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Once upon a time there was a mechanical soldier. His organs were made of copper wires, tubes, and gears. The soldier didn't have a name but knew only what he was made to do. The soldier was never given a proper name and so he carried on as simply that. Nameless. One day the soldier overheard one of the men in white coats mention how almost human like their copper plated soldiers looked. The only thing they needed was a real proper beating heart. The mechanical soldier contemplated this and questioned what made a heart beat properly. Opening his chest plate he looked inside and watched as his own leather bound gear and steam infected heart slowly and unsteadily pulse. Softly collapsing into itself then slowly inflate outward. He didn't understand why this made his fake heart unproper. Didn't all hearts beat this way? The soldier thought nothing more of it after that till one day one of the men in white coats stated how broken these fake hearts looked with their slow uneven pulse. Broken....those words echoed inside the mechanical soldier's mind. One day he set off to find what may make his heart beat more properly. The journey ahead was harsh, and tiring but the soldier moved on. Broken....

His hinges began to loosen and his gears started to rust and still he pushed on. The first thing the soldier met was a a strong wind. She made everything swirl and dance beautifully around her everywhere she went. "What makes your heart beat...?" Asked the soldier to the wind. The wind softly whispered-"Everything and anything..." The mechanical soldier wanted to stay with the wind in hopes that her loving caress will make his heart beat properly. She could not, and so the soldier sadly continued on. The next to see the soldier was a beautiful cloud. The cloud brought life onto those below her. She created life in her own way by allowing the flowers trees and other living beings drink from her water. She was beautiful in the soldier's eyes. "Perhaps she may give my heart a proper beat." Thought the soldier. And so the cloud and the mechanical soldier stayed together for a while. However, the more he stayed the more rusted he became. One day the cloud left the soldier. Rusted and near broken. The mechanical soldier didn't give up however and pushed forward. His hinges aced, and his gears began moving slower.

A new day came and had gone. He met a third being on the side of the broken road he traveled. Large and beautiful. Her leaves swayed softly and her mighty arms held high and proud. She gave wonderful shade against the beating sun. "Please...." Began the tree to the soldier. "Come rest in my shade. Lean against my roots stay a while." The soldier did. For the longest of times he and the tree enjoyed the company of one another. They would talk, and laugh till one day winter began to fall. The tree had to go into a long deep sleep. Their company had gone well, but it was now over. They said their goodbye, and the soldier carried on. The broken heart in his chest began to grow more weary. For the longest of times he pushed on alone and tired till one day he met yet another being. She was mighty and warm. Her name was fire...The fire fueled the soldier wonderfully. When it rained she dried him up so that he wouldn't rust further. When his copper skin began to grow cold, she turned up her heat. The mechanical soldier and the fire were almost inseparable. For the first time in a long time he didn't feel broken. One day however the fire's warmth lessened for him and began to drift away.

He began to move on once more....

Poor soldier of copper wires, gears and tubes. Where will you go now that your journey is nearing it's end? He felt more broken then ever. But, the determination to find what will make his leather bound heart of gears and steam beat properly still moved strong. "Broken...." those words whispered again. "You are broken.." One day however the soldier came upon another being. She was different compared to the rest. Her petals bloomed beautifully, and her stem stood tall and proud. She was truly beautiful. The mechanical soldier knelt down and began to speak to the flower. "Please..." He whispered in a rusted tone. "What makes a heart beat properly...?" He received no answer. Slowly he closed his tired and near rusted eyes. The soldier unknowingly collapsed. Someone found the broken and rusted mechanical soldier. They dragged him away from the silent flower. "Broken..." The voice whispered softly. "You are broken..." The soft caring voice did not throw him away however. Instead the voice kept him close and spoke to him always in hopes that one day his eyes will open again. With his chest plate open she carefully stroked his leather bound heart of steam and gears. Whispering softly. "Not broken....perfect."