The morning sun was higher in the sky now, hanging almost level with the many layered clouds, most of which had begun to dissipate. The roads below had become fewer, with the pair that comprised the highway that Rainbow flew alongside having since merged into a single two-lane road that wound over the uneven terrain, though now in a more directly Westward direction.
Rainbow Dash soared through the desert air, largely alone save for the occasional car either passing or being passed with ease as she sped by. Nary a bird was present with her in the air to keep her company, though the mountain range remained an ever-constant companion on her westward flight. It changed very little relative to Rainbow due to its massive size, yet was always moving around with its subtle changes in surface height. And as time passed on, it even began to slowly grow larger in size as it and the highway drew ever nearer together.
Ground began to meet sky as the road started to wind its way over and through the mountain, carving multiple sections through it in whatever open spaces could be found between the many smaller rocky growths on its surface. Feeling daring, Rainbow decided to amuse herself by adjusting her flight to closely match the surface and direction of the road. Its rapid peaks and valleys forced the pegasus to exercise her well-honed flight skills as she bobbed up, down, left, and right, constantly adjusting her wings to match the pace of the winding surface.
Eventually, the area began to open up and start descending. Rainbow’s keen eyesight caught sight of the telltale signs of a rest stop as she soared past. Branching roads sat offset from each other like opposing asphalt bulbs, topped with an assortment of shades and benches. Rainbow performed a tight turn as she wheeled back to make use of the area for a moment, deciding it was a good time to have some breakfast before travelling onwards.
Rainbow Dash sat on the bench in the shade, nibbling on her morning rations and taking in the scenery as she ate. More of the desert had woken up now as the mid-morning sun shone brighter. The song of birds and insects still filled the air. There was a brief rustle in some shrubs, the source soon revealing itself as a lizard dashed out into the open with a roadrunner hot on its tail. A locust buzzed past, tracing random patterns in the air. A brightly colored butterfly gave a more steady movement, its wings slowly opening and closing as it perched on a cactus flower. Out of the corner of Rainbow’s vision, tiny red ants busily made trails in an out of an anthill.
Behind her, one of the large clouds from the East had slowly rolled its way in. She observed it float harmlessly by, intersecting the peaks of the mountains behind her. As it did so, she began to realize just how high she was above sea level. The wisping, almost solid mass was markedly close to where she currently was, as if any small movement would put her on either side of it. It loomed over like an almost tangible ceiling of water vapor, seemingly able to be reached out and touched by any creature not already blessed with the gift of flight.
Of course, for a pegasus such as her, touching a cloud was just second nature. Still, Rainbow couldn’t help but be enthralled by the rather uncommon display of cloud meeting land in any other way besides a morning fog. Finishing off her breakfast, she decided to make a quick detour to the closest mountain peak enshrouded by the passing cloud. It wasn’t that much further away, anyhow.
Cottony masses burst in all directions as Rainbow Dash pierced through the bottom of the cloud some distance before the mountain peak. The once-ceiling had turned into a wide, wisping carpet as she slowly landed on the soft surface. The wide, white expanse stretched for what seemed like hundreds of feet in all directions until where the very ends broke off into a sky-blue void. Many peaks from the mountain burst through the surface of the cloud, floating triumphantly above it like islands in a rolling sea of white. Rainbow took a few steps forward on the cloud’s surface, relishing in the feeling of it beneath her hooves with each step. The surface in the sky reminded her a lot of home, and her mind soon drifted off to thoughts of Cloudsdale and its floating majesty as she ambled over the familiar surface.
Rainbow looked towards the closest peak - her original intended destination. A glint of bright light reflected off something on the top of the peak in the distance, catching her eye. Curious as to what this could be, she took wing and made for the mountain peak. As she drew closer, the reflecting light took a more noticeable shape. A strange, three-sided metal pyramid of some sort was perched solitarily on the rocky surface, as if standing guard on the mountain’s edge.
Particles of dust, rock, and small plant matter kicked up to the winds as Rainbow gracefully landed on the mountain peak. She had a much clearer view of the monument now as it stood in front of her. Scratches and corrosion on the surface of the monument imparted its age to the pegasus, leading her to figure that people must’ve placed it at this location long, long ago. Cracked stone masonry bordered each side at the base of the pyramid with the words “EL CAPITAN” etched in fading letters. Its apex was topped with a smaller, similar three-sided pyramid. Each surface of the larger shape was adorned with what looked like round, ornate bronze placards. One depicted an eagle in flight with the letters on both sides. Another side depicted a man riding a horse, with writing on the outer rim of the circle. On the final side closest to the edge of the peak, a compass rose was depicted on the the placard with a man wearing a goggled leather flight cap standing proudly in the center. A smaller placard sat below it, depicting a stagecoach and an airplane, and a dedication to brave airmen who formed some sort of airline transportation system.
Rainbow couldn’t help but smirk a little. She had seen much so far on her flight West, but she was still amazed at what the people in this world had accomplished. A people with no magic whatsoever had instead used their ingenuity and the tools they had to perform amazing feats such as achieving flight and carving their presence into the tallest of mountains.
Rainbow’s gaze followed the direction the West marker on the compass rose was pointing. Parts of the cloud had broken up below and now Rainbow could see the horizon much further than before. Much of the area lay visible below her from her vantage point, colored in a light haze made up of the dust blowing over the desert surface combined with the atmosphere itself. She followed the winding highway road from earlier, tracing its path as it ran down the mountain and off to its destination into the far-off Western horizon. Smaller roads branched off in multiple other directions, travelling to locations yet unseen. Circular patches of bright green lay grouped together in some parts of the horizon, likely from farmland belonging to farmers tenacious enough to tame the desert land. Beyond these, large splotches of bright white were spread out across most of the visible horizon, one of them bisected by the highway. These were far too white to be normal desert sands, Rainbow thought, but she didn’t have any other answers on hoof. Perhaps she’d take a closer look later.
As she stood there taking in the hazy desert expanse, Rainbow couldn’t help but feel as if she were on top of the world. She’d been to heights such as this peak back at home, but that was while flying. She’d never really taken the time to sit and look around, preferring to keep moving around. Her thoughts drifted back to the monument in front of her. She looked at it again, and began to briefly wonder if those who had placed it here had felt the same way, having traveled so high above the ground for possibly the first time in their lives.
Turning away from the shining monument, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the dry mountain air. Slowly, she spread out her wings, feeling the wind blow through her feathers and her prismatic mane and tail. A moment later, she opened her eyes again. That was enough reflecting for now - she had a journey to make. With a quick run and a dive, Rainbow Dash glided off, continuing westward once more.