Chapter 12

Monsters and humans

In loving memory of Adam Taurus who died at the end of Volume 3.

Ceres Vesta was in a cold, dark place. She was lying on a floor with her hands restricted. She noticed a needle up her arm. Something was being pumped into her veins. The thing was making her mind cloudy, and her consciousness was going on and off. She managed to realize she was on some kind of airship, but her eyes were blindfolded.

She was being taken.

Thanks to Ceres' years of developing her drug addiction, the chemical that was being pumped into her veins was getting less ans less effective. She managed to rip the needle out of her arm. She panted and tried to undo her restraints, but it seemed like they were put on her a couple of days ago and she was too weak to revert space in reference to so much time.

She pressed her head into the wall to get rid of her blindfold and she realized that in fact she was aboard an airship. She also realized she was too weak to activate her semblance. Ceres' body was full of chemicals and she wasn't sure whether she was really awake or not.

Ceres averted her eyes when the door opened and she could recognize her drug dealer from Edom.

"Hello sweetie." - he said and she almost chuckled seeing him without his arm - "Missed me?"

"Missed your arm?"

The Faunus slapped her furiously.

"I want the location of Adam Taurus. I know you're screwing each other."

"We haven't been screwing each other for weeks. Adam tried to kill me."

The man burst out laughing.

"I can believe that. So, where do you think he can be now? Maybe he came back to your house?"

"I seriously doubt that." - she spat the words out of her mouth - "He wasn't there, was he?"

"We left some...hints for him at your house, so he can come and look for you."

Ceres cackled.

"You mean 'we devastated your house', don't you? And what makes you think Adam will come for me? I know him better than you and I'm goddamn sure he won't."

"You underestimate your worth to him." - the man pointed at what was left of his arm.

"So we're heading to Menagerie? To Ghira Belladonna?"

The man laughed and kicked her in the stomach.

"Don't be silly, we wouldn't take a human to Menagerie."

Adam sliced through open field in fury. Thanks gods he was sane enough not to unleash his anger at the house. Ceres would not forgive him that after what White Fang did to the mansion.

The shutters were no longer part of the windows. The magnolia bush was gone. So were the doors. The glass in the windows was broken. On the porch there was a White Fang symbol carved into the wood.

And Ceres was gone. And he had no idea where they would take her. It was obvious for him they wouldn't go to Menagerie with her. Mostly because Ghira Belladonna wasn't approving such drastic measures.

Adam put his blindfold on again and started his motorbike. He came up with an idea where he should start.

The White Fang base in Vacuo was located in the middle of the kingdom, seven hours away from Edom. Adam stopped only once to refill the gas. It was middle of the night when he made it there. He parked the drive and didn't bother with knocking. He destroyed the door with single movement and stopped the Faunus inside.

"You are going to let me in." - Adam said, grabbing the boy's shirt - "And you're going to take me to your leader."

"A-Adam Taurus… - the boy whispered and took two steps behind.

"I won't hurt you. Just take me to the person that is in charge here."

"I am."

Adam pushed the boy out of harm's way and absorbed the attack through Wilt and Blush.

The person attacking Adam was a middle-aged man with a scar across his face. He wasn't as tall as Adam was, and Taurus couldn't help the feeling the leader was compensating something, judging by the size of his weapon.

"You took someone from me. I demand the girl back." - stated Adam, pointing his sword at the leader.

"So now you're interested in screwing a junkie instead of leader's daughter?" - the man laughed.

"I'm interested in having Ceres back. Bring her to me."

The man blinked.

"The girl is not here. My people were told to take her on the ship. We knew you'd follow her here." - the leader cackled - "You were fast."

Adam attacked him two more times. Only one move got stopped, but the man wasn't really a match for Adam. Once he got his clear mind back, he could fight with all his skills. And there was no one in White Fang who could match him.

"Bring Ceres to me." - Adam asked calmly, stepping on leader's weapon. He was about to cut the man one more time when he heard a noise. Something enormous fell to the ground outside.

It was an airship. Adam hid his weapon and ran outside. In remains of something that certainly was a flying machine once he spotted something pink.

"Let me help you." - he said, removing the trash above Ceres. She blinked twice in endless confusion and sat on her arse.

"This is it; I'm hallucinating." - she murmured - "Adam fucking Taurus is saving me. Now I'm in desperate need of medication."

Adam chuckled.

"I'm real. This is not a hallucination."

And in a second he had Planetaria pointed at his neck. Ceres was in rage.

"I told you to stay the fuck away from me!"

Adam was not trying to fight back. He knelt on one knee right in front of her. She sensed something strange going on in his mind.

"I apologize to you. I truly am sorry for what I've done and for what I've said. I was..."

"You were an absolute asshole!" - she screamed. Adam did not expect that. - "You were a disgrace to everything that has ever stepped on earth!"

"I can't argue with that." - he sighed, standing up. He removed his blindfold to let her look at him in the eyes.

"Adam, they…!" - she squeaked.

"Let them see it." - he said quietly - "What happened?"

They both looked at the wreck.

"It was their fault!" - she stated, crossing her arms - "They pumped into my veins something that made my semblance go crazy! I swear I didn't want..."

"It doesn't matter to me." - he said dryly and grabbed her arm. She groaned in pain. - "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"You did hurt me more times than once!" - she hissed - "What the hell were you thinking?! Killing me?!"

Adam lowered his head in shame.

"Let's go back." - Ceres said with a sigh - "Just...let's go back."

"Ceres, I can't." - Adam averted his eyes to see hers - "I can't go back with you."

The girl's eyes widened.

"Adam, what do you…."

"I can't stand what White Fang does here." - he admitted, pointing his finger at the shipwreck - "I'm going to fight my lead in Vacuo branch."

"You're a leader." - she said kindly.

"I'm sorry, Ceres."

"Don't be." - she shook her head - "It's okay. I knew this day would happen. You were never meant to live in a calm house with a magnolia bush."

He looked at her with gratitude in his eyes. Adam touched her face and hair. It was silky and he was surprised he never saw it that way.

"But you once said you're never going to leave me. You left me once, and now you're leaving me the second time. And that is something I will never forgive you."

"Ceres..."

"That is why I'm staying with you." - Ceres said. Adam took a step back.

"You're doing what?"

Thank you for reading! This is the end of Tale of Dust Volume 1. I'm gonna start posting Volume 2 as soon as I finish it.