When they got to the front door Raindrops swished her teal mane out of her eyes, and looked at Scoots, “Hey, listen Scootaloo. If anyone asks why you’re here I’m going to tell those you don’t want to know that I’m babysitting you while your parents are away. And just so you know I’m watching Dinky Doo while Ditzy is getting over Alicorn Pox.”

Scootaloo gave a short nod, and after they entered Raindrops house, she was given a tour of the place. The first place she was shown was the kitchen it had an old auto-light oven that used a replaceable lightning cloud to cook the food. The floors were oak, and it had a cherry wood table. All around the walls other than the table was a green marble, wrap around countertop with a dark vanished drawers and shelving. A window near the left corner across from the oven let in a soft trickling of light.

The bathrooms were all similar. Granite countertops, a large basin sink with a set of stairs with a holding rail near them. tractioned flooring. Weird toilets that had guard rails near the sides. When Scootaloo asked about them, Raindrops answered that some ponies had trouble moving about so the rails were so that ponies could move about the restrooms without injuring themselves. The bath tub is what really caught Scootaloo’s eye though. It was two pony lengths wide, and a half a normal pony lengths deep. It was the biggest tub that Scootaloo had ever seen.

Next were other various rooms that Scootaloo didn’t think to pay much attention to. Including the place she was going to be sleeping, Sparkler and Dinky Doo’s rooms, Her room, and the game room. The later filled with books, board games, pool, table hockey, and a projector with a small collection of film reels. Raindrops walked her to the bathroom that was for now Scootaloo’s and told her that after her bath to meet her in the Game Room, and not to worry about other ponies showing up. She rarely got visitors this time of year, and the girls wouldn’t be showing up for the next three hours.

Scootaloo enjoyed taking a nice long bath, it was nice when she was at her friend place’s. To be safe and not having to worry about prying eyes catching her while she washed off in a creek, the park lake, or took a quick sink bath in Bargain Bin’s restroom. Although ever since meeting Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon she didn’t use that place as much as she used too. But in houses, she could take her time, letting the water soak into her coat. Slowly enjoying the feeling of soap being massaged into her sore body. It turns out sleeping on the hard ground after rigorously working everyday out isn’t the best for the body. So when she had the time to enjoy this simple luxury she enjoyed abusing it.

As the tub filled with water and a several inch thick crust of bubbles, Scootaloo walked onto of the bubbles as normal pegasi would a cloud. Being the only thing close to a cloud that Scootaloo could get to it gave her a large amount of entertainment before she got to the good parts. After jumping up and down on the bubbles skidding around the tub like a skater would skate on ice. Doing a few axles and pirouettes for good measures she gathered the bubbles before her and made herself a cave of bubbles. Sitting on her haunches she pulled up a mass of bubbles to her ear like a walkie talkie, "Daring Doo, this is Scootaloo reporting from the Lost Caves of the Pygmy Ponies. I'm heading in!"

With that she dived into the "cave" and let her body glide around the water under the bubbles. Letting the water soak into her fur as she drifted around. After several seconds of swimming she popped up and arranged the bubbles around to form a flowing bubble mane, and a giant beard, and making several pony bubble statues, said, "By Celestia's beard! Pygmy Ponies are here to protect their treasure! Time to bring out the big guns! Scootaloo, transform into Princess Scootaloo, Ruler of all things Awesometastic!"

Setting her wings a buzzing the bubbles were scattered throughout bathroom. Most staying inside the tub, but the beard, mane, and pygmy ponies were unfortunately blown away by her spectacular display of power. Settling in the tub now that she had stretched out her sore muscles, soaked, and had her fun. It was time to fully enjoy this rare occasion. Taking the junior hoof pick from its place on the side of the tub she silently thanked Raindrops earlier washing. It reduced a lot of the gunk she built up over a day, and made this part less dirty than she was used to.

Taking the pick at the back of her hoof giggled as it it gave a pleasurable tickle as it lifted mud, garbage, rocks, tree sap, and other debris from her hoof. Slowly but surely she had a majority of the stuff removed, and with a thick bristled brush removed the rest. Spitting it out she moved to using her fore hooves to use the pick and brush to clean the back hooves. Next part was her favorite part of all. The sponging.

In between Crusading, riding around on her scooter, and standing on her back hooves, sleeping on hard surfaces ninety percent of her nights left her body a mass of knots, sore muscles, and various aches. But soaking in a nice warm tub, her muscles soaking in the heat, massaging said muscles was just what the doctor ordered. As her hooves slowly worked their way around the parts of her body she could reach, massaging out each problem area at a time.

Oooohhhhh! This feels so good! I didn’t think I’d get another good bath until I went to Sweetie Belle’s next week. Well this Raindrops mare looks pretty legit, and she did Pinkie Promise. But I was hoping that nopony would find me out, I mean I knew it was bound to happen someday, but I was still wishing that nothing would have to change since I wandered into this town. What if she decides that she wants to send me away, or that I’m not worth the trouble and just kicks me out? Can I really trust her or is she just trying to trick me? I mean she seems like a nice mare, but I guess I’ll have to wait for the other horseshoe to drop. Until then I’m going to be enjoying me a bath.

Raindrops went around the kitchen getting various foods and treats together so that Scootaloo had something to munch on while they talked. Tomorrow is going to be one hectic day. I need to find my Level Two Foster Care, Respite Forms. My Emergency Shelter certifications, Hospice Training records... what else do I need to do to cut through the red tape here and get things underway. I don't want Scootaloo to think that I'm trying to step in as a parent yet, or maybe even at all. But at least if Canterlot sends somepony by the FPS, I'll be able to keep her here. Thank you, Cloudkicker, for telling me to transfer my forms over to Ponyville just in case an emergency popped up. I'll need to get you some flowers or something nice. Always looking out for me since we met in Canterlot. Best friend a mare could ask for.

So after I get those go over to Twilight's while everypony is put to bed. Lock the door, and get thing situated. See if there isn't a more long term foster setup, or any pony looking to adopt over here in Ponyville. It'd be horrible to take her away from what little of a life she's managed to build here. Rainbow Dash thinks the world of that little filly, says she's the best little sister ever. But I'll wait to Scootaloo is ready to open up more and is ready to talk to her, herself.

So the time flew with her inside her head planning on what to do and say. Making sure that everything was picture perfect.And putting together a game plan for ensuring that the all of the youths under her care were happy. But she'd get a slightly more complete story than she had from Scootaloo whenever she got finished from her bath. Which by the sounds above her was coming up soon.

When she had finished up, half an hour later, and got to the Game Room she saw Raindrop sitting on a chair facing the door with a large assortment of food and a cup of soda waiting for Scootaloo. Waving her over with a forehoof Raindrops said, “Come on over, and sit next to me. We need to talk a little bit so that I can help you more, but don’t worry if there is anything that you are too uncomfortable talking about, let me know and we can skip it for now.”

After giving an affirmative grunt, and digging into her food with reckless abandon. As Raindrop started the conversation, “ So what about where you’ve been sleeping, how have you taken care of yourself so long?” Raindrops asked leaning in slightly, letting Scootaloo know that she had her full attention.

“Well I’ve been living in the back alleys, sometimes if the weather is bad enough I live in the Cutie Mark Crusader club house on Sweet Apple Acres. Although now that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are formed, I sleep over at their places every now and then when they aren’t too busy. Well if you’ve been in my hooves, you probably know how I’ve been eating, although I try to pay off AJ back from the Apples I take from them by leaving a few bits I find laying around. Well the bits that don’t go to getting school stuff, or fixing my scooter.” She said off hoof. Giving as little details as possible, including the definition of finding bits laying around.

Raindrops looked at Scootaloo, wrapped her wing around her in a hug. She knew exactly what ‘laying around’ meant, and while Ponyville was different than Canterlot she knew enough about outdoor survival that she could piece together the things of that question that went unanswered. Scootaloo was caught off guard by the hug and pushed herself into it as the warmth wrapped around her in a comforting cocoon. Raindrops dropped her muzzle to the top of Scootaloo’s head and whispered, “You don’t have to live that life any more. Until we figure out what to do, you will always have a place here if you’d like.”

So thus their conversation continued until Dinky Doo and Sparkler came over and shifted into the misadventures of the Cutie Mark Crusaders as well as an invitation to Dinky Doo to join when they had their crusader meeting tomorrow. It was many hours later when Scootaloo went off to bed, and with her asleep, Raindrops though of what she was going to do tomorrow.

Author's Notes:

A/N 1: FPS. Foal Protection Services. It's the Equestrian version of CYS [Child Youth Services] here on earth.

A/N 2: More info, more descriptions, and all edited chapter.