The Inherited

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana had finally gotten a letter from the organization she had worked for. Well she had gotten one before but that was through another method other than the typical letter that was the safest method of getting information from one place to another. So long as no one knew that you were using a bird and didn't know where to look for the bird to land, it was a lot better than making cell phones calls that could sometimes bet traced if you didn't use them fast enough or didn't take all the right precautions when using them. Not that the standards of communication were important at this moment in time. The thing that was important was following what she had been ordered to do. The paper not revealing too much about this group that had already been in existence. Roxana's organization probably would have left it alone and not taken an interest in this cult group if the whole SPECTRE thing had not happened.

They had known about SPECTRE before the attacks, kidnappings, and before they really made themselves known, yet Rox's group did nothing. Nothing until it was already too late and even still it was not a matter that they cared about all that much. They did have people handling it however, people that were not Roxana. No, she still had her originally assignment to do with a few tweak and now the added job of monitoring and meeting a new girl to this school. She was like any other new girl from what little info she obtained from the school about the girl. Young, came into her powers, and had a personality to her. It was from where she came from that was important. It was not like she was the first girl from that 'cult' to go to the school, but since the whole SPECTRE thing, well a group of all mutants was an important thing to monitor.

Roxana had already started looking into the girl in what ways she could. Finding out her room, roommates, and where all her classes were located. Roxana had to meet the girl face to face and that was why she waited outside of the school for when Demi's last class of the day would let out. Planning on waiting for the girl to come out and just follow her, not hiding her presence or anything.

[Demi Smith]

Oh how Demi hated the classes here. She hated the teachers, hated the lessons, found almost all of it to be a waste of her time. Why did she need to learn science and chemistry? That wasn't even approaching discussions over "history" which this place got all wrong. Demi knew that various mutants had been in power for centuries, and she'd nearly gotten into a shouting match with someone in one class when it had been brought up. It didn't help that nearly all the students looked at Demi like she was the heathen wearing flashy, tainted clothes instead of them. The dirt didn't seem to bother them; people had odd side effects showing quite often. It was the clothes, and in truth, even that probably would've been overridden if Demi didn't have a "punch first and ask questions later" take on things.

So a grumpy girl left her classes, practically stomping out. Her mood lightened slightly as her feet touched the ground. She slid out of a pair of sandals (she made them herself), letting her bared feet touch the grassy ground. Grass, cobblestone, it didn't matter overmuch to Demi which she stepped on; it all felt better than the stuff in there. She bent down to pick up her sandals, tying them onto her belt before she continued walking.

As Demi moved, she worked her powers, tempted to enter her Flow. instead, she opted to simply call forth the dust and dirt, letting it writhe about her arm for a bit. It was odd, but Demi thought she felt someone behind her. She brushed it off: she felt that often here: there were too many people. Still... this felt... deliberate or something...

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana watched and followed in silence, wearing loose fitting black pants that looked like they would be a mix of ridding pants and skinny jeans. White long sleeve buttoned up shirt, a long leather jacket over it, and a black hat on top of her head. She looked like she should have been out in the plains back in the western days or at least in a colder climate. She was used to colder climates in fact and since the school was basically up in the mountains in a way and Kalispell was often more on the cold side even in the summer, she was not too uncomfortable at the moment. Plus she liked wearing leather and was used to the temperatures she would have to deal with while wearing it. It was like training in a way, having your body being able to handle the extreme ends of tempters. However, what she was wearing was not all that important compared to what she was doing right now.

She watched as Demi removed her sandals and was walking along while she seemed to be controlling dust and dirt? Roxana had not been informed too much on the girl’s powers, just her classes mainly and that her power was some form of manipulation. Clearly earth manipulation in a way, possibly controlled in some other way that would give it a different name. She would have to observer more to be sure and do some more digging, but for now there was following to do. Roxana still did not try to hide herself as she followed the girl, not yet ready to approach and wanted to make sure that she was sure that her power was what Rox was guessing. It would have been foolish of her to just get into a confrontation with a girl that she didn't know at least a small part of what he power was. That did not mean she would complete avoid confrontation if it came down to it. She had already heard that Demi was a little more on the violent or quick to act side of things.

Like her feet touching the ground. Signs of control over soil or earth based things. Brown hair. Five foot maybe. Teenager, but pretty young. Fifteen or fourteen perhaps. Roxana thought to herself, observing and following. Waiting to see if the girl was going to catch on that she was indeed being followed and what she was going to do about it.

[Demi Smith]

Demi hadn't quite grown used to all the people yet. She still felt the strange prickling sensations that she'd developed with years of the Inherited. Given her personality and drive, she had to constantly fight off other people who thought they were, perhaps not better but at least her equal. So she'd learned to watch out, to always be ready, on edge. For as far as Demeter of the Inherited was concerned, you were an enemy until proved otherwise.

so she soon felt someone behind her, someone purposefully following her. Demi stopped as soon as she realized it, clenching her fist, drawing the dirt and dust tight around it. Why would someone do this? Had she been assigned a watcher? Too many questions, and Demi didn't like questions.

Demi turned then, flinging her hand out, spraying dirt and dust at Roxana. More than just what she'd gathered in her hand, Demi pulled the dirt clinging to her with the move. One smooth motion, her hand thrusting out, fingers splayed, and Demi had lifted a stream of dirt from her clothes and body, all rocketing at Roxana in an overhead arch aimed at the taller girl's chest, all flying while the younger girl's hard eyes locked onto the other woman, confidence and anger radiating from her in equal measure.

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana was picking up that Demi had to start to be catching on to the fact that she was being followed. As soon as Demi stopped moving, Roxana was already forming crystal daggers between her fingers; three to be exact. She was not going to outright throw them at the girl, no they were going to be more so for a warning. Unless they needed to be more than that. Roxana braced herself as she watched the fist form and then the younger and smaller girl turn around and fling dirt and dust was flung at her. She closed her eyes, not knowing if that was where the attack was going and knew that it was foolish to close your eyes on a potential enemy. It was that or risk getting dirt and dust in your eyes and dealing with not being able to see for a longer period of time if you did get something in your eye. Your own tears would be part of your downfall as they worked to flush out the foreign object out of your eyes.

Thankfully or more or less regrettable, the dirt and dust was not going for her eyes but for her chest. Roxana having her eyes closed could not see it but as soon as she had closed her eyes she tossed the crystal daggers she had in her hand at Demi. Making sure that she had them aimed that they would land in a row right in front of the other girl but would not touch or harm her. Roxana's mind didn't register just how much or how little pain she felt that would hit her chest, but she did know that she almost lost her balance, stumbling back, and opening her ice blue eyes to smile at the girl. She has a pretty decent amount of control over her power. Roxana noted to herself as started to work on creating more crystals in her hands.

"Nicely done Demi of the Inherited. Safe to assume that where you came from is the place that taught you that amount of control?" Roxana asked because the girl had not been at the school that long and while some had a natural talent for learning and controlling their mutation quickly, it was still and interesting style the girl was brining to it.

[Demi Smith]

Something flew at Demi. She registered it and started to move out of the way, not realizing till she'd actually dodged that they hadn't meant to connect. Whoever this girl was, she actually had something approaching Flow. She moved and used her powers easily, much like an Inherited did. Demi immediately found herself being impressed, even moreso as she watched the other girl take her warning shot full on the chest.

The name drop put up Demi's guard though. It was a strange mix: her shortened name mixed with her proper title. Demi was so used to hearing either "Demi Smith" or "Demeter of the Inherited" that it almost took her aback to hear the same construction she actually used on herself thrown back at her. The girl also guessed her control, and Demi found herself tightening, pulling more of her dirt and dust. She wondered briefly if she needed to yank at the ground beneath, get something bigger.

"If you know that I'm of the Inheritors, then you know where I'm from," she said. She adjusted her stance, bringing dirt up with her, ready to strike. "So why are you asking stupid questions? Who are you, anyway? Nobody here calls me by that name but me," she narrowed her eyes, adjusting her fists, taking several deep, controlled breaths, ready to strike at the slightest hint of need.

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana could feel the other girl's guard go up even more, years of training allowed her to be able to pick up on such things. She did not fully get that it was because of how she had used Demi name and thought it was more or less a reaction to the crystal daggers. Roxana didn't even know that she said Demi's name wrong. She had only received the name Demi Smith, something that seemed like it was way too common to be someone’s actual name. Then she knew about the Inherited, well just a little about them anyways. So putting just Demi of the Inherited, sounded perfectly normal to her. She still had information to collect on the girl and to be given more information on the Inherited. There seemed to be a gather of more dirt and dust now but Roxana was already on her guard and had been informed to get information but not to kill.

She could do that in so many ways, including a fight if the girl was going to fight first before talking. Demi was talking however, or at least asking questions. Pointing out that if Rox knew of the Inheritors then she should know where she was from. Half true. There was a change in stance that caused Roxana to hold her ground still but also adjust herself so he could react quicker in terms of moving her feet. "Why does anyone ask a question? To find out the answer." Roxana pointed out not trying to sound like she was being smart with the girl, but she kind of was…since the question was referred to as stupid. "You can call me Rox." Rox said since it didn't hurt to give a nickname to the girl and she did ask for a name after all. Or more so she asked who Roxana was and she was many things. A student, a body guard, a Strix, a female; the list went on and on really.

"Would you prefer just Demi?" Roxana asked. Watching the other girl closely as she adjusted her fist and started to take deep breath. Clearly knows how to control her power and herself very well. Had different forms of training that was well disciplined. Roxana noted to herself as she gave the other girl a small smile. "If you attack me, I will attack back this time." Roxana warned, allowing that first hit to be a warning shot since she was following the girl after all. Crystal daggers already in her hands; three in each.

[Demi Smith]

"Or to tick people off," Demi shot back, feeling angry at the question, feeling like, well, like the taller girl was being smart. Demi clenched her fists, trying to keep her body calm despite the roiling emotions turning about within her. Rox? "Yeah, I'll remember that," Demi smirked, "I can break rocks."

She could too, even break several before needing a break. Still, she doubted that "Rox" was the girl's actual name, and that just got Demi more riled up. This girl knew who she was, knew she was one of the Inherited, one who would truly Inherit, but she wouldn't even give Demi a full name. It made Demi want to attack all the more, beat the information out of her. Her muscles tensed, her eyes darting, looking for openings. This girl, she had something very, very much like Flow, and Demi could usually judge when someone would beat her.

Never stopped her.

Nor did Rox's other warning, "Good, that means I can hit harder,' said Demi, flinging her hands out. Another stream of dirt flew, and Demi was already moving, rolling toward the ground and pulling at the earth. With enough momentum, maybe she could pull something bigger off, and maybe, just maybe, she could actually control Rox's crystals. They looked earthy...

[Roxana Strix]

"That does happen to. Mainly to those who don't like or want to being asked questions." Roxana pointed out, figuring Demi was more so the first one but really both of them went hand in hand. Roxana herself didn't like questions, especially ones that others were not supposed to know the answer to. She understood that view point of Demi's at least. This was why she was not outright looking for a fight or anything, but she was not using much tact either. She sort of wanted a fight. Wanted to see what this other girl was capable of, and it would provide her with information as well. Get a gauge on just how much the Inherited were able to teach her before the academy came for her. Even still, it was likely she was raised in a certain way that would still have added to her training long before she came into her power. Just like Roxana. Her and the girl were the same on many levels as she saw it.

Roxana smirked at the words from Demi about how she could break rocks. Roxana figured as much with the girl's power but liked how she took that little spin with Roxana's nickname. "You will find that I don't break as easy as a rock might for you." Roxana responded back, sure her bones could break, but she herself was touch and could handle a few broken bones if necessary but would prefer not to. It seemed a bit too late to try and calm the other girl down so what she could not say with words, she would just do with action. Get in a fight; it had been a while since she had one that was one-on-one with someone. Roxana's eye never left the other girl so she was more or less picking up that Demi was getting ready for a fight. Roxana shifting into position to be ready as well. It did not feel all that good to get his with dirt and dust to the chest and Roxana had a feeling that the little girl could probably end up picking up more than that.

The harder she could hit, very true. Roxana was going to let Demi know that the harder she hit, the more likely Roxana was going to end up drawing blood or breaking something on the girl. It was too late for words however as Demi went on the attack, sending another stream of dirt while Demi went on the move. Roxana tossing three of the daggers at the girl while she went to dodge to the side in a roll fashion as well. Each dagger meant to land one after another behind Demi, as if they were chasing he. So long as Demi didn't stop her moving transaction, she would not get hit with any. Not yet anyways. Roxana just knew she could not kill or hurt the girl too bad, so injury or pinning was the best idea. Going to have to take a nice beating before I can get close enough. Roxana thought to herself, but was looking forward to it all the same, going for a rash move and just full on surging forward in the direction of Demi.

[Demi Smith]

Oh, Demi hoped the other girl wouldn't break so easy. that wouldn't be fun at all, and it would mean that Demi had lost her ability to gauge a decent opponent. So far it had mostly been dust and debris, and Demi could hear daggers biting into the ground behind her. Those weren't meant to hit; they had purposefully been thrown to miss, and they were close. So the other girl didn't want to hurt Demi that much. Slight advantage there. Though truthfully, Demi didn't want to flatten the other girl either.

Okay, maybe a little flattening. But not, like, not ever  get up again. Maybe a broken bone or two. Which was why Demi kept moving, trying to gather momentum, pulling at the ground as she went. She did okay at picking up loose dirt and grit, since even in an area like this, there was that. But she needed more. Demi darted low, trying to roll and grab into the earth. She managed to tear what amounted to a clod out that way, but she wasn't sure if she'd just made herself a great target or not...

[Roxana Strix]

The dust and debris was more so annoying then it was a threat. Well a threat for her eyes and Roxana also noted that Demi could possibly do something harmful if she did get a lot of the dirt and debris up in the air and on Roxana. For one it would start to cause an issue with breathing and then seeing if the little girl got up enough it. That would have been an interesting battle tactic in fact. Blinding your opponent and making it difficult to breathe so you could sneak in to do a quick attack, and then vanish into the cloud of dirt to do it all over again. Again and again until your opponent was down on the ground. For now it did not seem like that was Demi's plan, at least not yet. The other girl seemed more focused on gather up more and more of the earth to use at her control. The thought of tiring the girl out was also on Roxana's mind and a viable idea. She was to observe after all and seeing just how long the little girl could hold this entire out would be a good find.

Roxana would have to be careful on that as well, because she too had her own limit and when she reached it she would not be able to use her power for twenty-four hours and her hair would be black. Demi kept moving, gaining momentum, and picking up more of the earth around her. Roxana noting all of this, but that did not stop her from forming more daggers in her hands and getting ready, waiting for a moment that would be perfect to strike. She was pretty sure there was an opening then when Demi managed to get a nice clod of dirt. Roxana through all of her daggers then. Three aiming at the clod Demi had gather, while the other three were aim specifically at the girl. So long as the girl did not move, two would miss by close calls, and the third would go to rip through her shirt and at least nick the girl's shoulder.

That had been mainly done to see what the girl would do in return, but Roxana had stopped moving when she through her daggers. While she still had a pretty good defensive stance, she was a sitting duck if Demi reacted quickly enough.

[Demi Smith]

Daggers, more daggers flying, was that all this girl could do? If that was it, then Demi knew exactly how to beat her, or at least, beat her enough. It would suck though, not that sucking would be enough to hold Demi back. Right now, she felt the daggers hitting into the hefty clod of dirt, chipping away at them. More went toward Demi herself, and Demi could see where they were going. She actually leaned into them, feeling them ripping through her shirt and getting her cut. She immediately raised a hand, smeared mud over the wound, and moved up again.

Demi reached around to grab a dagger out of the clod, giving it a quick look before adjusting, flinging it toward Roxana, giving it a little spin with her power, dust flying about it. While that moved, Demi lurched sideways, digging up another clod. She more or less left the first one on the ground for now; she'd need it here in a bit if her plan worked. She also needed the other girl not to guess her plan, so Demi literally kicked out, sending more dust up into the air, acting as a screen this time. That should buy her time, and Demi only needed a bit...

Though she wasn't sure she'd get too much longer; she could already hear people calling for staff...

[Roxana Strix]

Daggers were not all she could do, but it was the only thing she could do at a long range distance. She had to get closer to do any real damage or hold onto something like a stick and cover it in crystals to make it a weapon. She was not trying to seriously hurt the girl so staying a little distance away and throwing daggers was the simplest idea. The best idea would be to just grab a hold of the girl and pin her down, but the required getting closer to her. That proved a little difficult with all the dirt flying around in the air and how the girl kept moving and grabbing more of it to control. Roxana was still able to see her for the most part and kept a close eye on her, observing, and figuring different things out about her. Finding it very interesting that Demi moved into the crystals that were thrown and then covered her wound as she kept moving. This all brought a more so pleased and impressed smile to Rox's face since it had been a while since she seen another kid with such training and drive.

What was even more interesting was how Demi grabbed ahold of Roxana's dagger and seemed to actually be able to control it. Throwing it back and giving it a little spin with even more dust kicking up with it and making it hard to see. Good thing the crystal was basically a part of Roxana so she could feel where it was coming from. She could not however see where Demi was. So it was time to stop relying on her sight and focuses on her other sense, mostly hearing. Demi was moving earth after all so it could be heard and felt beneath Roxana's own feet. She is either trying to get enough dirt on me so that she can control me. There is also the possibility that with all this dusk kicked up she is going to go for a more or less hidden strike. Might be best to actually just take it and then turn it against her. Will most likely hurt, but it will have me at the advantage of having her close to me. Roxana thought to herself as she moved out of the way of her own crystal.

Roxana could also hear people going off to tell the teachers, which was not really desired. She didn't want them getting in the way of her observation and a little bit of fun with this fight. "Make your move now Demi. Or else we have to pause this and take it somewhere else before the teachers show up." Roxana pointed out, eyes squinted because of the dust, but she was more or less ready still. Having set a few traps of her own depending on what Demi would do.

[Demi Smith]

Teachers coming, which mean that she really only had one last move to make. Good, that had more or less been her plan anyway. Strange that Rox didn't even try to do anything to her though. She must've figured out that Demi had something big planned and would rather save her energy for prepping against that. This girl might not have Flow, but her training nearly matched it. Which meant that Demi would have to get lucky. The other girl probably figured a hidden strike or that Demi was trying to get her dirty. She might've done either on someone else, and she had been planning a big fling... but that was before the other got ready. Now Demi was going to have to try something she didn't expect.

The girl windmilled her arms, practically dancing in the dust. It all cleared within moments, and it would take a moment to realize where it had gone. For the dust had all layered upon Demi's skin, coating her well enough. Yelling, she thrust a fist down, picking up the clod she'd just unearthed. She rolled, letting it spread all over her body, a thick layer of mud and dirt forming in the same direction Demi lunged. Soon she plunged her other hand into the first clod, feeling her hand catch against a dagger, some blood probably leaking into the mud. Demi didn't care. She spread the dirt and mud over her body, forming a layer of it all over.

And then she hurled herself at Rox, using her own body's muscles and her power to literally turn her body into a giant projectile, bits of mud and dust already flinging off her while she moved.

[Roxana Strix]

Yes, Roxana was planning on focusing on the big move that she figured Demi was about to pull off. Wanting to be ready for that and that alone and also eager to see what the younger girl was going to do. She already felt her heart beating a little faster with the feeling of excitement and a tad bit of thrill feeling her body. When a fight was not meant to be her punishment or didn't have lives on the line, she enjoyed the feeling of being in the sort of combat situation. She would not deny however that after the attack from SPECTRE she did feel a bit of a rush, ending the enemy and able to do as she was trained to do without holding back. No one asked about that sort of thing so she would not say anything. No one but Elsa really even thanked her for what she did, but that was to be expected since she more than likely was causing people to more or less run from her because she did not really look all the friendly all the time.

Still, that too didn't matter since Roxana didn't need to be thanked and she didn't care if people hated her or appreciated her for what she did. They were not the ones in charge of her so they didn't matter. What mattered now was watching Demi, even if it was actually hard to see the girl, she was still observing, watching, and waiting. The dust cleared then after a moment, Roxana's eyes searching for the girl, and the yelling that the girl let out enabled Roxana to quickly locate her. The girl covered in the earth, grabbing more of it, and rushing at Roxana like she was some kind of tank. A small tank that was covered in the soil of the earth and moving with a purpose. Demi didn't even stop when a dagger hit her and just covered it with more dirt and mud. Like a walking piece of earth. How messy, but could certainly get the job done.

Roxana could have moved out of the way, but instead held her ground firmly, but while bracing herself to be more or less attacked by the other girl. She still had a plan. All she had to do was wait until Demi was close enough to get two hands on her so she could quickly cover her in crystals. Demi seemed to be able to control Roxana's crystals but that didn't mean Roxana still could not try. Plus she had left a few crystal daggers in the ground for her back up for Demi to end up stepping on if she was not too careful. Anything to stop or slow down the girl would be enough. Even if she failed, she was ready for the pain that would come from such a blow, just not too trilled from her wonderful light blonde hair getting muddy.