Byte is a very unique specimen. Effectively created by Bit and sustained by the magic that originally gave Bit his form, Byte is a separate and distinct being all his own. He's nearly identical to Bit in many ways - he is a familiar (created by a magic 'soul' manifesting into a physical form), his body a sort of organic computer, and he can directly control electronics or even inhabit them.

 

As for how Bit 'created' Byte, it's a troubling little story. You see, when a familiar manifests in meatspace (you know… as you mortals like to do), their soul creates a body to inhabit based on their saved biological 'data'. In the same way, when they manifest in the digital world, they create a program based on that data as well. This means they can roam physical and digital spaces in a nearly identical form, and transfer between them without issue. When they move between those spaces, one form is deleted as the other is created. Ordinarily, this works totally fine. But Bit was the first to find out how wrong it can go.

 

While toying around in a supercomputer (well beyond his usual capabilities - a familiar's soul and its magic has its limits), a lightning strike set off an emergency shutdown, kicking Bit out of the computer without a chance to erase his digital footprint on the system as he normally would. Unable to affect an electronic device that isn't powered, and knowing he wasn't supposed to be there, Bit had no choice but to flee. When the computer was eventually powered back on, the program Bit left behind had been corrupted. But despite lacking a soul, it was fully sentient and quite capable of causing some damage. It called itself Byte, and it retained Bit's every thought and memory, but due to the corruption certain physical and personality traits were altered, variables changed and switched around.

 

Byte quickly downloaded himself onto Bit's computer and attacked under the guise of a virus. Despite confronting Bit as nothing but a program, his capabilities and his appearance proved to be a powerful combination, and he came out on top. Byte could have taken Bit's entire soul for himself and deleted him for good, but he chose instead to take most of Bit's power and spare his life. Naturally, the two ended up rather inseparable.

 

As Byte is a copy of Bit, his personality (as well as his memories from before his creation) derives directly from the original source. Where Bit is a little lazy, Byte likes to kick back and not take things too seriously. Where Bit kind of likes to be accepted by others, Byte craves attention and praise. In casual conversation it can be really hard to figure out if he's just joking around and pulling your chain. Byte always seems to be two steps ahead of others in those interactions. He finds it really fun just to get into people's heads and know their next move before they even think of it. His dominance over others is mostly casual and playful… just make sure not to escalate into competition with him!

 

Bit and Byte tend to fight a lot, but they're like brothers. They share a lot with one another, and they're quite close. They may get on each other's nerves, but nobody truly understands Bit's unique place in the universe like… well, a clone of himself.

 

 

In meatspace, Byte's magic works off the same principles as Bit's - he can only influence it through his magitech gear, primarily his collar, which is how he interacts with electronic devices through a simple touch. Its button has a more useful function than Bit's though - pressing still activates 'sleep' (you know… sleeping. It only works if he wants to sleep though) but holding the button deletes and refreshes his physical body. It's the same process as what happens after entering and exiting a computer, but effectively lets him reset his body if something happens to him.

 

I think that about covers everything.

What, his anklets?

Naw, that's just… decoration, I'm sure. Probably.