Konnichiwa, Minna-san! Here is yet another fic for your enjoyment! I was re-watching that episode when Doctor J and Relena meet, and Doctor J says "You know, Heero really is a very nice boy." that got me to thinking...and here is the outcome!

Background for this fic: Heero joined the preventers and his alias is Preventer Comet, and Shinigami in this fic is NOT Duo, I mean the real god of death, Shinigami-sama. And so you aren't confused, Heero's the one talking. Now on to the story!

Windsong: sees Avirilli (her writing spirit) glaring at her what now?

Avirilli: WHAT ABOUT THE DISCALIMER!?!

Windsong: Oh, and of course I have to throw in one of those so I don't get sued...I don't own Gundam Wing or any or its wonderful, amazing, hot characters...I wish I did though...sigh

Enjoy!

The Perfect Soldier
By Windsong
Written 27 December 2001

The Perfect Soldier. That's what they call me. They say I can do everything, the super-human, that I am willing to give up everything for the sake of the mission. I will even die, if that's what needs to be done. Trained to be perfect, to have no emotions, so nothing gets in the way. Fear, Love, not a part of me.

But, in actuality, can anyone be like that? Can anyone be free of fear? Can anyone willingly give up their life?

I woke up on a shuttle, in a stretcher, confusion all around me. Flashes of the mission came back and I remembered the hot, sharp pain as the bullet had seared into my chest and through my body. I caught snatches of the fantic, hurried conversations around me.

"Hurry, we have to get Comet to earth—"

"Will he make it?"

"Don't know—"

"Jesus, lookit all that blood! It's everywhere—"

"Lady Une's gonna flip—!"

I felt the pain throbbing in time with my heart as I felt my blood seeping out of me. Suddenly, I saw Shinigami sitting by my side, smiling his gentle, small, cruel smile.

They have always taught me to be courteous to death, to welcome it into my heart. They have told me that the life of the Perfect Soldier is cheap, disposable. Then why am I fighting death? Why, when he sits by my side, waiting to take me to his realm? But then, who is ever really ready for death?

Isn't all life precious? Isn't it important to live, to accomplish, to contribute to the world? I have to stay alive, to complete the mission. The information I gathered will greatly help the Preventers keep the peace.

And what would Relena do without me? What would Duo, the others say if I died? How would Lady Une react to my death? I matter to people now, my life is worth something because it is important to others.

Didn't Odin Lowe tell me to always listen to your heart, didn't Doctor J tell me to follow my instincts? My heart tells me it is too early to die, my instincts tell me to fight for life. So shouldn't I follow those instructions as well?

So instinctively, I kept breathing, kept fighting to live, struggling to hold on to the strand of life, fighting the pain, fighting off the coldness that was stealing over my body, fighting Shinigami who sat there silently and stared at me.

"Why do you fight?" asked Shinigami in a cold, harsh voice, as he watched me struggle for life. "Haven't you been taught to bow to me, to accept death? Why are you afraid of me?"

Because I am not just the Perfect Soldier, I screamed in my mind. I am a human, with thoughts and emotions!

And then one thought was in my mind, one thought that fought its way from my soul through the pain and out of my mouth. "No," I whispered.

Shinigami snarled at my defiance and faded like mist, gone to find easier prey.

"He talked! He's alive!"

"Comet's awake—"

"Hurry!"

I felt someone stroke my hand and whisper into my ear, "Don't worry, we're almost there, just hold on a bit longer..."

I opened my eyes painfully, and found myself staring into the face of a kind woman with cobalt blue eyes.

They look like Duo's eyes... I thought before my vision faded into unconciousness.

I woke up on Earth, in the Hospital section of the Preventers Headquarters, lost in a forest of beeping equipment and blindingly white sheets and gleaming metal.

I heard Duo's voice on my right, full of relief. "Oh, good, you're awake," and I noticed that he was sitting next to me. "Good morning! So, Hee-chan, how does it feel to be alive?" He held an imaginary microphone to my face.

I scowled. "Hn."

"Jeez, how many times have I heard that?" Duo smiled.

After all, no one's perfect.

Ugh...I caught the flu...evil, evil flu...well, at least it gives me time to write stories...-coughcough-

You know, one of my reviews for The Most Precious Thing said that I should keep eating that industrial-strength sugar...they're right, I wrote this story in about half an hour as well...

Ja ne!

Windsong - windsong 137 at gmail dot com!