Disclaimer: I don't own My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

Title: Not Kids Anymore.

Summary: In the end, when they paused too think about it, it became painfully obvious. They grew up far too fast. Childhood and innocence disappears fast, and it disappears even faster under necessity. Owning a business far too young has it's disadvantages, especially at a young age.

Warnings: Slight mention of scars, but to small to really bother anyone.

...

"Okay, let's go over everything one more time." Sweetie Belle magically pulled out a list from her side-bag, levitating it in front of her face to read easier. Scootaloo giggled.

"You actually brought a list?" She chuckled, eying the slip of paper. "Man, you spend way to much time around Twilight."

"Princess Twilight, Scoots, now pay attention." She cleared her throat. "Blueprints?"

"Check." Searching through her bag, Applebloom pulled out the expertly drawn plans before placing them back into the satchel for safekeeping.

"Good." She check-marked the small box. "Capes?"

"Check." The teenage Pegasus pulled out the edge of the familiar blue fabric, hugging it close before roughly shoving it back into her bag. "For good luck."

"Alright then. Speech?"

"That was yer job." Applebloom commented, eyelids lowering in discontent. "You did write a speech, right?"

"Oh." Her ears flattened against her head as she awkwardly chuckled. "Uh, funny story about that... I thought Scoots was supposed to do it. I brought the lunchboxes instead."

The earth pony and Pegasus both groaned, slouching a bit in irritation. "Guess we're going in blind." Applebloom grunted, sending the music lover a judgmental glare.

"Well... at least we won't go hungry?" She tried. Scootaloo rolled her eyes.

"When have I ever written a speech?" She grumbled as she glanced around. "Hey, where's Babs?"

"Huh?" The duo glanced around before shrugging in tandem. "She probably got held up somewhere. She'll catch up when she can."

"Right. Going in blind and missing a member." She sighed. "Just great. Come'on, let's go."

The castle seemed to tower over the group as they made their way up the gallant steps, stopping only to check in with the guards before stepping into the familiar hallway outside the royal chambers.

"You're next." A gruff guard informed them as they came to a stop. "The case before you is taking longer than expected."

After a few minutes of patient waiting, the large doors finally burst open. Escorted by two rather agitated guards, the earth pony spat on the floor, stomping his hooves as he passed. "I deserved that land!" He ranted, stopping only when he spotted the teens. The older pony growled as he passed. "I wouldn't bother if I was you. Them princesses wouldn't know a good deal if it stomped on their hooves."

"Sorry about that." The guard apologized, shooting a glare at the retreating earth pony. "He keeps coming back- won't take no for an answer. Go ahead."

Quietly trotting into the royal chambers, the trio bowed upon reaching the edge of the plush red carpet beneath the royal thrones. Taking in the familiar appearance of the trio, the irritation on Princess Celestia's face was pushed away as she smiled.

"Good morning, your highness. We've, uh, come to yer... royal abode! Yeah, that'll work. We've come to yer royal abode to discuss stretching the Cutie Mark Crusader's even further."

"Further?" The alicorn echoed, raising an eyebrow. "You already have branches all over Equestria!"

"Right. But this isn't about the land part of Equestria. We want to place a small branch in Cloudsdale."

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Levitating the plan out of the recesses of her companions bag, Sweetie Belle slowly floated it over to the royal mare, whom quickly took it into her own magical grip to unfold and look the sheet over. "Blank flank bullying is a huge thing up there... they should know they have a place to go to when things get tough. Applebloom made the plans herself, and Scoots hoof-stitched some capes for the new members. And, I, uh, I'll... preform on stages there to promote the clubhouse and demote the unnecessary bullying! All we need is your approval... and some cloud-walking spells."

"Nice save." Scootaloo muttered under her breath, quietly enough so the Princess couldn't hear. Sweetie Belle swished her tail in response, not-so-subtly stomping on the Pegasus's front hoof. She yelped and stepped a few feet back and to the slide, closer to her earth pony ally.

"Hmm..." She scanned the blueprints, taking in every detail. Every flaw, every advantage, everything. A minute passed, then two, before she finally looked up and smiled. "I approve. Let me write a few contracts, then you'll be ready to go."

"R-Really? Thank you so much!"

Trotting into the room whilst rubbing an eye, Princess Luna glanced down at the cheering trio below with an raised eyebrow. "The Crusaders have come again, I see." She yawned. "And where do thou plan to venture forth this time?"

"Cloudsdale." The sun goddess informed her with a chipper tone. "They're planning on starting another branch.

"You all have astounded me once again." She commented, gracefully gliding down to land next to the orange Pegasus. She startled but didn't cringe away like most would. "Your 'Cutie Mark Crusaders' have spread so far, so fast. Thou aren't even adults yet, correct?"

"I'm gonna be eighteen next month." The unicorn waved a hoof. The Princess shook her head appreciatively.

"And yet you're the owners of an Equestria-wide business. Quite the achievement, I do believe." She nodded towards the looming gates leading to the rest of the castle. "You all have been coming through those doors since you were thirteen, but I've yet to see any of you act truly immature. Acting as you do at such an age... is rather amazing. I'm impressed."

"Thank ya' kindly, yer majesty." Applebloom smiled.

"Uh, not to be rude or anything, but you wouldn't happen to know how to use the cloud-walking spell, would you?"

"Er, yes, of course. Why?"

"Well, if you wouldn't mind." Sweetie Belle brushed her hooves across the floor nervously. "We could really use your help."

Applebloom hummed as she scanned the newly adjusted blueprints, checking for any last signs of error. Finding none, she grinned at her consorts. "Girls, I think this'll work."

"Are you sure?" Sweetie Belle peered at the sheets of paper. "We've never built anything like this before."

"She's got a point. We've never worked with clouds before." Scootaloo prodded the cloud beneath her with a hoof, face contemplative. "Do clouds and wood even work together?"

"No clue." She admitted with a shrug, rolling the plans back into their original cylinder shape. "But that's what trial and error is for, right?"

"Sorry I'm late!" Babs called as she uneasily ran over the clouds towards them. Coming to a stop, she blew her mane out of her face. "The carriage messed up on the pick-up address. Had ta' run to the other side of Manehatten just ta' catch 'em. By the time we got to the palace, you'd already left."

"No big, Babs." Applebloom giggled, passing her the blueprints to look over. "We haven't even gotten started yet. 'Sides, you didn't miss much."

"Okay then." She clapped her sock-covered hooves together after passing the plans back to her cousin. "Let's get started."

"How's the Manehatten branch going?" Applebloom muttered through a muzzle-full of nails as she hammered in a window pane.

Babs shrugged. "Pretty good. Lot's of fillies have been coming by lately to talk. Bullying up there is still pretty bad, ya' know? They know it's a safe place for them to relax." She pulled her scarred hooves close. "I wish I'd had that back when I was goin' through the motions. How 'bout you guys?"

The idle chatter continued on for hours as the discussed everything from the weather to school to the many branches of the club they'd once though would always be a three-pony band. Eventually, the sun began to sink below the horizon and the tools were put away for the night.

"Ahh, we made good time today, huh?" Sweetie Belle stretched out with a content sigh. "Same time again tomorrow?"

"Can't." Babs grunted sheepishly, rub the side of her hoof with the other. "I'm, uh, speaking at a big anti-bullying thing going on tomorrow. I'll be busy all day. I got a counseling thing to get to tonight too. I'm booked. The day after tomorrow work?"

"Yeah, that'll be fine." Applebloom leaned over to give the teen a hug. "See ya' then, cuz."

"Three waters, please." Sweetie Belle told the passing waiter. He nodded, writing down the order so as to not forget it, before scurrying off into the kitchen to retrieve the glasses.

Scootaloo sighed, propping her chin up with a hoof. "Man, I can't wait until we can actually order alcohol to celebrate."

"We've got a few months yet." Applebloom reminded her, taking a sip of her water through her bendy-straw. She sighed once again.

"I know. Doesn't mean I can't complain."

"Work went well today." Sweetie Bell commented, gulping half the glass in one go. She placed the glass back on the table with a smile. "I didn't think it'd go that far that quickly."

"Me neither." Scootaloo chuckled. "What about you Applebloom?" The pony stared at the glass in front of her, lost in space. "Applebloom?"

She startled and pushed the glass away. "Huh? What'd you say?"

"What's wrong?" The pegasi raised an eyebrow, the unicorn following suit. She shook her head.

"It's nothing really, I promise. It's just... what Princess Luna said got to me, is all."

They wait. No conversation or prodding was needed, they'd never kept things from each other long. Instead, they focused on their drinks and waited. Eventually, the answer came.

The glass paused halfway to her lips. She stared at it for a minute before finally sighing and setting it down. "... We grew up."

"Uh, duh." Scootaloo snorted, an eyebrow raised. "We're seventeen, AB. We're supposed to grow up."

"That's not what I meant." She snapped before pausing to consider her words. A minute passed. "... Remember when we first made the Cutie Mark Crusaders? We didn't think about branches or money or anything like that. All we wanted was our cutie marks." She paused, sucking in a fresh breath of air. "It was just a silly little club..."

She paused in consideration, eyes clouding as she stared into the distance. "We were thirteen when we built the second clubhouse. It wasn't about spreading out, or even about money. We just wanted Babs to have a proper clubhouse too. And then... we grew up. Everything suddenly exploded, and we couldn't be immature anymore. We were business owners, our age didn't matter. We had to go 'bout things properly."

"We grew up." She mumbled once again, cradling the glass in her hoof.

"Too early." Sweetie Belle finished, staring into the liquid of her own glass. She sighed. "Way too early..."

"We used to be about fun and finding out who we were... now, all we're about is business. Whens the last time we acted our age?"

For the first time that night, no real answer came. Instead, they stared at the glasses in front of them, silent and contemplative.

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