AN: Okay, before I give you the next chapter; I just want to answer a question from a reviewer (sorry I couldn't remember your name! (bows low)). He/She asked if Usagi/Shiva/Serenity would still fight in the future. Yes; she will continue to battle, though probably not as a GF anymore.

Also; I planned to equip her with a GF. You guys choose:

1.) A new GF which I will make up.

2.) One or a few of her fellow GFs. (vote for whom you think suits her!)

Disclaimer: I don't own FF VIII and SM.

Note: Slight OCCness in the future and mild Rinoa-bashing.

Special Thanks to those who reviewed!

SilverAngelCosmos; platinum star; koldy; silvershell; Hekate; devilsheart; very-lazy-one; Flame Ivy Moon; Angel-Goddess; kimeno-pebols; Elven Mischief; N64 (mario) Mushroomgirl

Love Etched in Ice

Chapter three: Revelations

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As Shiva's vision became more distinct; she saw indeed that the voice she heard belonged to Cid.

Shiva made a move to sit up but the middle-aged man before her motioned for her to stop.

"Don't." Cid said. "The stitches in your wounds are still raw and if you move too much, you might reopen them."

Shiva blinked her eyes rapidly.

Had Cid forgotten that she was a fast healer due to her heritage blood? Granted she couldn't call herself a Lunarian anymore but the blood of the royal Moon family still run in her veins.

Shiva tried to reason out her thoughts. Perhaps Cid was just saying that to keep her secret safe.

And yet still…

Shiva frowned softly. Something must've happened during the time that she blackened out.

"Who…Or rather, what are you exactly?" asked a crisped voice at Shiva's other side.

Shiva craned her neck ever so slowly to the other side of the bed to see that it was Rinoa who had asked the question. Besides her were Squall, Selphie…

Shiva lifted an eyebrow.

Why in the world were Quistis, Irvine and Zell doing here as well?

Moreover, why was she in the Infirmary for that matter?

"Are you for real?" Quistis muttered the question quietly yet Shiva could still pick up the hush tones.

Ok; now Shiva was downright confused.

Shiva debated whether to ask what was going on or not. However, the decision was made for her by Cid himself.

He pointed to the large mirror a few meters from the foot of Shiva's bed and said calmly. (AN: I know there isn't in the game but humor me.)

"Look and see for yourself Shiva."

A bit alarmed; Shiva slowly sat up and turned to look at the large double-sided glass. She nearly gave a surprised yell and almost toppled off the bed at what she saw.

Shiva felt her jaw dropped. In pure reflex; she cupped her face with herself and glanced shockingly at her new…or rather old appearance.

She looked just like herself! Granted she now had blue streaks in her hair and her skin had a slight flush, probably by the fever.

But still…the face that was reflected by the mirror was the same one she had looked upon when she was once seventeen-year-old Princess Serenity.

Apparently; the result of her turning into a monster hadn't affected her physical age. Thus; she still retained her youthful look.

Shiva managed to breathe out. "I can't believe it."

The now human (or Lunarian rather) Ice Goddess surveyed her looks closely. She touched the golden and blue strands of her hair and focused her gaze on her now silver-blue eyes.

She pinched herself on the cheek and gave a small yelp at the sudden pain that coursed through her body. It dissolved however, as a warm smile crept up on her lush lips.

"I'm me again!" She exclaimed in outmost joy. "I can't believe it! After all of these years!"

Forgetting her injuries and the people around her; Shiva…or rather Serenity, bolted right out of bed and began to do a little dance.

It wasn't long though that Rinoa's question drilled on her memory. Serenity frowned and turned around at the black-haired girl.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The golden-haired girl asked; crossing her arms.

Rinoa's face faltered at the glare Serenity threw at her but she covered it up with a frown.

"You are Shiva but you don't look like her. Did the Ultimate T-Rex's acidic claws made you the way you are now?" The blue-eyed girl asked.

"Are you really that moronic Rinoa?" growled Selphie. The brunette resisted the urge to roll her eyes until they strain.

Rinoa glared at the brunette and opened her mouth to retort when an impatient Squall intervened.

"Be quiet Rinoa." He muttered; glancing stonily at the black-haired girl.

Rinoa opened her mouth in shock while Selphie, Quistis and Serenity covered theirs to hide a smile (smirk).

"Oh Serenity dear! You're finally awake!" cried another voice as the owner entered the room.

Serenity's eyes glimmered as she gazed upon a face that she hadn't personally seen in a very long time.

"Dr. Kauzouki!" (sp?) She exclaimed in an ecstatic voice as she hugged the much older woman.

The doctor merely laughed and return Serenity's hug.

"Ah Serenity; I see that you've finally returned to your real self." The black and gray-tinted-haired woman said as she glanced at the golden-haired young Lunarian.

"Yes; I can't believed it either myself…" Serenity replied. "And after all of those years that I had spent as a GF…"

Serenity closed her eyes. She cast a smile on her lips as a lone tear ran down her cheek.

Dr. Kauzouki wiped the teardrop away gingerly.

"Tears do not suit you, my child." She muttered softly.

Serenity couldn't help but smile at the irony of the doctor's words.

How could she call her a child when Serenity herself was a thousand years older than herself?

"I've never felt this happy since the day I became Squall's GF." The golden-and-blue-haired girl muttered softly so that only the other woman could hear.

Dr. Kauzouki smiled gently at Serenity before she turned her gaze on Cid.

"Head Master," She started. "Can you do the honors and explain to them while I tend to Serenity's wounds?"

The good doctor said this in a questioning tone but the look in her dark eyes left no room for protests.

Cid nodded his head.

"Shall I tell them everything, Serenity?" He asked the proclaimed Ice Goddess.

Serenity opened her silvery-blue eyes slowly and gave the tiniest of smiles.

"Yes…I know that they can keep a secret."

"Alright then."

With that; Cid turned towards the group of confused teens and instructed them all to follow him to his office.

"I will answer all of your questions there as best as I could." He commented.

They all nodded; except for Squall who had his eyes on Shiva…or rather, Serenity as the doctor softly ordered her to lie back down on the bed.

Serenity noticed his stare and looked up at him with a cheerful smile on her face.

"I'll be fine Squall. Do not worry so much." She assured the young man.

The hazel-haired seED blushed a pale pink; having been caught staring. He muttered intelligible words under his breath and Serenity giggled in amusement.

This particular interaction went noticed by several pairs of smiling faces and one narrowed pair of blue eyes.

Rinoa swallowed a frown as she saw the blush of HER man's cheeks and the more-humanly GF giggling.

She fumed. How dare that…that…thing flirt with her boyfriend? (AN: You wish!) Squall's hers and ONLY hers.

And she'd be damned if she let Serenity steal him away from her.

Quistis saw the way the black-haired girl was glaring at the blonde former-GF and nudged Selphie lightly on the ribs.

Selphie flinched at the sudden pain she felt on her side and would've tossed a glare at the older blonde if Quistis hadn't hissed at her right then.

"Look."

The brunette did and smirked as she saw the way the black-haired girl was glaring stonily at Shiva, or Serenity as she now preferred to be called.

Selphie whispered to Quistis. "Serves Rinoa right. She'd been getting a little too smug and so high-and-mighty lately."

"I think Serenity and Squall looked good together. They're pretty close as well; since she was Squall's first ever GF." Quistis whispered back.

A mischievous gleam darkened Selphie's brown eyes.

"As much as I enjoyed matchmaking; we should get a certain person out of the picture first."

Quistis gave an uncharacteristic snort.

"As far as I'm concerned; Rinoa pushed herself in the picture. Squall neither objected nor said that he loves her."

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Serenity watched in silent amusement as Squall and the rest of his teammates walked out of the room with Cid ahead of them.

She was brought out of her musing however as Dr. Kauzouki ripped the taped bandage from her back.

"Oww!"

The older-looking woman merely examined the small dark stitches the beast's claws left on the blonde back. To her shock; the stitches slowly turned into scars that then became whiter and smaller until it faded and what was left was smooth alabaster skin.

Sensing the doctor's silent awe; Serenity let out a small giggle before she explained.

"My people are fast healers."

"I know that but I never really thought that you would heal this quickly."

Serenity shrugged. "Resting hastens my healing." She replied simply.

"I see…" the doctor's voice trailed off as she tugged Serenity's shirt back down.

After a couple of moments of contented silence; the doctor spoke up.

"Did you mean it when you said earlier that you trusted them?" She asked.

Serenity wasn't the least bit surprised by the doctor's bluntness. In fact she kind of expected it.

"Yes; I meant what I said."

She let out a small sigh. "However…"

"I'm not so sure about one of them. Somehow; I got this strange feeling that I should be on my guard when I'm around that certain person."

The doctor made no comment and let the blonde continue.

"That's why I cast a jinx on them all."

Serenity quickly added when she saw the doctor cocked up an eyebrow.

"Don't worry. It will only take effect when they even mentioned a hint of my secret to anyone else."

"I should sure hope so. I wouldn't want to tend to patients who suffer from a huge zit attack."

Serenity's eyes sparkled with devilishness.

"Oh don't worry. My jinxes are not like that...they're so much worse."

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Squall, Zell and Irvine were standing outside at the dock area of the Balambi Garden.

Zell took a deep breath as he stared at the clear blue sea glittered by the brightness of the sun. He placed his hands on his hips and stated.

"Ah…Smell that fresh salty air…" The blonde young man muttered.

Squall leant against the dock's fence; deep in thought.

Irvine, who was checking out his shotgun, looked up and turned his gaze to the sea.

"After what the Head Master had told us about Shiva…I can't help but wonder."

He paused for a while; his brown eyes focused on the salty waters of the waves rushing against their moving Garden.

Both Zell and Squall gazed at the tall long-haired brunette male; waiting for him to continue.

"What if Shiva wasn't the only one who was a former human?"

Zell interrupted Irvine by coughing.

"Err…hello; Serenity's not exactly a human. She's a Lunarian and a Princess to boot."

Irvine tossed the blonde male a glare.

"Well excuse me for not being so specific." He retorted curtly.

Squall sighed as he turned to stare at the cloudless blue sky above.

"So that is what the Head Master meant when he told me those words years ago."

He said this in a soft whisper yet both of the other men heard him.

"What do you mean Squall?" asked Zell.

Squall sighed once more. "I first met Shiva when I was a boy about twelve or thirteen. I was sent to explore an icy cave not far from Balambi. The strangest thing was that the cave could only be seen at a particular time of the month…when the new moon is high above the dark, starless sky."

He continued. "Anyway, when I went inside; I discovered that it wasn't a cave after all; but a cavern. It was pretty much easy making my way there since the place had only one path to follow."

Squall brushed aside a stray hazel lock from his face as he paused to take a breath. He wasn't still hadn't got used to speaking long sentences.

"When I reached the end of the cavern; I was surprised to find myself surrounded by ice. The walls and ground were covered heavily with frost and long sharp stalactites decorated the ceiling like thick, giant icicles. Shiva was cocooned in a huge glacier of ice. At first I thought that she was asleep but then her eyes snapped opened and she broke out of her prison with a loud cry."

"The look in her eyes was murderous; like a monster's. Before I knew it, she'd attacked me. Luckily, I was prepared and I fought her with all of my might. Just as I was about to pass out in exhaustion; Shiva beat me to it and she fainted first. What had surprised me again then was that before she lost consciousness; she had muttered a 'sorry'."

"So what happened then?" asked Irvine; listening intently to Squall's story.

"I took her to the Infirmary. I didn't know what else to do. There I learnt that Shiva was a GF and that I am assigned to be her charge from now on since I was the one who found her. The Head Master had told me then that Shiva is special among the other GFs…"

"And it turned out that she is special indeed. Very special." Zell muttered softly.

Squall nodded his head. Irvine; however; rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"You know Squall," started Irvine. "During your story; you kept referring Serenity as Shiva still, even after Cid told us not to call her that anymore."

"I know that…" Squall admitted.

"It's just that…I'm so used to depending on her to support me for all these years and I had never realized that she wasn't what I thought she was."

"It's like losing an old friend and meeting a stranger at the same time." commented a soft voice from behind them.

The three young men turned to see none other than the topic of their conversation.

Squall felt a skip in his heart quickened as he glanced at Shiva with slightly widened emerald eyes.

Shiva was wearing a pair of hip-hugging black capri's and a sleeveless white tank top with the design of a blue and silver wolf in the front and showed off her midriff. Comfortable white sandals adorned her slender feet and her long golden-blue hair was tied into a high ponytail with a black ribbon so that it reached and curled to her mid-back. A few strands of gold and blue framed her face which was completely void of any foundation or other make-up.

She was gorgeous!

Irvine was the first to come to his senses and he stood upright and saluted Serenity.

"Hey Reni," He greeted; ignoring the rolling of the young woman's -- they can't call her a GF anymore -- eyes at the nickname.

The brunette male turned to glance at Zell and said. "We should get going Zell. We still have to train those junior students remember?"

The blonde man looked at him with confused eyes. "What do you mean Irvine? We don't -- Ouf!"

Zell rubbed the sore spot on his side where Irvine nudged him with the butt of his gun's handle. The blonde tossed the brunette a death glare which went ignored by the other man.

Irvine flashed Serenity a smile and practically dragged the blonde male by the arm towards the door leading to the hallway of the second floor.

With the door finally closed behind them; Squall turned his back from Shiva; intent on ignoring her.

Serenity sighed and a sad look crossed her facial features.

"I know that you're not too happy with me right now." She started.

Squall let out a scoff but didn't say anything.

"Would you at least hear me out?" she asked.

Squall said nothing.

"Please?"

Squall sighed and finally muttered.

"Fine, whatever. Shoot."

Serenity sighed again. She took a few steps forward.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you this sooner. I was going to but…"

Squall sharply turned around and cut her off.

"But you didn't. Obviously; you didn't trusted me enough." He said bitterly.

Serenity's heart sank as she saw the hurt and confused anger in her charge's green eyes. She felt hatred towards herself for putting her closest friend in this situation.

"I did trust you Squall and I still do…"

Her voice trailed off as she paused. "I just didn't think that it would mean anything if I told you the whole truth. I thought that I was cursed for an eternity in the form you, before now, had seen. I didn't want to burden you…"

"But still, you should have told me. Then I wouldn't have treated you like…"

"Like what Squall? Like a GF?"

Serenity felt a bitter smile etched itself on her lips.

"It doesn't matter anyway. To tell you the truth; being with you has made my life as a beast much more tolerable." She confessed.

"You're the first friend I'd ever made during my stay here in the Garden." Squall muttered softly.

Serenity smiled softly. "Am I still your friend Squall? Do you trust me still?"

Squall; who had bowed his head so that the blonde couldn't see his face; lifted his chin. Serenity was surprised but pleased to see a small smile on the young man's face.

"I wouldn't have it any other way…Serenity." He muttered softly; an indescribable gleam in his green depths.

Serenity felt her smile widened as she ran and flung herself in Squall's outstretched arms.

"Thank you so much, Squall." She murmured softly into his ear as she draped her slender arms on his neck.

The seventeen-year-old felt a slight shiver ran through his body as the blonde's melodious voice tickled his ear.

"For what?" He asked; his voice low and hoarse.

If Serenity had noticed the change of tone; she didn't mentioned it.

"For accepting me as I truly am." She replied honestly.

Squall felt a rare smile fixed itself on his lips and he tightened his grip on Serenity's slender waist.

"Just promise me one thing." He said.

"Hmm? What would that be?" She muttered softly.

Serenity inhaled the lavender scent of Squall's hair with content.

Gods. He smelt so good…and heavenly.

"Don't ever keep a secret from me alright?"

Serenity's silver-blue eyes widened slightly at Squall's bluntness. Then she smiled.

Well today sure was a day full of surprises.

"I won't if you won't." She replied.

"It's a deal."

"Good…Hey!"

Squall had secured his grip on Serenity's waist and was currently twirling the girl around like a merry-go-round.

Serenity giggled as she smacked her former young charge's strong arms playfully.

"Put me down now." She mock glared.

Squall merely laughed.

"Make me."

Unbeknownst to the laughing couple; a pair of blazing blue eyes spied on them from behind the crack of the door.

Rinoa gritted her teeth in anger and jealousy as she gazed on at the two.

She would make her pay.

The black-haired girl felt a sinister smile curling at her lips as a scheme began to evolve in her mind.

Oh yes. She will make her pay…so very dearly.

To be continued

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AN: Okay; for those who are confused; I wanted to point out a few things…

One; the reason that Squall called Serenity Shiva earlier in the chapter is because he felt that Serenity wasn't the same person as Shiva. If you want me to explain further; email me.

Two: Rinoa is not a villain yet in my fic. She's just a highly jealous and hallucinating young woman who plans to get back at Serenity/Shiva but that's for another chapter.

So…review! Review! Remember; the most you review, the faster I'll update. (grins) Can you just tell that I'm a sucker for reviews?