Vanity sat chained to the floor of a large room crowded with other dragons. The muzzle upon her face was itchy and irritated her into smoking from her nostrils. She'd been there for some time now and began getting impatient and fidgety. Large doors swing open from the side of the room, it's boom echoing off the walls. All the reptiles in the room hushed and sat in well ordered rows. Two guards marched from the door (both of which were smaller than vanity, larger than all others). Behind the guards came a looming dragon, barely taller than vanity. He was a crimson red and maroon color that looked somewhat faded. The crest on his head was large and purely white. It frayed from behind his horns down to the base of his shoulders. The large crest consisted of palely white horns and barbs like that of a porcupine, but instead of poking straight out, they curled upwards at the end. Although he stood at a menacing height, he was thin and lacked muscle. His name was Arbiter.

He walked towards the center of the room then carefully sat down, his guards sitting a few feet from him on either side. He let his large red, black, and silver gradient wings droop at his side. He sat tall and cocked his head to bring his chest out menacingly. He was by far taller than any other dragon in the room, or in all of Chiaro. He had a low, deep voice that sounded as beautiful as it did grave. "This dragon," he started ever so slowly "has murdered Ersatz." His booming voice seeped smooth as honey. "We have reason to believe that she's murdered many more." A small dragon produced a scroll and handed it to Arbiter. He cleared his throat and began reading "Demises include Ersatz, Lithely, Grandios, Pryor, Alva and Bixby. We are lead to the fact that Vanity has put an end to these young dragons on account of their beauty, size, and/or superior abilities. Otherwise known as acts of jealousy." He paused to roll the scroll up and hand it back to the small dragon who handed it to him. "Mass murders of jealousy are punished only by painful death and nothing less" he waved his large arm and with that two guards appeared on wait her side of Vanity. They seized the chains that constricted her and tugged. She wasn't stupid enough to fight. She knew they'd call in more guards or tighten chains or even slash wings. She wasn't going to risk her best chances of escape.

She sat alone in a holding cell made of strong metals and rock hard walls and floors. Her chains were removed along with her muzzle, but covers were still over her talons, and clamps on her wings. A small clipping sound, the sound of dainty talons on a stone floor, began to sound and come at Vanity. She lifted her broad head and her cold, Amber gaze met a pair of sad, soft, blue-green eyes.

Raconteuse.

Vanity jumped up and threw herself at the bars, wrapping her talons around the metal as soon as her flesh collided with it. "O' how happy I am to see a friendly face!!!" She yelled in mock happiness. She shook the bars, a desperate smile spread across her face like wildfire. "Look!" She began, her voice shaking "I-I... I-I know what I did was wrong! More than wrong!!! I just... I understand now... And I know I'm a monster. In fact I'D rather kill myself knowing that I killed the monster..." Raconteuse stared blankly, her eyes glossy from wetness. "Just let me out Rac.... Please... I'll leave this place... I won't come back I won't ever kill, or harm, or destroy ANYTHING!!! PLEASE RACOUNTEUUUSE!!!" The bars shook wildly and her booming voice echoed off the rocky walls. "Get me out or I'll KILL MYSELF here!!!" And with this she bit into her leg. Raconteuse gasped. Vanity knew how soft Raconteuse was and that she'd give in as soon as blood was present. She was hard as rock "Why should I believe you?" Her stare became cold. "I-I'm your best friend... R-right!?" Vanity wasn't faking desperation this time. "No, Vanity. Believe it or not, I can see through your lies. I didn't before but I do now. I came back because I'm not perfect either. No one should die alone. I'm here to send you off Vanity." Vanity's chest heaved and her body shook. "No... No no no no no!!!! Raconteuse! I can change!!! RACONTEUSE!!!" Raconteuse shook her head "maybe, but not here... It's time for you to go Vanity. Kill me, and it'll be another sin over your head." She said as she used her claw to open up the cage. Vanity timidly put one shaking talon in front of the other, walking out of the cage. Raconteuse was now ahead and she decided to follow. Somehow she'd gotten Vanity into a pickle somehow. She was right, if Vanity killed her, her punishment wouldn't at all be gone and killing her was a waste of time. She knew she had to follow because she'd rather have this soft spoken dragon lead her to death than touchy feely guards. She followed quietly. Raconteuse slowed down so they were walking next to each other. Suddenly the small dragon rammed into the wall of flesh that was Vanity. She was caught off guard and tumbled roughly. It had to be timed for she fell right from a window and plummeted to the ground, her wings opening only in time to soften the landing. On top of her landed the nimble Raconteuse. "Shh! I'm getting you out." But why? Vanity thought. There must be some trick. Suddenly the small dragon began dragging Vanity behind her until they came near the divider between Chiaro and Chromah. She didn't know anything about Chromah other than that there was an infestation of grotesque monsters. That's where she would flee. "Look, Vanity, here's the plan. I'll cause a distraction and you flee. Go to Chromah, for it is only a nights flight away. Once there beg their ruler, Boss for salvage. Tell them some lie, your eggs were killed by dragons and you left in despair, a dragon war is raging, something, anything!!! There you'll live. No more killing, no more secrets, for you can't hide anything from monsters." Vanity nodded. Her head throbbed with the thrill and nerves of this plan. How could this work!? But she didn't have any other options. She just wanted to know one thing.

"Raconteuse," she began. The dainty dragon lifted her head "why did you save me...?"

Raconteuse took a deep breath "y'know Bixby?"

Vanity remembered unfortunately "yes. The one I killed for his incredible speed..."

Raconteuse nodded "Bixby..." Again another big breath "was my brother...." Tears collected in the dragon's eyes "I should have been with him that day! But because of me he's dead... I vowed to search for his killer, not for revenge, but to feel." Tears were streaming down the poor dragon's face, even making Vanity's cold heart pang with sadness. "I needed to be there for him, so now I need to be what he's been through, I need to see him again! I can't live knowing... I refuse to do harm, revenge is pointless. All I need is knowledge that I helped someone... Now Vanity, STRIKE ME DOWN!"

Vanity wanted to... This dragon annoyed her from the beginning but now she couldn't help but feel bad. "But what about the distraction?"

And with the nod Raconteuse gave her, she knew her life was the distraction.

"Strike drum." Vanity whispered and with a mighty blow shattered her skull.