"Why can't I get this stupid rock to move." Ciella shouted in exasperation, shoving her hands against the boulder in question and she yet again failed to gain any control over it.

"Are you sure you're focusing entirely on the rock. And also, if you don't watch out, that boulder may end up breaking you instead." Iwa commented from the tree branch she was settled in. She watched as her friend turned and leaned against the boulder behind her, glaring up at the relaxed cat.

"You're seriously making sarcastic comments at a time like this?"

"Oh Ciel, it's like you don't know me at all." The exceed replied back, and the two stared each other down, before bursting into laughter.

"Oh Iwa, you always know how to cheer me up." Ciella said after she had calmed down and stopped laughing, "thanks for sticking with me this whole time. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Most likely wallow in your self pity and have a lack of motivation."

The girl once again let out a small chuckle.

"That comment was slightly unnecessary, but true." Turning back to face the boulder, a look of determination came over her face once more, "Alright, time to try this again. Come on boulder, just this once, please just crack for me."

"Why don't you just try the techniques your dragon taught you?"

At this, Ciella sighed, "It's not that simple. I need to have the earth on my side. If it can't even manipulate it on simple terms, how am I ever going to be able to use the earth in combat techniques?"

"I see, you have a point there."

Focusing all her energy, she stared the rock down, willing it to crack under the pressure of her gaze. She was staring at the rock for a good couple of minutes, her face becoming strained as the rock refused to even give a shudder.

"Are you quite alright? You've been staring at that rock for a while." A deep voice came from behind her.

Jumping round in fright, the only sound that reached her ears was that of a loud crack. But ignoring that, she stared at the man who had seemingly appeared from out of nowhere.

He was extremely tall and muscular. A serious expression was on his face, making his dark eyes seem scarier to her. He was bald, and wore what seemed to be traditional, but foreign clothing. To say the least, the man sacred her. But what scared her most was the fact that in her fright, the rock she had been staring intently at was completely obliterated into dust when she looked back behind her.

"You practice earth Magic?" He whispered in surprise, seeing the destroyed rock.

"Ciella, stay back." Iwa called out, as she floated in front of her friend, her pure white wings spread out in a protective stance. The strange mans eyes widened even further at the sight of the talking and flying cat. But then they narrowed, as if observing her.

"Just who are you?" He asked.

"What's it to you?" Ciella replied to him shakily, answering his question with another question of her own. She was startled by his sudden appearance, and she wondered why the rock suddenly broke after he had appeared.

The mans gaze softened as he realised he must've frightened the young girl in front of him, "I'm sorry, I should've introduced myself in the first place. My name is Jura Neekis. What's yours?"

Jura Neekis. As in, no it couldn't be. As in Iron Rock Jura? As in the Jura Neekis that is one of the Ten Wizard Saints. This was the wizard she had heard about. The extremely powerful earth Mage. A person she aspired to be like, as he used similar Magic to her.

And she was meeting him. He was standing in front of her right now, staring in bewilderment at the rock behind her. She couldn't help but groan in her head. Now she's embarrassed herself in from of two wizard saints. First master Jose, for not being able to use her Magic at will, and now she completely lost control of it in front of Jura Neekis. Who will it be next? Master Makarov of Fairy Tail?

But putting those thoughts aside, she answered in shock.

"I'm... Um... I'm Ciella Redfox."

"Redfox. I've heard that name. You wouldn't happen to know a man by the name Gajeel Redfox?" Jura asked suspiciously.

Ciella bowed her head, "Yeah, he's my brother. You must know of him through Master Jose right?"

"Yeah. But may I ask, what you're doing all the way out here, this far from your guild?"

"Unless you can't see, it's quite obvious she isn't alone." Iwa retorted to the sassily.

"Calm down Iwa. Well... You see, it's kind of a long story-" Ciella began to explain, but was cut off by Jura casually sitting down on the ground.

"It's okay, you can explain. I've got time to spare." He told her, gesturing her to sit in front of him.

Ciella, not being convinced, eyed him suspiciously before asking, "why are you so interested in my story?" She could've hit herself then. What was she doing. This was a wizard Saint. She should be showing more respect.

"Well, anyone who has the power to obliterate a rock like that would capture my interest. I want to know how you obtained power like that." After Jura said this, she only looked towards the now nonexistent rock that was once placed in that clearing, and just sighed, before sitting down and crossing her legs, Iwa floating down to land in the ground beside her.

"That was nothing special, it was just an accident. It only happened because I was startled by you."

"I don't think that's it. I think there's more to you than what you let on. So, will you answer my question for me?"

Ciella looked into his dark eyes. She saw no hidden motive, no danger. She only saw curiosity, interest. So, she decided that there would be no harm in telling him. He could be trusted, she deduced. After all, he was one of the wizard saints.

She ended up explaining everything to him. Even her life before Phantom Lord, as explaining what happened with that guild also lead into her explaining about her Magic, which lead into her explaining about Metalicana. He just sat there and listened, taking every bit of information in. He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious about this girl. From her words and the conviction behind her eyes, and the determination he sensed in her, he knew that despite her trouble in controlling and harnessing her Magic energy, he knew that she could amount to be a great wizard.

But to so that, she needed to be lead into the right path. Someone had to teach her the true key to becoming a strong user of earth Magic. So he made a decision. A decision made on his judgement of this girls past, and what she could grow to become in the future. He would make her an offer. And he hoped for her sake that she would agree to it. It would be a good method of learning. After all, he always wanted to get the experience of teaching someone else.

Once Ciella has finished her explanation, they say in silence as Jura thought over the offer he was going to give her.

"I see. So what I understand, is that you need someone to teach you properly about earth Magic." He told her, making it more of a statement rather than a question.

"That's not what I'm really saying, but m, to be perfectly honest, it would be great to have someone to teach me properly. But it's the case of finding the right person." He smiled at that, for it was exactly what he was hoping that she'd say.

"Then I'm willing to give you an offer. I could teach you, be a mentor to you so you can take guidelines from my teachings and incorporate it into your own dragon slaying Magic that you should be able to practice from the Lacrima inside you."

Hearing this, Ciella's eyes widened. Was he really offering to teach her. Jura Neekis, one of the ten wizard saints, was offering to teach her Magic? This couldn't be real. No way would this ever happen.

"Are you really offering to teach me? Why? I'm nothing special." She said, lowering her eyes to the ground in front of her.

"I don't believe that. Everyone is individual and special in their own way. But you have a conviction, a determination. And I believe that those feelings in you can grow to be something powerful. I would be honoured to train someone like you. I only ask you one thing in return. In order for me to be your mentor, you would have to join my guild, Lamia Scale."

Looking up at the man sitting beige her one more, Ciella stared in shock. Was this really happening. This could be a great opportunity for her, the chance to find her inner strength. And she'd heard of Lamia Scale, they were a pretty strong guild, and if Jura's example as anything to go by, they seemed friendlier than her old guild. With that mindset, she decided.

"Okay, I accept."

The next years at Lamia Scale were an eye opener for her. She could see how a guild could be so close to each other. At Phantom it was every man for himself. No one cared for their comrades. Here, although it could be said that there was the same level of arrogance in the guild, they were all like a family. Despite this, other than Jura, Ciella didn't really socialise with the guild mates. She felt overwhelmed and found it hard to make friends.

Yet, she was now a proud member of the Lamia Scale guild, and bore their guild mark at side of her lower right thigh, just above the knee high socks she had taken to wearing.

But she had made many new memories, some great, and some very scarring on her. Some which gave her nightmares. She had gone on jobs, mainly solo, and learned what real guild life was like, and not being trapped away inside the halls of Phantom Lord.

Her training with Jura had been intensive, but he taught her a lot in the time they spent together on their 'training trips' as she had come to calm them. All this time, she was so detached from herself and who she could be. She wasn't grounded. Jura changed that. He taught her how to to ground herself, how to connect with the earth beneath her feet, in order to use it to her will.

The Magic he had taught her about, she used it to guide her own Magic. She had now been able to master the techniques she was taught as a child, as well as the dragon slayer techniques that now came as instinct to her through the dragon Lacrima. Everything had changed, she was growing stronger everyday. Everyday she came another day closer to seeing her brother, once they were both ready. She was continuously learning new things, Jura mentoring her and guiding her through everything. He had become like a surrogate father to her. Not that he could ever replace Metalicana, but he was there for her at least.

But little did she know, that her unsociable behaviour and attitude would soon change, as soon enough, a few previous guild members would return, being with them a new member that would change her life forever.

Things changed over the years for Gajeel as well. But not in the same good way as they did for his sister. He had become colder, more violent. Everyday he spent without his sister there to keep him calm, has another day his anger grew.

Anger at what, he didn't know. Was it at the guild, his guild mates? Was it at his sister for leaving him here? Or was it even at himself? These questions, he could not answer.

The only thing he knew, is that this anger he had inside him had been directed at one other guild in particular. A guild that Phantom Lord had a certain vendetta against, and rivalry with. That guilds name was Fairy Tail

Little did Gajeel know, that the upcoming war with them would change his life for the better this time. The outcome of the war would give him an opportunity, an opportunity that has never been presented to him before.

This could've been the start to the Redfox siblings coming back together. This could be the beginning of their eventual reunion. Only time can tell the outcome.

Authors note.

Hey guys. So here's the second chapter, and this'll be the last chapter dealing with Ciellas life before Lamia Scale. But this isn't all you'll hear from her past, as there will be flashbacks of certain events.

I apologise if any of the characters seem a little OOC. I'm trying to capture their personalities as best as I can.

So, yeah. Hope you enjoyed it and please vote and comment what you think.

Thanks.