Jasmine Dichtoto's Journal

Block 1, Op, 7230

4th Finus—Van Hellebore is a curious Flora. He appears to have no specialty, neither intelligence nor physical power. However, it should be mentioned that he is not ignorant. While Dr. Sativus has a heightened intellect, Van Hellebore has an exceptional memory and interest in what he calls the "supernatural".

"You must be the Grand Mayor of Radix!" He lit up when I entered his cell chamber. "Miss Dichtoto, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." He kissed my hand politely.

"Van Hellebore, you should understand that you have not been moved here permanently, nor am I here to banter with you."

"If you wished to talk about the 'incident,'" He air quoted, "then we will banter."

I sighed and wrapped metal handcuffs around his wrists. He did not fight against them and followed me through the wide halls to an interrogation room. Taking a seat at the single desk in the center of the room, he rested his hands on the wood and turned his eyes upwards. I joined him and spread the files out. He grabbed #15 and #20 and read them silently. Writing the date and header to my notes, I gave him time to study the pages.

"After what you've seen, do you believe that I killed Miss Palu?"

"I do. A witness watched you drive a stake through her heart twice and you admitted to the murder in your testimony." I replied without the satisfaction of emotion.

"You are wrong my dear. I said, 'my stake relieved her and all from another monster,' but never did I explicitly say that I killed her."

"From your words, and the the witness', your actions have been implied."

"Should implications judge my soul?"

After this brief disagreement, I refused to reply. I moved on and asked him why he killed Miss Palu.

"You read my testimony, thus you have the answer to your question."

"Please, Mr. Van Hellebore, answer the question explicitly for my records." He paused and sat back in the creaky chair. I'm sure his respite was only to test my nerves. Still, I kept my skin tight and impenetrable.

"To be blunt, the Miss was a vampire; a Flora whose only source of energy is through the blood of the living." I asked him why. "Because the sun burns their sensitive flesh. As you know, we need sunlight to produce glucose. This enters our blood and is a prime food source for those who cannot produce their own."

"Yes, I know of these Flora, but we have blood donors feed them."

"And they are living."

"What?"

"Vampires are undead, given life by the head vampire."

"How can something be undead? That makes absolutely no sense?"

"Does it matter? I am telling you they exist."

"That doesn't give you a valid reason to kill Miss. Palu!" I finally shouted back. He chuckled and leaned over the desk.

"How would you feel, as you are now, living and breathing, if you took the lives of others to extend your own?"

"I would never do such a thing to another living being. Especially if I was dead."

"And why is that, Miss Dichtoto?" Now he was questioning my sanity!

"I would not such a thing because I would be dead. The dead cannot rise after the loss of life!"

"You are missing the point. This is a theoretical situation. I'll say it again, and please give a true response." He paused and squinted his eyes trying to find the best wording. "If you were undead, but had the consciousness to keep yourself alive by killing the living, how would you feel now, knowing this could be your future?"

"I would hate myself for be being a coward. My time would have ended and I would be taking the lives of those who deserved one."

"So if you met a creature like this, a vampire, would you kill it?"

I held my speech, for I understood where he was pushing me. "These are theoretical situations. Vampires are not real, so I would have no reason to kill them."

"You are a tough one to crack, Miss Dichtoto. I can see why they voted you as their Grand Mayor. However, I fear your stubbornness has and will cost you many lives."

Abruptly, I stood and motioned to the door. "This is the bantering that I wished not to experience. We will continue this tomorrow. I hope you can gather the information I need and relay it too me in a more appropriate fashion." In turn he spoke to me no more.

I led him back to the cell and had the time to study him further. His face was that of a kind, old gentleflora not that of a heartless killer. His iris's were flaked with gold and the outline of a stubble encircled his mouth. The shape of his face was distinctive, oblong and sullen. Wavy, framing hair flowed down to his shoulder. A beaded necklace with an ebony cross, the same shade as his locks, dangled from his thick neck. The talk of the fate of his soul and the Creator in his testimony makes sense to me now. His "supernatural" vampires were nothing but an excuse for his deadly hand.

I will not take his word seriously until he can give me viable proof. 

4th Reli 6PM—Another soul was drained from their body whilst I slept last night. He had the same markings and loss of blood as all of the previous victims. The calling card of the Black Dahlia is consistently traumatic. Their skin, once flashy and vibrant, was forced to an unsettling, pale grey. They all suffered tremendously, evident by their void, wide open eyes and ajar jaws. I need to find out who is killing these Flora, why, how they had no heart to do so, and if they were the same Black Dahlia form Flos 30 years prior.

In a strange turn of events, Dr. Sativus relayed to me an interesting point she noticed while examining the body found near the town center. This simple fact made it unusual and different from my case. All of the other victims were last seen or left at the edge of the southern forest. A crowd gathered around the horrific scene and a striking face stood out to the doctor. It was the same face we'd both seen in a photo, silk, white skin, framed by blonde curlettes. She asked me to review the case files Rosales sent me and I found two matches.

The first was the face of Miss Palu. When I showed the photo to the doctor, she shook her head. "Her hair is too short."

I looked again and found the image of Miss Kousa. The doctor scrutinized her character and came to the conclusion that it was the same face she had seen recently besides small discrepancies. I asked her what those might be and she replied, "the Miss Kousa I saw was pale, but flushed around her cheeks. Under her plump lips, I could barley see pearly fangs protruding."

I asked her again if she was certain that she saw Miss Kousa, and she was positive. Officers posted around town have been informed to watch for any women fitting her description and to bring her in for questioning. The investigation ate most of my day, so I was unable to speak with Van Hellebore.

Note—Talk to Van Hellebore, Incepmov.

5th Incepmov 2PM—I am furious with myself for making such a crucial mistake. This, which I rant about, is the act of sending male officers around the city under a crimson sky. It is clear from my version of the Black Dahlia case that the killer only attacks male Flora. One of my officers was found dead, bloodless and marked, tied to a lamppost in the city center. The only good that came from it was that the doctor definitely saw Miss Kousa again. She attempted to catch her for questioning, but she managed to slipped through dark alleyways.

A lot of paperwork and damage control. No time to write further.

Note—talk to Van Hellebore on Celop.

5th Celop—The doctor conducted another one of her experiments despite my concern. Luckily, she planned the session out with more detail to protection. This time she stayed within the boundaries of city buildings and kept a small army by her side. The male subject sat on the edge of a fountain and causally read a novel, something one never does under a crimson sky. Dr. Sativus was hoping that they could lure out either the Black Dahlia itself, or Miss Kousa who seems to be tied the case. The experiment was a success in the latter.

The small group of female officers was able to subdue Miss Kousa and bring her to a cell. The doctor noted to me that the male subject did not cower at the sight of Miss Kousa. No, he was "seemingly entranced by her beauty and prowess" and they had to cuff him to a lamppost to keep him away from her.

Instead of speaking with Van Hellebore like I mentioned, the doctor led me down to the heavily guarded cell of Miss Kousa. Her brilliant eyes peeked at me from the corner she huddled in. Nourishing sunlight leaked in from the window, but she seemed adamant to stay out of it. She caught my attention from the scenery with a malicious hiss.

"Ah, the Grand Mayor Dichtoto! What a pleasure." The guards opened the cell door and promptly shut it behind me. I began the questioning.

"Miss Kousa, is it true that my associates caught you in the act of murder?"

"Nay, I did not murder the Flora. No act to catch."

"But similar attacks have been witnessed and recorded in the past. You are a direct link to the case from Flos."

"Flos, yes, Flos. Moved here with the master!"

"The file I have here says that you were found dead, came back to life and then disappeared. Please explain this to me."

"Dead? Yup, yup! The good master showed me the darkness and ripped it away!"

"Are you sure it is not the other way around?"

"Hmm! What a predicament! You are right! Light, no good, but I was given light again!"

"So you're saying that you died and your master brought you back to life?"

"Yup, yup! Master savior! Save all!"

"Is your master that Black Dahlia?" In this instant she held her tongue. I went to far into her web.

"I will not answer your questions until you cover the window." I prodded on, but she spoke no further. Guards brought in a wooden board and nailed it in front of the window. A candle was lit and placed on a small side table. I noticed a difference in Miss Kousa that made me uneasy. Perhaps it was the lighting, but her features became more prominent and sharp. Her teeth glinted as she curled her lips into a smile.

"Ah, Grand Mayor Dichtoto! Would you not agree that this lighting is more pleasant and," she paused, "soothing?"

"What can you tell me about the Black Dahlia?"

"The Black Dahlia? Is that the name you've given her?"

"Her? Is that your master?"

"Aye, my great master, grander than the Grand Mayor, loved by all!" Her tone became smooth and velvety, not the choppy high pitched words she spewed earlier. She left her corner and sat close to me on the bed. In my ear she whispered darkly, "what do you want to know about the master? However, I'm warning; my words will come with a price."

"I need to know where she is, so I can stop her from murdering my people."

"Oh darling, she will never stop killing. How could she live without the souls of the damned?" She cooed and nibbled on my ear. "However, she lives in the southern forest, shrouded by the leaves and ferocious beasts. She's so lonely you know! I bet she'd love a strong, independent Flora like you."

Teeth tore through the flesh of my ear as I pushed her away. The sight of my oozing blood set her off. She tackled me and lapped whatever squirted into her mouth. The guards shot up and tried to unlock the door, but it would not budge. "It's been so long since I've had the chance of being with another female. The master only sets me after men! Stupid men! We women are so much more enticing." The bars of the cell rattled, but my rescuers attempts to enter were fruitless. Miss Kousa bore blood stained fangs and bit into my neck. Again I pushed her face away, however, by some unfloral strength she held me down. I tried to channel my specialty, but her charms warded against them. Slowly, I could feel all will leaving my body. My eyes could only stare at the jagged, stone ceiling. I knew that all color rushed away from my cheeks.

I believe that I passed out because I do not remember escaping the vile Flora's maw. As a guard later informed me, they found someone who could mold metal and broke the bars with force. They pried the board off the window and Miss Kousa returned to the way she was before. I was taken to the infirmary where I woke up and wrote this entry.

My hand shakes violently due to the loss of blood. It takes too much energy to write. I will continue when my spirit returns to me. Then, I will contact Van Hellebore.

Jasmine Dichtoto