Filly Guides Badge Hunting

Tag-a-Long was getting the Filly Guide Lodge for the Ponyville Chapter in order.

Well actually… it was her living room… but, as the Senior Filly Scout within the Filly Guides of Ponyville, it was her responsibility to make sure that everything was ready for the meeting.

And what an important meeting it was going to be…

This meeting was going to be discussing the Summer Filly Guide Badge for this year. All the fillies were excited to earn a new badge, herself included. Granted, the Ponyville Chapter only consisted of herself, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo as the current members. The Filly Guides were a filly-only organization; no colts allowed. She was hoping that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would join after Diamond’s recent redemption but alas, the Filly Guides were too dirty and rough and tumble for the rich pony and her rich friend.

She enjoyed the nickname of ‘Skip’ as a long-time tradition of being the senior scout, but she liked for the other members to simply call her by name. That level of familiarity was going to be important with the level of trust required for this year’s badge hunting.

Her mother, Guidance Counselor, was the Ponyville Chapter’s ‘Scoutmaster’ as a former Filly Guide herself, and her grandmother, Uncommon Wisdom, had founded the Filly Guides decades ago to install life skills and other ‘uncommon wisdom’ that fillies and mares needed to know. It was an honor to serve in the organization that her family had founded.

The doorbell rang and she ran to the door, excited to let her guests in.

“Welcome to the Filly Guide Lodge of Ponyville. Please come inside and sit down. The Scoutmaster will start the meeting soon.”

The three other fillies were happy to be seated and accepted Filly Scout cookies and milk as a snack while they waited. Sweetie Belle was all too happy to ask questions before the official meeting started.

“So… any idea what the summer badge is going to be?”

Tag-a-Long shook her head. “My mom said that it’s going to be something that is easiest to earn during the summer months but didn’t give me any hints as to what that could be. I guess I wasn’t supposed to get a head start on earning it, if it's even one of the last two I need to earn. Gotta keep it fair.”

The girls chatted amongst themselves, speculating about what the badge might be when Guidance Counselor entered the room. She simply spoke over the chatting fillies, bringing all of their attention onto her.

“All right, Filly Scouts. The final badge decision has been made and I am pleased to get the meeting officially started.”

The fillies all quieted down and waited for the scoutmaster to continue. Guidance cleared her throat in a way that told Tag-a-long that she wasn’t going to like the conditions about to be imposed upon her. Or that her mother didn’t like doing this particular badge event for one reason or another.

“It has been decided by the Rural Area Scoutmasters that this year’s Summer Filly Guide Badge is going to be… ‘animal husbandry.’ Any questions before I explain what you are going to need to do?”

Tag-a-Long gasped. It was one of the two remaining badges that she needed to earn and she had been waiting a long time for this event to come up.

Scootaloo raised a hoof. “Yeah… what exactly is animal husbandry?”

Guidance smiled and pointed at Apple Bloom. “I bet she knows. Apple Bloom? Can you answer Scootaloo’s question?”

Apple Bloom beamed at the chance to show off some uncommon wisdom, as the filly scout catchphrase mirrored the founder’s name.

“Sure can… animal husbandry is the act of intentionally breeding two animals ta produce babies. Fer example, a pig typically takes about 4 months ta give birth after it gets pregnant. A dog, like my Winona, only takes about 2 months ta have puppies. The time it takes ta give birth after getting pregnant ranges a lot dependin’ on the animal. It takes ponies a whoopin’ 11 months to give birth which is why most ponies are born in the late spring or very early summer after the previous summer heat.”

Guidance beamed at the young filly scout. “That is correct! I think you’ve earned the coveted ‘Uncommon Wisdom’ badge for this year with that answer.”

The other fillies beamed at their friend as the scoutmaster pinned the new badge onto Apple Bloom’s guide sash. Tag-a-Long looked at the badge with longing, as it was the other badge that she was missing. Apple Bloom blushed at the praise but didn’t say anything else.

Guidance continued. “So… that is the assignment. You need to breed a dog, cat, pig, goat or whatever you can do so safely to demonstrate a working knowledge of animal husbandry. You will have 5 months to produce provable results. Ideally, the birth of what you breed would be preferred but I’ll accept any form of proof. I would like to give it a longer time frame but any longer than that and it would interfere with the autumn badge hunting later this year. With that… this meeting is officially closed.”

Tag-a-Long beamed. “I got all the meeting notes recorded and I’ll file it with the rest of them. I’ll see the other scouts out.”

She escorted the other scouts to the door and gave them all last second instructions. “If any of you need any help at all please let me know. Since we have a hard time limit for this one, time will be of the essence.”

Scootaloo seemed the most down. “I’m not sure my Aunt Lofty or Aunt Holiday will even let me have a pet, let alone try to breed one. This badge is going to be impossible for me.”

Sweetie Belle shared the sentiment. “Rarity will kill me if I find a tomcat to breed with Opal. It would be different if Opal was mine or if I had a pet of my own, but this will be hard.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Living on a farm has its perks. I’ll be able ta earn this badge without even tryin’.”

The comment earned a glare from the other members of the CMC and Apple Bloom backpedaled from the perceived gloating and offered some advice.

“Sweetie Belle… yah should demand that Rarity get ya a cat ta help ‘teach ya more responsibility’ and then insist on going ta an animal rescue or shelter to adopt an adult cat since that would be more responsible than buying a kitten, and just insist that it’s an unneutered male. Nature will take its course. Scootaloo… umm, I bet Rainbow Dash would help ya find a female tortoise ta breed with Tank if ya explained it ta her. She’s helped us out a lot in the past. I bet all three of us can earn the badge if we work together, like always.”

Tag-a-long closed the door as the CMC walked away to continue to discuss their schemes. Walking back into the living room, she came face to face with her mother.

She took a deep breath and asked a prepared question. “Mom… I was under the impression that the animal husbandry badge was one of the ones you hate the most. Also… I don’t own a pet at all either, so I don’t see how I’m supposed to earn this one without you changing your mind about me having a pet of some kind.”

Guidance sighed. “I haven’t changed my mind. I do hate the animal husbandry badge, but Ponyville is listed as a ‘rural farming community’ so knowing how to farm, breed livestock, and otherwise grow and preserve food are required badges in the Filly Guide. Larger cities offer different badges to fit the environment and to teach fillies and mares the ‘uncommon wisdom’ of how to survive and thrive where they are living. I didn’t like being forced to earn that badge growing up and I haven’t had a pet or a real coltfriend since. While I feel that you are more than capable of taking care of a pet, I just don’t want any in the house.”

She looked at her mother with a frown. “If I aren’t allowed to have a pet… how am I supposed to earn the badge?”

Guidance shrugged. “I guess this is one that you just won’t earn.”

She froze in place. “I’m the senior filly scout of the Ponyville troop. I have to set an example for the chapter. The CMC have a solid plan… I can’t be the only scout that not only didn’t earn this badge but didn’t even try to earn it! And we both know that you will never offer it again! Not until there is a new batch of younger members that need it and by that time, I might be too old to try for it!”

Her mother glared over at her. “I told you to never raise your voice to me. I’ve made my decision and it’s final. If you can breed something without having a pet in the house… then go for it. You’re the senior filly scout, after all, go do some problem solving.”

* * *

The next couple of days brought about some major brainstorming. Going over the Filly Guide rules, she discovered that she could take credit for part of the breeding and earn the badge by helping Sweetie Belle locate a tomcat or by helping Scootaloo locate a female tortoise, and thereby, help initiate the breeding of the pair.

It was a loophole of sorts, but it was her best chance.

She was therefore devastated to discover that Sweetie Belle managed to get a tomcat very easily and Scootaloo had a female tortoise so fast with Rainbow’s help that it was mind boggling.

Her last shot was at Sweet Apple Acres.

“Come on Apple Bloom! Surely there is something here I can help breed for the badge?”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “Sorry, Tag. Ah don’t like loopholes and the rules state that it has ta be your pet. Now. Ya could rent a pen from ma brother and keep a couple of animals here ta breed for the badge but it’s not free. Ma family is runnin’ a business here, ya know.”

She perked up. “I wasn’t asking for charity. I’m sure we can work something out.”

Apple Bloom pointed towards the barn. “Ma brother should be in there. I’m sure he can help ya.”

She went to the barn and walked in. Big Mac was sorting apples into different baskets. From the looks of it, some of them were earmarked to be sold as is, a few others turned into baked goods, and the rest would be used for cider. She couldn’t tell the difference between the different types of apples, but Big Mac clearly could.

“Sir? May I have some of your time?”

Big Mac turned to her. “You’re that Tag-a-Long filly, right? Ma sister speaks highly of ya. How can ah help ya?”

She tried to give her best smile, but she was nervous. “Apple Bloom told me that I could rent a pen to try to earn my Animal Husbandry badge. She also said that you handle that part of the business. Can we… umm… make a deal?”

He nodded. “Sure can. The farrowing pens we have fer rent are meant for pigs or goats. Takes about 5 months for a goat to give birth and about 4 months or less for a pig. Keep in mind that livestock like this is normally sold for a premium price to creatures that eat meat. Female goats are sometimes kept for goat milk as an alternative to cow’s milk. Lucky fer ya, renting a pen is much cheaper than buying an’ buildin’ yer own. Feeding the livestock would normally cost extra but our pigs an’ goats eat the damaged or rotten apples that we can’t sell or use in the pies or cider, and we have end up with more than enough extra waste apples that ah won’t charge ya extra to feed them. So… how about an even 100 bits?”

She gulped. Tag-a-Long only earned 5 bits a week as an allowance so it would take every bit she would make for the next 5 months to rent the pen.

“I can pay it… but it’ll take 5 months for me to get all the bits to you. I don’t suppose that I could use the pen to earn my badge and then let you sell the piglets yourself to cover the expenses? You’d probably make more profit like that.”

He eyed the filly with suspicion. “Ah could do that… but it doesn’t seem ethical ta profit off yer hard work. Ta earn the badge, you’d have ta come by the farm nearly every day and help feed yer livestock ta be actively participating in the husbandry process. It’s gonna be time consumin’.”

She started to tear up. “I don’t care how much work it’s going to be and I don’t care about making a profit! I just want the chance to earn the badge. I’ll do anything for the chance!”

He looked her up and down with increased interest. “Anything, huh?”

She looked up into his eyes. “…Yes, anything!”

He sundered up to her and looked down at the filly who was half his age. She backed up a step, unsure as to where this was going. With a grin that was less endearing and more lustful, he leaned down and whispered into her ear.

“How about ya lift yer tail for me? Let’s have some fun and ah’ll have no problem lettin’ ya use the farrowing pen fer free.”

She froze in place before looking up into his eyes. “You mean… sex? Aren’t I too young?”

He shook his head. “Yer about the right age to start getting curious about the in’s an out’s of it. Ah normally take payment in full before ah rent out a farrowing pen. There’s no guarantee that the piglets will survive long enough ta sell at market. At least this is a payment of sorts and ah would be happy to work the compromise with ya.”

She backed away from the older stallion. “Umm. I’m willing to consider it as a last resort. Give me a couple of weeks to figure out if I can come up with the 100 bits before I decide to take this free route. Okay?”

Big Mac stood back up to his full height and smiled again. “Take all the time ya need, but remember, it is breeding season. These here farrowing pens will fill up fast if ya don’t reserve one in advance. Ah’d hate fer ya to miss this one in lifetime chance to earn this badge.”

As she left the barn and headed back into town, she had to wonder if she had any other options. Every other member of the Filly Guides didn’t need help or couldn’t help her. Apple Bloom was willing to let her use the farm if she paid the fee. Big Mac’s offer for a free pen was almost too good to pass up but it carried an expensive non-monetary price.

What should I do?

* * *