When exactly did it this all begin? When I saw a kid? Or was it just in my blood? I suppose that could be it, I mean my father was once a very popular reporter, and my mother was an amateur photographer who finally went professional when her book about chocobo came into the world. Such a silly thing to get popular for…

But who am I to talk? I'm just a camera man, paid to hold up a good twenty pound piece of equipment on my shoulder as I do my best to steady it as the shell of a person, with their fake smile and charming charisma spoke to the viewers, and whether it be live or pre-recorded it offered me a paycheck.

Photography was never my thing, I find still life so boring, and black and white to old and artsy for my taste. My mother was sure disappointed when I told her I didn't like it, but none the less, she promised me she would support me whenever I decided what I wanted to do with me life. I can still remember the sadness in her eyes as she smiled, the weariness and exhaustion outlining the years of sickness she had been trying to fight ever since she retired from the world she loved so much. My mother had to give up her love of photography and traveling the world once she was pregnant with me, my father was on the road a lot on jobs, and so that left mom the only one to take care of me, and unrelentingly, she stayed while he was away. Dad never saw her profession as a job really…And so, he saw no reason to give up his career so she could have hers.

I could see the logic in that. Dad's work offered us more money, more fame, better financial support for my mom and I, and once she got sick we had the means to take care of her. Why wasn't that enough for you mom? Did you honestly believe that simple little picture book you did was your only real accomplishment in life? You were not even in the same league of masters such as Ansel Adams, or Annie Leibovitz, nor were you even as popular and successful as Simon Stafford. Your black and whites were emotionless and even your colored works offered no creativity as they were out of frame and dull. The only reason you achieved your one-hit-wonder was because you took photographs of something cute and uncommon to see. Unbelievable or not, many people have not even seen chocobo, especially when they are stuck living in such filth such as Midgar or Junon. Children bought the books more than any adult did, that was for sure.

And yet, you still kept your camera, pursuing your dream even against father's wishes, stumbling about on the beach outside of our envied beach house on the coast of Costa de Sol as you photographed any lost seashell, stranded fish, and sunset you could get whenever the urge to go out came to you. Even when you were sick you insisted to go out there, leaving me with the nanny until you finally returned covered in sand and muck with the biggest smile I have ever seen. It was only when you saw me that your smile turned to a frown.

I still wonder to this day if you resented me for being born. I know that sometimes you can't help how you feel, but I often try to force myself to believe that it was only because I looked like dad that you hated me. He forced you to give up your dream to take care of me, took you away from the world you loved to offer care to the one mistake in your life you ever regretted. How many badly taken photos of the beach did you take more of than me, mother? The definition of the perfect family usually came with a photo album, filled with pictures of the children the loving couple would keep to embarrass their children with one day when they met the one they were to wed.

But you kept no baby pictures of me…There were no first day of schools, no first date, not even a simple photo of me smiling or walking for the very first time. Some artists say their inspiration comes from their children, their families, lovers, husbands, and wives, but is any of that really true? Or is it a gimmick to simply sell the product more? It could even be opposite and be a photo of hatred dedicated to your ex-lover who you used and broke in order to have your fans see them as the bad guy and not you. Such a pathetic world of publicity and selling out we live in…

But none of that matters now, you're dead and good old dad offered me a job to get the bills paid. See mom, he's really not so bad.

A few days ago I was sent by the old man to get footage of the Shinra military parade that was taking place in celebration of Rufus back to the studio; I didn't hesitate to take the job of course, so I arrived as soon as possible. The whole trip was paid for and I was to make ends meet by simply getting a decent four hundred dollar mug shot of the new pretty boy president, and if I'm lucky, get a bonus if I catch him doing something pretty damn humiliating. Simple enough…Right?

The reporter who I was assigned to was new to the business, and already was getting on my nerves. He was a handsome thing that made him perfect for the job of getting stared at, which was exactly what he was being paid for, as he spoke into the microphone in his hand. He was nervous however, and kept mumbling to himself over and over about what he was going to say once I had the camera rolling. I was grateful for the fact he hadn't turned into an asshole yet, which usually happened around the fourth or fifth time once the low ladder of 'fame' absorbed into their heads, and so I didn't care to make a first bad impression with him just to blow his bubble. I just preyed he wouldn't make me look bad by choking up or stuttering.

Once the ceremony started things began going pretty well and professional. The parade marched, Rufus arrived, the weather was good, and the reporter didn't screw it up. I even got a pretty amusing shot of one of the soldiers screwing up the march, I thought to perhaps save it and send it the funniest videos show or something later.

Once it ended I stayed around the Junon base to relax and have a smoke, my reporter headed back to the inn we were staying at and so I took the time to enjoy the solitude. I didn't feel like going back quite yet to the fish smelling community, and so with a few extra hours of film left, I decided to explore the infamous military base for awhile.

I spent most of the time just on the lower deck, taking close-ups of the massive gun just a mile or so above me as I also took a few shots of the locals who I suspected were not to happy about the ceremony and so shouted at me to go away. I guess I couldn't blame them; many people had reasons to hate Shinra after all.

It was then that I guess the solitude got to me that I began to think about my life. Here I was, a twenty three year old man, who dropped out of school and spent his life going job to job and town to town most ever since he was sixteen while trying to find something worth while. I had no real talents, no commitments, and no real potential to do much of anything and so, out of money and homelessness, I was given a chance to make something of myself, for thanks to my father, he asked a favor to the news studio and had them hire me. It was just luck of timing though, for it seemed that two of their other camera men quit and so the position was open. My father had some confidence in me, and so after just a few days of practice I had gotten used to the weight and pain on my shoulder and was now an official, paid for camera man.

Woop-Dee-Freakin'-Do.

What kind of profession was this anyway? Any poor bastard given this job is either a hopeless character like me or was kicked out of art school and never made it to becoming a famous director. Ah well…So sad, to bad.

As I was off thinking however I noticed a strange figure in my frame, it was a young, weird looking girl standing just a few feet in front of me. She seemed to be trying to sneak along the side of the base as quietly as possible, but unknown to her; I had her right in my scope.

Smile, you're on Candid Camera sweetheart.

It was then that I noticed the ground began to shake, forcing me to hold onto my thousand dollar gadget for dear life as I collided to the ground. I turned my head to the sea, as I heard the eruption of some type of massive roar from it. I stared wide-eyed at the sight before me. In all my life I heard of monsters, zombies, and other strange oddities on this god forsaken planet…But never had I ever witnessed something so terrifying in my life.

I suddenly felt a pat on my shoulder, and I couldn't help but jump as I turned around. It was then that I let out a sigh of relief yet annoyance once the strange girl from before stood all high and mighty in front of me. I noticed the strange mix of excitement and fear over her features as she too noticed the massive white beast coming toward the base.

"You're a news guy or something like that right?"

What? Why was this brought up all of a sudden? Shouldn't she be running away and trying to find some shelter or something? Where the hell were this brat's parents?

"Hey! I asked you a question! Argh! Whatever just forget it!" She turned her head, seeing a small group of guards heading our way. "Give me a microphone or something!"

She was too quick to let me protest, she reached into the duffle bag I used to carry my equipment in and surprisingly pulled out my reporter's mike. I didn't even realize he had left it with me till then. The young girl then stood before me by the balcony, making sure she wasn't in the view of the creature as it seemed to be getting closer and closer by the minute. She then turned to me, glaring at me and waving her arms as she spoke to me again.

"Why the hell are you just standing there you idiot! This is a million gil shot! Hurry up and record this dimwit! Do you even realize how much materia you could get with this footage!?"

I scowled but didn't hesitate. The brat was right, it would be stupid to just leave when I could be the only one to get such a great shot of what was about to destroy this town. I looked up toward the massive gun for only a moment, wondering if Shinra was going to attack it or not, for that would be a great image to get as well.

I steadied my camera, giving her the signal the moment I was ready. I was amazed at how outspoken the girl was, she certainly knew how to sell to an audience. Perhaps once we're finished I should get her name and see if the studio could get her a job as a game host or something, and now that I had a better look at her I did notice that she was kind of cute. But then again I always thought that Wutai chicks were pretty damn…

The ground suddenly shook again, alluring me out of my thoughts as the girl immediately expressed a smile to something or someone behind me. She took off, shouting a rather prudent; "Later!" as she took off with some massive gun armed man and what appeared to be an oversized, living stuffed animal. She didn't even give me my microphone back. Was I supposed to see that as payment?

I turned back to the scene, I know longer felt the need to stick around anymore as I suddenly heard a massive blast from up above.

The gun had gun off, sending a noise of such massive velocity through my ears that I could have sworn I had gone deaf. I looked ahead of me, hearing nothing but the ringing of my ears at the moment as I slowly looked up to what appeared to be a the beast letting out a cry of slight pain since the shot barley even hit the creature. Even as this was happening I still had my camera on, and strange enough I felt a small sense of pride for myself for a moment once I realized how much this would be worth. If I showed this to you mother, would your expression turn to jealousy that I had surpassed you, or would you praise me and finally have a reason to be proud of me?

I began to laugh uncontrollably, I couldn't hear it but I could feel it in my lungs and across my face. This really was amusing.

Once I looked up however I didn't laugh anymore. The creature was still getting closer and the attack had done nothing. I suddenly felt fear, and I knew I had to get out of there. I didn't even bother packing my camera; I had taken off running with it still on my shoulder. I didn't bother to look back, but just above me was another explosion.

I didn't even realize what had happened until I had woken up. My mind perhaps guessed that an accident had occurred when the weapon let out its attack, sending debris and such to the ground below. I slowly opened my eyes as I looked up upon the massive gun above me, wondering if another deafening blow would erupt in order to allow another attempt to take down the creature. I tried to sit up, only to find my legs were trapped under a weight of steel as I then felt the sharp stabbing pain in my arm, which forced me to look toward it. I then stared wide-eyed and almost screamed once I realized I only saw half of my right arm, for the other half was cut off right threw from a sharp piece of metal, blocking me from the view of my hand and lower arm. I felt my heart race as I began to panic. Was it panic? I questioned, or was it merely the blood loss I was going through?

I looked up again as I laid my head back down to the ground. It was then, through my vision that I saw a woman attempting to climb up to the gun. Were you the one who caused this to happen to me? I wondered as I witnessed her escaping from what appeared to be where the explosion took place, allowing her to escape the buildings thick, steel walls.

I continued to stare up at her, smiling to myself once I realized the short mini skirt she was wearing. I couldn't help but laugh to myself as I thought of her. She was lucky I didn't have my camera; I could have easily gotten a shot of her panties with the zoom feature just to get my revenge on her…

I then froze as I felt my heart skip a beat. My camera! I quickly moved my head to look for it, ignoring the pain in my legs and arm as I then looked toward my left. I sighed in relief once I saw it. It wasn't too bad, just a little scratched and I doubted that the footage was damaged. I reached for it quickly; barley grabbing enough of it to pull it toward me as I swiftly clutched it to my side. I couldn't help but then feel pity for myself as I looked toward the object just a few seconds ago I had called my pride. I was going to die because of this, and yet I still clung it to me. Was this some sort of irony?

Within just a few short minutes, I felt by breath shorten and my body begin to tingle. I knew I was already dead, but I still pathetically held on to hope. My mind began to wonder if perhaps that girl would come back and help me once she remembered she still had my microphone, or perhaps a guard would come trotting along or maybe my reporter would get worried and come looking for me. I knew my last strand of hope died once I saw the massive ship right above me. I also couldn't help but notice that it had just rescued the young woman I witnessed climbing it just a few minutes ago.

I laughed as I saw this. Would it see me? Would it come down and rescue me? No…I was going to die…And no one would remember me. I was going to die as a casualty, just as everyone else here was going to be. One out of maybe fifty or a hundred, but that was all.

I felt my heart beat going slower as I suddenly grew cold, my teeth began to chatter together as I closed my eyes. The last thoughts in my head were about that creature, I asked myself if it had finally arrived or not, but I couldn't be sure. I then thought of the strange Wutaiian girl that came along, and then of the one who I believed caused my death. I let out one last smile before I died, seeing one last blast from the gun as another fleet of debris crashed down next to me.