[open quest] Mathematics&physical exercise DEADLINE EXTENDED

[Tir - the teacher]

There’s children among them, and the teenager’s invention thankfully doesn’t get explained in all it’s details, so a not-amused look towards the little scoundrel is all that takes place. Points are awarded for creativity - the gel doesn’t exist in Beqanna, though it does elsewhere in the universe - similar to several other ‘inventions’. Sure, they get good points for their creativity to think of it - just a little less than the mythical or wholly new stuff.

“Thank you for all your great inventions today. I’m sure many will be... useful…” he trails, noticing he is missing one creation, but he continues. Class first.
“Unfortunately for you I can’t let you take them all with you. Perhaps someone still may - but we shall see about that later.

For the last assignment, I will be combining an overall favourite and an overall least favourite subject. Welcome to…

Maths and PE.”

The class is transported to an outside setting: in front of you is a creek, one bucket each, and a trail that’s sure to test you. At first glance it looks simple - the trail runs from the creek into a plains, though the way is obscured by rocks and crevices so deep Pangea looks like child’s play. Looking closely, it more resembles a labyrinth - and for those looking even closer, you’ll find that there is no water source on the trails. There is a pool on the other side, but you’d have to reach it first to refill.

Three trails are marked: with 1, 5, and an infinity symbol.

Tir appears with his instructions.

“Only one of the marked paths will bring you to the other side. This path will wind around the trail for 5 hours and bring you to the other side, but the buckets you’ve each received can only hold enough water to last 4 hours. If you’re out of water, apart from getting terribly thirsty, you’ll have failed your test.

This task is not impossible - you are not alone, and the water source here, being a creek, will not run out. How many horses (each carrying one bucket) should you take with you to still make it to the other side? That’s the path you seek.
I’ll see you there in five hours - or when I have to magically transport you out of the maze, which means you’ve failed. Good luck.”

---

*All traits and defects have disappeared, so no flying over. One horse can carry one bucket.
*Take the trail to the other side that is marked with the least number of horses you need with you to carry water and make it.
*Describe how you cross the desert. This includes how you came to your answer to the problem, as well as any difficulties you may have with the terrain.
*1000 word maximum. I don’t think you’ll need it but please, no longer
*Assignment can be done individually, in pairs or trios, or with all contestants together. Your posts will be judged individually as before.
*Assignment is due Sunday August 25th, midnight (23:59) CST.

---

Horse	Process	Chemistry	Inventivity	Purpose	Personality	Naming	Total	Assign1	Avge.
Olver	100	75	100	100	100	100	95.8	85.6	90.7
Lepis	90	80	90	90	80	100	88.3	86.3	87.3
Cassian	30	30	80	100	100	100	73.3	78.1	75.7
Cyprin	100	100	90	100	95	75	93.3	91.3	92.3
Nolin	100	80	80	60	80	50	75.0	85.6	80.3
Lilliana	100	90	85	90	90	100	92.5	91.9	92.2
Aeolus	100	70	100	100	100	100	95.0	86.9	91.0
Bethlehem	70	70	80	100	100	100	86.7	90.6	88.6
Ruinam	100	75	80	100	100	50	84.2	87.5	85.8
Elaina	100	90	80	100	90	100	93.3	78.8	86.1

---

*Sevda: For your no-show and presenting of absolutely nothing before the deadline, you will be nothing - to others at least - you’ll not be able to speak. Perhaps this way, you will learn to pay a little more attention to what is being said and shown to you. This defect will last for a minimum of 6 Beqanna months, after that for as long as you’d like

[Tir - the teacher]

Dear students,

Due to my noticing that some of you have some trouble with this assignment the deadline has been postponed by roughly 2 days. Use your time well.

-remember, both water sources do not run out
-think of all the restrictions I haven’t given instead of only the ones I gave you
-all can make it to the other side if on the right trail. pick the path with the least number of ‘helpers’ you need to complete it
-for those who were ready to post the answer by now, a time system will start after the original deadline. Those who post within the original deadline (3pm cst today, friday 23rd) are safe, those who post in 24 hours after that will get a minimal time substraction, those who post after that (so on sunday) a slightly larger amount of points will be taken.

I’ll be equally happy with posts of problem-solvers who almost made it or give the wrong answer, as long as your logical reasoning is presented well, as those with the right answer with only half an explanation.

See you on sundae
Tir

[Lepis]

Her classmates around her, Lepis watches the presentation of new materials with a wry smile. Some are fascinating, some less so, but all are gone in the blink of an eye. They arrive outdoors, and Lepis blinks away the bright sunlight from her blue-grey eyes before taking in the scene ahead of her.

Ahead of them is a creek with a stack of pails, and then a trio of paths that Tir tells them lead across wasteland. No, only one will lead them across – the others will presumably lead them into danger or worse: to nowhere. The trails are marked with the number of horses they need to take with them, and each of them can only take one bucket worth four hours of water. The trail will take five hours to walk. They need to choose the trail with the least number of horses to take with them. They can refill their buckets but there is no water inside the labyrinth.

Lepis frowns for several minutes, glancing back and forth from one trail to the next. She certainly need not take more horses than any natural number, so the infinity trail is not an option. That leaves the trails marked 1 and 5. She hears the others around her – something about organization and flower chains? - but she has already made her decision and says as much to the horse beside her, a black mare named Blackie.

One is less than five, and she is more than capable of running.

So she grabs her pail and scoops up her four hours worth of water, and starts down trail 1 at a steady trot with Blackie beside her.

The dun mare has come to the conclusion that the trail must be a bit less than 20 miles long, since a horse can walk at four miles an hour and surely the obstacles will slow down progress a bit. At a trot (8 miles per hour) such a trail would take only two and a half hours, but she means to canter (11 miles per hour) when the way seems clear enough to cut that time down even farther. This should give them plenty of time to complete the trail and reach the plains on the other side.

With the bucket held firmly in her mouth, the now-wingless pegasus rounds the first canyon bend. The way is narrow, and there will be no cantering through here. They make a wrong turn several times and end in a dead end, but follows thier hoofprints back without losing too much time. When the canyons widen again, the two mares pause to take a sip of water.

Lepis is glad they have, because while still, her watchful eyes catch motion ahead of them. She might not have seen them if she were moving, but trails of scorpions – moving oddly like ants – lines the trail. She is able to step over each one with carefully timed steps, and breathes a sigh of relief when they are behind her. The desert is not an unfamiliar place to a woman born in the Loessian hills, and she is grateful for her experience with terrain at least something like these labyrinthine canyons.

Their next obstacle is a sheer drop off. Lepis paces back and forth a few times before gathering the courage to look down. There it is, a narrow path that leads down the cliff and then back up the other side, and she takes it without hesitation. Another swallow of water marks the passing of an hour, and Lepis eyes the remaining three hours worth of water in their bucket thoughtfully.

Time to carry on.

When the trail is smooth enough (which is rare) she canters, and when it is not she trots, careful to keep her water held tightly. The sun overhead is bright and hot, and Lepis is no great judge of distance, at least not in an unknown place. As time passes, she wonders if she has made the correct choice, but does not consider turning back. Instead she carries on, certain that she will eventually round a bend in the canyon that will reveal the open plains ahead of her and prove she has taken the proper trail.

If she and Blackie do not both reach the plains by the time three hours have passed, Blackie has agreed to give Lepis her remaining hour of water and wait for Tir to rescue her. This suits Lepis, who does not question her classmate’s generosity, though she does mean to pay her back in the future if possible.


ooc: lepis and i really hate math okay

[Nolin]

He listens as the faerie speaks, math and PE.....well at least he was good at PE! He could do simple math...so he can only hope this isn't some trigonometry task.

As the faerie finishes off with three trails and the possibility of grouping up or going alone he looks around for a moment. It seemed everyone else had to contemplate the faeries riddle, but slowly the equines started moving and Nolin quickly found himself beside the familiar face of Cyprin.

It seems the other horses all had similar ideas, but there wasn't much time to waste and so the pale stag and his partner, Cyprin, discuss and agree upon there plan and quickly move to the trails.

They both grabbed a bucket full of water, and headed towards trail 1. It seemed to make the most sense, the infinity trail certainly didn't and trail 5 sounded like they needed more equines. It made the most sense to him and Cyprin to keep the numbers to the smallest amount possible, less likely to run into issues.

They begin there Trek, it was already hot under the desert sun and the pale stag knows he is going to need every drop of his water, no matter how hard he tried to salvage it.

The first hour seemed to go by lightning fast, they had discussed it before traveling, Nolin would have to fill up Cyprin's bucket with his own water and return back to the beginning to refill his own. He couldn't have a lady putting in the extra work after all, and so he did as they planned. He filled her water up till it flowed over onto the ground, oops he laughs before turning back to the starting line.

He didn't want to dehydrate himself and so he walked back, filling his bucket up as he reached the beginning. Now he had to make up for lost time and so with a full bucket in tow he canters back to where he left Cyprin.

It was already an exhausting task, going back and forth but when he finds the familiar face of his new found friend he cant hold back a smile. His pace was already set and together they cantered to make up for lost time. 

They had to have made up for there loss time, half way maybe? Although an unfamiliar but unsettling sound rings into his ears, and it grows louder as they keep moving. It was like a rattling noise, he hadn't heard it before but his gut told him it was bad news.

Still the pair pushes through but as they come around a bend the noise becomes clear and they both slide to a halt, graciously saving ever precious drop of water. His eyes gaze wide as he turns to look at Cyprin, snakes? Now what do they do? It had to be a breeding ground of sorts because there was HUNDREDS OF THEM!

Of course they were blocking the trail and Nolin can only wonder if this is a sign from the faeries that this was the wrong trail...but he couldn't give up! Maybe they wanted to see who would outsmart this task and so he diligently begins to look around. It took a few moments, and they both used it to catch there breaths, but his eyes finally catch the answer! Theres a ledge just to the right of them and it allows a safe route around the snakes.

Let's go this way, he nudges his nose into Cyprin's shoulder before moving to the ledge. It wasn't too high off the ground but still they had to be careful getting up. He nearly lost his footing but as he manages to get up and he patiently waits for his partner to follow suit as well.

They safely make it around the the group of poisonous snakes, and again with a smile on there faces they break into a trot when they are able to leap from the ledge and back onto the trail's original route. 

They seemed to be moving FOREVER, but somehow the end was in sight, literally! They two friends share a glance of exhaustion and excitement and together they canter to the finish line, or at least they think it is, there buckets filled with just enough water to cool down from the trip!

[Cyprin]

They are all in a classroom, huddled together with their newest inventions in hand. Cyprin smiles to herself, but before anything else can be said or done in the chemistry laboratory, the teacher teleports them elsewhere. Everything is a whirlwind. Her mane whips as a strong wind greets her at the new location.

She listens, but hesitates underneath the afternoon sun. The concept of exhausting labor deters her, but there is no other option if she wants to see this through and dive into her potential. With a concerned glance to NAME, a silent agreement of cooperation is made.

Together it is, then.

With hurried steps, Cyprin retrieves her bucket and fills it, but only after taking an initial few sips of water to begin her journey. Hydration first, she muses airily. Once her thirst is quenched, she lifts the filled bucket and takes off after Nolin. Fewer numbers means fewer parched mouths. Their water should last. The hope seeds itself in her heart as she begins with a brisk pace so as to not take too incredibly long. Occasionally, she pauses so that the water does not sway too much and dump out the sides. Once steady, she resumes after Nolin as the minutes quickly melt into their first hour traveling down trail one. The water, unfortunately, depletes as they scale winding paths and rocky canyons. It isn’t long until they are parched again.

Nolin abandons her as according to their plan to retrieve another bucket full of water, replenishing what was empty. A smile sweetly lifts a corner of her mouth, but she presses on diligently. While he is away, Cyprin walks so that he can more easily catch up to her when he canters to her side, the refilled bucket accounted for.

During their travels, however, they are eventually faced with yet another obstacle. This time, it isn’t the perilous landscape that gives them pause, but a rhumba of rattlers. Her jaws clench hesitantly as she scrutinizes the oversized nest of them. Instincts want her to freeze, but fortunately Nolin grabs her attention and steers her down another path along a ledge. His reassuring nudge provides her courage to turn from the venomous snakes and teeter her balance appropriately in order to reach safety. ”Shanks,” she thanks him with her teeth clenched around the handle of her bucket.

Together, once free of the serpents and rocky ridge, they gain momentum again to make up for lost time. Each bucket contains four hours of water. One bucket has been refilled - making eight hours worth of water now -, and at their pace it is taking less than the allotted five. They should be fine. And with only two thirsty mouths instead of five or more, that leaves them with a passable remainder by the time they finish.

Cyprin’s breaths are labored from the exertion. Her muscles scream at her, but still she moves. Indeed, it does seem like an eternity that they are traversing this rocky landscape. A glance over her shoulder replays the paths, snakes, valleys, and rocks they have overcome in the past few hours. Almost there, she tries to tell herself. Facing forward again, she follows Nolin and tries to still ensure that minimal water spills during the movement.

Panting as they come to an end, Cyprin immediately places down her bucket with enough care as to retain what’s inside before leaning against Nolin for some support. ”That was exhausting,” she whispers as she tries stretching to soothe her coiled muscles.

[Elaina]

They are transported, by magic, and Elaina is starting to think this land has more magic than she will ever know what to do with. That blonde head of hers is whirling as the next challenge is described. Make a journey in five hours with only four hours worth of water. Amber eyes are already closed as she considers her options. Opening only when the mention of pairs reaches her. Lilli! No longer did they have to be alone and Elaina races to her cousin’s side with a smile on her face. “Together, we can do this, Lill,” she says as she presses her forehead to her cousin’s for a brief moment before turning out to look at the rest of her class. “Anyone else you think we should bring with us?” She asks. This is when she mentions someone that surprises the sunflower girl: Cassian. “Umm, sure,” she says with uncertainty. Elaina knows little of Cassian, only his previous experiment, which causes her to be…hesitant. Golden face turns towards the young stallion and chin raises just so, as she calls out to him. “Hey, Cassian, do you want to join our group?” She asks him, something she will possibly come to regret.

“Any ideas?” She asks, hopefully, those wild firestorm eyes glancing to each of their faces, desperate for answers. As Cassian stares off into the trees, Elaina’s heart sinks in her golden breast, why did they let him into their group again? Still, she couldn't deny it, he was rather cute, maybe that alone could be enough to warrant his keep. No, focus. Lilli and Elaina, the two summer children of beyond, begin bouncing ideas off each other, but they only were leading to dead ends. It was looking like this round would be forfeited, when Cassian turns to them, with an idea on his tongue, and better yet (and entirely shocking), it is an idea that just might work.

She reaches her golden muzzle forwards and touches his shoulder, the equine equivalent of a pat on the back. “You’re brilliant, Cassian!” she exclaims. In order to complete the task, they needed one more in their group, making them a group of four, divided into two pairs. They turn to the path marked with a 1, signifying the one helper they each bring, and onwards they go.

The task, as Cassian has explained to them, was that the four of them would walk together to the first checkpoint, in which a pair would give their water to the remaining two before returning to fill up their buckets. They would move on to the end, fill their buckets, before returning to hour four, where the other pair would be waiting. Their buckets would be refilled and they could all finish together.

They travel for an hour, and this walk is by no means an easy task. The craggy rocks threatened a sprained ankle with every step. Those sharp edges waiting for tender skin to trickle crimson blood against its harsh structure. Amber eyes find themselves staring downwards with each carefully plotted step, slowly moving along, careful to keep from any minor trips or slips. They could not afford anyone’s bucket to spill. She is reminded of the mountainsides of Paraiso, racing up them to meet Aerwir in secret. There is muscle memory there, it is the only reason she spills not a single drop from her bucket, and makes not a single misstep. The first checkpoint is reached and Elaina lowers her bucket to the ground. “Okay, so I think Lilli and I are going to be a pai…” she starts to say before Cassian interrupts, clearly, he was planning on her being his partner. There was little time to argue, so she pushes her forehead to Lilli’s of crimson and mutters an ‘I love you’ before continuing on with Cassian. With their teammates’ water supply safely in their bucket, they would be able to make it the rest of the way. Hoping the bucket in Cassian’s mouth would keep from talking too much, this path was hard enough without his voice grinding her ears. She waits for him to lead the way, knowing she would not be able to make it another four hours if she knew he was staring at her behind the entire way.

With buckets held in their mouths just so, it makes talking difficult, and Elaina doesn't dare try for fear of dropping it to the ground with a shattering, failing clank. Whether Cassian makes an attempt to run his mouth is fallen onto deaf ears as the palomino girl shifts her focus onwards. But, the path would not be so easy. Cassian and Elaina come up a small ditch, a deadly surprise layering the bottom. Scorpions. Oh, god, Elaina thinks to herself, how were they going to get around this? Elaina gently places her bucket down as those firestorm eyes peer out from beneath long, dark lashes, spotting a solution. “Cassian, use your big muscles you keep flexing and push that rock over the scorpions. It will make a bridge we can walk safely over,” she suggests. The large rock was able to cover the stinging creatures, granting them safe passage across.

The remainder of the trip, though strenuous and rigged, remains uneventful, until they finally make it to the other side. Their buckets are once more filled before traveling back to Lilli and their fellow teammate. As Elaina pours some of her water into Lilli’s bucket, she struggles not to simply wrap her cousin in a tight embrace. They were going to make it. (She thinks.)

And make it they do. All four of their teammates emerge on the other side, they hope at least. Elaina remains close to Lilli, amber eyes peeled and searching for the teacher to announce their fate, and scarier yet, their grade.

[lilliana]

Their previous classroom has shifted, morphed by the magic of their teacher and so the chestnut finds herself standing among her classmates as she glances apprehensively to the creek before them and the buckets. Tir speaks in what seems like rhymes and riddles, things that send her mind spiraling and spinning as she tries to understand what exactly it is that he asks.

The numbered trails, the crevices that wind and become obscured from view, the buckets they must carry and the time they must do it in.. she blinks again and her blue eyes look for her cousin. It doesn’t take long for the girls to seek each other out.

The reunion between the two is brief but enough – bringing the assurance the chestnut mare is needing. Their foreheads press in greeting and Lilli smiles at her cousin, her mind already thinking of possible teammates to join them. She turns her crimson head to observe her classmates, sorting through the faces that have become familiar throughout the course of their classes and her blue eyes come to rest on the dark form of Cassian. Lilli ponders the thought for a moment and then turns her attention back to Elaina, ”Ask Cassian. He can be.. thoughtful.” (Of course his thoughts had been of another sort entirely during their last assignment together but something is endearing about him.)

Her cousin doesn’t question Lilli’s suggestion and calls him over. As their class starts to split amongst themselves, Jackie joins them and together the group of four discuss the possibilities of an answer. A bucket with four hours of water and a five journey. Lilliana’s head has never been one for math or probabilities but still, she tries to imagine the journey, to gauge what her thirst would be. She can see the concentration on Elaina’s golden brow as the two contemplate and turn the riddle over in their minds. But as much as Lilli searches, she can’t find an answer. An inquiring glance over to Cassian shows his gaze looking to the trees, to the clouds, to anything but the task at hand. ”What if,” Lilli starts and looks to the buckets.

But her sentence stops there, the thought ended before it has already begun. The two continue to run ideas by each other, looking to Jackie for advice or input. And then the answer comes from the most unlikely of sources - Cassian.

Returning from his daydreams, the stallion offers a simple solution. The quartet will all go together for the first hour and then pour an hours’ worth of water into the buckets of the first pair. The second pair will then return to the creek, fill up their buckets and journey for four hours. The first pair will retrieve water from the pool at the other side and meet the second pair at the four-hour mark. Blue eyes round with surprise and then her smile beams, dazzling for Cassian. The discussion moves to what path they will take and since they will be in pairs, they decide to take the trail marked one. Two groups of two, a helper each. Lilli finds herself in the second group with Jackie.

An air of trepidation fills around the slender mare as she reaches down for her bucket, dips into the creek for her fill of water and then follows behind Elaina as they make their way down into the craggy nooks and rising cliff faces. The wall of stone rises higher and hides the sunlight from the sky above. It slinks them down below, winding them in a way that makes Lilli think of slithering snake. The two pairs continue for an hour, eventually coming to the point where they must part. Elaina places her bucket down and out of instinct, Lilli starts to go to her. They have always done everything together. Why wouldn’t they now? But the black stallion sets his heart on Elaina (Lilli’s own heart flutters at this, wishing, wondering maybe and reveling in possibilities for her golden cousin.) She smiles to Elaina and a firm nod to Cassian - which means should anything happen to Elaina, it will be the black stallion who Lilli comes to interrogate.

Lilli and Jackie fill the buckets of Cassian and Elaina and turn back for the creek, back through the narrow path and through the shadowy corners that Lilli does not like. They trek the hour back, fill their buckets and then start the journey again.

The beginning is familiar but it is when they reach the cliff edges, the places where the path narrows to a point where only a single horse can fit that Lilli balks. A misplaced step sends smaller pieces of gravel tumbling below without an echo to signify that they’ve reached the ground. Lilli wants to gulp for air but is hindered by her bucket. But with Elaina waiting for her, she manages to follow Jackie through the trail. She is mindful of each step, of the balance and position of her crimson body as the pair make their way to the plains. The fear of falling is real, almost paralyzing so for the young mare.

When they finally start making their way down the pass, when the heights no longer seem so extreme and ledges so dangerous, they find themselves emerging to the open plain. But here waits the most devious thing of all: scorpions. In Lilli’s mind, they appear in the thousands, seem much bigger and menacing than the small arachnid they are. But Jackie and Lilli are careful, moving slowly past the rocks where the scorpions sunbathe.

Finally, finally, the reach the fourth hour. And when their water runs low, Lilli sees the form of Elaina and Cassian emerging, coming for them. Hope dawns and the water flows into their buckets that they have filled from the pool. Together, they all trek to the final hour to where they hope Tir waits.

[Aeolus]

Aeolus watches wide-eyed with fascination as the others present. Some of them are very clever. However, he wasn’t too keen on the invention of a sleeping material that Lepis made. He figures his mom would like to get her hands on that.
 
When everyone is done presenting, Tir teleports them outside for their next assignment. Aeolus isn’t quite sure about the math part, but he figures he could at least do well when it came to the physical part.
 
The young boy looks around to the other students that are gathered. His purple ears swivel back in forth in confusion as he listens to other students discuss. Some of them gather in pairs or more. Aeolus begins to feel left alone. He glances around, somehow, he had missed seeing the other colt. Quickly, he moves to meet the buckskin. “Hi there! I’m Aeolus. Do you wanna be my partner!? What’s your name?” He asks bright-eyed. The buckskin colt smiles warmly back at him and says, “Sure! I’m Benny the Buckskin or just Benny! What is the plan?” Aeolus begins to discuss the plan.
 
Once their planning is finished, Aeolus and Benny grab their own buckets and scoop 4-hours worth of water. The duo quickly heads down trail-1 at a walking pace of 4 mph for the first hour. Aeolus and Benny marvel at the different rocks and crevices at the beginning of the trail. Both are thirsty along the way and drink a bit of their water. Aeolus decides to refill Benny’s bucket to full and his is at half-full.
 
During the second hour, Aeolus decides to trot ahead (8 mph) to get a better look while Benny continues to walk. After trotting for a while, Aeolus notices the land begins to narrow across a deep crevice. There is a thin rock structure (like a bridge) connecting one end to the other. The boy gulps loudly as he comes near the edge. He decides to not take another step forward. Aeolus turns towards the bridge and decides to cross it slowly. He is cautious with each step because he knows one misstep will likely lead him to his death—and he barely has lived his life! Inching forward Aeolus keeps his bucket firmly in his mouth. Step by step, he eventually makes it over to the other side. A loud squeal of excitement leaves his lips and he quickly trots forward. Aeolus becomes thirsty during the second hour and drinks some of his water (1/4 of water left) and Benny drinks some as well (3/4 of water left).
 
The third hour begins to roll around, Aeolus can feel his limbs starting to shake from all the trotting he has been doing on the craggy ground, but he presses on. He knows he is a good runner (even if it might just be all in his head). Aeolus continues to trot during the third hour towards the end of the trail (he can see the other water source that Tir had mentioned). The purple colt leaps forward with excitement as he continues his trotting pace. However, his front legs give out as soon as he lands. Aeolus quickly falls forward face first. “OUCH!” He screams, feeling his face all smashed against the ground. Aeolus gets up and shakes his head. He knows he will have a couple of bruises later that will need to be explained to his mom. The boy rolls his eyes at the thought of his mother’s reaction when finding out. Aeolus shakes off the dirt once more before heading towards the finish line. He refills his bucket from the pool. Benny becomes thirsty during this hour and drinks some water (2/4 of water left).
 
During the fourth hour mark, Aeolus walks back to recover from all the trotting he had been doing earlier. He drinks some of his water (3/4 of water left). His scrawny limbs began to ache from all the physical exercise, but he doesn’t waste anytime to meet Benny again. “I thought I’d never see you again!” He says and the two boys chuckle. Benny has 1/4 of water left in his bucket, so Aeolus shares some of his water with Benny leaving them both with a half bucket of water left (2/4). “We better hurry up; we don’t have a lot of time left!” Benny says, and Aeolus nods his head in agreement. Benny and Aeolus decide to walk the remainder of the way for the last hour.
 
“There is the finish line!” Aeolus says when he sees the familiar landmarks. Both colts let out joyous neighs. Making the final stretch to the end was hopeless though—suddenly a large scorpion appeared coming towards their way. It was the same size as them! Benny screamed loud (Aeolus would have giggled since Benny sounded like a filly), but he was also too busy screaming too. The scorpion comes, snapping its larger pinchers and its stinger high (ready to attack!). Aeolus ran to the right while Benny stood like a deer in headlights. The scorpion ignored Aeolus and went straight for Benny. Aeolus snorted angrily and quickly turned around and charged at the scorpion. When he was near, he quickly reared up and smashed his front hooves onto the scorpion’s stinger who was too busy snapping his pinchers ready to make Benny the Buckskin it’s next meal. The scorpion screeched loudly as its stinger was cracked and quickly hurtled away from the two colts.
 
Aeolus smiles widely at Benny who was now huddled into a small ball crying. “Stop crying, you little girl. It’s gone now!” He laughs. Benny peeks up and notices the scorpion was gone. He stands up and wipes away his tears. “I wasn’t crying, you baby.” Aeolus shakes his head and smiles wider. “Alright, baby. Let’s finish this now!” Aeolus and Benny finally cross over to the finish with their buckets that both have 1/4 of water left, hoping to find Tir waiting.

The solution: https://i.imgur.com/gRkOhl6.jpg

[Olver]

Olver watched as the classroom spun away from sight, a sensation of vertigo consuming him twisting his gut in and over itself. Soon though his hooves were planted on solid ground and Tir began to talk as if nothing had happened. Because he had spent his whole life only listening he had become particularly good at it. So, while the teacher talked he scanned his surroundings, a hot, stale desert full of mazes.

Take the trail to the other side that is marked with the least number of horses you need with you to carry water and make it.

Olver could only assume this was the trail marked one, since he did not say the trail to the other side of the one that is marked with the least number.

He could do this he thought, he scanned the group of horses with him some had left already and some were grouped together to take the 5 trail. Anyone would be pretty oblivious to take the infinity trail since infinity has no end. As it were there seemed to be noone to go with him and so with a huff Olver went to collect his bucket and fill it with water.

First he takes his fill from the river itself, filling his stomach with what he thought he needed before filling his bucket. He did not fill his bucket completely though, he left just enough room for water to slosh around without spilling not wasting any more than he needed.

He set off down the trail marked one, by himself. The land was dry and the sun was hot but he felt pleasantly sustained by the drink he took before he left. The dirt cracked beneath his hooves as the trail curved away from the group. His water held steady as he walked a comfortable pace as not to wear himself out before the journey began. The trail slopes down suddenly into an array of canyons, narrowing in its form as he went. Carefully he stepped along being careful to raise his head enough that the water didn't capsize the buckets edge.

Again, Olver had become accustomed to listening and taking in his surroundings. He could hear the low whistle of air rushing down a particular canyon when he came to a crossroad and followed the cool breeze. This must be the turn that lead to the opening and the other source of water. After that when the path began to split into more than 2 paths he became slightly confused. He would sit his bucket down in the middle take one long swing and then make his way down one and then two, both coming to dead ends. Each time he would follow his markings back to his bucket. Taking yet another drink, he stood between the remaining two paths, closing his eyes to listen.

He had a 50% chance of picking the final and correct path. In the distance he could here the call of birds, echoing off the solid canyon walls. This would be the path he chooses. He picked up his bucket in this last attempt before heading down his chosen path. His bucket by now was nearly empty.

As he was walking, he heard a soft growl floating from a ledge not far ahead of him. He turned to the noise and there sat a large cat staring him down. Without hesitation Olver took off, not contemplating the next series of paths to consider but set on escaping the jaws of the cat that had chased him. When he finally stopped to search the cat was nowhere in sight, but a horse from class stood lazily around the next corner. Panting he made his way to Ruinam, his bucket was almost empty. He had gotten lost in his escape and when he finally paused to stop he drank from his remaining water, a shallow pool covered the bottom of his bucket. Ruinam graciously offered him some of his as well. He could hear distant chatter to the left path and decided he would follow it. The end was near, he could feel it and he had just enough water to make it to the shining sun on the other side. Once he got there he promised Ruinam he would refill his bucket and come back for him.

[Cassian]

gotta do it in the penthouse
that's where I keep my pen

Let’s be real, Cassian most certainly will not be top of his class. Actually, just passing would be a miracle, really. It’s become quite clear he seems to have a severe allergy to taking things seriously. And, well, he really hasn’t had much incentive to. Not when his decidedly boyish humor grants him much better reactions than grave, serious intelligence would.

As if anyone would mistake Cassian for anything resembling grave, serious, or intelligent.

But hey, he has his charms at least. Which, as it turns out, is quite fortunate. Once they’re transported to the maze with it’s three seemingly innocuous trails leading into the unknown, he does have to wonder who in their right mind would want him on their team. It’s not like he’d displayed the most, er, brilliant of minds to date.

But, much to his surprise, he hears his name called, a pretty golden mare asking him if he’d like to join them. He blinks at her for a moment before favoring her with a wide, delighted smile. He trots over to join them, eyes bright as he glances between Lilli and her companion. “Elaina, is it?” he asks by way of greeting, casually winking at her as he settles nearby. “Hmmm, I think Gorgeous would be more fitting.”

She doesn’t quite seem to know what to do with that, but, well, we already know Cassian is pretty incorrigible. In any case, she is soon deep in conversation with Lilli after he offers up no immediate ideas to their dilemma. To be honest, he hadn’t really considered it. And, naturally, as they talk, his mind begins to wander, eyes flitting about rather aimlessly.

Surprisingly enough, he’s actually considering the problem with some (limited) diligence, despite his lost expression.

The girls have probably given up on him by the time the solution comes to him. Really, in the end, it’s actually pretty simple. He’s definitely gotten himself out of weirder situations before. “Um,” he interrupts, gaze jumping to the trio. “I’m pretty sure we can just send someone back to get more water.”

All three turn to look at him with wide, surprised eyes. He shrugs as though it’s nothing, but secretly he’s pretty pleased he managed to surprise them. “I mean, two of us can just fill up the other two’s buckets after we’ve gone an hour and go back to get more water. And the other two go to the end and get water and come back to fill the first two’s buckets when they’re empty.” He grins at them as understanding dawns, along with the realization that he, of all horses, managed to find an answer. “So, uhhhh, one helper each? Easy peasy.”

When Lilli favors him with a dazzling smile, he winks jauntily at her. Elaina’s exclamation draws his attention, and he tugs playful at a stray lock of her hair when she reaches out to bump his shoulder before quipping teasingly, “Well, I’ve got someone to impress, don’t I?”

He does rather enjoy the way she seems to blush in response to his teasing.

In short order, they’ve all gathered their buckets and filled them at the stream. The bucket in his mouth prevents him from making any more wayward comments as they head down trail number one, and so they travel largely in silence, picking their way carefully over the rough terrain. Once they’ve traveled an hour, they pause to make their water exchanges.

They hadn’t managed to clarify who was going with whom quite yet, and well, Cassian ain’t no fool. Setting his bucket down, he bumps Lilli with teasing camaraderie before interrupting Elaina to say to Lilli, “Trying to keep her to yourself, I see” He laughs, the sound warm and low with amusement. “Smart.” He smiles broadly at her before continuing, “Mind if I steal her?”

With a decidedly impish expression, he glances at Elaina and winks. He doesn’t wait for an answer before drawing her over to their buckets. Looking back at Lilli and Jackie, he gestures broadly to the pails at their feet, “Let’s fill ‘er up and we’ll see you in a few hours.”

Soon enough, he and Elaina have had their buckets filled, and as Lilli and Jackie retreat to the stream, he and Elaina continue onwards. With his mouth full of bucket, he can’t really say much (he’s pretty sure she’s ignoring his flirtations anyway), but he does manage to wiggle his tail rather jauntily at her as she follows him.

A lot.

They both stumble to a halt however, when they encounter a rather intimidating looking nest of scorpions. Honestly, he hadn’t been paying much attention, so the few they’d passed hadn’t really hit his radar. But this writhing mass of black bugs certainly give him pause. He stares at them curiously for a long moment before Elaina interrupts his reverie. Setting his bucket down, he tilts one eyebrow at her before grinning. “Yes, Ma’am!” One could almost imagine him saluting as he goes to shove his shoulder into the boulder. One could also imagine him not quite deliberately flexing his muscles as he moves the large stone over the path to give them safe passage.

As they pass the scorpions, he tosses a jaunty smirk at her over his shoulder, despite the bucket once more in his mouth.

The rest of their trip is rather uneventful, and when they reach the water at the end, they both refill and begin the short trip back to meet Lilli and Jackie. An hour in, they encounter the duo. After sloshing some water into their dry buckets, they all turn around and make their way back to the end of the treacherous path. Once there, Cas drops his bucket and turns a quite merrily towards his unlikely team. “Well, that was fun!”

Cassian