//------------------------------//
// Chapter Five: New Pony on the Block 
// Story: Bart and Scoots 
// by Gazmanafc 
//------------------------------//


Chapter Five
New Pony on the Block


The stage is set for Bart, it's traditional boring time of the day when the family would sit in the den and watch something on TV that Lisa would want to watch. Bart and his father typically found it extremely boring, Bart only did it because he was forced to, and his father did it because he didn't want to hurt Lisa's feelings. 

By the time that Bart had arrived into the entrance from the family room into the den, Lisa, as well as Bart's parents were already sitting on the couch, Lisa was primed with the remote to the TV to set it to the specified channel that she wanted. 

“You're late boy.” says Bart's father. 
“I was taking care of something upstairs,” Bart starts, switching to a slight nervous tone, he continues, “uh... Mom, Dad, I have something I gotta tell you.”
“What is it son?” his father says. “Girl trouble again?” laughing
“No, nothing like that. It's just that, Mom, remember the orange pony-plush doll I brought home for Maggie a week ago?”
“Yes Bart” Marge says, wondering why he was bringing that up. “what about it” 
“Well...” Bart says nervously as he walks into the room, with Scootaloo walking directly next to him, though keeping her eyes dead centre on Lisa. “You see, it's not really a plush doll at all. It's a real pony.”
“I don't think so Bart, you know as well as I do that ponies aren't that small. After all, you remember Princess and Duncan” Lisa remarks with disbelief in what she's being told.
“Yes, yes, I know. But for probably one of the few times in my life, this is the truth.”  Bart says, nervously.
“He's right you know.” Scootaloo speaks up. 

Lisa, Marge and Bart's father all give a double take, but Lisa is still skeptical.

“Nice ventriloquist act Bart” Lisa says, “I must say I'm impressed, what you practising for?”
“Nothing!” Bart says, “she's a real life pony! Watch... Scootaloo walk over there.”

Bart points to the other side of the room. Bart holds his hands out in front of him to show that there's nothing there. Scootaloo nods to Bart then trots to the other side of the room. When she stops, Lisa jumps off the couch, walking over to Scootaloo, Lisa kneels down next to her then lightly pokes Scootaloo in the side. Lisa shuffles back in surprise.

“...what the... Bart 's right... I don't know how but this thing IS real...” she says in surprise.
“HEY! I'm not a 'thing',” Scootaloo says angrily turning to Lisa “I have a name you know, it's Scootaloo!”
“Bart, just how long as this pony been here?” asks Marge.
“Since the day I found her and brought her home. I saw her passed out by the school. I brought her home so that she could be safe at least.” says Bart.
“While I'm upset that you lied to me Bart and kept this pony...” starts Marge.
“SCOOTALOO!” she shouts.
“...kept Scootaloo a secret from us, I'm proud of you for thinking about her safety.” says Marge. 

Marge notices that her husband hasn't said anything since Lisa confirmed that Scootaloo was real. 

“Homie?” 

Homer was still taking the information in, he finally managed to come out with something. “Uh.. yeah. Your mothers right boy, you should've told us that she was here. But just how much is she going to cost to keep?”
“Hopefully not much. Y'see, the ponies from Scootaloo's dimension are already working on a way to get her home...”
“Wait,” Lisa chimes in, “you mean to tell us that Scootaloo's from a different dimension”
“Yeah,” Scootaloo says, “to make a long story short, I was practising my flying when one of my friends accidentally teleported me here with their magic.”
“And how do you two know that these other ponies are working on a way to get you home Scootaloo?” asks Marge.
“Twilight Sparkle, a really smart unicorn...” Scootaloo starts before being interrupted by Lisa.
“YOU HAVE UNICORNS! TELL ME EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM! I LOVE UNICORNS!” she says excited. 
“Woah! Easy there Lisa. Give the poor creature some space.” Says Marge “She can tell you all about her dimension later. Carry on Scootaloo”
“Oh, right, sorry, Scootaloo” Lisa says, apologetically. 
“Twilight Sparkle has worked out a way to be able to send messages to each other across dimensions. She's working with Princess Celestia, her mentor and Princess Luna, Princess Celestia's younger sister with a way to get me home.”
“Do you two know how long that will take?” asks Homer.
“We don't” says Scootaloo.
“But, Princess Celestia has already sent me a message saying that she will help us anyway she could from her dimension, all you have to do is let her know” says Bart.
“And how would we do that?” asks Homer.
“With a super weird mail system. They send their mail by spurts of green fire in a bottle.” says Bart as he pulls a small bottle out of his pocket. 
“It's not normally in a bottle, Spike just breathes it onto the letter itself.” says Scootaloo. 
“Spike?” says Lisa
“He's like their mailboy.” says Bart “Their mail system works a lot like email, only instead of sending messages on a computer, they're written on paper the old fashioned way, and sent through the air after being breathed on by green fire”
“Okay boy, we'll help you keep Scootaloo here until her friends come to pick her up. But this will come out of YOUR allowance.” Homer says.
“WHAT?!” Bart shouts in disbelief. 
“Actually, Dad. Take her spending out of my allowance until we can arrange something with the pony Princess, what's her name...?” Lisa asks looking in Scootaloo's direction.
“Princess Celestia.” she replies.
“Until Princess Celestia can come up with a way to help us.” Lisa continues.
“That's very nice of you Lisa.”  Scootaloo says, “I don't want to be too much of a burden though” 
“Nonsense!” Says Marge, surprising both the kids and Homer. “You're a welcome guest in this house. So don't think of yourself as a burden here.”
“U-um. Okay. Thank you Mrs. Simpson” says Scootaloo.
“Just call me Marge.” She replies.
“Oh, o-okay” She says. 
“Since you're here, you might as well join us for tonights family time. It's Lisa's turn to pick what we watch on TV.” Says Bart.
“Sure. Why not. What are you going to watch.” She says.