//------------------------------//
// Living the High Life 
// Story: Cutie Mark Crusaders Manehattan Division 
// by FlitterCCmod 
//------------------------------//

High Life lived in a mansion on the outskirts of Manehattan, along with his parents and his little sister, who was barely old enough to walk. His father's name was Gold Stacks, while his mother's name was Crown Jewels. They'd named his younger sister Petunia, a name High Life had always found unusually humble within the family.
Both of his parents worked in creating jewelry, as high-ranking managers of a corporation that had stores in pretty much every major city in Equestria. Though such corporations were fairly new, having only been introduced at the beginning of the industrial boom that the nation was experiencing, the job had already made his entire family very wealthy.
He waved off one of the many hired servants his parents kept around the house as he walked up to his bedroom on the second floor. He closed the wooden door behind him and locked it, before sighing and walking over to a large mirror on the wall. What he saw in the mirror was a mature-looking unicorn colt with a styled mane wearing a foalish-looking cape. He found that the cape suited him much better than any other aspect of his appearance.
He turned around, and looked over his room. It was spotlessly clean. The bed (far larger than he needed) was made. His clothes were hung up in his closet. The few toys he owned were in an ornate wooden chest in the corner. A torn rope hung from the ceiling. It used to hold a bell which he could ring for service, but he despised it enough to cut it. Finally, his dozens of books lined two shelves on a wall. One shelf was for non-fiction, and the other was for fiction.
He threw his cape onto a hanger before taking a seat on the bed and levitating a book of poems over to himself. If there was one trait of the upper class that he shared, it was a love of good literature. He read the thick poems inside with a smile. He did not get far, unfortunately, as just minutes later a knock came at his door.
"Come in," he ordered.
"Sir, it is locked," came a servant's voice through the door. It sounded like one of the mares.
"Oh, yes. One moment, please," High Life said. He reluctantly levitated the book back onto the shelf, and walked over to open the door. He looked up at the servant, who despite being older than him still looked back at him with respect. "It is my parents, I suppose."
"Yes, sir. They wish to speak with you in the dining room," the servant answered.
"Oh, alright. I'm on my way," High Life said, sighing.
He walked back through the house and down to the first floor again. He entered the large dining room, with a table that was obviously made with company in mind. His parents sat together at one end. Gold Stacks was dressed up in a suit and tie, and had in many ways a similar appearance to High Life. If one looked closely, though, they could see stress lines on his face. Crown Jewels was not dressed up at all, which relieved High Life. She had a pretty green coat and a light brown mane. They together motioned for him to take a seat.
"Father, mother, it is good to see you. What is it that you need?" he asked, taking a seat opposite his mother.
"It's nothing, dear. We are merely concerned. The bodyguard we had accompanying you to your... school thing told us that you and your friends skydived today. From actual clouds, hundreds of feet in the sky," Crown said, frowning. "Is this true?" High Life sighed.
"The club is called the Cutie Mark Crusaders. It is not a school function. Yes, we skydived today, but we went through all appropriate safety measures before doing so. Unfortunately, neither the safety course nor the skydiving earned any of us our Cutie Marks," he answered.
"High Life! You are not to do such a dangerous stunt without our express permission!" Gold said imperiously. High Life had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.
"Father, the bodyguard insisted on skydiving with us for safety. We were in no real danger," he explained calmly. "Now, if that's all that you wanted, I'd much rather be reading my book." He stood up, but paused at Gold's shaking head.
"We'll be having company in an hour, High Life. Executives from Trottingham Mining Corporation will be here to discuss the sale of their latest load of gold. We would like you to join us. Eating in your room did not look good on the family last time we had important visitors," Gold said.
"... Yes, father. I would be happy to join you," High Life said, withholding a groan. "I'll go wash up and get dressed."
"Good colt," Gold said, smiling at his son.
High Life took yet another trek up the stairs, and entered his own bathroom. He stepped into the large bathtub, and turned on the water as the undoubtedly boring and meticulous proceedings of the evening played through his head. He would be expected to dress up in the same formal attire as his father. He would be expected to greet the guests, act with manners, stay at the table until the conversation was over - however many hours that may take - and then go straight to bed so that he's on time to his private school the next day. He really wished he could simply get away from it all.
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If there was something for High Life to look forward to every day, it was seeing his friends after they all got out of school. While formal Cutie Mark Crusaders meetings were only held once a week, it was almost second nature to head to the park to meet up every afternoon. They all kept their capes in their saddlebags for that purpose. He grinned when he found the other six already playing with each other around a statue of some ancient unicorn. He was almost certain he should pay more attention in history class.
"Hello, everypony. How are you doing today?" he asked, as he pulled out his cape and slung it across his back.
"Ah, and moneybags is here," Ruby joked, walking over and giving High Life a pat on the back. Though it was merely a friendly greeting, High Life had to resist the urge to buckle under the sheer strength of the colt.
"We've all been doing great," Sweet Cakes replied, levitating a plastic container of brownies. She pulled one out, and offered it to him. He took it gratefully.
"Yeah, and with this big ol' engine puller, nopony even came near me. You should've seen the looks on their faces when they saw him. I thought High Jumper was going to... well, you get the idea," Rain Drummer said, grinning.
"Heh... Ah'm only in trainin'," Ruby said, grinning at the compliment.
"To pull an 8-car train, with passengers and luggage, alongside only four other stallions," Babs added. "Hay, you're built like the train itself. Give yourself two more years, and you'll be running down those tracks. Maybe even leading!"
"Hah, if we're not put out o' bus'ness by den," Ruby said. "Da new trains wit da magic engines are really takin' off."
"Well, you can't hurt progress," High Life said, shrugging. "Besides, there are hundreds of jobs out there that require burly stallions. Your future is in no danger."
"It'll sure be rougher than yours, though," Sea Pearl said, flying above them. "How many bits does your family have, again?"
"Honestly? Enough to buy your family, from what I know of our finances," High Life admitted. He frowned. "I have no desire to inherit the family business, but it'll be necessary in the end. I'll be getting the proper education for it starting next year. Economics, etiquette, and sweet-talking will be the most important lessons."
"Sweet-talkin' is easy," Holly said, grinning. "Just gotta know what they like to have 'em wrapped around your hoof."
"Well, thank you, but I think that's enough about gloomy days ahead," High Life said. "Are we going to do anything today, Babs?"
"I was thinkin' we could read over the latest letter from the Ponyville branch. It's in mah saddlebags," Babs answered. She reached into her saddlebags, and pulled out on envelope. By reflex, the other six sat in a circle around her to hear the letter.
"Dear cousin Babs, it's good ta hear from ya' again. We think yer last letter got lost in the mail, probably thanks ta Derpy. Is it true that yer club has six members now? Dat's amazing!" The others chuckled at the letter, as Rain Drummer had joined since that point. "We were talking ta Applejack and Rarity about comin' over ta Manehattan to meet yer whole group. Maybe we could get our Cutie Marks together. Talk ta' yer parents about it, and send another letter ASAP. Yer friends in Ponyville, the Cutie Mark Crusaders (but mostly Applebloom)."
"Wow! We can meet them?" Sea Pearl asked excitedly. "I'd love to meet Sweetie Belle! She sounds so nice whenever Babs talks about her!"
"Ah think ah would like ta meet Babs' cousin, mahself," Ruby said. "Hard workers, da Apples."
"Scootaloo and I could fly together..." Rain Drummer added.
"Er, look, let's get this whole thing cleared with our parents, first," Babs said. "And, uh, Rain, Scootaloo doesn't exactly fly. Well, not very well, anyway. She's still learning."
"How old did you say they are, again?" Rain aked, raising an eyebrow.
"Rain, I think if anypony shouldn't be making assumptions based on age, it's us," High Life pointed out. Rain blushed, and nodded.
"So, Babs, ah we gonna invite dem?" Ruby asked.
"Are we? You bet. Let's just get it cleared with our parents, first. My parents don't have enough space... High Life, think your parents would-"
"Mind ten foals running and playing in and around the house? Yes. Yes, they would," High Life interrupted.
"Point taken. Think we could go ta the junction, Ruby? Yer dad likes us," Babs asked.
"Yep. Mah pa won't mind, if we don't get in his way," Ruby said. "Ah'll just make sure 'bout it, and tell ya' how it goes."
"Sweet. It's settled, then. So, who's up for hide and seek?" Babs declared.