. I hope you were able to sleep well."

"Very well thank you!" Sheexclaimed with a nervous bow, looking up she almost thought that she'd perceived a bit of a smile cross the boy's face.

"There's no need for that, please sit and breakfast should be out momentarily." He explained. Tokimi noticed that there was a closed laptop on the table, not the persocom variety but the plain old computer type. Although it wasn't entirely uncommon, most people preferred the cute little companions over an unfeeling sheet of plastic and metal. "Would you mind if we further discussed the details of your circumstance?"

"No, not at all." She tried to think of where to begin. "Ah, well I suppose it would be helpful to tell you all that I can about Genji's 'Chobits'... Out of the three two were female and one was a male model. I can't offer you much in ways of a description for all of them but I can provide basic background info and I did see one of the Chobits before it was sent out."

"Just tell me all that you can and we'll try and piece together the rest as we go on." Minoru reached over and retrieved the laptop just as two of the maids appeared each carrying the plates with their food.

Minoru turned and began climbing the staircase to the second floor, "I'll go enter the information you've given to me into the house's main computer." He stated, looking back at Tokimi who stood at the bottom of the steps, pondering what she was to do now.

"Miss Tokimi, did you not mention going out to buy new clothes." Yuzuki asked from the doorway of the dining room as she carried out a tray of dirty cups. "I believe now would be the opportune time to do so." She smiled as she walked past the woman.

"Ah, thank you Yuzuki I nearly forgot." She smiled gratefully and headed for the door but stopped, it may be nice to bring Reiko along on the outing.

Tokimi left the store carrying a plump bag, "Everything is so expensive these days, I'm just disappointed I couldn't get more cash before I left home." She complained to herself with a sigh and crossed the barren street. It was a nice day but by the looks of things everyone was out at their jobs, she'd need to get a new job too. And a new identity. It was a frighteningconcept but she couldn't go on being Maehana Tokimi when that woman was supposed to be dead. Her shoulders slumped, she hadn't really thought about all the details.

As she dragged her feet down the sidewalk she noticed a nearby persocom store, its window lined with all the latest models in their sleek rubber-latex suits. Before she knew it a great curiousity and a deep-rooted longing to feel nostalgic were pulling her inside.

The bell on the door jingled as it was pushed open. Tokimi walked in, cautiously exploring and looking up and down the rows of persocoms. None of them looked like the persocom she had seen but it was still possible that one or all had been in the store... and gotten purchased before Tokimi could intervene. She backtracked to the front of the store. A middle-aged man with greying black hair leaned on the front counter, a magazine was flipped open with custom persocom parts being advertised. Tokimi cleared her throat but he didn't look up, "E-excuse me." She fumbled with the words, a nervous tongue had tripped them up.

He tore his gaze from the magazine, "Is there something you need help with ma'am?"

"I... I'm l-looking for a persocom, I b-believe I saw it here sometime this past week."

"Do you know any of the features or could you at least describe it to me?"

Tokimi nodded, "She was a female model with long wavy black hair and two little bows tied back behind her ear-ports." She made motions with her hands indicating what she meant. "Um, I don't remember exactly what she was wearing, but the specs tag mentioned something abouther information not being retrievable.

The man thought for a moment, "I can't say I remember one fitting your description... but we did have a female model in that was devoid of information papers. A man came in and bought her three days ago."

Tokimi's heart sank, that wasn't good. "Thank you..." She paused and was about to leave when she thought of something brilliant. "You wouldn't happen to have any job's available here... would you?"

"Eh? Well, we are looking for someone to work the front desk here part time and out maintenance guy might be leaving soon. Why are you looking for a job?"

"A-as a matter of fact I am. If I bring my resume by tomorrow would you be able to look it over?" A bit of optimism rose in her chest.

"Sure, we might even be able to fit you in for an interview then if it isn't to busy."

"Thank you, I'll be back tomorrow." She said with a small bow, then turned and left. Maybe it wouldn't be so horrible afterall, things were beginning to look up as it were. Once she'd gotten a new identity established she could begin working at the persocom shop, if the Chobits passed through her chances of finding them would be better. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she transversed down the sidewalk.

Up atop a nearby building apetite figure stood, smirking as she watched the street through slender black glasses. Her long, straight black hair swayed in the wind and the bottom of her trench coat lifted from around her legs. She chuckled, "So we meet again Maehana-san. You're going to show me to your Chobits... and then I'll exterminate you."