Mt Canter, Clear and Crystal

by BlackWater

Rating: teen
Tags: Romance, Equestria Girls, Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle (EqG), Slice of Life, Original Character, Comedy
Length: 8157

Time for a Christmas vacation with the Shimmers. That means heading off to snow-laden nature and getting into mischief.

The Shimmer family is going on a special Christmas vacation with their son and his significant other. Mt Canter Recreational Village – Camp Everfree’s sibling nature resort. The snow is falling and all this family has on their mind is relaxing with the people they love.

NOTES
1. Midnight Sky is a character created by my amazing friend and fellow author, Rose Quill. This story takes place after Comparing Notes, which is a story I have co-authored with her. If you have not read it then I very much recommend doing so. This story is, however, still understandable if you have not yet done so.
2. Please be sure to watch all the Equestria Girls movies, as this may contain spoilery material otherwise.
3. Takes place after all my previous Shimmer stories as well as Comparing Notes.
4. Sixth consecutive Christmas special I've done.

CONTENT
Some innuendo, non-descriptive nudity

Published 2017-12-25 19:30:07 UTC
Last updated 2018-04-06 01:47:29 UTC

1 - Snow

Snow. It was everywhere now. Beautiful. Cold to the touch but warm to Sunlight’s heart. It reminded him of his childhood with his parents. Even Rainbow Dash and a few others who frequented his life often. Memories flashed by him but did not linger. He was making new ones now with somebody who had become just as etched into his life.

“Are we there yet?” Midnight asked to the front of the vehicle. Her snicker betrayed her comedic intention.

Sunlight ribbed her but laughed as he did so, quickly returning his hand to the rear seat heater vent. His opposing hand remained on his girlfriend’s thigh where it was intertwined with her own ungloved hand. They’d all be putting their gloves back on when the ride came to an end.

“Haha,” Sunset deadpanned. “I’ll be sure to push you into the nearest snowbank when we get there.”

The crossover Sunset was driving was far nicer than the truck Applejack was originally going to lend them. Twilight was thankful that didn’t happen and they wound up renting instead. It cost more for sure but the ride was significantly more comfortable. Of course, neither her or her family was happy about Applejack’s truck breaking an axle. They had even pitched in funds with the rest of their friends to get it repaired. But the added comfort of the rented vehicle was welcome for their family outing.

Especially with the additional family member.

“Do they really have a hot spring?” Midnight asked more honestly this time.

“Yes,” Twilight replied from the passenger’s seat. “Skiing, snowboarding, sledding, winter camping, hot springs, tours of the frozen falls...”

“Three days won’t be enough,” Sunlight cozied up against his love in the backseat.

“Never is,” Midnight gave him a knowing look.

“You better behave or I’ll have to tell your parents,” Sunset glanced back to Midnight with a smirk.

Midnight stuck her tongue out in return.

The forest road they were driving down was hardly off-road even if it wasn’t technically paved. The rough gravel was no challenge for the vehicle and most of the snow had already been pushed aside by others. Midnight’s gaze fell to the scenery they passed by, a small patch of window cleared from fog by her thick sleeve to let her see through.

White. An entire forest drowned in it. It had been a steep road at times and a variety of cliffsides and valley drops had traveled by her window many times. Side paths occasionally veered off the road and disappeared behind thick veils of tall tree trunks lifted even higher by upward slopes. The pale pines were soon joined by a sign they quickly passed by. She was able to read it, though. “Mount Canter All-Season Recreational Village.”

“Smores only allowed in summer. Too bad,” Sunlight sighed.

“We’ll want additional visits in the future, no doubt,” Midnight smiled, returning her gaze to him.

“You brought your bathing suit, didn’t you? I know it’s a bit late to ask,” Sunset said as she steered into a parking area. Metal canopies were lined across the parking spaces to spare the vehicles beneath from excessive snow evidenced from the surrounding scenery.

“Yep,” Midnight responded at ease. “Might be the first time I’ve ever packed a swimsuit and a snowcoat in the same bag for a vacation. Let alone a Christmas vacation.”

“You’ll love it,” Sunlight insisted, his cheer never waning.

Sunset pulled into a reserved spot and parked as Twilight started repacking a few travel items she had gotten out of their way there. “Last time we were here, you were in sixth grade,” she had to remark.

“I have fond memories of it,” Lighty defended. “Besides, the view from the hot springs is amazing!”

“View?” Midnight wondered, not imagining more than enclosed springs initially.

“There’s a downward slope that the springs face and there’s only a roof canopy so you can see out for miles over the forest from the comfort of the water,” Twilight explained.

“I’m not looking forward to getting out right now, though,” Sunset hesitated to turn off the vehicle. Instead she huddled in front of her driver’s side heater vent.

Twilight lightly smacked her wife’s shoulder with her already gloved hand. “Oh, stop being such a baby. The resort cottages are pre-heated. Even the check-in will be warm.”

Midnight took her boyfriend’s hinting nod and picked up her bag she had brought into the rear seat. He grabbed his and started opening his door, winter wear returned to his hands, neck, and head.

“Lighty, would you help your ma with the bags in the back?” Twilight added as she too opened her door.

“On it,” was his quick reply. He considered helping with Midnight’s bags too but she only had one large one beside the smaller one she was already carrying, so she easily took that herself.

The air was cold. Bitterly so. Twilight had almost forgotten how harsh it was until she stepped back out. Her clothing was sufficient, though, and she mostly felt it only on her face. It took less than five minutes to grab the bags out of the back of the crossover and haul them into the welcoming center situated a short distance from their parking spot.

The warm glow of the large round building was inviting to say the least and, even though it came from interior lights rather than a fire, it did still give an accurate estimation of the warmth within. The cold outside air and even colder breeze was quickly lost to them as they stepped up the cobblestone path and through the hardwood doors of the center.

A friendly face greeted them from behind the counter. Though they didn’t visit enough to be known as they were at Hello Tropics, the woman correctly guessed by the bags and gear that the guests might have a reservation.

“Welcome to Mt. Canter,” the young woman smiled. “My name is Amber Pine. If you have a reservation, I can take the number and get you to your cottage right away.”

Twilight dug into her purse as they walked up with their own greetings. She took a moment to find the reservation paper since it had magically dug its way into the bottom of her purse, but it was presented in short order anyhow.

“Oh,” the dark-skinned woman rose her brows and smiled more after getting the paper. “You got a good one. Best view in my opinion. I booked this one last year.”

“Score!” Sunset pumped her fist and Amber laughed.

“Follow me,” Amber Pine instructed cheerfully. “Oh, um, I can get some help if you need it with your bags...”

“We’re fine,” Sunset assured. “It’s one of the perks of having kids.”

“Pfft,” Sunlight blurted while Midnight giggled at the gall.

The cottage was only a minute’s walk from the visitor’s center but that short period of time was worth a lot when it came to becoming immersed in the winter landscape of the old forest. They were at a significantly high elevation but, thankfully, most of the change was at the beginning with an elevator. The cottage wasn’t a far cry from a log cabin and the Shimmers were grateful for the warm air that kissed their faces upon walking in behind Amber Pine. The young woman soon left so they could begin unpacking.

“I think I’ll stay inside for the rest of the trip,” Twilight joked.

Sunset ribbed her after she zipped open one of their bags in the fireplace-warmed living quarters. “What happened to me being the baby? I’ll get you out if I have to dress you myself.”

“Oh? I’ll be undressed?” Twilight wiggled her brows back.

“Mom,” Sunlight groaned.

The blue-haired mother blushed a bit, having momentarily lost herself in old habits with her wife. “Hehe...”

“You deal with this often?” Midnight tried not to laugh. She found the intimacy cute even if it was headed in an inappropriate-for-the-situation direction. In a way, these were her parents too. It made her happy to be reminded how much they cared for each other even in alternate dimensions.

“Lucky for you lovers, I know the solution,” Sunset smirked. She removed various gear from the bag and set it on the coffee table between the fireplace and the sofa. “Me and Twily are going to hit the hot spring so I can work out the cramps from all that driving. You two can figure out where you want to go first.”

Midnight caught the tour guide Sunset tossed at her and opened it up. It was larger than she was expecting. The map sprawled out over three panels of the tall-form folding pamphlet. At the southern end lay the covered parking zone they had entered at leading to the large roundish visitor’s center that also served as guest services and check-in. Northwest laid the cottages – their own being at the peak of a ridge that traveled from the northwest to the southeast. Trails connected everything and a plethora of zones were scattered along the ridge to include ski paths to boarded walks to the hot springs even further northwest.

“It’s like an amusement park,” Midnight gave a nervous chuckle. Without thinking tyo do so, she began drifting towards the fireplace. Her black boots sounded heavier than they actually were across the wood boards of the cottage and thick green-white area rug patterned after the forest outside.

“I vote we start with the idea you had on the way over,” Sunlight snatched the paper from her with his now gloveless hands.

Midnight made a sly expression in return. “What? Build a snowpony? I guess I’ll have to teach you eventually anyways...”

“No magic,” Sunlight stuck out his tongue. “It’d be cheating and I want it to last more than thirty seconds.”

Midnight gave a fake groan. “Fine, but you’re making us hot drinks when we get back.”

The young man slid himself closer to her where they stood to the side of the fireplace. He wrapped an arm around her waist while doing so. “That won’t be hard.”

She did nothing to escape him even as he leaned his face close.

Sunset rolled her eyes as she hefted a small bag for both herself and Twilight. On the way back out she called behind her. “Behave, you two.”

2 - Water

So now that the kids are out of the way...” Sunset began to suggest.

Twilight settled down into the hot spring next to her wife. The snowfall was lazily drifting down from the invisible heights above, though none landed in the warm water. A decorative canopy enveloped the natural mini spring – so much so that it was more of a round enclosure with a third of one side open to the downward slope of the mountain.

The glasses-wearing woman intentionally ignored her wife’s words in order to tease her. “The brochures really weren’t kidding. The view is incredible even when shoulder deep,” she lowered herself and blew a bubble into the already bubbling water to emphasize it. Her glasses had been getting fogged but they were completely opaque at this point. She decided to put them on Sunset’s small personal care bag she had placed not far from the spring’s rocky lip.

Sunset returned the other woman’s relaxing sigh with a knowing grin.

“You can see the forest for miles. It’s like we’re on eagle’s wings,” Twilight breathed out her words, gently resting her chin on a smooth stone.

A rogue breeze swept a few snowflakes in as far as the spring’s edge. Most of them simply melted into droplets of water upon touching the rocks and stones heated by the natural geothermal power. But one of them rocked back and forth in the air until it finally touched down on Twilight’s outstretched finger. The warmth of it – both of herself and the heated water it was just in – made the flake melt just as fast.

Twilight smiled at it. One day it would be a snowflake again. The water would join other water and re-enter the endless cycle of precipitation. Thinking of it brought her back to her earliest days of science, which warmed her heart at least as well as the comforting pool she was immersed in. The feeling of something strange distracted her, however. It felt like her bikini top was loosening…

SPLASH!

A small spray of water was made when Twilight swiftly turned around to halt her assailant. But it was too late. The tie had been slipped and the attacker knew just which way to pull to get the front to come away from her chest.

“Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight grumbled out her full name as the other woman swam back to avoid retribution. “What in the-?”

“I got your top!” Sunset waved it around above her head in triumph, a stupid dopey grin on her face. “I got your top!”

“Come back here this instant!” Twilight complained, though her voice came out weak. Wading through the water proved difficult while trying to cover her breasts with one arm and hardly being able to see in the first place without her glasses.

“Ahhhh,” Sunset sighed happily as she rested on the other edge of the small spring, safely ten feet away. She nuzzled the stolen piece of fabric. “I feel like a teenager again.”

Even through the steam and poor eyesight, Twilight could make out enough of what her wife was doing. “Perv,” Twilight deadpanned. “Give that back or I’ll give you a pounding.”

“Ho ho ho,” Sunset mocked merrily. “Wouldn’t that be a switch. Normally you are the one that enjoys getting pounded.”

“Ok. Now I know you’ve opened the wine bottle early. We were supposed to save it for tonight.”

“I didn’t get into the wine. I’m just getting into the mood. This is a Christmas vacation after all,” she reminded with a tut-tut. It was amusing to watch Twilight try to reach her with all of her lack of coordination. “That’s like the queen of all vacations!”

“I missed the part where I’m supposed to be topless,” Twilight resumed her deadpan.

Sunset shrugged. “Devil’s in the details. Besides, did I ever mention how hot you are?” she whistled to emphasize the point.

“Showing you is one thing. I don’t intend to give the other resort guests a free view.”

“We got the private spot,” Sunset defended and then had to move around the edge to avoid getting grabbed. “Nobody else is going to be here and the outside view faces away from the paths. The manager that talked to me even said skinny dipping was fine in this one. Live it up a little.”

Twilight was close enough to know Sunset was actively avoiding her. She followed her around the edge of the warm pool. Occasionally, one of the overhead lights would give her some added clarity since the natural light was weak due to thick cloud cover. “When you take everything off, maybe I’ll believe you.”

Sunset finally stopped their slow circular chase around the pool. She flipped her wife’s bikini top next to her glasses since they had come full circle. Twilight dove for it but grabbed it without any contest from Sunset. Clutching the fabric to her chest and then replacing her now-not-so-foggy glasses to her face, she looked over in time to…

...get smacked in the face by an entirely different bikini top. It was her own colors. They each wore a swimsuit with colors that matched their spouse, which meant this one was Sunny’s. But rather than see Sunset standing there when she took the fabric off her face, Twilight only saw Sunset’s head above the water and the woman’s legs stretched out above the surface too.

The redhead pulled a second piece of fabric down her above-surface legs, off her feet, and then tossed it the same way as her top. Theoretically without apparel of any kind now, but still hidden by the steam and shifting surface of water. At least, this time, Twilight caught the thong rather than let it smack her in the face.

With a groan, Twilight put the two pieces of Sunset’s suit and the top of her own where her glasses had sat. Sitting back down into the water helped relax her even as a still-grabby Sunset drifted to her spouse’s side. She didn’t object when Sunset snacked an arm around her.

“I, uh, still think you’ve got something on down there,” the redhead insisted.

“I doubt even you could get those off without me noticing,” Twilight rested against her. She finally gave in and decided to go along. She’d be lying if she said it wasn’t giving her nostalgia for their youth.

“They’re side-tie so don’t write me off just yet,” Sunset beamed in pride.

“There’s no chance Lighty or Middy will be coming here, right?”

“Not while we’re here,” Sunset assured, her hand lowering on Twilight’s side.

“What are we doing after this?”

“Hitting the restroom probab-”

“I mean besides the mundane necessities of life,” Twilight giggled.

“One vote for pretending we’re horny teenagers again,” Sunset’s dopey grin returned. Though it may have been questionable if it had ever left.

“I thought that’s what you were already doing,” Twilight looked back at her with raised brows.

“Well, I’m waiting for you to get on board,” Sunset stuck her tongue out.

Twilight took her shot and kissed her wife, locking tongues while hers was out. Sunset returned the familiar embrace, warming her heart now as well. Though it was eventually Sunset who broke it, Twilight was the one to comment.

“Let’s not get too carried away,” Twilight winked. “We should save the serious stuff for when we’re not overheating in a hot spring.”

“Serious stuff? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sunset chuckled and began kissing Twilight’s neck and shoulder.

The scientist turned in Sunset’s hold to rest again against the side so she could enjoy the view. Though Sunset’s attention continued for a moment, she did join her as well. They rested their heads together and watched the snowfall. Slowly and gently it waved in the air, falling with a fine grace the same way it did when they arrived.

Twilight couldn’t be more relaxed, her wife beside her and her body at ease in the comforting water. If the forecast was accurate then the clouds would be gone by nightfall and the starscape would be breathtaking. She knew Lighty would be making wonderful memories with Midnight Sky. All she needed to do was enjoy herself. With her wife beside her and apparently full of high spirits, she doubted that it would be a difficult task.

The holiday was tomorrow but she decided to say it early. “Merry Christmas, Sunny.”

Sunset smiled, remembering the Christmas all those years ago that she had proposed to this beautiful woman beside her. “Merry Christmas, Twily,” she answered in return.

The sound of water...the tranquility of the forest broken only by distant sounds from the rest of the resort...

Before they left, Sunset did manage to obtain the remainder of Twilight’s bikini.

3 - Ice

When it comes to natural beauty, this world really can be just as spectacular as Equestria,” Midnight Sky commented. She was leaning against the railing with her boyfriend, Sunlight. It was cold for sure, but their warm parkas and love for each other kept that fact mostly out of mind. That and the hot cocoa they had both gotten from the visitor’s center not ten minutes ago.

“I’m sure Equestria has its wonders but I’ve never felt like there wasn’t a special magic to the world I live in,” Sunlight said in response. He snuggled up beside her, careful not to jostle the hot drinks they had in opposing hands.

The boarded walkway had been as cold as the frosty white scenery around it, but the viewing platform they stood on had a comforting firestand in the center and benches with a few guests filling them. Little wonder at that given how the night sky had finally started coming into clarity. The sunset was just far enough past its afterglow along with the clouds for the pin points of stars to come into focus.

Stars were hardly the site’s major attraction, though. The viewing platform was suspended partially over the small river that flowed off the cliffside they faced. This was the village’s renowned frozen waterfalls that occurred every winter. Four frozen falls of varying sizes. Two small, one medium, and one large at the center. They shimmered like crystal, sparkling clear with a freeze so strong they practically radiated a haze of frost.

The girl managed to tear her gaze back from the incredible view to exchange it with another. A close and personal view of the one person she loved. They may have shared parents in one sense, but it might have been better to say they didn’t at all given the mechanics of alternate dimensions. In spite of growing up with Rainbow Dash as a close aunt, there was more of Fluttershy in his eyes. A soft kindness to his features and character that might have indicated her influence or perhaps implied Rainbow’s influence hadn’t been the rough and tumble type one might assume.

His gaze had been on the frozen falls as well. When he looked close, the crystal-like ice reflected the dark blue and purple galaxy of the sky above. His eyes traveled there before falling back to meet the eyes of his love. Like the falls, hers were like crystal to him, reflecting the same beautiful expanse of the heavens. Her name was there in the perfection of her eyes.

They shared a bond. A special something that allowed them to sense each other. It let him feel the relaxed and content feelings that were so strong in her, reinforced from his own. It drove him to comment.

“If this is how I feel being here with you then I’d call this vacation a success. I could get lost in your midnight sky forever,” he practically sighed out with the cloudy puffs of his warm breath on the frozen air.

Midnight giggled but didn’t slap him this time. “Either you’re being adorable or that was an incredibly cheesy innuendo.”

That made him blush, though it was hard to see in the lighting and chilling effects of the weather. “I meant your eyes. They’re like an entire galaxy on their own,” he clarified.

She leaned in closer, keeping her cup upright while doing so. Her head came to rest in the crook of his shoulder where she began to feel his own body warmth. She was about to pivot her gaze to continue enjoying the natural wonder when he made to further comment.

“And I’m sure I’d love to get lost in your other places as well.”

SMACK.

It was the loving slap on the arm that had quickly become common place with them. Hardly something that would hurt, especially under the thick clothing they wore. Midnight was laughing too and nearly spilled her drink she had been so mindful of thus far. “Getting bold are we, Mr. Shimmer?”

His girlfriend’s playful response only reinforced his own mood. “Actually, I agree with my ma on this. I get the feeling you’d be the one to push me down onto the rug in front of the fireplace and enact some dangerously sweet romantic makeout. Not me.”

“That was sooo you suggesting what you want me to do,” Midnight smirked.

The boy pretended to be aloof. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he averted his gaze and casually drank from his hot cocoa.

“You’re cute when you’re coy but I prefer when you’re direct,” she purred upon forcing herself into his arms again.

“That’s your job,” he deflected with a sly grin. “Besides, I happen to like it when you take the lead.”

She turned in his arms to catch his eyes. A more serious expression taking over her face. “Well, I guess I did tell you to be direct. I meant with your approaches. Do you really mean what you said?”

“Of course,” he winked. “I’m open to your preferences, though.”

Midnight regained her smile, though more moderate. “Your love is my preference and I already have that. Everything else is minute detail. I’m sure there are things that both of us would like to try.”

“We’ve gotten plenty of practice at kissing, I’d say,” Sunlight hummed as he thought about it.

“How about we take a seat, enjoy our drinks before they cool too much, and soak in the sights while going over our options.”

“Sounds like a plan. One condition.”

“Setting terms, Lighty? What’s the condition?” Midnight rose a brow.

“I really wish you wouldn’t call out my badly-veiled pretexts for requesting intimate interaction you would have initiated regardless,” he smirked.

Middy groaned. “Nice impersonation of mom,” she rolled her eyes.

The boy pretended to push up some imaginary glasses. “Yours or mine?”

“Lets just sit down, you goofball,” she gently pressed him back towards an open bench.

He gave no resistance and, once seated, grabbed her gloved hand with his. With opposing hands, they each sipped the hot cocoa and never noticed the one part of the frozen waterfall that reflected a pair of lovers among the stars.

“So do you want to chance it?” Sunlight gave his girlfriend a half-lidded look. He was laying on the rug in front of the fireplace, both of them back within the cozy confines of their family’s rented cottage. It was warm enough throughout for them to ditch their jackets and winter gear, though long-sleeves shirts remained a good idea. Especially when furthest from the romantic flames.

“What are we talking about again?” Midnight stifled a chuckle as she sat down the drinks they had brought back with them and just finished. It was no time at all to move from behind the tiny kitchen counter to the glow of the living quarters.

Lighty blew her a kiss as she laid down next to him. He considered grabbing a blanket to throw over them but decided it would have resulted in being too warm given the fireplace crackling right next to them. In any case, he couldn’t have asked for anything more romantic. A winter cottage in the mountains with his girlfriend. At least for the moment, alone. The only light was coming from the fireplace and the dimmed down overhead light for the room, which together gave the place a comforting mood even his childhood home lacked (it was a different kind of comforting).

“Oh, just cuddling up and seeing how long we can kiss before we need a break,” he answered as her forehead came to rest upon his own.

“And the risk is being walked in on by your parents?” she guessed.

“It’s not like it’d be that big of a deal,” he encouraged. “Besides, they kiss all of the time when I’m around.”

“Loving pecks and quick ones, I’m sure,” Middy considered and pursed her lips in faux coyishness. “I’m not sure they’d be casually fine with my tongue halfway down your throat.”

“Sure it’d be yours down mine?” he grinned back.

She ditched the look in favor of that of a hungry tiger, an expression of determination he had grown to know well. She rolled him over and climbed atop so she pinned him against the rug. “Oh, we both know what you and I like. You, the hopeless romantic. And me, the girl who gets what she wants.”

His last words were gratuitous. “And what does my one and only love want?”

“You,” she breathed hotly against his lips before joining hers to them.

Since the invention of the kiss, there have only been a half dozen or so kisses that have been considered the most passionate. This one left them all behind.

It started firm but calm. Her hands cradled his head while his arms latched around the small of her back. Neither were content to keep matters static, however. Dynamism was their speed and passion their philosophy. As their tongues met, one of her hands moved smoothly around and over his chest. She wanted to lay against him fully, so it could not remain there comfortably. Meanwhile, one of his hands took a journey as well. Up her spine, sending shivers through her body in the best manner possible until it reached her neck and massaged gently.

“So then I told her: If you like cake so much then why don’t you-” Sunset’s humorous words were cut short when she stopped just inches from sliding the key card on the lock to their cottage. There was a flickering of light poking from the edge of the front window curtain. They had killed the fire before leaving, which meant the “kids” were back.

Twilight, not having been born yesterday, wordlessly put two and two together after glancing at the window Sunset’s gaze remained on. “Ah, we probably shouldn’t disturb them.”

“Disturb them?” Sunset chuckled in response. “Come on, Twily,” she gave a playful jab to her wife’s shoulder. The thick coat and gloves made the move hard to even detect. “It’s a shared cottage. We sleep in there too. Besides, for all we know, our precious boy is just snuggled up with Middy on the sofa while sipping hot cocoa and reading The Little Pony That Could.”

“Your face is serious but I refuse to believe my perfectly smart and intelligent wife honestly believes that,” Twilight rose one brow with her deadpan.

“Oh, it’s not like we’ll walk in and he’ll be groping her butt while they make out,” Sunset scoffed and swiped the key. The door gave an almost quiet beep and flashed green barely before the woman turned the knob and walked in.

Given that it was a relatively small cottage, there was a full view of the living quarters upon entering the warm little home. That included an unobstructed view to the two current occupants. Although the younger pair fumbled about upon entry of the parents, there was no mistaking the scene that had been observed upon initial entry.

“You were right,” Twilight stared holes into her spouse along with her stone cold tone. “He wasn’t groping her butt while they made out. She was groping his butt while they made out.”

Sunset failed to find any embarrassment, however. She knew her son was intimate with Midnight. They were significant others and Sunset could recall very well what she liked doing with Twilight when they were still unmarried girlfriends. Heck, what she still liked doing. So she just grinned and saluted the younger lovers as she continued towards the kitchen. “Keep up the good work, you two!”

Twilight, Sunlight and Midnight all facepalmed.

“I told you it was a risk,” Sunlight groaned.

“What are they going to do? Ground us? We’re all adults, and they obviously had considered what the likely outcome was,” Midnight countered, her hair a tad frizzed from their interactions.

Sunlight combed his fingers through his own medium-length hair and leaned backwards on the rug. “No, you don’t get it. Ma is going to kid me about this for weeks.”

“Months,” Sunset laughed aloud as she grabbed a box of mint cookies from the overhead pantry in the kitchen.

Twilight set their bags down by the sofa after locking the front door. The next thought in her head was actually about the inevitability of Sunset copying that makeout scene on her when it was lights out tonight. The idea was not at all unpleasant, but hardly something she wanted to talk about in front of her son and potential daughter-in-law.

“That’s not so bad,” Midnight gave Lighty a nuzzle before climbing up onto the sofa where Twilight had just sat down. “Though I’m wondering if perhaps...”

Twilight lightened at the girl’s pouty eyes, a tickle of laughter gracing her features in response. “You are incredibly driven, you know that?”

“Huh?” Sunlight missed the hint.

“Would you consider giving me and Lighty the cottage tonight? Exclusively?” Midnight asked. Her request for resumed privacy with Sunlight immediately picked up on by the older woman.

Twilight knew the fiery persistence in Midnight’s eyes. It was the same driven fire that was in her wife when she wanted something really badly or didn’t want to lose something she was enjoying. “I’ve got a better idea, Middy,” she tapped the girl’s nose playfully. “Tomorrow, you two can check out the hot springs Sunny and I were at. You will have all the private time you want there and I’m sure that spending time together in your bathing suits will be a welcome reminder of the time you two first met.”

Midnight looked back to her boyfriend, who put up his thumbs in agreement. She still sighed, though. Perhaps she would sleep on his bed tonight, if only to be held – and hold him in return.

4 - Steam

Sunlight stood at the edge of the hot spring at first. The view really was as spectacular as his mothers had described earlier. He knew he could see it from in the water too but the white and pale green mountainscape stole his heart on site. In spite of being in his swim trunks, the steam coming off the water was just enough to keep him from being too cold and forcing him into the water sooner.

A light snow was falling but the gentle almost-not-there wind current pulled the flakes away from the side of the spring that was open to the outside. He saw the closest flakes that did land begin to melt from the proximity of the hot spring’s heat merely a foot from where he stood. His gaze landed on the pool behind him, which was his destination.

With the exhale of relaxation escaping him, he warmed up fast as he lowered himself in. It was almost too hot at first, but not because of the water itself. Merely the contrast to the frigid cold that existed outside of the hot spring’s sphere of heat. He was facing away from the great view at first and soon corrected that error. A portion of the interior underwater side was without steps and thus made it comfortable to rest against the edge and look out to the picturesque landscape beyond.

“Lighty!”

The young man turned his head towards the back of the spring where a door led to the attached changing room and shower. There stood the young woman of his dreams. Well, not his dreams exactly. She was real. But he still had pleasant dreams about her when he wasn’t actually with her in waking life.

Currently, she was sporting a black one-piece swimsuit with mesh-like sides that helped emphasize her curves and skin exposure even though it was a rather redundant task. The way Sunlight’s eyes sparkled at her look made it obvious he was merely liking what he already liked.

“My grand entrance was ruined because you weren’t even looking in this direction,” she frowned in what was obviously a mock irritation. The smile tugging at the corners of her lips gave her away.

“Oops,” he blurted in response.

“Just so you know, I considered skipping the suit entirely, but then I decided against it,” she explained after getting into the water and wading to him. “I didn’t want you to pass out because of me. The hot spring is supposed to do that for us.”

“Mom did say it has an evil desire to hold people here forever,” he joked back, putting his arms around her in return beneath the surface. “Still, I guess it was a good idea you kept to the suit. It’d be unfair to me since I’m wearing mine.”

Midnight took a glance down. “That would be painfully easy to fix.”

“Replace painfully with pleasurably and I think we’re golden,” he grinned.

That made her bop him playfully on the nose with a wet hand and a small splash accompanied by a giggle. “You have a comeback for everything, don’t you, hot stuff?”

“You’re the one making me hot,” he answered, the blonde and pink locks of his hair finally getting heavy and drooping from the steam.

“See?” she rolled her eyes in a humorous mood.

“All I see is a beautiful – and more than just a little sexy – young woman I’m lucky enough o call my girlfriend.”

“Oh Celestia-” she half groaned and half chuckled.

“-pales in comparison to your brilliant perfection.”

“Stop it!” she tried to command but the words came out in a fit of laughter as he switched to tickling her sides.

“Pre-emptive tickle counterattack!” he declared and only let up when she pushed herself away from him to escape.

“I thought we were supposed to be enjoying the view,” Middy suggested, still laughing but giving a nod to the edge of the spring facing the downward slope which they had met away from.

“I am enjoying it,” he wiggled his brows as he looked up and down her body. Or at least the visible part above and just below the steamy water.

“I walked into that one,” she rolled her eyes again.

That gave the young man a thought. “One of these days I’m going to have to be in a state of undress so you can conveniently walk in on me...”

Midnight gave a “pffft” of dismissal. “Is that how you envision our future? A bunch of cliches?”

“Only the enjoyable ones. But, hey, I didn’t suggest walking in on you naked,” he defended while swimming backwards to lead them to the viewing edge.

The silver-haired girl followed him in an equally relaxed pace. “I don’t remember objecting to such a thing. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. If you could keep from passing out from my gorgeous body.”

“Oh well now,” Sunlight turned his grin to a smile of extreme curiosity. They had reached the lip of the hot spring, so he pulled her in the short distance and pinned her against the side. Though he remained careful so neither of them would get a scrape from the occasional roughness there. “Sounds fun, but I think it’d be better to slowly undress you myself. That way I could savor every inch of reveal.”

Midnight’s heart skipped a beat. She had been playing along. It had become so easy to do with him. But now she realized just what it might be like if her suggestion came true. And she second-guessed her confidence. “Well...I...”

Worrying that he might have gotten carried away in the moment, he released her from his embrace and settled against the edge beside her. He spoke only after switching his gaze to the snowy world beyond the warm waters. “Enjoying the view sounds pretty good, though. Yep.”

Midnight’s face went from one expression to the next in a sort of dumbfounded confusion. It finally settled on indignant. “Hey, what’s with the carrot and stick, Lighty?”

“I, uh, thought it was maybe...too much?” he said more as a question at the end.

She grabbed his hand on the edge and brought it back to her hip under the water. “Do I have to spell it out? It’s what I want, okay? Don’t go getting cold feet on me.”

He nodded and pulled her to him again. “How about I...dang, how do I say this?”

“What?” Midnight pursed her lips, hoping to get the mood back.

“Is it okay if I put my hands all over you?”

Midnight turned confused at the question. “They were all over me in the cottage. Of course I’m okay with it. I had mine all over yours,” she added with a reassuring wink.

“It’s just that I didn’t think of asking what you were comfortable with and then just now it got me thinking-”

“No need to think,” she put her fingers to his lips. “We both know what we like. So come on.”

She hesitated for just a moment and he knew why, so he took the opportunity and kissed her. The kiss was accompanied by the tightening of their embrace. Their bodies pressed together in the comforting hot spring as the kiss deepened. The coldness of the snow falling upon the white forest before them was all forgotten because of it.

It felt like that moment back at the cottage. Only better.

Midnight kept her hands up around his neck to give ever more passion to their kiss but she wanted her hands elsewhere at the same time. His certainly didn’t remain stationary. Sunlight’s hands moved across her hips to her rear and she hadn’t a single objection. In fact…

“The kids can do it, so why can’t we?” Sunset countered in a low and husky voice as she cornered her wife in the cottage. “They’ll be gone for hours. Maybe they’ll get out of the water in good time, but they won’t be back for a while. We certainly weren’t.”

Well, saying Twilight was cornered might be a strong term to use. Twilight Shimmer had actually walked into the bedroom corner to get her cellphone and tell her son and his girlfriend to take their time. She knew when Sunset was in the mood. They had certainly lived together long enough for that. And, of course, she knew when she was in the mood as well.

Text sent.

“Put the phone down, babe,” Sunset whispered as she leaned into her wife’s ear and forced her hand holding the phone back to the nightstand.

Twilight breathed deep and felt the familiar calm of their love wash over her. “You want some nostalgia, don’t you?”

“I saw you packing the outfits so I figured that was you wanting it. Not me.”

“Rarity went through lots of trouble for us,” Twilight blushed. “It was a special request, after all.”

“She did them over a weekend. You know how she is,” Sunset chuckled. “So what are we waiting for. I want to see my high school sweetheart again~!”

“She’s been right here all along,” Twilight deadpanned.

Sunset laughed at that. “You know what I mean! So are we doing the Redemption Gets Hot scenario or Bad Girl vs Nerd?”

The response came out in a cute, quiet, and tiny voice almost like Fluttershy’s used to be back in the CHS days. “Bad girl?”

Sunset smirked. “Anything for my wife,” she assured and kissed lightly up one side of her face.

“Sunny~!” Twilight giggled in response and gently pushed her back. “We should change before getting into it. Besides, you need to get in character.”

Sunset rolled her shoulders and went over to the closet they had put their clothes up into. “It’s not easy, you know. It’s been so long that pretending to be a bully is hard to pull off with even fake seriousness.”

“I know,” Twilight gave a groan and caught the uniform her wife tossed her. She proceeded to undress so she could swap. “You ruined the last roleplay right when we got to the best part. You don’t need to remind me. Just lose yourself in the part.”

“You wanted me to call you a bunch of ridiculous names,” Sunset defended with a humorous spirit. “Not that I don’t get it. I loved it when you did that to me in The Bully Gets Her Comeuppance scenario you invented. But it’s still, heh,” she began to break up in laughter, “kind of funny...whoremonger...bahahahah!”

Twilight groaned at her spouse’s boisterous laughter and finished the tie that was a part of her recreated adult-sized CPA uniform. “Come on, Sunny. You’re not helping the mood here.”

“And the safe word was ‘Celestia.’ How could I not laugh my ass off?”

“Ugh,” Twilight facepalmed.

Sunset finished changing as well, finally slipping on the CPA vest that completed the uniform that had been made for her as well. She gave a brief twirl with her dark-patterned skirt, comfortable in the warmed air of the heated cottage. The bedroom wasn’t huge but the space was comfortable enough.

“Setting?” Sunset asked.

Twilight looked around with a thought. “Locker roo- No. My project room back at Crystal Prep.”

“Ooooh,” Sunset mewled with a smirk. “Someone is getting dirty with her fantasies...”

“You say that every time, Sunny,” Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Now who’s not helping the mood?”

“Sorry,” the scientist took a deep breath. “Safe word?”

“Apricot. Not that we need it. This is a tame one.”

Twilight frowned. “You skimread my script didn’t you? It’s supposed to be forceful.”

Sunset blushed. “Yeah, I got you. Now get in position, Sparkle. Because when I barge back in here, I’m going to show Miss A++ that she should have spent more time studying self defense. I rule Crystal Prep and I always get what I want! That includes the number one student and what’s beneath her uniform.”

Twilight felt her heart beat faster. This just might be the best vacation yet.

Sunlight returned to Midnight on the edge of the spring, still out of the water. Here the rock was warm and the towels made it more comfortable than bare rock. He just went to check the flashing light on his phone after they had exited the water in the interest of not passing out from overheating.

Midnight laid with her chest to the towel, top having been promptly removed earlier. She enjoyed teasing him still. It made it fun and it was not as if he had not seen her already. He came up and laid down next to her, sighing at the warm plushness of the towels and the surrounding air even as it continually vented to the snowy air of the breathtaking mountain view they faced.

“She said to take our time.”

“Private time, huh?”

“We have some of that ourselves, it seems,” he answered with a content smile, cozying up next to her.

“Good. Because we’re far from done.”

It was just as cold leaving as it had been arriving. Midnight gave a shudder with the chill trying to bite at her face as she stuffed her bag into the backseat. Sunlight finished packing the trunk and came back around to her after closing the back with a “chunk” sound of the hatch. He hugged her from behind and blew a breath of warm air at her face.

“Evergreen mints?” Middy giggled. “You look ahead quite well. Aunt Rarity would be proud of your attention to detail too. Matching your mints to your mountainous vacation spots.”

“I do my research,” he gave a wink in return. “That or it’s just what I happened to have anyways.”

She gave him a playful slap with her gloved hand.

“You two can pretend to be newly weds in the back,” Sunset smirked. Her Twilight-colored scarf was thick around her neck and shoulders but understandable given the low temperature. “Now get in so I can start blasting the heater.”

Twilight was already in her seat, purse open in her lap as she double-checked and triple-checked their most important belongings to confirm nothing was missing.

Midnight slid into the backseat, which was better than the outside but still not yet warmed by the vehicle which had been started only recently. Sunset got back into the driver’s seat and checked the floor vents for temperature before turning on the mains.

“You guys are lucky I’m nice,” Sunset looked back to the “kids” again. “Otherwise I would have let the vents blast you with the cold air first.”

“We are eternally in your debt,” Sunlight rolled his eyes and then raced around the vehicle to get in on his side.

“All set?” Sunset asked her wife with a more serious but casual tone.

“Everything is in order,” Twilight nodded.

Both Sunset and Sunlight’s door clicked shut at the same time, the opposing doors already closed by the girls on the vehicle’s right side. Windows started their journey towards fogging up with the rising heat of the interior even though the rear vents were being largely blocked by two eager backseat occupants. With a rocky crunch from the moving tires, they began pulling out of the parking space.

“Boop,” Sunlight pushed his girlfriend’s nose.

She stuck out her tongue in response and then shifted her gaze to the white forest moving by outside his door’s window. His gaze turned to follow hers. “I’m going to miss this,” she sighed.

Sunlight was silent a moment, just watching the snow-laden trees they had hiked through the previous day. “It’s not going anywhere. And we’ve got time.”

“You can always check it out in the summer too, if you wanted. Or wait a year if you prefer being an icicle again,” Sunset snickered while driving down the bumpy road.

“Yeah, we’ve got time...” Midnight trailed with the thought.

A lifetime.