"Wow!," Applebloom shouted, pointing, "look at tha size of it!"
"Its huge!" Sweetie Belle gasped.
"Can I touch it?" Scootaloo asked, sticking hoof out.
"Sure," Doug said with a smirk, "not like its against the law."
Scootaloo slowly reached out, and placed her hoof on the large white spike that was sticking right out of the ground. Sweetie Belle joined her and the two giggled as they moved in front, while Applebloom gave Doug her camera and joined her friends.
"Get a picture. I want ta send some home ta Granny Smith and Applejack." She said, hopping a little which caused her big red bow to bounce.
Doug chuckled, finding the little fillies excitement to be simply darling. These three fillies could be a handful, but they were definatly cute. He hoped his insurance plan covered cuteness related illness.
"Alright. Say cheese!" He said and lifted the camera up.
"Cheese!" The fillies said smiling.
With a flash of the camera, Doug lowered it, and the three fillies rushed over to see the picture show up on the digital screen.
"Wow, I still can't believe you can make a picture so fast with this thing. Thanks fer getting it fer me." Applebloom said, rubbing her head against Doug's leg in a sign of affection.
"Yeah and look the picture is great." Sweetie Belle said.
Doug smiled and ruffled Applebloom's mane, "No problem girls. I'm luck to get three great fillies to hang with."
"Well we are the Cutie Mark crusaders." Scootaloo said, sticking her chest out.
"I'm glad we got an amazing caretaker for our home stay trip." Applebloom said.
"Yeah and uh...what they said." Sweetie Belle added, now hanging on Doug's shoulder.
Doug smiled. Ever since the portal between the human world and Equestria opened up, the various nations had developed special programs for humans and pony's to learn of the others cultures. These home stay plans allowed for a pony or human to stay a number of months in the other world and learn. Normally it was humans of highschool or college age that went to Equestria.
But for pony's they were more free, and allowed their children to attend this program. Provided that the parents/guardians always paid a regular visit. Doug was one of the many homes that offered to house a pony or two. And while he had expected a mare or stallion, he wasn't prepared for three fillies.
'Oh yeah, still got to repaint the car. Should have never mentioned a painting cutie mark idea to them.' He thought.
The three fillies were so intent on getting their cutie marks. The learning portion of the program was just a side effect, what they really wanted was to see if they could get their cutie marks in human things. It took Doug awhile to get use to their antics, but in time he had grown to really care and enjoy the time he was spending with the little fillies. They were like little sisters to him.
'Shame they leave in six months. Though I just have to make their time here as memorable as possible.' He thought, frowning slightly.
"Doug? Doug! Hey, what's wrong? You were spacing out." Applebloom said, waving her hoof in front of his face.
Doug blinked, "Huh? Oh sorry. Lost in thought. What were you saying?"
"I said what is this thing called again?" Applebloom asked, pointing to the white spike.
Doug smiled, "Its a memorial. Washington's memorial to be exact. The first president of the United States."
"I thought memorials were suppose to be statues. It doesn't look anything like the guy. Looks more like a tribute to Bill Clinton." Scootaloo said, waving a hoof.
"Whats that mean Scoots?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Never mind!" Doug said, earning a few shocked looks from the fillies, and people passing. He cleared his throat, "Uh lets just...move on to the capital building." He said, pushing the girls along.
He whispered to Scoots, "And you and I are going to have a talk about what you watch on Comedy Central little filly."
Scoots blushed and kicked the ground in a huff. First internet restrictions, now t.v. What was next?
"Don't give me that look. Come on, after the tour I'll take you to the Skate park. Does that sound good?" Doug said, offering a smile.
Scoots gasped, "Oh can we can me? Oh that will be so cool!" She turned and hugged Doug's leg. So Doug acted too stiff. Scoots didn't mind so much...besides Skate park totally out did Comedy Central.
The CMC gasped for air as they climbed the stairs of the Capitol building. Sad to say, the height difference between humans and ponies was notable....so a single step on the building could be a bit big for the small fillies.....not to mention it was a hot summer day.
"Man....I need water. Why are there so many steps to this thing." Scootaloo gasped, grabbing her water bottle and downing it in a few seconds.
"Say whats that over there?" Sweetie Belle asked, pointing.
Doug looked over to see a small scrolled up piece of paper, a badge on it with the word BILL, decorating it.
"Oh that," Doug said, "That's a bill."
"A bill?" Applebloom asked.
"Yeah a bill," Doug said, as the three fillies looked up at him confused, "a bill is a document, or series of, that is waiting for approval before becoming a law."
"You mean you got to approve something before it becomes a law in your world?" Scootaloo asked.
Doug nodded, "Yep. unlike in Equestria, where Princess Celestia and such make laws themselves, humans have a whole different process."
"How does it work?" Applebloom asked.
"Well that's a good question. Let me show you." Doug said and the four headed over to the Bill, who waved at them.
I'm just a bill. Yes, I'm only a bill. And I'm sitting her on Capital Hill. Well its a long, long journey to the capitol city. Its a long, long wait, while I'm sitting in committee. But I know I'll be a law someday. At least I hope and pray that I will, but today I am still just a bill.
"Wow this guy sure has a lot of guts to wait so long." Scootaloo said, patting the bill on the back.
The bill, looked away. Though it had no facial expressions it was a clear sign of embaressment. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom both gave it a hug, flustering the poor document further.
Doug chuckled before saying, "Well it got this far. Before all this it wasn't even a bill, it was just an idea. Then some people back at its home state called up their local congressman and said You're right there ought to be a law. Then he sat down wrote it up and introduced it to congress and so it became a bill. And it will remain a bill till it becomes a law."
The bill nodded in agreement. It then stood up and headed up the stairs and into the building. Doug and the girls followed.
I'm just a bill. Yes, I'm only a bill. And I got as far as Capital Hill. Well now I'm stuck in committee where I'll sit here and wait. While a few key congressman will discuss and debate, if they should let me be a law. Oh how I hope and pray that they will, but today I am still just a bill.
The bill sat down near a door, with a sign that said "Committee in Session". Scoots, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle leaned against the door. The sounds of debate ad heavy arguing was clearly heard behind the door.
"Man they sound like they're fighting in there."
Sweetie Belle gasped and moved away from the door, pointing at it, "Bad word! They said a bad word!"
"Why if Granny Smith was here, she'd wash their mouths out with soap." Applebloom said, shocked.
Doug coughed, "Umm..yes...lets just...not repeat any of those words shall we."
The girls nodded, they knew that such things were not to be said. Why did adults though?
"But I've heard you say f-" Scoots started, only for Doug to place a hand over her mouth.
"Not another word!" He said, chuckling uneasily. Goodness, what else did Scoots know about his private moments in life? He made a mental note to double check that the walls of his house were sound proof.
"Is all that fighting about him?" Applebloom asked, pointing to the bill.
Doug nodded, "Yep. This guy is one of the lucky ones. Most bills never even make it this far. He is probably hoping they vote on him favorable otherwise he might die."
"Die?" Sweetie Belle asked, hugging the bill close in worry.
Doug nodded, "Yeah die. In committee."
Suddenly the door opened and a congress man ran out and grabbed the bill out of Sweetie Belle's hooves and ran out the building.
"Hey come back with Billy!" Sweetie Belle called and ran after the man.
"Whats going on Doug?" Applebloom asked.
"Well looks like our bill friend is gonna live!" He said to the girls as they chased after the congressman.
"So what happens?" Scoots asked.
"Now he goes to the House of Representatives and they vote on him." Doug said as they got to the Congress hall, though by then the bill was now on the way to the other side.
"And if they vote yes there?" Sweetie Belle asked, out of breath as the four sat down on the stairs to catch their breathes.
Doug took a deep breath, "Then he goes to the senate and the whole thing starts all over again."
"Oh no!" Scoots said, facehoofing.
Doug chuckled, "Oh yes."
When the bill came out again, Sweetie Belle hugged it once more before letting it go. The bill hugged the filly back and started off down the street. The girls and Doug followed.
"Where is he going now?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"The White House." Doug said, "When Congress votes yes on a bill it then goes to the White House and the President where he will decide to sign it or not."
I'm just a bill. Yes, I'm only a bill and if they vote for me on Capitol Hill. Well then I'm off to the White House where I'll wait in a line. With a lot of other bills, for the president to sign. And if he signs then I'll be a law. Oh I hope and pray that he will, but today I am still just a bill.
"Wait wait wait!,"Scootaloo shouted, "You mean after all that work! All that fuss! Even if the whole congress says the bill should be a law the President can still say no!?"
Doug nodded, causing the girls to groan and facehoof.
Dough laughed, "Yeah sorry girls. That's called a veto. If the president vetos a bill then it goes back to the congress and they vote on it again and by that time-" He trailed off.
"By that time its unlikely that it becomes a law at all." Applebloom said in exasperation.
"Wow, its hard to become a law here." Sweetie Belle said.
"Ugh, my head hurts just thinking about it." Scoots groaned, rubbing her head.
Dough laughed, "Well yes, but that's usually for the best. In this nation's history there have been a lot of possibly painful and bad bills that never became laws thanks to this system."
Sweetie Belle rubbed her chin, "What happens if a law is passed, but people don't want it anymore."
"Well Sweetie, in that case they make a Surpeme Court appeal. Then the parties take the law to the Supreme Court and they decide if the law is constitutional or not. If the court says its constitutional then the law remains. After that, there is really nothing you can do to remove the law except make another law to replace it." Doug said.
"Wow, this is a lot of work. I hope Bill gets signed." Applebloom said, looking over to the bill, who passed back and forth in worry.
"He signed you bill! You're a law now!" The congressman from before shouted, running out of the building.
The bill jumped and danced in joy, before being grabbed by the girls in a hug.
"Yeah Bill did it!" Sweetie cheered.
Doug laughed and watched the girls dance with joy with the bill. He got out the camera and set up for a shot. Time it right....Now!
And with that a clear picture of the CMC and their new friend Bill, proudly displaying his Law badge, appeared on the camera screen.