They're Not Me

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana did slightly debate if it was wise to let Demi be free of the shakes, but it was best to be in control over the crystals breaking down. They were going to breakdown regardless sand in most cases for those that did not have her power they did not have to worry about the crystals breaking in such a way that would cut them. When they broke on Rox, she often got cut and since Demi had sort of controlled a few of Rox's crystal daggers before she didn't want to risk anything. Demi might be all fussy if she ended up getting cut and start bleeding and blame Rox for it or something along those lines.

It was just best to avoid the situation all together but that was also part of why she offered the piggyback ride. Demi seemed to be reading her mind by the comment that left the younger's girl’s lips. Rox didn't say anything since she could not outright deny it, so instead just remained silent and waited for Demi to make the decision or she would. To Rox's surprise, Demi actually held her arms up and was going to go with it. Rox assumed that the girl was indeed tired but figured Demi would still let her pride get in the way of a free offer to just take it easy for a moment. It was...cute to see the smaller girl holding up her arms and Rox didn't hesitate to pick the other girl up to carry her.

To have been able to carry Demi after all those times she had offered it to the younger girl, it was certainly showing that Demi was changing. "Would you like to go back to your room then?" Roxana asked once she had Demi securely in her arms and proceed to sneak off the camp grounds. It was not hard to sneak around carrying someone, she had done it before, and she actually enjoyed being able to do it after so long. Once they were away from the campground, she would be able to walk with a bit more relaxed natural and just really think about all of this, specifically Demi.

[Demi Smith]

This whole thing had just done all sorts of weird things to Demi. She just didn't feel quite right or think quite right and everything in her felt all twisted up. What was she supposed to do about this sort of thing? And what she did now. She did think she might be finding something like a place at the school, and then this happens and, well, even Demi had to wonder what was going on there. It was just too much for her, and she just sort of slumped onto Roxana's back, clinging moderately tight.

"Yeah, whatever," she mumbled at Roxana's question. It didn't really matter much to Demi where they actually ended up, so long as they ended up away from the camp right now. "Bet you can't carry me all that way though," she had to say, adding a light chuckle. She did have to shift slightly to rub at her eyes though. Stupid water kept getting in them. Probably got some dirt or something there. Yeah, that definitely made sense. Demi just gripped all the tighter, letting out another deep breath.

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana really didn't know what else she could say or do for the younger girl beside offer to carry her back and just hope that she made the right call. A part of her still felt ashamed of herself for giving into...emotions, and allowing Demi to do something that should not have been done. At least they had not been caught; well the person who did would not remember, so things at least did work out in that aspect. Demi was pretty light and Rox bet that most of Demi's weight consisted of dirt, that had been her own little mental joke there. She didn't know if it was a good one or not, but it made her smile just a little bit for about a second or two.

Demi didn't really seem to care about anything at the moment, just sort of laying on Roxana's back and holding on tightly. It yet again was odd to be experience such a thing with Demi of all people, but Roxana didn't mind it. It was always interesting to see another side to a person that they kept hidden or did not previously have until certain events occurred. It was probably a little bit of both in the case of Demi. "We could eat some ice cream and watch something...stupid." Roxana suggested. Rox's mind recalled what she had done with Vera and had Vera had pointed out that it was something normal people did to feel better.

Perhaps doing such a thing as that would help improve Demi's mood a bit better. There was a challenge then, that had Roxana giving a question look for a moment as if not certain if Demi was serious or not. Did the younger girl think that she was actually a challenge to carry? "I bet I can. I could probably run and still be fine." Roxana pointed out, just stating the facts as she continued to carry the other girl; not feeling winded or tired in the slightest. She had carried backpack heavier than the girl current on her back.

[Demi Smith]

Eat ice cream and watch something stupid? "Everything's stupid," Demi pointed out. So that really didn't narrow the field any. She also wasn't sure what would make Roxana think of something like that. It just seemed really freaking weird to her, and a little out of place. Demi was already clinging to Roxana's back like some kind of cub or something, so she guessed the whole normal thing was pretty well off kilter.

Demi had to snort slightly as the mention of probably being able to run. "Yeah, sure you could," Demi said. She adjusted again, half expecting Roxana to take it as something of a challenge. Holding on shouldn't prove too difficult; Demi could always use her powers to press her body against Roxana, should it come to that. Right now though, she couldn't help but grin slightly. This almost, well, it almost felt like home.... which of course made her think about her people and what was behind her and, well, she just wished she could see where it was all going.

[Roxana Strix]

“You have said as much before. We don’t have to do it but someone suggested to me before that eating ice cream and viewing films that are supposed to make you laugh or that you can make fun of are good for improving your mood.” Roxana explained as she kept carrying Demi. She didn’t mind how the girl clung to her and she would have spoken up about how it was cute if her mind was not busy just still accepting that it was Demi who was in fact on her back at the moment. Rox’s organization would have been pleased to hear just how close Rox had been able to get to the girl, if such a thing even mattered at this point.

As for the ice cream and movie things, it had helped a little if only for the fact that Roxana had been observing Vera for most of the film and trying to grasp and understanding of emotions and ‘having fun’. There was basically a challenge there and while Roxana didn’t always get baited into a challenge, this one was not that big of a deal. She was already shifting her hold on Demi then, leaning forward a little, and then proceeded to run. As she expected, carrying Demi was not that challenge at all and nothing compared to having to run with a heavy backpack through an obstacle course.

Rox could feel Demi adjusting on her back as well, the girl doing good to hold on because she would most certainly fall off if she decided to just let go. Her legs would not be going anywhere because of Rox’s hold of them. With Rox now running, they would arrive back at the school quicker than they would before, Rox making sure to stick to a path where they would not end up running into anyone as she headed back to Demi’s dorm. She would remain silent the whole time, leaving it up to Demi if she wanted to try this ice cream plan or if she wanted to do something other than just be dropped off at her room.

[Demi Smith]

"Ice cream's... not bad," Demi admitted. Most sweets actually bothered her because they were just too sweet. The people around here really liked to put sugar in absolutely everything. There were times when Demi got a stomach ache just from eating the normal cafeteria food, let alone going for something like dessert. Plus, any time she actually tried it, she got all twitchy or whatever.

"I'd rather have something salty," she offered, figuring that she might as well throw that out for now. She doubted that Roxana would actually give her anything or do anything with her besides just drop her off at the school. After all, Demi had probably broken some kind of rule, and surely she'd done something to irritate Roxana. Her thoughts drifted toward just that, and toward the people that they'd just moved away from. Those were her people, or some variation of it. And she definitely wanted to meet them again.

The pace had picked up, and now Roxana seemed to be outright running. Demi clung well enough, used her power, knew that she wouldn't fall off. She actually felt the running thing almost get hypnotic. They were making really good time, onto the school grounds soon, heading straight for Demi's dormitory. The little dirt thumper couldn't help but be impressed. Not that she was going to admit it to Roxana or anything.

"Alright, let me know," she did say as they got to the school ground proper. After all, it wouldn't be good for her to actually been seen riding Roxana like a kid.

[Roxana Strix]

Ice was not bad, which meant that Demi was not against having some but there was something else that she would have liked a bit better. Roxana's mind was already going through and trying to figure out what that something could be. She had no problem taking the time to just eat something with Demi if it meant it would help the younger girl feel better. That was what she should do, right? Unless the giving her a piggy back ride and allow Demi to get a closer look would be enough for the younger girl.

Rox somehow doubted that but she also didn't want to deal with Demi get upset with her when she was trying to be nice and help her feel better. It was not really something that Rox did after all. "Like a pretzel? I have those and you can have it with ice cream or by themselves." Roxana responded. She had heard the pretzels and ice cream worked well for a combination if you had the right kind of ice cream and pretzel. She never tried it before but there was nothing wrong with giving it a shot. All of that could be worked out soon enough since the running allowed them to make good time on getting back to the school.

Once they were in an area that they would not be able to avoid running into someone so easily, Rox stopped to allow Demi down. "Here we are." Roxana said, glancing away for a moment as she quickly debating something. "Would you like to go back to my room and have something salty while we watch something stupid?" Rox went ahead and asked. If Demi said no then she could go back to other things she had to take care of. If she said yes well Rox would get to experience watching a movie with someone again in this kind of manner.

[Demi Smith]

"Pretzel?" Demi repeated. "I guess that would work," she'd actually had those a few times and definitely enjoyed them. They were just the right mix of salty and bread that hit a good spot as far as she was concerned. In fact, they often felt a lot like something she would've gotten at home, and just thinking about that gave Demi yet another ping.

She still slid off Roxana, rolling her arms as she hit the ground, gathering up some more dirt and stuff. She also extended her hand toward Roxana's back, calling back the bits and pieces that had been left on the other girl's shirt. She rolled an arm and enjoyed getting the stuff over it, practically purring at the sensation.

'Sure," Demi said, shrugging. "Why not?" She started toward the school, heading toward the dorms, knowing that path well enough. "not like I've got anything better to do."

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana nodded to the question about the treat that she suggested that demi could eat instead. It was not an outright yes, but it was not a no so that meant that Demi would have been up for it. It was a good thing that Roxana did have pretzels in her room so there was no need to go out and purchase any. Now the question was if this was still a good idea and if she had time to be hanging out with the younger girl when she should have been writing up a report? There was a small debate within her mind that was tacking actual seconds but she came up with her conclusion to write the report later and hang out with Demi a little longer.

She looked at the other girl once she was off her back, pleased that Demi removed the dirt on her since Roxana as not a fan of being dirty if she didn’t have to be. The texture of dirt never really felt good unless it was being used to cover up a bullet wound, mask her scent, or help her blend in. Having it just on her because someone was on her back, it was not a necessary use for it and thus didn’t feel good even if it was not directly on her skin. “Alright then, I’ll give you a moment to get anything you might want from your room while I get things set up. Meet me in my room in a few…you do know where it is, correct?” Roxana asked.

It would not take her long to get ready but she did want to put some things away and make sure to lay out something that would at least protect her bed from having any dirt possibly left on it. Then again they could watch it in the common area which Rox cared about less. Yes, that would work. She just had to make sure Demi knew where she was living before she could go off to get things put together and try and find some movie for them to watch off of Amazon Prime or something along those lines.

[Demi Smith]

Right, a few moments for Demi to get stuff from her room. She didn't have a clue what she'd actually need to get for something like this. All Demi could think of was stupid stuff that she didn't have: stuffed animals or blankets or something like that. Or even some other food or something. Demi did have some food squirreled away, but she wasn't about to waste it on something like this.

She did have to shake her head and give Roxana a weird look: "Why would I know where your room is?" she demanded. It wasn't like Demi stalked her or followed or anything like that. She'd wait just long enough to get the room number before taking off and handling her own thing. She spent a minute or two just sort of standing in her room, still not sure what exactly she was supposed to be getting right now. She eventually opted for raiding the fridge and taking somebody's bottled water, figuring that she would at least have something.

Then it was a matter of heading into the college dorms. Demi got a fair way in before literally running into some big guy. "Hey, watch where you're going!" she snapped, already ready to take him down. He sneered at her, and Demi could only grin. A quick fight before a treat would just be the icing on the cake. Plus, all she'd done was scuffle some with Roxana; She was downright itching for something at this point.

[Roxana Strix]

"The same reason why I know where your room is." Roxana responded back to Demi's question. She then followed up by telling the younger girl where her room was and for Demi to just knock before just going right in when she would arrive. Roxana figured that everyone would have kept track of the room a person lived in when you involved yourself in that person's life in some manner. Then again, Roxana had pretty much everyone room memorized, and often made sure to get an update since the roster changed so often.

It happened when you were dealing with powered kids and the kind of school BA was, there was no real surprised and the same happened at her old school as well. When that was settled, Roxana went back to her room, perfectly fine if Demi decided to not show up, but she still got things together. She didn't actually own any movies so had to rely on finding things off the internet and HuLu but was certain to be able to find something that could laugh at or perhaps just judge critically. The latter seemed more like something Demi would do verbally and something Rox did often inside her thoughts.

Rox was busy in her room so was not aware of Demi possibly getting into a fight and would not have any since she did not actually plan on leaving her room. She had things set up and if Demi choose not to show up or not, she planned to sit down for a little while and just draw. She would allow whatever she ended up picking to watch play in the background and she would just enjoy a moment of down time. Still, she was only going to wait so long for Demi and once everything was together she already started her timer and went about drawing in her sketch book.

[Demi Smith]

"Because the school makes you stalk me?" Demi replied, raising her brows. She didn't see how that would apply to her situation: sure, she kept an eye out for Roxana and stuff, but she didn't outright stalk the other girl. She'd been tempted a time or two, mostly because Roxana came off as pretty darn awesome and all, but she'd fallen just short. Didn't matter anyway: Roxana still gave the number off.

As Demi walked away, she realized that she'd been given a bit of a choice and even some power here. She could not go: Roxana wouldn't care. Nobody would. Plus, she now knew where Roxana slept. The blonde couldn't be in that room all the time. So Demi could totally ambush her or set something up. Actually, there was something kind of appealing in that first idea, appealing enough that Demi logged it away for later. She'd spring it when Roxana wasn't expecting it.

Except, when Demi entered her room, she realized yet again how painfully alone she felt. The whole seeing people like her had just emphasized it: nobody here thought or acted like her. There were a few people that tolerated her but, well, Demi didn't... she couldn't... quite hate everyone. They all hadn't imprisoned her here, and there were some, Aurora, LDR, Roxana, who seemed to actually like her or at least put up with her or something. And Roxana was probably the closest thing Demi had to a Honer here.

So, yeah, room ,guy, sneering. Then two kicks and he was down for the count while Demi knocked on Roxana's door. "Oh, and I totally just beat up a guy in the hallway," she said, looking over to him. "Did you know that guys go down if you kick them between the legs? It's weird that they've got a weakspot like that, right?"

[Roxana Strix]

That was not completely a lie, the school did ask Roxana to look after demi but at the end of the day Rox could or could not do it. She had a choice in the matter. It was interesting how she choose to now rebel against the school at times, since rebelling against her organization didn’t always end up well. Rebelling against the school tended to well…not have the big of an effect. At least not in the way that really effected Roxana other than possibly making her feel some kind of way. “Those who often associate with one another tend to want to know where the other lives so they can interact with one another spontaneously at times.” Rox explained.

Wither that was the actual case why people bothered to know where their friends lived, Rox had several other guesses. It was not that big of a deal to her; she would have had Demi’s room memorized even if they did not interact with her. That was just something she was trained to do and would always do it without even thinking about it. Roxana didn’t think Demi would be so foolish to try and attack Roxana in place that not only would she be really guarded, but also in a relaxed state. That was just a bad idea all around for a lot of reasons. The main being you don’t walk into a bear den and startle the sleeping bear inside that den if you wanted to live.

Roxana got up from where she was sitting when she heard the knock, leaving her sketch book on the couch, and easily opening up the door for Demi. The first words that left the younger girls mouth were brags about how she beat up a guy in the hallway, followed by a question. Roxana didn’t say anything for a moment and just ran her fingers through her own hair as she gestured at the couch for Demi to grab a seat. “Yes, I am well aware that they do. That is called a low blow and if you want to be considered skilled, you would not use such a tactic.” Roxana pointed out as she sat back down and started to look through HULU for something they could watch.

Roxana personally never used the between the legs attack on any guy, it was not something you got taught when you were either trying to kill a person or prevent them from moving for a long time. A kick there only lasted so long in keeping a person still and that depended if the person was tough or not.

[Demi Smith]

There was that moment of silence, with Demi looking up at Roxana with some expectation and a slight smile on her face. Roxana ran her hands through her hair. Then gestured and talked. Demi followed the first more than the latter. It didn't surprise her at all to hear that Roxana didn't approve of her fighting tactic or whatever. "If it gets them down, it works," Demi replied, shrugging slightly. She already knew she was skilled too. Just watch her for a few seconds and she'd prove that without having to worry about stupid details like kicking guys in the right area or anything along those lines.

Demi situated herself as well as she could on the couch. She looked up at the screen as she did, wrinkling her nose. Despite having been here for a while, Demi still didn't really "get" television and all. She did figure that anything Roxana wanted to watch would e worth watching.

"What do you watch?" she asked curiously, looking to Roxana. "Is there, like, some sort of special channel with stuff that's actually worth watching?"

[Roxana Strix]

"Normally I would agree with you, but not in this kind of situation. If its life and death and you need a quick way to get away, then that would be a great way to do it. However; you are a trained mutant and even without your powers you would not have to resort to such a tactic to defeat your opponent." Roxana pointed out. At the end of the day she knew telling Demi would only work so much because the younger girl was going to do as she liked. It still didn't hurt because Demi did in fact start to listen to her a bit more then she used to.

It showed that Demi was at least mature enough to grow and respond to things properly. They could get into that late if Demi really wanted to; Rox didn't. For now Rox sat down, scrolling through the shows and trying to find something that Demi might enjoy or would fall into that category that Vera showed her. As a result she was silent and focused on the screen but Demi was asking a question. "I don't really watch TV." Rox responded honestly. She didn't fully plan to watch what was going to be put on either, unless it really caught her eye. That was why she had brought her sketch book, since that was just barely acceptable for down time leisure in her family.

"Vera showed me a list of movies that are good to watch when you are upset. She also recommends shows that have fighting in them, but honestly I'm still not certain what would be ideal to view." Rox admitted, still scrolling though the sections. If Vera were here, she would have the other girl pick something for them. She looked at Demi and debated asking the girl if she knew of anything, but highly doubted that. Instead she just gestured to the snacks on the table and kept looking.