Tombo Going to School/Tombo Tricked by Brer Fox and Brer Bear

*(The next morning, the bells rang loud and clear, and doves flew in the morning air. Down in the streets, boys and girls were playing and laughing as a woman gathered her geese to one side. At one house, two children kissed their mother goodbye, and they ran off for school with the other kids. At Hiram's house, Tombo, Kiki, and Olivia (Now dressed in their daytime clothes) ran outside to the front porch as Hiram, Fidget, Garfield, and Odie (With Hiram and Fidget also dressed in their daytime clothes) followed them, with Hiram carrying a blue long-sleeved shin-length coat with five black buttons going down the front, a blue beret hat with a red pom-pom, a black brim, and a black ribbon, and a baby blue scarf with a red plaid pattern for Olivia. Garfield, Odie, and Fidget were even carrying three different colored backpacks — red, blue, and purple. Today would be Tombo and the girls' first day of school. And boy, were they excited! They looked at the boys and girls, who are apparently real)*

Tombo: (Excitedly) Oh, look, Father! Look! I see them!

Olivia: (Agreeing in excitement) This is going to be a big day for you along with us!

Hiram: (Trying to put the coat, hat, and scarf on Olivia) Now wait, stand still now.

Tombo: (Excitedly, pointing to the other children going by) What are those?

Hiram: (Confused) Huh? *(Realizes)* Oh, those. They are your schoolmates. Girls and boys. Now get into this.

*(Olivia finally got her arms into the sleeves of the coat, buttoned it down the front, took the scarf from Hiram, wrapped it around her neck, took the hat from him, and put it on her head, making sure she adjusted it right, which she did. Then Hiram took the red, blue, and purple backpacks from Garfield, Fidget, and Odie respectively)*

Tombo: (Excitedly) Real boys?!

Kiki and Olivia: (Nods) And real girls.

Tombo: (Excitedly) Like me?!

Hiram: Yes, but hurry now.

*(He put the red, blue, and purple backpacks on Tombo, Olivia, and Kiki's on backs respectively. The three kids were ready to head out the door, but Hiram stopped them)*

Hiram: Och, wait! Wait, wait.

*(He took two washed red apples and handed them to Tombo and Olivia)*

Hiram: Here are apples for the teachers. Now turn around and let me look at you three.

*(Tombo, Olivia, and Kiki spun around with big grins on their faces, and Hiram chuckled. Garfield, Odie, and Fidget brought schoolbooks to Hiram, and patted Garfield patted his owner’s leg to get his attention)*

Hiram: (Confused) Huh? *(Realizes the schoolbooks)* Och, yes. Yes, them too.

*(He unzipped the kids' middle pocket in each of their backpacks, took the schoolbooks, put them inside the middle pockets, and rezipped them)*

Fidget: (Voice-over) Wait!

*(He came back to the porch with three lunchboxes consisting packets of oatmeal, ham, pepperoni, Genoa salami, cheese, pickle, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches, carrots, chocolate pudding, fried chickens, cheese, celery, pickles, chocolate chip cookies, juice boxes, bottles of water, and cartons of milk)*

Hiram: (Seeing the lunchboxes) Thanks, Fidget. Here.

*(He unzipped the kids' back pocket in each of their backpacks. Then he took one lunchbox at a time from Fidget, put the lunchbox in each back pocket, and rezipped them)*

Hiram: Just make sure Fidget goes with you, Olivia.

Olivia: But Daddy, Fidget's our pet, and you know I'm not supposed to bring pets to school.

Hiram: Now, Olivia, I'm sure your teacher won't mind having Fidget in your class. After all, he does have a nice clean cage and plenty of pet food and water for Fidget.

Olivia: (Smiling) Yes, that's true. Okay. Thanks.

Hiram: Run along now.

*(Tombo, Olivia, Kiki, and Fidget went on their way. Garfield and Odie began to follow, but Hiram laughed amusingly a bit)*

Hiram: Ho, ho, ho, wait, wait! *(Picks them up)* Come back here, guys. School is not for you.

Tombo's group: (With Tombo skipping down the street) Goodbye, Father! (Daddy!) (Hiram!)

*(Odie walked back inside while Hiram waved Garfield at them)*

Hiram: Goodbye, son, girls, and Fidget! Hurry back!

*(Then he, too, went back inside, humming while carrying Garfield, and closed the door)*

As the children went to school, two figures were walking along, watching them. The first was a fox with red fur, wearing a yellow green hat, pale white shirt, forest green vest, and green pants. His name was Brer Fox.

The second one was a bear with brown fur, wearing a red fedora and a blue unbuttoned dress shirt. His name was Brer Bear.

"Hey, Brer Bear, look. Inoocent young children, walking their way to school." Brer Fox chuckled.

"Thirsty little minds running to the fountain of knowledge." Brer Bear added. "I know someone's who's very pretty and maybe I can join the good guys team someday."

"What was that, Brer Bear?" Brer Fox demanded.

"Uh, nothing." Brer Bear answered.

"Oh, well, where was I? Oh here I am!" Brer Fox smilled evilly, "School, a noble execution. What would the world be without...?" He cut himself off when he noticed a poster of some dolls and an Indian python with golden yellow skin, yellow eyeballs, and golden brown spots on his back. The poster read *"Kaa's Doll Feature."*

"Well, well, well...Kaa. So that old rascal's back in town, is he?" Brer Fox laughed and turned to the bear. "Remember, Brer Bear, when I tied strings on you and passed you off as a doll?"

"We made ourselves a lot of dough there." Brer Bear chuckled before he pouted, "Actually for you."

"We nearly put the scaly python on him that time." Brer Fox grinned as they saw Minnie, Alice, Wendy, Olivia, Lilo, Kairi, Amy, Kilala, Susan, Namine, Viper, and Rapunzel passing by them. "Twelve doll girls. Now then...!" He and Brer Bear did a double take in surprise with a cash register ding in the background. "Twelve doll girls!" The fox and the bear ran for a place to hide and spied on the girls.

"Look, Brer Bear, look!" Brer Fox said.

"They're pretty amazing..." Brer Bear spoke as the twelve princesses went around the corner.

"Twelve beautiful dolls without strings." The fox started to think. "That could be worth a fortune to someone. Now let me see..." he saw the poster, "That's it! Kaa!"

"Kaa? But, Brer Fox, how can we get them to...?" Brer Bear then got interrupted by Brer Fox, "Listen, we play our cards right, we'll be on easy street or my name isn't Brer Fox."

"Good, Brer Fox." Brer Bear said. "And when we do, I'm just gonna knock their heads...clean...off!"

"No, you ain't Brer Bear. No, you ain't. Now, quick! We'll head them off." Brer Fox and Brer Bear ran while keeping in hiding to catch up with Minnie, Alice, Wendy, Olivia, Lilo, Kairi, Amy, Kilala, Susan, Namine, Viper, and Rapunzel. The fox and the bear ran ahead and watched, waiting for the girls to approach.

"Okay, Brer Bear. Now's our..." Brer Fox whispered, but then he saw the bear holding up a club, ready to strike, "No, Brer Bear!" he grabbed Brer Bear and took the club away from him. "Don't be crude." He lightly bonked Brer Bear's head. "Let me handle this."

"Sorry, Brer Fox." Brer Bear said, rubbing his head. He saw Minnie and her friends, "Here they come."

"Right." Brer Bear stood back.

Brer Fox held out his cane, pretending to have a chat with Brer Bear, in order to con the girls out of going to school, "Oh yes, Brer Bear, as I was saying to Prince John only yesterday..." That's when Minnie and her friends came up and collided in a pile. Brer Fox looked "surprised", "Oops! Silly me!" He picked up the girls as Brer Bear dusted them off. "Hey. Maybe we can eat lunch together." Minnie said, as she, her friends, and Brer Bear ate lunch, looking like it was a picnic. "I'm terribly sorry. I hope you girls are not injured."

"No, we're okay." Minnie replied.

Brer Bear was about to get something out of Minnie's pocket until Brer Fox hit him with his cane. "Ah, splendid." Brer Fox picked up the apple and books, taking a bite of the apple, "Quite the scholars I see. Look Brer Bear, a man of letters." As he said that, he showed the book to Brer Bear who just finished eating lunch with the girls and gave the boxes back to the girls.

Brer Fox then handed Alice her book, "Here's your book."

"Thanks, Mr. Fox." Alice said politely.

"We're going on a field trip to the zoo." Wendy added as she and her friends started to walk off.

"Field trip? Oh, yes!" Brer Fox pulled the girls back, "Then you haven't heard of the easy road to success?"

Olivia shook her head, "No."

"No?" Brer Fox spoke, "I'm speaking, my girls, of the theater." Brer Fox gave Lilo the apple which is eaten. "Here's your apple. Bright lights, music, applause...fame." He added smiling.

"Fame?" Lilo asked. The word seemed new to her and her friends.

"Yes, those personalities. those profiles, those physics...why, they're natural born actresses, right, Brer Bear?" the fox asked and Brer Bear nodded.

"Hey, you're right! We're going to straight to the top!" Kairi said, getting interested.

"That's it! Why, I can see that your names are in lights! Lights, 6 feet high!" Brer Fox paused. "And, what are your names, girls?"

"Minnie Mouse/Alice/Wendy/Olivia/Lilo Pelekai/Kairi/Amy Rose/Kilala Reno/Susan Test/Namine/Viper/Rapunzel." the girls simply answered.

"Minnie, Alice, Wendy, Olivia, Lilo, Kairi, Amy, Kilala, Susan, Namine, Viper, and Rapunzel! M-I-N-N-I-E, A-L-I-C-E, W-E-N-D-Y, O-L-I-V-I-A, L-I-L-O, K-A-I-R-I, A-M-Y, K-I-L-A-L-A, S-U-S-A-N, N-A-M-I-N-E, V-I-P-E-R, and R-A-P-U-N-Z-E-L!"

Amy smirked and said "You got that right."

"Great, but we're wasting precious time." Brer Fox said as he took the girls by every hand as Brer Bear followed them. "Come on to the theater." Then he started to sing.

Brer Fox: Hi-diddle-dee-dee

An actor's life for me!

A high silk hat and a silver cane

A watch of gold with a diamond chain

Hi-diddle-dee-day

An actor's life is gay

It's great to be a celebrity

An actor's life for me

Brer Fox, Minnie, Alice, Wendy, Olivia, Lilo, Kairi, Amy, Kilala, Susan, Namine, Viper, Rapunzel, and Brer Bear marched towards the end of town. Brer Bear went the wrong way at one point, but caught up with the fox and girls.

Hi-diddle-dee-dum

An actor's life is fun...

Meanwhile, Timothy, Jim Crow, Reverend Zachariah, Tyrone, Big Daddy Lou, and Lil' Urle, who had overslept, were rushing to catch up with Kilala and her friends in a hurry to help them reach school.

"Fine consciences we turned out to be." Jim Crow muttered, putting on his vest. "Late the first day!"

"Well, brother." Lil' Urle added putting on his sweater, "They can't get in much trouble between here and school, right?"

"Right." Timothy, Reverend Zachariah, Tyrone, and Big Daddy Lou agreed.

They then noticed fourteen figures marching and singing, and didn't see who were with them at first. "Oh, boy, a parade!" Timothy smiled as he and the crows continued until...

Brer Fox, Brer Bear, and Twelve Princesses: Hi-diddle-dee-dee

An actor's life for me

"HUH?" Timothy, Jim Crow, and his brothers jolted at the voice and finally noticed Kilala and her friends with the fox and bear.

Brer Fox: A wax mustache and a beaver coat

A pony cart and a Billy goat

Hi-diddle-dee-dum

An actor's life is fun

"Hey, it's the girls!" Tyrone said.

"This is not good!" Lil' Urle said.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Jim Crow ran after the girls with his brothers and Timothy.

You wear your hair in a pompadour

You ride around in a coach of four

"Wait!" the crows and circus mouse stopped in front of the twelve princesses, fox, and bear. "Please wait!" But they almost got stepped on.

You stop and buy out a candy store

An actor's life for me!

"Girls!" Big Daddy Lou called.

Hi-diddle-dee-dee

An actor's life for me

Quickly, Lil' Urle leapt on Brer Fox's back, holding on tight and trying to get the girls' attention.

With clothes that come from the finest shop

And lots of peanuts and soda pop

"Hey, girls!" Lil' Urle called waving his wings.

Then Reverend Zachariah whistled loudly, causing the girls, fox, and bear to stop in surprise.

"What was that?" Brer Fox asked looking around.

Kilala spotted Timothy, Jim Crow, and his brothers. "Oh it's Timothy, Jim Crow, Reverend Zachariah, Tyrone, Big Daddy Lou, and Lil' Urle."

"What are you guys doing here?" Susan demanded.

"Who? What?" Brer Fox looked up as Lil' Urle hung on tightly until he saw Brer Bear looking at him. Lil' Urle waved at him and Brer Bear smiled and waved back at him.

"I just saw a little black bird." Brer Bear snickered, but then he realized. "A black bird?" Then he glared as he took out a club. "That's it."

"My girls, you twelve must be seeing things." Brer Fox said to Namine and her friends.

"No, there our consciences." Namine said.

"Yes, they were trying to help us." Viper protested.

Without Brer Fox noticing, Brer Bear held his club and came up slowly on Lil' Urle. "Now, now, now, just calm down. Why, there's nothing to be afraid of." Lil' Urle saw Brer Bear and made a dodge for it as Brer Bear brought his fist down, but instead he hit Brer Fox and got his pants down to the ground, revealing that he was heart printed boxers.

Jim Crow and his brothers laughed at this funny entertainment. "Guys, please! Don't get him mad." Timothy warned them not to die laughing or they could get in big trouble.

Brer Bear looked at the club, "Oops. I thought I got him." Then he noticed Brer Fox and gasped, "Uh-oh. This is worse than when Brer Rabbit tricked us into bringing him home back to the Briar Patch."

He ran off as Rapunzel and the others watched Brer Fox trying to pull his pants up. Timothy, Jim Crow, and his brothers whistled near a flower.

"Girls." Timothy spoke, getting the girls' attention. "Over here."

"We're over here." Tyrone added.

Rapunzel and her friends came to them happily, "Hey guys, guess what? We're gonna be actresses!"

"Alright, girls. Take it easy. Remember what we said about temptations?" Jim Crow reminded.

Minnie and her friends nodded.

"Well, that's them." Big Daddy Lou said.

"Oh no, guys." Minnie said. "That's Mr. Brer Fox and Brer Bear."

"Brer Fox?" Timothy and Jim Crow said.

"And Brer Bear." Reverend Zachariah, Tyrone, Big Daddy Lou, and Lil' Urle added.

"Now then, here's what you tell them. You can't go to the theater. Say thank you just the same. You're sorry, but you got to go to the zoo. Understand?" Jim Crow told them.

"Okay." Alice said.

"We'll do it this time." Wendy said proudly. They all then heard the fox and the bear coming their way as the crows and circus mouse hid behind a tree.

"Girls?" Brer Fox, who got his pants on, called softly as he can. "Oh, girls."

"Where are you, girls?" Brer Bear added.

"Here they come." Reverend Zachariah winked.

"Now you tell them." Tyrone winked too while Timothy, Jim Crow, Lil' Urle, and Big Daddy Lou did the "OK" sign.

"Yoo-hoo, oh, little girls." Brer Fox then spotted Olivia and her friends, "Ah, there you are. Where were we? Oh, yes. Onto the theater!" Timothy, Jim Crow, and his brothers listened, waiting for Olivia and her friends to tell them, but...

"Goodbye, guys. Goodbye!" Olivia called.

"Goodbye?" Jim Crow asked then screamed in disbelief, "Goodbye?"

"No, girls! You can't go!" Lil' Urle cried as the twelve princesses, fox, and bear disappeared down the pathway.

"There they go!" Timothy said, watching them march to the theater.

"Now what?" Big Daddy Lou asked.

"I don't know. We better go tell their mothers about this!" Tyrone suggested.

"No, brother! That would be snitching!" Lil' Urle said.

"We'll go after them ourselves!" Then the crows and circus mouse raced off to catch up with the twelve princesses.

A few blocks away from Shining Armor's home, two unicorns named Sunset Glare and Starbeam Glamour were taking a walk while looking at the fillies and colts going to school. "Oh, Starbeam, listen." Sunset Glare said. "The merry laughter of little, innocent foals wending their way to school. Thirsty little minds rushing to the fountain of knowledge." He chuckled, and said "School. A noble institution. What would this stupid world be without-." He stopped talking when he saw a poster for a spirit of chaos puppeteer named Discord. He smiled, and said "Well, well, well! Discord! So that old rascal's back in town, eh?" He looked at Starbeam Glamour, and said "Remember, Starbeam, the time I tied strings on you, and passed you off as a puppet?" "Yes, I do." Starbeam Glamour said giggling. Sunset Glare laughed, and said "We nearly put one over on that old spirit of chaos that time." "Yes, we did." Starbeam Glamour said as he and Sunset Glare laughed themselves silly. Then Sweepy Bell skipped past the two unicorns as Sunset Glare said "A little wooden colt. Now, who-." He then stopped, and gasped at Sweepy Bell as he said "A wooden colt!" They ran behind the wall, and poked their heads out as Sunset Glare said "Look, Starbeam. Look." "I'm looking! I'm looking!" Starbeam Glamour said.

"It's amazing!" Sunset Glare said. "A live puppet without strings! A thing like that ought to be worth a fortune to somepony. Now let me see." He thought for a minute, and he then came up with an idea as he said "That's it! Discord! Why that spirit of chaos would give his...listen! If we play our cards right, we'll be on easy street, or my name isn't Sunset Glare." "But it is." Starbeam Glamour said. "I know." Sunset Glare said. "Now, quick! We'll head him off." The ran to the other side of the path that Sweepy Bell was skipping on, and stopped behind a wall. When Sunset Glare saw the little wooden colt coming their way, he shushed his partner, and said "Now's our-." He stopped talking when he realized that Starbeam Glamour was gonna use a hammer to wack Sweepy Bell on the head. He quickly took the hammer away, and said "No, no, stupid. Don't be crude. Let me handle this. Here he comes." "Ok." Starbeam Glamour said as he and Sunset Glare got into position. Sunset Glare place his tail in Sweepy Bell's way as he looked at Starbeam Glamour, and said "Yes, Starbeam, as I was saying to the duchess only yesterday-." Suddenly, Sweepy Bell tripped on the tail, and he fell down "Oh! Oh, how clumsy of me." Sunset Glare said as he and Starbeam Glamour helped the little wooden colt up on his hooves. "Oh, my, my, my, my. Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Oh, I do hope you're not injured."

"I'm alright." Sweepy Bell said. "Oh, splendid." Sunset Glare said as he took Sweepy Bell's book and apple from him. As he ate the apple, he said "Well, well. Quite the scholar, I see." He looked at Starbeam Glamour, and said "Look, Starbeam. A pony of letters." "How wonderful!" Starbeam Glamout said. Sunset Glare gave the book to Sweepy Bell, and said "Here's your book." "I'm going to school." Sweepy Bell said as he started to leave, but then Sunset Glare stopped him, and said "School. Yes. Then, you haven't heard of the easy road to success." Sweepy Bell shook his head, and said "Unh-unh." "No?" Sunset Glare asked. "I'm speaking, my colt, of the theater." He gave Sweepy Bell the apple core, and said "Here's your apple. Bright lights! Music! Applause! Fame!" "Fame?" Sweepy Bell asked. "Yes!" Sunset Glare said. "And with that personality, that profile, that physique, why, he's a natural-born actor, eh, Starbeam!" "Oh, yes, indeed!" Starbeam Glamour said. "And I'm going-." Sweepy Bell tried to say as he started to leave, but Sunset Glare interrupted him, and said "Straight to the top. Why, I can see your name in lights. Lights six feet high." When he realized that he doesn't know the little wooden colt's named, he looked at him, and said "What is your name?" "Sweepy Bell." Sweepy Bell said. "Sweepy Bell!" Sunset Glare said. "S-W-E-E-P-Y-B-E-L-L!" He cleared his throat, and said "We're wasting precious time. Come! On to the theatre!" Then he, Sweepy Bell, and Starbeam Glamour started to walk another path so that Sweepy Bell would become a famous actor.

On the other side of Ponyville, Dusk Shine was flying to catch up with Sweepy Bell as he said "Whew! Fine conscience I turned out to be! Late on the first day! Oh well, he can't get in much trouble between here and school!" Then, he heard singing and marching, and he smiled as he said "Oh boy! A parade!" He marched along to the song, and started to continue his way to school, but he gasped in shock as he said "Huh?" He saw Sweepy Bell walking with Sunset Glare and Starbeam Glamour as he said "Why, it's-it's Sweepy Bell!" He flew after the puppet colt as he said "Hey, where are you going?!" He flew in front of them as he said "Wait! Halt!" They just went past him as he flew after them as he said "Hold on there! Sweepy Bell!" He flew to the top of Sunset Glare's red hat, and whistled very loudly to get his attention. Sunset Glare stopped walking, and said "What was that?!" Sweepy Bell looked up to see Dusk Shine on Sunset Glare's head, and said "Oh, it's Dusk Shine! What are you doing up there?" Sunset Glare looked around as he said "Uh? Who? What? Dusk Shine? Up where?" Starbeam Glamour saw Dusk Shine, and was about to say something, but Dusk Shine shushed him. "But, my colt. You must be seeing things." Sunset Glare said. "Oh no." Sweepy Bell said. "That's my conscience." "Now, now, now, just calm down." Sunset Glare said unaware of Starbeam Glamour taking out his hammer to smash Dusk Shine. "Why, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Dusk Shine gasped, and quickly flew away as Starbeam Glamour swung his hammer, and accidently hit Sunset Glare in the head, smashing the hat in the process. Starbeam Glamour gulped as Sunset Glare really started to get angry, and muttered "Uh oh." He gave the hammer to Sweepy Bell as he said "Take it!" He then ran off as Dusk Shine finally got Sweepy Bell's attention, and said "Psst! Sweepy Bell, over here!" Sweepy Bell looked at his conscience, and said "Oh, Dusk Shine, I'm gonna be an actor." "All right son, take it easy." Dusk Shine said. "Remember, what I said about temptation?" Sweepy Bell nodded as he said "Uh-huh." "Aha. Well, that's him." Dusk Shine said pointing at Sunset Glare who was struggling to recover. "Oh no, Dusk Shine." Sweepy Bell said. "That's Sunset Glare." "Sunset Glare?" Dusk Shine asked. Starbeam Glamour tried to help Sunset Glare who said "Get me outta here! Oooh!" Starbeam Glamour managed to get his partner out of the hat by using the hammer as a croquet mallet, and knocked him into a small puddle of water. Sunset Glare just glared at Starbeam Glamour who chuckled nervously, and said "Sorry about that." "All right, then. Here's what we'll tell them." Dusk Shine said. "You can't go to the theatre. Say thank you just the same. You're sorry, but you've got to go to school."

Sweepy Bell nodded, and said "Mm-hmm." Sunset Glare finally recovered, and said in a high voice "Sweepy Bell? Oh, Sweepy Bell! Woo-hoo!" "Here they come." Dusk Shine said as he saw Sunset Glare and Starbeam Glamour coming their way. "Now you tell them." He hid in the flower as Sunset Glare said "Woo-hoo! Oh, little colt!" He found Sweepy Bell as he said "There you are! Where were we? Ah yes...on to the theatre!" As Sweepy Bell began to take off with Sunset Glare and Starbeam Glamour, he turned to Dusk Shine, and said "Goodbye, Dusk Shine! Goodbye!" Dusk Shine popped out of his hiding place, and said "Huh?! Goodbye?!" As Sweepy Bell, Sunset Glare, and Starbeam Glamour sang a song together, Dusk Shine said "Hey, Sweepy Bell! You can't go!" They didn't hear them, and they were already on their way to the theatre. Dusk Shine began to panic as he said "What'll I do?! I'll run, and tell his father." He stopped himself, and said "No. That'd be snitching. I'll go after him myself." He then began to fly after Sweepy Bell, hoping that he can get the puppet colt on the straight and narrow path.

***Coming up:***