6313 AD, human population; 7,189,5423
4000 years through the eyes of an immortal being is just a flash compared to eternity. Human population has been rising and falling as always. The only thing that is certain is uncertainty. Maybe death and taxes are certain too, but the angel Castiel does not think about them so much.
Nevertheless, mankind must have done something good with their birth control, after agricultural technology was proven to be a solution to many problems; poverty and starvation for instance. The thing is, when people are fed and happy, they tend to commit less crime, seek more knowledge, create art forms, invent something new, thus their quality of life has been much improved from 21st century.
That doesn't mean crimes and discrimination do not exist though.
Look on the bright side, if Castiel pauses for a second to contemplate this fact, he will surely be so proud of himself. After all, it was him and his friends, Team Free Will, who's given human an opportunity to prosper. But of course, this is Castiel and it's never occurred to him to consider even a thought of considering that he himself has done the greatest deed this world has ever known; our angel just continues to humbly exist.
For four millennia, Castiel's purpose has solely been finding Dean Winchester. Dean's soul has been lost to him for too long. Castiel misses Dean.
Not that Castiel is unhappy. Despite a hole in his chest, he is content.
Castiel walks the Earth among men like one's father looks after his children from afar. He walks past people of all races. He observes their behaviors and interactions. He participates in their social events; the New Year 's Eve countdown, Christmas celebration or even a Groundhog's day. He's never missed Songkran, the new year festival of a country called Thailand, in which people will splash water at one another just the sake of fun and to alleviate the heat during an impossibly hot Summe
r. He even aids human in times of crisis, however hopeless it may seem against the power of Mother Nature. Castiel's grace still works wonder in rescue mission. More and more, he understands human and becomes like one.
Castiel has never doubted that one day he'll find Dean. In the meantime, he does not wish to be excluded from human society. Last time that happened, Castiel couldn't understand any pop culture reference. Admittedly, he still does not know what "Jefferson Starship" refers to. Dean, on the other hand, could have a doctoral degree of pop culture reference during his lifetime.
On the whole, cities and towns haven't changed so much. The architectures become more environmentally friendly, consume less energy, as well as the transportation. You'll see green everywhere whether it's a tree, a bush, or a flowerbed because people recognize their importance. The most staggering difference from 21st Century cannot be seen if one does not observed.
They're unliving machines functioning under the sunlight besides human. They are not flesh and blood yet come in many forms; children, teenagers, woman, man, or even a teddy bear. For the last 2500 years, these automatons have become man's best friend. They do human's job. They raise human's children. They listen and talk to human.
These machine used to be an option, a toy on the rich could have. However, as time passes, these machines have become a necessity, an inseparable companion which will remain most loyal to their master till the end of their lives. In return, most human will their android as well.
Castiel knows that loves is the most precious feeling human can give away. Intangible it might be, love has the power to turn the world around. It makes people crossed the ocean, climb the Himalaya or declare a war, all in the name of love. Look what love has done to Castiel. Maybe "Human and their droids' love" is the same love he has given Dean. Once, Castiel confused porn with love, but he wouldn't judge other people's love to be false.
Love can be caring, twisted, broken, adored, devoted. Who is he to judge? Castiel has only begun to experience feelings 4,000 years ago. He used to be a celestial wavelength existing between dimensions. Until Dean. Castiel misses Dean.
That's when he hears it.
He is sauntering along the coast of the Andaman Sea, admiring the sound of small waves stroking the white shore when a mechanical sound cut through that serene night.
Beep.
Castiel paused, unsure of what he hears. He might be imagining it, like human always say.
Beep... Beep.
The sound is really there. Castiel expanding his grace to feel the beach completely.
The source was not on this beach.
Beep Beep.
He turned around to the rocks on the far side. Then he saw it. A small red light glowing dimly in the dark. Judging from the light, it was trying to give an SOS signal but the Beep sound became threateningly weaker as though it's running out of energy.
With lightspeed, Castiel is beside that light. No, that body. A humanoid body that bent in an impossible shape, lying on its back, stuck on rock that pierced up from the roaring sea. Its eyes give no color.
By the first glance, this must be a Caucasian human. His blond hair shines under starlight with a shade of silver. The ceases on his forehead and small lines under his eyes make him look like a man in his late thirties. His cheekbones are proportionally crafted that makes him pass as handsome man. However, as Castiel looks closer, his lips, they are not of human's. Too thin, too wide. If the robot smiles, he must look like a shark. The body happens to wear a gray buttoned-down jumpsuit which, comically, could resemble a shark. Without knowing himself, Castiel tilted his head, reading the name tag on the suit.
"David 8"