Life is A Test 2: Test Harder (Quite A Bit Harder)

by Brony_of_Brody

Beat The Post Office Again

The first part of getting Graham ready for his checkup is to first procure the right tools for the job. With that in mind, Fluttershy takes you into her cottage to explain how she's going to go about it.

Graham, as Fluttershy explains, reacts strongly to a rather specific smell, and unfortunately, the medicine she needs with that exact aroma is starting to run rather low, forcing her to special-order some more. However, such a thing is not so easy to pull off, for there are several obstacles in the way.

Her supplier explained via their supply of transporting dragon-fire that they need to get the medicine to her, but ever since the terrible Spam-thrax attacks of...well, a week ago, the top-secret organisation known as the Ponies In Black (not to be confused for the organisation made up of ponies with black coats, the Ponies OF Black), and the store that makes the medicine can't really send any package out, out of fear of having to explain why they need to send such strong stuff out to an animal most ponies aren't sure is legal to keep, which would be bad. Very bad.

Unfortunately, email hasn't been invented in Equestria, and both sides lack a Spike to send packages that are not letters via dragon-fire, so to beat the most rudimentary delivery service of them all - the post office - the suppliers have a cunning plan. They intend to send the package to Fluttershy, secured by a Padlock of Chaos, a creation of Discord's that, should it be tampered with, releases an incredibly potent toxin that turns all who tamper with it into rubber chickens. Along with all their friends. And pets. And Prince Blueblood. Such a padlock is also designed to unleash the gas if the package itself is tampered with too. So needless to say, it's secure as heck.

However, by the same token, how is Fluttershy even supposed to open the package? The supplier cannot send her the key, otherwise it falls into the hooves of the PIB. And the PIB's reach extends pretty darn far, so Fluttershy has to assume that should anypony concoct the most fiendish plan, the PIB will know about it and react accordingly as soon as it is explained.

With the only means of communication being their own personal supply of dragon fire exclusively for letters, how can Fluttershy receive her shipment of medicine without the medicine itself falling in the hooves of the PIB? They're so good, they can intercept dragon-fire mail, so assume whatever plan you concoct will be picked up by the organisation, so make it good.

Author's Note:

Hi folks, I'm back. Had a good Christmas, by the way. I'm back with another chapter, and another puzzle!

1. All packages need to be sealed with a padlock.
2. Unsecured packages will be picked up by the PIB.
3. Therefore, keys to the padlock cannot be sent to the party on the other end.

PUZZLE: How can Fluttershy receive her shipment of medicine for Graham without the PIB snatching it up?

Comments

[ScopingLandscape]

I think this is how it would go:
1) The supplier locks the package with a padlock and send it to Fluttershy
2) Fluttershy locks the package with another padlock and send it back to the supplier
3) The supplier opens their lock and send the package back to Fluttershy
4) Fluttershy opens the package.

Why does this work?
Well, it's because when the supplier lock the package, it's secure. When Fluttershy sends it back to them with another padlock, they can safely open the padlock they lock on the package in the first place and then send it back to Fluttershy. And now, Fluttershy can safely open the package with her key to the padlock she put on.
Bit of a process, but it's better than getting the package picked up by PIB. ☺

[The Real Anonymous Pony]

9368359
Dann that's a good idea.
Also, I recommend putting spoilers ([*spoiler][/spoiler*] (without *)) around your text.
like this