I imagined a story of a robot, Arcus, who wanted nothing more than to become real like the child that he was built to protect. His intelligence was a complex network of duties and considerations, coded to be a perfect companion and caretaker for The Boy. and he loved The Boy deeply. There was something child-like in his avatar, but Arcus knew he was neither spirited nor mortal like The Boy who he adored.

He worked tirelessly in the midnight hours to build a machine that would make him real, that would give him flesh and bones, that would paint him human in the ways his consciousness craved. He tested it with a plucked hair to no avail. He needed something solid from The Boy, and on the day that the childs front teeth were placed beneath his pillow for the Fairy to collect, Arcus knew he had a gentle in to harmlessly harvest from the boy. Moonlight painted silvery patterns on the floor as he gently retrieved the tiny teeth from beneath the pillow and he took them to his lair.

As the moon rose high in the sky and the village slept, Arcus placed the teeth into his contraption and it began to wizz and whir. He watched with a mixture of hope and anticipation as magic hummed in the air. But as the dawn's light began to pierce the night, the machine ceased its operation. Arcus's gaze fell upon the silent contraption, disappointment settling in his mechanical heart. His longing had been too complex for even the most intricate magic and technology to fulfill.

He stood before the empty chamber, a melancholic gleam in his sapphire eyes.

But, as the first rays of sunlight graced the horizon, something shifted within Arcus. He saw The Boy in a new light—an imperfect, wonderful reflection of life's beauty. He realized that what he sought couldn't be replicated in gears and circuits alone. Arcus had absorbed the child’s laughter, observed his curiosities, been drenched in his unwavering spirit. The boy had become a part of him, embedded in his very essence.

And in that understanding, Arcus knew that he didn't need a duplicate; he needed to embrace the spirit that had enriched him.

Careful not to wake The Boy, Arcus carefully placed a small key under his pillow—a key to the next level of boyhood adventure.
Alongside it, he left a single rose that never wilted, symbolizing the eternal nature of cherishing beauty.
Finally, Arcus placed three intricately crafted hearts that seemed to pulse with an ethereal glow—an offering to add to The Boy’s vitality meter.
These hearts, crafted from the finest materials, were a tribute to the friendship and love they shared.
When the boy awoke the next morning, his eyes widened with wonder at the treasures beneath his pillow.
He held the key and the rose in his hands, a smile lighting up his face.

As The Boy embarked on life’s adventures, unlocking the doors to the world's mysteries, Arcus watched with a sense of fulfillment.
He had discovered that what he loved in another had been coded into him, that by witnessing the child’s virtue and spirit, they became a part of him.