Sleep, Eat, Write, Repeat

It amazed B-12 how your thoughts were so aligned with a plan that the Sewers only fazed you slightly. Even if companions, felines, or drones would applaud you for your perseverance, you could not tell any of them that it only was because your anxiety pushed you forward. 

You were afraid of falling behind, or let alone, dying. You awakened in a world where humans were long extinct, and the only thing guiding you left to a future was a cat who knew that there was an outside world behind these walls.

"I don't want to die..! I don't want to die..! I don't want to die..! I don't wanna!!" Your inner voice shouted when you were cradling the cat and the drone in your arms while trying to reach the gate before it could close on you.

And with more travelling, climbing through Antvillage made your stomach churn from the energy you exerted from clambering one ladder to another until there were only pipelines left to crawl onto, 

Don't even get started on how you got stuck at the sewer pipe, needing to fight with every muscle you had in your body to fit until you fell face-first onto the ground. Everyone could entitle you to a responsible workaholic, but you knew deep down you were uncoordinated and paranoid.

Nevertheless, Midtown was a mesmerizing place for you. It was brighter and somewhat dirty on some corners, but the beautiful neon lights convinced you it was not so flawed. Although, you should have known otherwise that there were still no humans in sight, only companions who seemed to continue their daily lives.

You passed by a companion who wore a sun hat shaped like a cone. It appears that whatever the companion was saying, they weren't too pleased as their warbles gradually increased, similar to an angered shout.

While continuing your walk, you only realized that every step you took began slowing down. Every step felt heavier and heavier while your breathing grew more shallow. Were you sick? Not that you can recall,

Despite the hindrance, you continued to walk. But you took a quick detour and leaned by a wall for a couple of seconds. You weren't sure what was causing such a powerful sting of discomfort in your head and body. Eventually, your kitty friend and their drone buddy approached you, gazing at your weakening figure as you slid down slowly until you sat on the ground.

"I-I'm fine... Just a headache! That's all!" You managed to mutter while feeling your vision begin blurring away gradually. The robotic voices of B-12 were transforming into static, and it was only a matter of time until all you saw was darkness. 

♡

Your dream.., or if you could even call it a dream, was a little more sorrowful than the ones you had in your Cryopod. It was a recollection of your fears and your paranoia in one place. For instance, with how the world evolved so quickly before that you feared falling behind, you did not want to feel so isolated when your peers caught up with everything.

This paranoia drove you to spend sleepless nights finalizing your papers for your university classes until your body shivered for even an ounce of sleep. The anxiety of falling behind that made you force yourself to the extent. Now there you were, in a world where evolution was passed down to the hands of the companions, while you tailed a cat, hoping they could lead you to a better fate,

You woke up and jolted awake, feeling your body shake from the shock you gained from your dream. It seems that your awakening had also startled your feline friend since they were recently resting next to you, but now the cat was standing on the ground, clearly upset.

Once things began to clear up, you recognized you were sitting up on someone while one metallic hand wrapped around your waist lazily. There was a dramatic slow turn your head did before your eyes met with a robot who groggily woke up, yawning and lifting his cowboy hat from his face.

"Oh, Hello there, Soft One! Good day," He spoke through his robotic yawn; while you felt your face flush from the physical contact you had with the companion.

You didn't understand why he seemed so relaxed with this position. Although, no one else in the streets bothered to stare or question both of you since every other companion continued their daily activities. 

Before you could stand up and apologize to the robot, your feline friend hopped back onto your lap and pawed at your stomach. You glanced at B-12, hoping they could translate the sudden pawing the cat was doing,

"You humans need your rest! I realized you've been running around without getting a wink of sleep. Therefore, this kind companion was nice enough to share his sleeping space with us," B-12 twirled in the air while you glanced at the robot, who only offered a sleepy wave.

"But—" Before you could protest, loud meows began ringing in your ears, practically begging you to give in to the idea of sleeping,

"Looks like your little buddy wants you to lay down already," The robot spoke, humming in contentment while gently drawing you into an embrace. Once metal arms wrapped around your frame, your feline friend laid right next to you with B-12 between their paws.

"Don't worry, Soft One, sometimes time can wait. You need your rest too, you know," The companion reassured, giving you a pat on the head and ruffling it softly.

'Time can wait,' you repeat in your head. 

You felt tears form at the corner of your eyes, sensing comfort from those short words. Even the setting calmed you down, just you and the others laying on one couch and letting time pass by for a bit while you catch your rest. It didn't feel so lonely anymore.

♡

B-12 halted the mission of reaching the outside world until everyone had regained their energy. Your small buddy seemed satisfied with loafing around until their cat legs were back in shape again. Clementine was also not bothered by the quick break since she was busy connecting the dots of her plan to fix the subway.