The Need To Hoard

"You ready, Barb?" Dusk Shine called out from downstairs, "The carriage'll be here before long."

"Gimmie a sec!" Came the reply. Up in her room, Eleven-year-old Barbra 'Barb' Drake rushed from one end of her room to the other, muttering out a checklist as she grabbed up stuff, "Got all my clothes..." Several pairs of pants, shirts, shorts, underwear, a couple of dresses, and a swimsuit were tossed into a large suitcase, "Toothbrush, the notebooks and pens Dusk insisted I bring 'just in case'..." Other odds and ends made their way into the piece of luggage. "My last pack of gems and a couple bags of amber jerky for the trip."

The reason for all this: a scholarship offered to "Barb the Brave and Glorious, Heroine of the Crystal Empire" from the Trotstar Hill Conservatory, a somewhat-known private school located outside Las Pegasus. At first she was tempted to toss it, but Dusk, with a little help from Prince Solaris and the other boys, manged to convince her that it'd be a good experience alongside an education.

The only, and quite frankly, biggest, downside was the fact it was a year-round school so she would be gone for the full seven years. And since Las Pegasus was at least eight hours behind Ponyville and Canterlot, communication would be limited mostly to letters and the rare phone call.

Once she was done and got the case shut, the room was given one last look, "Well, looks like this is good-bye for the time being." She said to it before dragging the case out and quietly shutting the door.

"Got everything?" Dusk asked once he saw her come down.

"Yeah."

"Nervous?"

"Scared outta my mind." She responded, the uneasiness showing in her voice, "This is gonna be the first time you and I have ever really been apart, Dusk."

He knelt down to look her in the face, "I know, but you can still send messages to Prince Solaris, and you shouldn't have much trouble getting to a phone." Even though he didn't look it, Barb could tell the fifteen-year-old was feeling the same.

"Yeah,but still...seven years..."

"It'll be ok." He said, hugging her, something she quickly returned, "They'll go by in a flash, and you'll be back home." He gave a watery chuckle, though it sounded more like a sob, "Knowing Berry, he's already planning the party he's gonna throw when you get back." They held each other for a moment before he stood back up and levitated her suitcase, "Come on, the others are more than likely outside already."

True to form, the rest of the group known as the Mane Six boys were there; Applejack, Rainbow Blitz, Butterscotch, Elusive, and Berry Pie. As well as Apple Buck, Silver Bell, and Scooter .

"Hey guys." Barb said, looking around.
Applejack ruffled Barb's fin a bit, "It's gonna be awful quiet without you here."

"I'm sure Blitz and the CMC'll be able to take up the slack." She replied, hugging him, "Bye AJ."

"Take care of yerself, Sugarcube." He rubbed her back

"Don't worry, Barbsy!" Berry half-shouted in his usual exuberant way, snatching her up in a spinning hug as he brandished a notepad, "I'll be working on a party that'll last a MONTH when you get back!"

Heh, I'll be holding you to that." She smiled once he put her back down.

"Do be careful out there, my dear." Elusive spoke up, hugging her tightly, "Who knows what sort of blackguards lurk in a place like that!"

"I'll be careful, Elusive. I promised Dusk I'd write as soon as I got there."

"And be wary of anypony wearing a dickey, yeuch!"

"I still don't know what those are."

"Pray you never learn."

Butterscotch, however, was flat out silent.

"Scotch? You alwhoa!" She yelped when he suddenly scooped her up in a bonecrushing hug. The only sound she could hear from him was whimpering.

"R-relax, Butterscotch, it's not permanent! I'll be back."

"*whimper*"

"Guys? Lil help?"

"Ok, Butter, Ah think Barb knows yer gonna miss her." Applejack said, prying her free with a little help from Elusive.

"So, looks like we're gonna have two eggheads here before long." Blitz spoke up, "Try to have SOME fun while you're there, Squirt."

Barb snorted, "I'll try..." She stopped when she saw something on the fifteen-year-old pegasus's face, "Rainbow Blitz, have you been crying??"

"No!" He blurted out, quickly rubbing the tear mark away, "Just...just had loose hair in my eye, that's all."

Barb, however, wasn't buying it, "Blitz."

"I wasn't!" He protested, his voice cracking a little "I was not crying about the fact that you're gonna be gone from us for all that time!" The sniffle he tried to hide was heard by everyone.

She just giggled, "I'm gonna miss you too Blitz."

"It's gonna be kind of weird around here without you, Barb." Silver finally piped up.

"Yeah, Ah mean, it ain't ferever, but seven years is still a long'un." Apple Buck added, adjusting his bandanna.

"I know, but like Dusk said, I can still write and everything." She replied, "Plus, who knows, maybe you guys'll have your Cutie Marks by the time I get back."

"Ha! You better believe it!" Scooter cackled, "We aren't the Cutie Mark Cavaliers for nothing!"

Unfortunately, before anything else could be said, the group was cut off by the sound of rattling wheels, followed by a carriage pulling up.

"Well...I guess this is it..." Barb looked at it for moment as Dusk floated her suitcase inside

"You got your train ticket?" He asked, not even bothering to hide the shaky tone in his voice. He watched as she batted her pants pocket, "All right. Remember, write as soon as you get settled in."

"I will." She looked at him briefly before wrapping her arms around him one more time, "I love you, Duskie." Her voice was muffled in his shirt, but he heard it clear as day.

"I love you too, Barbra." He said, kissing her forehead.

A somber air wafted through the group as she climbed on and they said their remaining goodbyes. The door closed and the carriage began to pull away.

"BWAHA-HAH-HAAAAA!" Blitz sobbed, unable to hold it in anymore.

"I thought I was supposed to be the one crying from this..." Dusk mused, wiping his eye as he watched the carriage until it was out of sight.