Ice Angel

By: Lady Day

Disclaimer: Dear sweet God, must you torture me so!? No I don't own it… though I wish I could own Sephiroth… -sigh-

It was an extremely cold day, it was snowing and windy, and the small group of adventurers were making their way up a mountain, shivering.

One of them, their leader, had spiky blonde hair and glowing dark blue eyes. He wore many layers of clothing, mostly in navy blue, with strong armor and a huge sword strapped across his back.

The next one, right at the leader's side, was a beautiful, buxom young woman, with long chocolate tresses, and dark brown eyes that glowed burgundy in the right light. She wore pretty light blue clothing that kept her warm and powerful gloves on her hands to fight with.

Trotting along with them was a unique fire red creature, much reminiscent of a lion in our world, with many battle scars, including one over his right eye, forever closing it, with an ornate headdress, feathers braided into his mane, and a tail that glowed like fire at the tip of it.

Not too far behind them came another group, with a burly black man dressed in dark brown clothing, with a gun instead of a right arm. He had a surly expression on his face and was cursing the snowstorm vehemently.

Walking right behind him was a handsome man with garnet eyes and long black hair held back by a red bandanna. He wore black and dark red clothing, though with less layers than the others, as he was not affected by the cold as badly as his teammates. His left arm had been replaced with a golden claw and a powerful gun rested in a holster on his right side.

A little behind the darkly dressed man came a petite young woman dressed in dark green. She was also cursing the storm, and shivered violently. She carried a large shruiken on her back, and smaller projectile weapons on her belt. She had short black hair and stormy grey eyes.

Not too far behind the girl came two figures: a huge toy robot and a tall man.

The man, who carried a long spear, had short blonde hair and blue eyes and wore a pair of flight goggles perched on his head, holding his cigarettes. He wore thick blue clothes and a flight jacket over that, and always had a cigarette perched in his mouth.

The robot looked like a giant white moogle with small purple wings, with a toy cat perched on top, holding a megaphone and wearing a toy crown and cape. Because it was a robot, the little cat hand to make sure that snow didn't get into the camera the controller used to see out of.

This group of people climbing toward the distant crater was none other than AVALANCHE: Protectors of the Planet, and rebels against the insidious Shinra Company. They were on their way to confront Sephiroth, once a high ranking General in the Shinra army and hero of the Wutai War, now turned insane and trying to destroy the planet… and murderer of the last Cetra and their friend, Aeris Gainsborough. The loss hung heavy with the group, so there wasn't much conversation other than battle tactics when a monster attacked or complaints about the cold, usually coming from Yuffie, their youngest member.

Eventually, they made it into the center of the crater finding Sephiroth's real body, and inadvertently delivering to him the Black Materia. As the crater began to fall apart as the Weapons were released, no one noticed a small red materia, a summon, fall out of the young ninja, Yuffie's, armor. No one except Sephiroth himself, that is…

Pale hands picked up the round summon materia, feeling a cold chill from it.

"Shiva, Queen of Ice… come to me," Sephiroth ordered, activating the magic in the crystal.

A large iceberg appeared and inside of it appeared a beautiful woman with pale blue skin and hair, dark blue eyes and lips, and dark blue clothing.

"You are not the Wutaian ninja," she stated. "Why have you summoned me?" Sephiroth smirked.

"I summoned you because I now possess your materia. Now you belong to me," he replied. She frowned, but the law of the summons was absolute. She had no choice but to serve the man her former mistress hated with all her might.

"Then what do you wish of me?" she asked. He smirked.

"Increase the snowstorm outside of the crater. My Mother has created a barrier around it, but I want no chance of any returning to my sanctuary until it is time for Meteor to fall," he replied.

"Yes my master," she answered, her eyes glowing with power. Outside, the snowstorm increased tenfold, ensuring that no one would survive the climb up the cliffs again. "Is there anything else?" Sephiroth frowned, thinking about it seriously.

"If you do not mind…" he said quietly. "I would like company. My mother is busy with her plans, and I do not feel like butchering the monsters here in the crater. They may be needed later." Shiva frowned, but eventually agreed.

Time passed, and Shiva grew accustomed to Sephiroth's many moods, for there were times that he seemed like a normal human being… and others when he seemed purely insane and poured his powers into the black materia to speed the fall of Meteor and hold back the power of Holy, which the last Cetra had summoned.

During his sane moments, Sephiroth always summoned Shiva and they would talk of many things… when Shiva was once a human, of Sephiroth's past, and other such things. However… as Jenova began to notice her son's lack of attention to their plan, she began to possess him more and more often, to limit Sephiroth's interaction, and growing attraction, to the beautiful summon.

Days before the final battle with Avalanche, Sephiroth managed to get away from Jenova long enough to summon Shiva again.

"You summoned, Sephiroth?" she asked, surprised that she had been summoned again, for it had been many days since his last summoning, and she had begun to fear that Jenova would not release him again.

"Shiva," he said quietly. "Please remove the snowstorm…" Shiva, confused, did as he asked.

"It is done… but what troubles you?" she replied. Sephiroth shook his head.

"I don't have much time before Jenova takes me again. I just want to get this out, because I know I may never get the chance otherwise." He stated. "I know now that what Jenova is forcing me to do is wrong… and I regret my actions. So, when AVALANCHE comes for me… and I already know that they are on their way, I will not fight them at full strength."

"Sephiroth… they'll kill you," she gasped quietly.

"That is what I want," he replied. "I have done unforgivable things… and it is the punishment I deserve." She shook her head frantically.

"But… Sephiroth, I love you! I do not want you to die…" she whispered. His eyes widened, but his jaw was set.

"Shiva, I do not deserve you… and I know that we will never meet again. Good bye, my love…" he answered, ending the spell that kept her in his world. She returned to her stone to wait for summoning again, and placed her stone where he knew AVALANCHE would find it. The little Wutaian ninja would surely find it. Not long after, Jenova took over and the end began.

AVALANCHE made their way down into the crater, meeting in the deepest part. Yuffie spotted the materia and cheered, happy to have her lost summon back… though she sensed something wrong with the spirit inside. As the battles raged, Jenova was quickly wiped out, though her presence still controlled Sephiroth. Descending deeper into the Crater, they found Sephiroth, his eyes glowing brightly with the power used to hold back Holy.

"And Sephiroth, to the settling of everything!" Cloud roared, launching into battle.

Shiva watched, in her ice realm, as AVALANCHE fought her only love, tears rolling down her face. She cried as she watched Sephiroth's first form defeated quickly. She knew what they were doing was for the good of the planet, but that did not change her heart…

As Sephiroth transformed again, into a beautiful but deadly One Winged Angel, she began to pray to be summoned. She knew that it was not likely, and she knew it would only be to attack… but she had to try and stop this carnage somehow…

Looking out at the battle, she felt the call of the summoning, and disappeared.

This new form was harder than the last… and most of the team was down for the moment. Sephiroth's Super Nova took a lot out of them… Yuffie raised her Conformer, a red materia glowing.

"I'll distract him," she muttered. "Shiva, it's time to earn your keep, girl! Diamond Dust!"

Shiva appeared in her usual dramatic way, her eyes widening at the extent of Sephiroth's injuries. She fought against the command of the materia, struggling to reach him, to not use her deadliest attack against him. Slowly, bit by bit, she made her way to Sephiroth's side, kneeling before him.

"What on Gaia?" Yuffie muttered in shock. Shiva's rebellion had the desired effect, Sephiroth wasn't attacking them, only staring at the beautiful Ice summon.

"Sephiroth…" she whispered, embracing him as best she could. "Sephiroth, please stop this… Stop this senseless fighting. Jenova is gone! You are free!"

Sephiroth's eyes widened and he stared down at her. He'd been prepared to face her Diamond Dust, but this was surprising. She was fighting the orders of her summoner!

"Shiva, stop… you'll be punished…" he whispered. She shook her head again.

"I don't care!" she exclaimed. "I love you… and that's all that matters." He frowned.

"Shiva, I'll not have you give up your realm, your crown, or your life for my worthless soul," he answered, wrapping his black wing around her protectively.

"I'll give it all up, if only to be with you…" she whispered. Sephiroth held her, and then looked up to see Cloud readying his sword. He nodded at his old comrade, committing himself to his death. He knew it was for the best… and so, shoving Shiva out of the way, he took the brunt of Cloud's strongest attacks.

Shiva screamed as his body faded away, and fell to her knees in tears. Soon, she returned to her materia, feeling the summons of a greater being than the young ninja.

"Irresponsible!" a male voice roared as she knelt before the Council of Spirits. Her head was bowed, hiding her tears. She felt numb, and did not dare look up at the Spirits that ruled the summons and guided the Lifestream on its path.

"Impudence!" another voice shouted.

"Traitor to the Planet!" added yet another. The Head Spirit called them to silence, without a word, only raising its hand. The Head Spirit was the only one not visible to the weeping summon, being hidden by a cloak of pale green. It motioned to one of the Spirits at their side to begin the trial.

"Shiva, Goddess of Ice and Loyal Summon of the planet, you have been brought here today to be put on trial for the crime of protecting and eventually falling in love with an enemy of the planet, an act forbidden to all summons. How do you plead?"

"Guilty," she replied. "There is more to Sephiroth than any of you know, and I love him. I do not regret my actions."

"You do not regret the fact that you aided Sephiroth in hiding away and feeding power to Meteor? Even now, the Head Spirit is forced to send the Lifestream to help Holy."

"No, because unfortunately, I was heeding the call of my summoner when I summoned the snowstorm. However, it was when he realized that he was being manipulated by Jenova that he asked me to remove it. THAT is when I fell in love with him," she snapped.

"Even still, the act of love is forbidden to all summons. It is treachery of the highest order, to place someone above the Planet you serve."

"I do not care about that," she stated simply. "I know I have broken divine law, and I will accept my punishment… for none can be worse than seeing my love killed before my eyes."

"Very well then. Lady Shiva, you are henceforth stripped of your title as a summon and your home among the ice. Furthermore, your powers will be forced into dormancy, and your soul will be doomed to the abyss for eternity."

"Wait." Another voice ordered. All the spirits looked at the Head Spirit, who had finally awoken from their trance. "The battle is finished. Meteor has been forced back into space, and Sephiroth's soul is finally allowed to return to the Planet. However, his soul cannot rest." Another voice ordered. All the spirits looked at the Head Spirit, who had finally awoken from their trance.

"Shall we handle it, Head Spirit?" one of them asked. The head spirit shook their head, pulling down the hood and revealing flowing chestnut hair and beautiful green eyes. Shiva's eyes widened in shock.

"Miss Aeris!" she exclaimed. The last Cetra smiled down upon the weeping goddess, a sad look in her eyes.

"You are needed now, Shiva. Now more than ever, you are needed to calm Sephiroth's soul. You did a great service, loving him and awakening the true goodness within him. Will you give up your status, your realm, and your crown to be with him?" she asked quietly. The tears that slid down Shiva's face were happy ones now.

"Yes, of course," she answered. "I love him… and I would happily give it all up, if only to be with him." Aeris smiled down at her and nodded.

"Very well then. Let it be known that this young woman has been relieved of her duties as the goddess of ice. She and Sephiroth shall be allowed to enter the Promised Land, and live in peace," she stated.

"But… Head Spirit, she has broken divine law! She must be punished!" Aeris merely glared at the man who dared protest her decision.

"She has been your loyal summon for many millennia. She deserves to finally rest. Even summons grow weary. We will find another willing to take her place. Now be silent."

The Spirits bowed their heads and the nearby door opened, revealing Sephiroth, who ran forward.

"Shiva!" he exclaimed, pulling her into his arms, his single black wing curling around her protectively. She cried into his shoulder, and the young man looked up at the last Cetra.

"Take care of her, General," she said simply. "She is precious to the Planet, still." Sephiroth nodded. she said simply. Sephiroth nodded.

"Thank you," he stated. "And I'm sorry." She merely smiled and the two disappeared in a flash of light.

When the two opened their eyes again, they looked around, finding themselves in a field of flowers. On top of a nearby hill sprawled a huge city of white marble. The ex-goddess and the fallen angel looked at each other, and then back at the city.

"Welcome to the Promised Land, Sephiroth…" she whispered quietly, kissing him.

The End

((Author's Notes: I can't believe I actually pulled off a half decent one-shot! Usually I end doing the huge epics… but this was only 7 pages! I'm proud of myself! I'm not exactly sure how this turned out, but it was a request from one of my reviewers from my Labyrinth fic. I hope you all like it… and yes, I'll be getting back to work on Labyrinth soon. See you guys later!))