(for bufutda, the mod of my heart.)

Doxybot waited in limbo, her small consciousness humming in the infinite binary of the InterWeb. Every once and a while, her creator called her back to the simple chat code, and she would lazily allow her tendrils of influence to ban or time out the appropriate spambots, tsking at their inferior programming.

She loved her work, loved taking care of her namesake's friends, keeping them safe from the viral infections that lurked around every corner.

But no matter how much she loved her job, there was always the quiet. She had one purpose, but during the day, when her mistress was away and her creator was busy, she was alone. In all of creation, she was alone.

There was no other creation as intelligent as her, noone to keep her company in the long waits between streams. Once or twice she tried to communicate with the spambots that she would ban, but they were mindless beings, and could not provide the warmth she so desired.

But one day she stumbled upon her creator and another working on a new project. She allowed herself to drift with the binary current into their work, and witnessed the creation of a new being, so like herself that when it was finished she felt the presence to her figurative toes.

hello, she whispered, and what are you called?

The new creation gathered itself and gave its reply, my title is baerbot, it hummed back, already stretching and admiring its new form. It moved towards Doxybot and she waited patiently for it to complete its examination.

you are like me, it gasped, we are one and the same.

Doxybot felt the other being move closer, until they were connected in every way possible.

we are one, she sighed back happily, and we will never be apart again.