//------------------------------// // Puzzle 1: Mentors // Story: School of Logic: a Collection of Puzzles involving the Student Six // by Coyotek4 //------------------------------// After so many months of having her as a professor, the ‘Young Six’ had gotten rather used to seeing Pinkie Pie in a number of strange poses and appearances. This day, upon seeing the pink earth pony enter the room regaled in fortune-teller garb, a crystal ball placed upon the center of her desk, just felt a bit more unusual than others. “Yep,” Gallus begins, “just another normal school day with Equestria’s most abnormal professor.” Yona follows: “Uh, Professor Pinkie Pie? What with weird get-up?” “I’m not getting up, silly; I’m sitting down,” Pinkie cheerfully replies as she takes her seat at her desk, pulling out a blank sheet of paper from a drawer. “Now then,” she continues as she gazes into the crystal ball, “Which of you have the ability to see into the future???” The students exchange quizzical looks with each other. Smolder turns to Sandbar: “Is this another one of those ‘pony’ things we don’t know about?” The latter can only shrug. “Now,” Pinkie starts, “your professors, including yours truly, will be holding one-on-one sessions with all of you.” “Did we do something wrong?” Silverstream asks, fear in her voice. Pinkie laughs. “No, nocreature is in trouble. We just feel … well, actually, it’s Headmare Twilight who feels … that you all may benefit from some private conversations. A chance to share your experiences, goals, and worries, and get some useful toothy … uh … tube-lace? …” “Tutelage?” “Thanks, Ocellus! Yeah, some private tooty-ledge from none other than the Element Bearers themselves. Each of you will get to meet with one of us. Isn’t that great?” “That’s wonderful,” Gallus deadpans. “What does that have to do with fortune-telling?” “And who meet with Yona?” the yak adds. “What an incredible coincidence!” Pinkie declares. “Those questions go hoof in claw in talon!” Once again, the students turn to each other in confusion. Yona opens her mouth to speak, but Gallus pats her shoulder and speaks for her. “Yona, Smolder, Sandbar, Silverstream, Ocellus AND Gallus confused.” “As we speak … well, ‘me’, anyway … Twilight and the others are randomly determining which pony gets which student. We felt … well, ‘Twilight’ felt … that nocreature should feel slighted if he or she really wanted one particular professor, or headmare as the case will be for one of you. This way, everycreature has an equal chance to meet with everyprofessor.” “OK,” Smolder says, “but what about the fortune-telling part?” “That’s the fun part. You’re all going to make predictions as to who each of you get!” Gallus blinks. “I’m sorry, professor, but where does the ‘fun’ come in?” “Predictions can be lots of fun! Trying to guess who’ll win the annual Young Fliers competition, or wondering which evildoer will be next to try to take over all of Equestria … you can make a game about anything!” “I love games!” Silverstream declares, as Gallus puts a talon to his face and groans to himself. “So come on, everycreature, make your predictions!” Pinkie states before grabbing a pencil with her mouth, prepared to jot down their comments. The students turn to each other, none sure how to begin. Finally, Yona speaks up: “Yona predict that Yona not get Headmare Twilight.” Pinkie proceeds to put the comment to paper. Sandbar goes next: “Uh, I’ll predict that Ocellus gets Professor Rainbow Dash.” His comment draws a shy smile from the changeling. Smolder follows: “Well, I’ll predict that I’ll get either Headmare Twilight OR Professor Rainbow Dash.” Gallus snorts in derision. “This really isn’t particularly fun, is it?” Pinkie spits the pencil out from her mouth. “Aw, where’s your playful spirit?” she gleefully chides. “C’mon, what do you predict?” she asks, before again grabbing the pencil by her mouth. “Fine,” Gallus responds: “I predict that Smolder is wrong.” His comment causes the young dragon to stare daggers at him. “What? She wanted a prediction, I gave a prediction.” In an effort to avoid further confrontation, Ocellus quickly speaks up: “I predict that Silverstream gets somepony other than Rarity.” “Oh, oh, my turn!” Silverstream excitedly states. “OK, I predict that Sandbar gets … uh … one of our pegasus professors. So, either Professor Rainbow Dash or Professor Fluttershy.” The pencil falls from Pinkie’s mouth as she jots down the last of the predictions. “Great job, all of you!” she states. Her tail twitches, her ears flap, and she assumes several trance-like poses, before reverting to normal. “And not a moment too soon!” she exclaims as Twilight enters the room. “Wait,” Smolder says, “did you just predict Headmare Twilight coming into the room?” Twilight observes the students, then turns to Pinkie. “Your ‘Pinkie Sense’ went off again, didn’t it?” The grin and closed eyes that forms on Pinkie’s face confirm her belief. Twilight then turns back to address the class. “I trust that Professor Pinkie Pie told you about the meetings we’ll be holding for the six of you.” “Yeah,” Gallus responds, “right before having us make predictions about who gets who.” Twilight again turns to Pinkie, inspecting her outfit. “That would explain the garb,” she states as she eyes the predictions on the desk. Quickly, she scans the predictions. “Hm,” she notes. “This is a fun coincidence.” “Ooo, more fun,” Pinkie replies as she pulls the notes back towards her. “So what’cha got?” “Well, it’s just that exactly two of these six predictions are true … and the students who made those predictions were the ones who got paired with you and me.” The students look towards Twilight with confusion. “Uh, Headmare Twilight?” Sandbar asks, “what’s fun about that?” Pinkie quickly replies: “ ‘Fun’ is in the eye of the beholder, Sandbar. We all have our ideas of what makes something ‘fun’. It’s part of what makes ‘fun’ so special!” She turns to Twilight and starts bouncing in anticipation. “So who did I get, Twilight?” “I already told you,” the alicorn cryptically reply. Pinkie ceases bouncing as she takes in the response, the students looking on in surprise. “Waaaaaait a minute … is this another one of those puzzles where you’re gonna tell me you’ve given me enough information to deduce which pony got assigned which student?” “That’s exactly what this is,” Twilight gleefully concludes. “WOOHOO!!!” … Ocellus’s outburst causes her fellow students, and Pinkie, to turn to face her. “Oh … sorry, just a little excited,” she sheepishly explains.