Joe was a dreamer. He had ambition. He had drive. He had plans. Unfortunately, he just wasn't very good at much. He always wanted to be the top at whatever he was doing but he could never make it past the first mark.
When he was younger he had tried to learn to play the piano. He couldn't even play three blind mice. He had then tried to play sports. He had always been picked last. He tried chess, singing, dancing; he had failed at them all.
He had, however, always had one particular dream. He wanted to be in SOLDIER. He wanted to wear that black uniform. He wanted to be just like his hero, Zack Fair, SOLDIER First Class.
Joe loved everything about Zack. He tried to style his whole life around his hero worship. He styled his hair like Zack's. He carried around a sword as similar to Zack's as he could find. He only ever wore black jeans and a black jumper, and he spent all of his time doing crunches and hitting the tree in his garden with his sword.
He was even a member of the Zack Fair fan club, and as soon as he had read that Zack wore sunflower embroidered swimming shorts, he raced out and bought some.
This was all years ago though. He had mourned when he received the email saying that Zack had died, but he had got on with his life. He wanted to honour his fallen hero so Joe joined ShinRa. He entered into service in the infantry. He wasn't very good.
All Joe talked about was how he wished to be in SOLDIER. Anyone he met that's what he would say. "One day, I'll be a SOLDIER First Class, just like my hero Zack." Unfortunately for Joe, anyone who knew him, or knew of him, would chuckle slightly and shake their heads while walking off. Joe didn't let it bother him. He just carried on working towards his dream.
Unfortunately, as the years slid by, Joe didn't advance. He never made it past the first level of the infantry, and as all Joe's friends were either killed, or promoted, he became very lonely.
One day, mission orders came in. 'Two dangerous criminals are heading for Midgar. They need to be stopped and eliminated. Maximum force required.'
Well, it was time to show ShinRa what he was made of. He suited up along with his brothers in arms and travelled to the cliff overlooking Midgar. Up ahead he saw them, the two criminals he had been assigned to kill. They didn't seem all that threatening from this distance. One looked to be carrying the other, still he knew that things weren't always as they seemed. He lined up with the other infantry men and waited.
The call was given, everyone cocked their weapons. The target left his friend behind some rocks then came back out, faced the unit and drew his sword.
"FIRE!"
Everyone fired. Joe fired. Bullets went flying towards the target. Quick as a flash he dived to the side, knocking bullets out of the air with his sword. He recovered and ran at the unit. He shouted something at the men but Joe couldn't hear him. He pulled his trigger again and again. The target ran nearer and nearer, bullet holes appeared in his chest, he continued to run nearer. More bullet holes appeared. Joe carried on shooting as the target drew nearer, sword striking side to side, felling his men. This creature needed to be put down. He was almost on top of Joe now. Joe's finger suddenly stopped pulling at the trigger. He gazed up in wonder at the person he had been firing at. "Zack..." he managed to get out, before the sword flashed down, and was the last thing that Joe was ever aware of.