Mt Canter, Clear and Crystal

by BlackWater

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.”

Comments

[Rose Quill]

Five bits says Middy can beat Light at snowboarding.

[Jakomi of the Rose]

Who was Midnight's parents?

[YellowHornBrony]

Sunset and Twilight are old people, aren't they?

[CryoWolf]

8712879
Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle from an alternate universe. More specifically, from Rose Quill's fan fiction continuity.