Emezza had a strange power over Vias; she always seemed to find a way to make him blush and fumble around with his words. Before he could cough up the correct words to express himself, his arm shot out and caught hers. Still, the words didn't exit from his lips. He couldn't seem to make them. Her innocent eyes stared through his blank ones; he felt her stare right through him. He released her, sighing nervously; uncomfortably.

"This is perfect, Emezza," he finally said, peering down at the cloth she handed him. "And, um.."- He proceeded to look at her, but couldn't bring himself to do so- "You didn't make me upset. I didn't know I was acting in such a way to make you think that. I apologize for upsetting you in any way; you did nothing."

He gave her a small smile, one that he wasn't used to, and turned around to place the blanket onto the grass. The colors contrasted beautifully, and Vias soaked up the inspiration. Nature was gorgeous; nothing could replace that. Snapping himself out of the small rapturous coma, the Griffon turned on his heel.

"I suppose I should go help the others with the food," he said. He looked down at Emezza, careful to not damage her fragile emotions. "Would anyone like to assist me?"

"I'll help you out Vias," Luari told as she began. "You too Emezza?" Luari walked up as she held a small basket that whe grabbed with her earlier. She looked over her friend Emezza, making sure she was okay, knowing how she can take the smallest mistakes she makes so seriously.

"Yes, I'll help!"

Emezza's mood had been lifted by how Vias had some what opened up to her. But there was something else, something he was hiding... like what Luari had said earlier. As she helped with the food, Emezza grabbed Luari's arm, pulling her aside.

"Luari, you were right!" Emezza gasped in a hoarse whisper. "I think he is hiding something from us! Something that is really terrible!" Emezza had always been a bit paranoid but she believed that Vias was some how being haunted by his past and needed help, she was sure he could be trusted.

"I know," Luair replied in a soft whisper "I still sugest that we don't bring it up though.... It seems that it's hurting him from the inside out...." Luari then walked up to Vias and got up in his face.

"It's all okay! Stop being so down in the dumps and be god d*** happy!!!" Luari yelled in annoyance. "If you don't want to do this you don't have to!"

Emezza flinched. "Ek! No, Luari!" She grabbed her friends arm and tried to pull her away! She tried, but she was too weak to pull her away.

"Luair, you can't just yell at him! Just tell him nicly to relax a bit!" She whispered into her ear. She knew that her friend wasn't trying to be rude, it was just her emotion problem... she hoped. Emezza looked at Vias.

"Vias, she is right, just enjoy your time! We're here for you no matter what!" She gave another weak smile up to the sad Griffon.

Luari then turned to the pulling Emezza and opened up her mouth in a sinical way, showing her pearly white fangs.

"Let go and you'll keep your blood!" Luari yelled as she lured her head towards Emezza's neck.

Emezza flinched away, terrifeid by her firend. Luair had gotten mad at her before, but she had never threatened her with barring sharp fangs. She fell to the ground covering her neck with her hands, her eyes getting wider and her face getting paler. Tears streamed down her face.

"Luari...?!" she gasped. "Please... it's me..."

Vias considered leaving. He couldn't take things like this; he just wanted things to be fine. This is what he meant when he said he hoped the picnic would be nice, but everyone seemed to be against him. Maybe it was just his train of thought, but he could've sworn... everything seemed to go downward when he was around.

He wanted to tell the girls; he really did, but he was afraid they'd hate him, like he hated himself. How could you enjoy yourself when you helped raise the monster you were now after? How could you not be "down in the dumps" when you were the reason for your species' demise? How could you go on after that? All that was driving him away from death now.. was to bring down the man he helped create.

"Luari!" his deep voice cut through the tension quickly; sharply. It was the first time his true voice had ever been exposed to the lot of them. "Calm down, you reckless beast!" Her anger fueled the remembrance of his past; it made him furious. "If you want to keep your blood, calm yourself! If anything, this makes you seem like you don't want this!"

He lulled forward, constricting Luari with his long, strong arms. At first it was to protect Emezza, then.. then it turned into something more. He and Luari both were so disturbed in so many ways... stricken and confused. No matter how happy Luari seemed, she wasn't. She probably blamed herself after every outburst, such as this. She was just as empty as he was...
Vias hugged her close to him, placing one palm on the back of her head. He let his head fall a bit, placing his lips near her ear, "Just calm down, Luari."

Loshidi gasped when Luari hissed at Emezza.

"Stop! Don't!" she cried watching Vias shield Emezza. She wanted to help to, but was practically rooted to the spot. She took deep breaths and shook away the feeling. Luari is just going through something, she would never hurt Emezza. she thought to herself, wings trying to shake off the feeling as well.

Emezza stood again, willing herself to not run from her friends. Her eyes still streamed with tears and her breaths were only gasps through her sobs.

"Luari... I know something is happening to you! I know you can't help yourself... so let us help you! Vias, Edsuchi, Loshidi! They're here for you, there here me! We have to tell each other the truth, the whole truth, everyone! We can't hide anything from each other!" She looked around her friends, her face serious now, hands to her hips.

"We're destroying any chance of our friend ship lasting because we all know we're keeping things from each other! Tell me, how do you think you can keep everything inside when you have your friends around!?"

Emezza, though she was keeping her voice strong, well as strong as her sobbing would allow her too, and she kept her face straight, had no idea what she was doing. She knew something was wrong, with almost everyone in the group, but she was sure they thought she ws idiot now.

"Alright... I'm sorry... but Ask Emezza! She knows that I wouldn't do anything to harm her!" Luari yelled "We're good friends and I have no reason to hurt her... It's just our version of joking around" Luari then noticed that Vias knew that she was as empty as he was. She peered deeply into his bolting red eyes and saw, what she would call, life.

Emezza smile through her tears. "I know, Luari.. I know you wouldn't hurt me... But there is soemthing that is keeping this group from getting stronger, if we can't get past it then we'll lose everything!"

Emezza turned to Vias. "What is it you're hiding from us, Vias? Why won't you trust us?" she whispered. HEr hazel eyes glared at him with detemination.

"Vias... you can't hide it for any longer..." Luari told him.

(Slade White! If you need a more detailed description of Vias's past then just pm me!)

Emezza walked over to vias and took his hand in her own. SHe starred up into his eyes.

"Please, Vias. Whatever it is, it'll be better to get it off your shoulders!"

"Well, Vias?" Luari asked as she got lost within his eyes.

Vias couldn't control himself. His reddening eyes seemed to burst into flames; his pupils mere slits. His brow furrowed, and he let Luari go; he barely contained himself from pushing her away from him.
"That's how you play, Luari?!" he snapped, throwing his arms into the air, that were still bare. "Making your friend burst into tears and beg you to calm down? You were playing with us? And now you're trying to turn it around on me because I'm, supposedly, hiding something?!"

His red eyes glistened, as if tears were going to flood from them at any second. The griffon cleared his throat, his wings dragging the ground. He turned, walking away from the two girls. This was too much for the emotionally-disturbed man to handle. If that was a joke, it was sick and morbid. He was almost positive that it wasn't, and Luari was trying to protect herself from the harsh nature of her new emotions. Luari probably didn't want to imagine herself snapping at her friend like she had, so she changed the subject.

"I'll be back later," he said, walking out of the small shelter. He got quite a ways away by using his large wings; he found a small embankment near a river. The river glistened and seemed to call him; he slid down the embankment and sat beside the river.

"What's going on here?" he asked no one, pleading with the nature to console him. To console Luari. To help everyone.

Emezza watched Vias walk away. She couldn't help herself and she followed behind him. She had to keep this freindship together!

Luari watched as Vias flew away. What have I doen... she thought to herself. She then ran as fast as she could with actual tears flowing down her face. Tears of blood, showing that her emotions were coming back by her own freewill.

"Vias!" She screamed "Vias!!!"

A familiar voice rung in his ears; his head bobbed and his eyes floated down to the river beside him. He trailed a large hand through the water, cutting it; swirling it, whatever he could do to get his mind off of things. Staring at a river will, inevitably, remind you of bad things though, especially if your reflection is embedded in it. Vias's eyes weren't slits any more, but he was still disgusted with himself. He brought his hand down onto the mocking reflection, watching it part and scatter.

That was when Luari ran into view. It felt like he had been slapped in the back of the head; tears were welling up in his eyes once more.
"Luari?"

"I know that you may not like me or the way that I am but please...*huff huff*" Luari began as she stopped to take a breath. "please... tell me what is it that's hurting you so?! It'll be alot better when you say what it is! Just, please, trust me with your past Vias..."

Luari cam up to Vias with a face of concern and emotion. Tears of blood ran from her eyes. Her emotions were back and they were wild.

"please?" she mummbled as she placed one of her hands on his. "You don't have to suffer like this anymore..."

Emezza looked around suddenly. Something was wrong, hadn't Luari been ther just a second ago?! Then, she realized what was wrong... she was lost.

She opened hr mouth and screamed!

"Luari, don't cry. I didn't mean to make you-" he stopped, flinching, as if he were hurt. His hand slid away from hers; he used both of his hands to caress her cheeks. Wiping the blood away, he couldn't help but smile. She was finally regaining her emotions; her feelings; herself. He was so exited for her. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

He took her in his strong arms again; this time, he wasn't planning on letting go. He inhaled deeply, letting her slide out of his grasp. He stared at her; basking in the color of her eyes.
"I have so much I'm not proud of. I doubt you'd feel anything for me if I were to tell you about my past. Luari, there's so much. Just promise you'll listen, and that you won't judge me until I'm done. After you've taken it in, it's your decision whether you hate me or not," he said, looking back at his reflection once more.

"When I was young-" he, then, heard a blood-boiling scream. "...This can wait. Let's go see what's wrong."
Vias wiped the stinging tears from his eyes, and he ran in the direction of the yell. He was sure Luari would follow him without him telling her to do so.

Emezza sailed across the rough terrain of the forest. Her black priestest gown, which Vias had given her to wear when she had come to the church, caught on branches and twigs. This scared the girl and forced her to run faster. Sh had no idea where she was or going... but she had to keep going.

She flinched as Emezza screamed then ran off. She was alone.

Finally her legs regained their ability to move. She ran until she smacked herself in the head and started to fly. Looking around, she saw another figure running, Vias?

"Vias! Emezza ran off, but I don't know where." she coughed. She landed gently on the ground and looked around her surroundings? "We'll split up." she said, without waiting for an answer. She then flew into a random direction, searching its surroundings.

Luari then pulled herself together and followed Vias. Something was happening to her friend and she didn't know what it was.

"Emezza! Where are you?!" she screamed into the air.