From Equestria and Beyond

"Hey AJ! Ready for the big trip?" Dash called from outside Applejack's window. A patchy fog surrounded the atmosphere. The air was chill, and dew covered the ground. The Sun was just peeking over the horizon, letting a few rays warm the surface.

Applejack opened the window a bit, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Just give me a few minutes to prepare, and I'll be right out."

Rainbow Dash nodded. "I'm just gonna warm up, then. See ya!" She zipped off into the distance.

True to her word, Applejack came outside just a few minutes later. "Ready, pard?" she said.

"Here!" called Dash, landing right beside her. "All packed up? Forgetting anything? D'you bring sunscreen, sunglasses, --"

"Yup, I'm ready. Let's go!" She climbed onto Dash's back. "Giddyup!"

Rainbow Dash shot a sidelong glare at her, but got off to a gallop, and was soon in the air.

"So..." said Applejack. "How long will it take to get there?" They were above the clouds now, and the undercast was tinged red in the morning Sun. Rainbow Dash was gliding leisurely to the South. The flight was smooth, and Applejack couldn't help but admire Dash's technical prowess. However, she wasn't going to be staying in the sky any longer than she had to.

While flying wasn't a new experience for Applejack -- she had ridden Dash some times before -- it was only for brief periods of time, and always below cloud level. So naturally, she was a bit unsure and queasy.

"We should get there before sunset!" Upon noticing AJ's little shudder, she asked, "Not used to long distance flying?"

"Um-hmm."

They flew on for some time.

"What do ya usually do on long-distance flights anyway? Don't you get bored?"

"Well, I try flying backwards, loops, all that sweet stuff. Wanna try?" she asked with a smirk.

"I'll pass."

Dash felt Applejack shifting on her back. "What're ya doin'?"

"I have an idea how we can pass the time. You know any tunes?"

"You... brought a record player? AJ, are you out of your mind? How'd you even put that in your saddlebags?"

"Hush." She strummed a chord, and then began to sing.

Equestria, the land I love

A land of harmony.

Our flag does wave from high above

For ponykind to see.

Equestria, a land of friends,

Where ponykind do roam --

They say true friendship never ends.

Equestria, my home

"Not as good as the Countess, but still pretty good." Dash snickered. "Lemme try."

"Why don't ya focus on your flyin'. You can pick the next song if ya want."

Below them, the clouds gradually cleared up. Forest, little by little, gave way to desert.

"Hold on, Dash. Am I seeing this correctly?" Applejack squinted into the distance.

"What?"

"Is that... a signpost? Over there?" She pointed to a small sign made of cloudstuff planted on a wispy cloud.

Dash chuckled. "Oh, yeah. Those. Sometimes, you can't reorient from the ground, so these give you directions in a pinch. Pretty handy. You'll see 'em on the big pegasus flying routes." She veered right, in the direction of Stratopolis, if the sign could be trusted.

Applejack stared at her. "Pegasus... flying routes? You mean you don't just flap around wherever you want?" As soon as the question left her mouth, she felt a little bit stupid.

"No! Sometimes, pegasi can be very efficient!"

"I'm sure," said Applejack. "Anyway, are we gonna stop for lunch, or am I gonna have to hope you don't collapse and crash on me?"

"If you want." Dash scanned the area for clouds. "Where do you want to land?"

"It all looks like sand and shrubs to me, really."

"Yeah, yeah. Hold tight!" Dash angled her descent and spiraled to the ground, landing gently in just a couple of minutes.

Applejack hopped off of her, and Dash stretched and flared her wings before tucking them in place. "You pack anything to eat?"

"Yup," said Applejack. "Some hay sandwiches and apples."

Dash stuck her tongue out. "Do you guys eat that every day?"

"Pretty much," admitted Applejack.

"I've got to show you some pegasus cuisine before we leave." That notwithstanding, Dash took a sandwich as well as a flask from AJ's bag.

"Whoa, sweet! Is this what I think it is?" Dash started to twist off the top, but Applejack stopped her.

"Now, now, Dash. This stuff's a mite stronger than cider, and you're gonna be flying and orienting. We'll have some once we get there."

"You know there's free drinks there, right?" Dash asked incredulously.

"Come again?"

"Free drinks. The place is all-inclusive. You should save this stuff for Ponyville."

"Oh," intoned Applejack. "Well. It's nothing special, really. Just whiskey. I'm sure there's better there."

When they'd finished their sandwiches, they lied down. The Sun shone bright, and there was nary a cloud in the sky.

Within minutes, Dash was about to fall asleep. Applejack prodded her. "Dash? Remember? You can't be dozing off if we're to make it by nightfall."

Dash got up, shook herself, and stretched. "We'll be back in the sky in just a few minutes!

"We're gonna need to go higher up to cross those mountains. Is that fine with you?"

Applejack nodded. "Yup".  Up ahead, the desert gave way to mountains. Below the pair, foothill upon foothill passed by, like waves on the sea. They had just passed a signpost advising fliers to attain an altitude of 750 mb, and Dash, for once, took the advice.

Gradually, they ascended aloft, until Dash said, "Hang on tight! There's a lot of turbulence and waves that comes with mountains. And you sure -- whoa!"

"Dash! What in tarnation?!" Applejack held on tight, but couldn't help but spare a glance at the ground far, far below. She tightened her grip on the harness and leaned into Dash's mane.

"Sorry! As I was saying... waves. Yeah." Dash shot back a sheepish grin.

AJ glared at her crossly for a bit before she laughed it off. " 'Sokay, Dash, you couldn't have known. Besides, whatever keeps me up, eh?" She looked to the ground a second time. For Applejack, this was the first time she felt so... ungrounded. She considered herself relatively down-to-Earth, so to speak, and hadn't really been interested in the sky until now. But as she looked around at the vast amounts of empty space all around and above her, she couldn't help but admire the freedom afforded to pegasi. Although she still felt unrooted, she felt, in a way, calm, content, even, in a word, carefree.

And she could respect that, enjoy it, even, if just for this brief day.

Looking down at the snow-capped peaks, Applejack turned inward in introspection. Don't the peaks ever get lonely? What would she do? Was she going to be a farmer forever? Was she doomed to stay single? How would she cope?

Further thought revealed no answer. Instead, she contented herself with enjoying the flight in the knowledge that she had a couple of weeks of relaxation down South.