A/N: If any readers have ever wondered what John's custom-built lance looks like, basically it's a scaled-down version of the lance Seymour Flux uses in Final Fantasy X, but with purple colours instead of the blue and orange. The name 'Lance Of Atrophy' is also the name of one of the boss's attacks, which afflicts a party member with the Zombie status ailment. Any readers of The Smirking SOLDIER will know that THIS version of the lance degrades the target. Degradation is mentioned heavily in Crisis Core, and I've grown highly interested in degradation since playing the game. Oh, well. Hope you enjoy this. Oh, and Tifa is named 'Tiffany' because that's the first name of my partner, and she wanted to be included in The Smirking SOLDIER series. -AtrophysFinest.
SOLDIER Memories – Part One
Part of 'The Smirking SOLDIER' series
John 'Atrophy' Valentine rose from his bunk on the SOLDIER Floor in the Shin-Ra Headquarters, a smirk on his lips as he dressed into his 2nd Class SOLDIER uniform. He grabbed his longsword and turned on his heel to look at the panel on the wall above his bunk which gave him his orders for the day ahead.
He smirked again when he read his orders. "Hm, promotions day. I wonder if..." Before John could finish his sentence, the tannoy sounded throughout the SOLDIER Floor. "SOLDIER 2nd Class Number six-one-two-five, John Valentine to report to the Director's office at once. I repeat, SOLDIER 2nd Class Number six-one-two-five, John Valentine to report to the Director's office at once."
John smirked and left his bunkroom, leaving the door unlocked. As he made his was to the Director's office, a young woman carrying a stack of files nearly tackled him to the ground. John helped the girl pick up her files and froze when his eyes met hers. He thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.
She had long, deep chocolate locks, eyes the colour of wine and a voice that sounded like liquid gold. John noticed the name-tag that the woman wore and felt that for some reason he couldn't explain, he'd see the woman again.
"Here, let me help you with these, Miss Lockhart." John helped the young woman pick up her files. When the girl met John's deep, turquoise eyes, her lips parted when she noticed them flare purple for a brief moment.
"T-thank you, Mr...?" John smirked at the woman. "Valentine, John Valentine, SOLDIER 2nd Class. What brings you to the SOLDIER floor, Miss Lockhart?" The young Miss Lockhart giggled. "Call me Tiffany. I'm an intern, working for Shin-Ra to help pay for my Junon University fees. I'm studying..."
Before Tiffany could finish her sentence, a random SOLDIER 1st Class walked past just slowly enough to warn John of something. "Better get a move on, Valentine, the Director's looking pissed..." John handed Tiffany her files and looked at the curvaceous woman for a moment. "Do you have a pen?"
Tiffany blushed and looked down at her chest. "Um, in my jacket pocket... Why?" John smirked and looked down. "May I?" Tiffany knew that somehow she could trust this SOLDIER 2nd Class. "S-sure..."
John reached down and clutched the pen, careful to not graze her skin. He was an officer AND a gentleman. He held onto the files and wrote something down on the woman's hand. "Just in case you wanted to talk again sometime, well, here's my PHS number. I have weekends off, I usually just spend them training, but I'm sure I can take some time off training for someone as beautiful as you."
Tiffany merely squeaked her thanks and ran to the elevator, her cheeks burning a deep shade of crimson. John chuckled and made his way to the Director's office. He walked in and folded his arms, smirking as it was empty.
He sat down on one of the many chairs and waited patiently for the Director. He turned around on his swivel chair to face the metal door when he saw the three record breakers in SOLDIER, the three 1st Class members that everyone looked up to, talking on the other side of the glass.
Sephiroth, Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos. The ultimate warrior trio at Shin-Ra's disposal, the unbeatable killing machines. John immediately got up from his seat and stood to attention. The metal door opened and the three 1st Class members walked through and into the Director's office.
John saluted all three members and let his body slacken when Sephiroth nodded in his direction. The silver-haired swordsman grunted as he looked around the room, obviously searching for someone. "Valentine... Where is your bunkmate?"
John shook his head. "I have no knowledge of 2nd Class Number six-seven-three-eight's current location, Sir." Sephiroth sighed and glared at John. "Find him and bring him here. We can't proceed without the pair of you. We'll wait."
John saluted all three members and left the Director's office, heading straight for the Training Room. He thought to himself for a moment. 'If he'll be anywhere, he'll probably be there. He'd better be, I don't want to spend every day looking for him.'
When John reached the Training Room, he sighed when he saw his bunkmate performing squats. John knocked on the glass and smirked as he watched his bunkmate fall to the floor before bouncing back up onto his feet.
John's bunkmate glared through the glass. He walked through the glass door and snarled. "What the Hell was that for!? I almost beat Sephiroth's record!" John shook his head. "No time. Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis are all waiting in the Director's office for us. Come on, Zack."
Zack Fair sighed and followed his bunkmate to the Director's office. When they reached the office, John noticed Sephiroth had his arms folded, which wasn't a good sign. John and Zack saluted the three SOLDIER 1st Class members.
Angeal Hewley nodded. "Now that you're both here, we have to talk to you about something. It's Promotions Day, and the two of you are to be promoted by us, as Director Lazard is on holiday. We're in charge in his absence and answer directly to President Shin-Ra."
John and Zack's turquoise eyes widened. "Us, Sir?" Genesis nodded. "Yes, Valentine. Both you and Zack have shown exemplary work these past few months. Now, as per your orders, you will be joining the three of us on a recon mission to an area rich in Mako, along with some 2nd Class and 3rd Class SOLDIER operatives."
Zack sighed. "Where will we be going?" Sephiroth glared at the raven-haired SOLDIER which made Zack quiver a little. "Puppy, we will be going to the Northern Continent. We will be boarding a plane in Junon and landing just outside the Icicle Inn. We make our way up from there. Rumour has it that there is something quite remarkable deep near the old crater, but we won't know till we get there. Now, Valentine and Fair, go and change into your new uniforms and choose your new weapons."
John and Zack saluted their fellow 1st Class members and left the Director's office to grab their new equipment and uniform from the lockers outside the office. Zack grinned at his friend. "So, what weapon are you gonna choose? I know you've never let go of your Poison Materia."
John smirked. "I've had my eye on a certain lance that was used in experiments awhile back. The Science Department discarded it and left it up for grabs for 1st Class members. Nobody's claimed it, I'm taking it." John and Zack changed into their uniforms and the long-haired SOLDIER walked back into the Director's office to speak with his fellow 1st Class members.
While Sephiroth and Genesis were talking, Angeal spoke to the new SOLDIER 1st Class. "Can I help you, John?" John nodded. "Angeal, I was wondering if I could have the code for the lance locker? I've had my eye on that lance that was discarded by the Science Department."
Angeal grinned, knowing full well that John had had his eyes on that weapon for months. "The code six-three-seven-four. Happy lancing." John smirked and walked back to the weapon lockers. He keyed in the code on the electronic keypad and the restricted locker opened.
John grinned and his eyes widened when he saw the lance. It was white with a grey tint and had a number of Materia slots, all four of them were linked. John was a little hesitant at handling the lance at first, considering it had been used in experiments.
He took great care to not touch the sharp end of the weapon and sealed the locker when he retrieved said lance. He opened the locker next to him and found his new Materia. He placed his new Restore and All Materia into the first two linked slots, and the other two slots were now filled with his new Summon Materia, which was Hades, along with a new Support Materia he'd only known Sephiroth to use. HP Absorb.
Once his weapon's Materia slots were filled, he proceeded to fill his Shinra Alpha armour with Destruct and Added Effect, Barrier and All and finally Poison and All. Every single Materia was already at its MASTER level.
John checked the Accessory locker and found a Jem Ring, which he placed on his left index finger. He smirked as he looked down at his hand. "A perfect fit." John then performed his victory pose, practising as he span the lance through his fingers and finishing by clipping his new weapon to his back.
As soon as he did this, he watched his bunkmate equip his new Materia and Shinra Alpha armour. John smirked at Zack as his friend nodded at him. "All ready to go?" Zack grinned and followed the smirking SOLDIER back into the Director's office.
Angeal smirked at the two new 1st Class SOLDIER operatives and nodded. "We're heading straight to the main entrance, helicopters are waiting to take us to Junon. Are you both ready?" John and Zack nodded, and the five members walked to the elevator that would take them down to the main entrance.
End Of Part One