[Displaced] Ashes In the Wind

It’s been two days since Autumn Blaze and Cinder Fall began their journey to Ponyville.

Cinder and Autumn made camp for a night. Cinder took the first watch sitting by the campfire keeping watch, while Autumn slept.

Cinder watched the flames dance, when she was Coren he loved watching fire.

In fact... one of his favorite activities was camping. A peaceful time, getting away from the house and breathing in the fresh air.

Cinder sighed, thinking of her former life, and wondered why Salem chose him. Was it by chance or did she have a plan for her?

If it was the latter... life was a bitch. Salem definitely had something in mind...
Or if it was the former….life’s still a bitch.

Cinder sighed and looked at her Midnight, Salem gave her this bow. “Now I’m wondering if Salem gave me anything else.”

Maybe her semblance or the Fall Maiden powers, or maybe some kind of Grimm abilities.

“Wait, am I pregnant with a Grimm?” She randomly thought to herself, “Hold on, why am I thinking about pregnancy?”

Cinder found that thought to be rather idiotic... She or he had watched the show before. Never in a moment was there a scene where Cinder was impregnated with a Grimm baby, but she did remember that Glove Cinder used to steal the Fall Maiden’s power.

“Ok, I think I’m sleep deprived.” She sighed trying to think about anything else.

She heard something moving in the bushes, she quickly grabbed her Midnight and loaded an arrow.

She released her arrow into the bushes. Once the arrow went inside the bushes as Cinder prepared another. "Come out!"

Cinder steps towards the bushes and pushes aside the branches, and sees a little bunny rabbit, with her arrow between its ears.

"...Oh." Cinder blushed, feeling embarrassed, a bunny... She was about to kill a rabbit.

“Sorry little bunny.” The Bunny quickly snapped back to reality and ran away as fast as possible. “Be careful in future.” Cinder grabs her arrow, and returns to her campfire.

Autumn poked her head out. “Everything okay?” She asked, with a yawn.

"A cute little Rabbit stumbled upon our camp, and I nearly killed it." Cinder replied.

“Oh, poor bunny.” Autumn said, yawning once more.

“Yeah poor little bunny.” Cinder sat back down. “Go back to sleep, I’ll continue the watch.”

"Okay... Give me an hour or two... I'll take over." Autumn responded before going back to sleep.

Cinder, nodding, returns to keeping an eye for intruders.

She added more wood to the fire, she looked to the sky and saw the broken moon.

“Am I on Remnant, or a world similar to it?” She wondered.

Cinder returned to her watch and the rest of the night was uneventful thankfully.

The next day, Cinder and Autumn were packing up their camp, before the sun rose over the distance.

Autumn looked at her map. “Ok, if we start walking now, we’ll be in Golden Gate junction before nightfall.” She told Cinder, as he put the map away.

"Okay... and then what do we do?" Cinder inquired.

“We take a train.” Autumn replied, "Then it’ll be a two day journey to Ponyville."

“I see.” Cinder nods, then a thought comes to mind. “Wouldn’t a two train journey be expensive?”

“Yes, but don’t worry.” Autumn replied, pulling out a ticket from her breast pocket and showing it to Cinder. “I have a prepaid ticket.” She placed it back into her pocket. “But We’ll have to buy you a ticket when we reach Golden Gate junction.”

“Right,” Cinder nods, “Do we have enough?”

“I think we do,” Autumn replied, “We’ll have to check once we arrive.”

“Hmm, true.” Cinder hums, if she couldn’t afford the ticket, Autumn would have to resume the rest of the journey alone, but then again Cinder knows Autumn quite well at this point. She knows Autumn would find a way to get her a ticket regardless of the price.

Cinder didn’t like relying on Autumn this much, it didn’t feel right to her.

“Are you ok Cinder?” Autumn asked,

“Yes I’m fine.” Cinder replied, “But I am a little worried about payment.” She admitted,

“Don’t worry Cinder.” Autumn said, with her sunny smile. “We’ll figure something out.”

Seeing Autumn smile, little Cinders mood and made her smile too. “You’re right, we’ll figure something out.” She nods, “Shall we resume our journey?”

“Of course!” Autumn cheered, leading Cinder to Golden Gate.

Along the way, Cinder was asking different questions about Golden Gate and Ponyville.

“So what is Ponyville like?”

"A peaceful hamlet in Equestria.” Autumn answered, “Quite possibly one of the more popular ones in the country... Not to mention it's very close to Canterlot."

"Canterlot?" Cinder cocked a brow, “Sounds like Camelot.” Cinder thought to herself. “What’s that?”

"The capital of Equestria.” Autumn replied, grabbing an apple from a tree. “It's where the Princesses live." She takes a bit from it.

Princesses, so was Cinder in a kingdom of some kind? Remnant had four kingdoms
but no monarchy to speak of. So maybe this isn’t Remnant, she needs more information.

"Who are these princesses exactly?" Cinder asked,

“Celestia and Luna. The day and night Princesses.” Autumn replied, eating more of her apple.

Huh, interesting... Celestia and Luna Latin for Sun and Moon, very interesting, but how are they day and night? Do they rule in shifts?

“Who exactly are they?” Cinder asked,

“I never met them.” Autumn replied, throwing away her apple. “But Celestia rises from the Sun, and governs the day time, Luna rises the Moon, and protects the dreamer from nightmares.”

“They raise the Sun and Moon?” Cinder asked with wide eyes. This definitely isn’t Remnant, Remnant’s Sun and Moon don't need to be moved by someone else, the planet rotates around the Sun and the Moon rotates around the planet, WAIT!? If the Sun and Moon need to be raised by two powerful magic users, is this world still?
Cinder’s mine raced over thinking how can a world still exist if it’s not spinning.

“Cinder?” Autumn said, “Are you ok?” She notched her.

“HUH!?” Cinder snapped back to reality. “Sorry, did something happen?”

“No.” Autumn replied. “But you were spacing out, and I was getting worried.”

“Oh?” Cinder blushed. “Sorry I was overthinking something silly.” She admitted, in hindsight it was kinda silly attempting to make sense of this magic world. “ Moving on who are the other Royals?” Cinder asked, wanting to change the topic.

"Hmm…” Autumn thinks for a moment. “Well there's Princess Cadance of the Crystal Empire, and Princess Twilight Sparkle."

An Empire? This definitely isn’t Remnant, so now that’s been confirmed, time for some digging. “So who are they?”

"Princess Cadance is the princess of love,” Autumn bagan, “and Twilight is the Princess of Friendship,"

Cinder raised an eyebrow. Love and Friendship? She can understand day and night but love and Friendship? Kinda silly if you ask her, like a silly kids cartoon, but she kept that herself.

As they continue onwards, a thought comes to Autumn’s mind. “Cinder?”

"Yes, Autumn?"

“Where are you from?” Autumn asked, curious about Cinder’s homeland.

However Cinder didn’t know how to answer this question, she wasn't exactly one person. She sighed, trying to think of an answer. Should she tell Autumn where Coren’s home? or Cinders? It was a difficult conundrum.

“Cinder?” Autumn asked. “Are you ok?”

"I'm fine it's just...I'm not sure how to answer," Cinder admitted

“What do you mean?” Autumn asked, sounding concerned. “Do you not remember?”

“No.” Cinder took a deep breath and sighed, “Autumn I have two homes.” She began, “One of my homes was Hell, I suffered abuse by my so-called family.” Cinder decided to tell Autumn about her Cinder side, considering she wasn’t Coren, but Cinder. “I’m sorry but could- Cinder found herself in the embrace of Autumn arms hugging her tightly.

“I'm so so so so so sorry!” Autumn Cried, “I should never have asked.”

"I-It's fine really," Cinder hugged back, stroking Autumn’s head. “Looks like Autumn is one of those who cries easily.” She thought but soon noticed something moist. She pushed Autumn and saw Autumn ugly crying. “Wow, you’re an ugly crier.” Cinder said, pulling out a tissue from her pouch. “Here.”

“Thank you,” Autumn takes the tissue, and blows her nose. “Sorry, I sometimes cry easily.” She explains sniffing.

“I gathered.” Cinder said, with a chuckle. “Shall we resume?”

“Yes we should.” Autumn replied, wrapping her tears.

CInder continued following Autumn to Golden gate junction.

After some time of walking, Cinder and Autumn encountered a wagon with a man attaching to replace the wheel.

“He looks like he needs help.” Cinder said, as they approached the man.

“Maybe we should help.” Autumn said, as they heard the wines of a baby. “A baby?”

“Could he be a single parent?” Cinder wondered,

“We should help.” Autumn said, as she increased her speed.

“Guessing I don’t have a choice.” Cinder shrugged as she matched Autumn’s pace.

They soon approached the wagon, and with a closer look the man was a farmer in his twilight years. He wears the traditional overalls and a worn out straw hat, so presumably he was a grandfather, and the baby they heard was probably his grandchild, but where is the child’s parents?

“Hello!” Autumn announced herself.

The man turned, with his hand on his lower back, showing his age he saw Cinder and Autumn. “Hello ladies.” He greeted,

“Do you need help?” Autumn asked, seeing the elderly man struggling.

“Oh no,” The elderly man replied, “I can handle this.”

“No you can’t!” Declared female voice, a young woman in her 30’s wearing the same attire as the elder, she held a baby in her arms, nursing her child.
Cinder blushed a little considering she was once male. “Dad!” She yelled while walking to the farmer. “You are not as young as you used to be, you heard what the doctor said.”

“To hell with that quack!” The elders argued. “I’m still in my prime!”

The elderly man and his daughter bickered for some time.

Cinder and Autumn felt awkward watching this. Eventually the bickering between the farmers ended, and the daughter won.

“If you wouldn’t mind, please help us.” The daughter asked, Cinder and Autumn.

“Sure!” Autumn smiled.

“What can we do?” Cinder asked.

“Just lift the wagon, and my dad can attach the wheel.” The daughter explains, moving aside.

“OK.” Autumn said getting into position to lift the wagon.

“Sounds easy enough.” Cinder added, also getting into position.

The Elderly man rolled the wheel into position. “Ok, ready?” He asked,

“Ready!” They nod,

Cinder and Autumn lifted the wagon, and the elderly farmer quickly placed the wheel back in place, he immediately nailed it in place.

“There!” He said, “That should do.” He declared putting his hammer away.

“Will it hold?” Autumn asked.

“Hopefully.” The farmer replied, "Just until we reach Golden gate.”

“Your heading to Golden gate?” Autumn asked, “So are we.”

“Oh you are?” Asked the daughter, “We could give you a ride.” She offered,

“We don’t want to intrude.” Cinder answered, being polite.

“Not at all.” The daughter replied, “It’s the last we can do, we would be stuck here all day if you two didn’t come along.”

“She’s right, Cinder.” Autumn said, “Also this would cut our journey time down.”

Cutting the journey time down did sound tempting. Also the sooner they reach Golden gate the better.

“Well if they’re offering.” Cinder smiled, accepting the offer.

“Grate!” The daughter smiled, “Dad make some room for our friends.” She called.

“Ok give me a hand.” The farmer called back.

The two farmers made some space for Cinder and Autumn, and they bordered the wagon.

Soon they were ready to resume their journey toward Golden gate junction, but little did they know, Golden gate was under siege by powerful forces…

To Be Continued……