"Please, come in! Excuse the mess, I've been grading all afternoon and haven't really..."
"No worries! I'm no stranger to a little dustiness myself."
"I don't doubt it! You know, sometimes I'm envious of you. You have Spike around to help you keep things neat."
"He's a real treasure! Maybe you could ask him to help around here, too."
"Oh, no, I wouldn't dream of adding to his workload. Anyway, that's not why I asked you to visit, Princess."
"Please, we're friends. Let's just keep it 'Twilight,' hmm?"
"Somehow I knew you'd want it that way. Okay then, Twilight, I know you've got a busy schedule so I'll get right to the point. I'm thinking through an idea to have you take on some teaching responsibility of your own."
"Oh! Oh, goodness, uh... I don't suppose you mean the kind of teaching I've already been doing for Starlight Glimmer?"
"Correct, I'm not. Teaching in more of my capacity. Kind of like a tutor for school-age ponies."
"Oh. Tutor, huh? I've done that before. The young ones called it Twilight Time, and it got pretty messy by the end."
"Yes, kind of like that."
"What, messy?"
"No, no, sorry. Kind of like Twilight Time, I mean, only more regular. Keep in mind that this is just an idea, and it started as just a fun little logic puzzle for me to do before bed. Now I'm curious what your thoughts on an arrangement like that would be."
"Wow. Uh, okay. This is sudden..."
"Remember, it started as a game. I'm not formally asking you to become the town's second schoolmare. It's just a logic puzzle."
"Logic puzzle. Like, cause-and-effect? Guessing what would happen next?"
"Yep! And to convince you to stay...ta-da!"
"Whoa! Spirits!"
"Do you like it? I haven't had a reason to drink with a friend in a long time, and this is an old favorite of mine. It's not as strong, but it's more flavorful as a result. Won't you join me?"
"You know what? Playing a logic game sounds pretty fun!"
"I knew you'd see it my way. Guests and royalty first!"
"Heheh. I'm grateful that you see me as a guest before royalty!
"Very true! Now then, let's start from the beginning. This all began with Spike."
"Spike? Why?"
"It's pretty straightforward. Spike is a quick-witted and intelligent little dragon. By all accounts, just as well-taught as any of my little ponies. I attribute that knowledge to you."
"Heh, I am a pretty savvy teacher."
"Maybe, but let's not forget who's certified here!"
"Heh. Go on!"
"So, my first thought that began all of this was the question of 'why.' Why was Spike so intelligent? And it's because he learned from you, Twilight. And why did he learn from you?"
"Because he's spent his entire life at my side, learning everything I've been learning."
"Exactly. Now you're getting the point of the game. So now we know that Spike is one smart dragon, and that he was taught by one smart unicorn. Even if most of it was learning by proxy. Now then, my next line of thinking naturally turned to how that kind of intelligence could be extended to the fillies and colts I teach every day."
"Mmm! Which then became the idea of having me teach them as well!"
"Precisely! Now the game can really begin."
"Okay, then! Let's see...my next big question to follow that would be 'what.' What would I do from there?"
"I can take a guess."
"Go on!"
"You would probably overthink it for an hour before accepting, and you'd probably say something like how it would be a good exercise in your overall teaching skills."
"That...hmph!"
"Hit the nail on the head?"
"I do not overthink things!"
"Heh, only when Spike's there too. Doesn't he help to keep you grounded?"
"Cheerilee! I'm shocked!"
"Yeah, but you're still drinking, which means I'm right."
"Oh, you're terrible."
"What comes next?"
"Hmph! I suppose it would be another question of 'what.' What would happen first? Or rather, what would I try to teach first?"
"If you're only tutoring, then it would all be dependent on what my current subject is at that time."
"Ah, true. Then how about something I try to teach on my own?"
"I thought you'd say that. Well then, what would you teach first?"
"Astronomy!"
"Wow. That was quick."
"See? I do not overthink things! Sometimes the answers are obvious!"
"You're still drinking, Twilight."
"But this time I'm right!"
"Heheh! Okay, so, astronomy. That's quite a bit more advanced than what school-age ponies will learn, but then again that's not the point of the game. Let's say you teach them astronomy. How would that go?"
"Obviously, they would learn the names of some constellations, know the structural matter of meteorites, and I'd host some once-a-month field trips to go stargazing in the meadow!"
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
"Because I have a different scenario."
"It's your game."
"I think you won't make much headway in your lessons until a couple weeks have passed. You'll spend most of your teaching time trying to get the class to settle down while also experimenting with things you've seen me do, like assigned seating, scheduled lessons, and incentives."
"Incentives? For school ponies?"
"Incentives. Things like recess time, little gadgets, pieces of candy that you'll soon take away because you'll realize you need to get approval from the parents first and who wants that kind of trouble, and colorful stickers!"
"Cheerilee, I think you're projecting."
"I think you're overthinking! Play the game, Twilight. There's still half a bottle left!"