This story is a sequel to Alicorns and Beards
When Eric Reed claimed that he had learned how to predict the future, Twilight Sparkle was understandably skeptical about it.
However, Twilight quickly found herself aghast when Eric successfully pulled off his boasts. Eric is just a regular human, so it shouldn't be possible for him to do this kind of stuff...right?
Will Twilight figure out how Eric learned to do something that not even she, an alicorn, can do?
This story happens three days after "Alicorns and Beards". But, it's not needed to read "Alicorns and Beards" first to understand this story (and laugh) though it would hint at one of the reasons why Eric chose to perform his tricks to Twilight, besides that she's Twilight.
This story also takes place after the events of A Giant Adventure to Equestria and it's also not required to read first, other than to learn Eric Reed's backstory and how his bond with Twilight and the other characters formed.
EDIT: featured on 06/19/20 & 06/20/20!!
The 2 and the 5 that you multiplied the original number with would be 10, same with the 3x4x6=72, the number your victim picks is merely a detractor, add or subtract by a number knowing the result would be icing on they cake by then. Should actually work on any number that is not 0 (Had done it with .00001 and still worked)
Twilight:
GRRRRR! WHY CAN'T I FIGURE THIS *SQUEEEE!* 
OUT! 
It is all a question of multiplication being a commutative binary operator, and eliminating your initial number.
It is just less obvious when done with multiplications than with additions.
10342015
You're the first to say how it's done! I'll have to think of a prize or something...maybe.
10342074
A more technical way to say it. Twilight appoves.
10342274
Thanks, and glad you're liking it so far!
I think I saw a VSauce 2 video covering a maths "illusion" like this, quite recently.
so basically a brony goes to Equestria after session nin ends only to find he's also gone slightly back in time and knows things others think he shouldn't? (for lack of better wording)
Cute. I suspect she'll figure out the math eventually, though only after going down about 12 wrong roads and possibly discovering multiple methods of achieving actual clairvoyance in the process.
10342506
I've seen a few videos from Vsause, but I don't know I've seen that one yet. Hmm.
10342535
None of that with my Eric Reed stories, though if I did, it would probably be part of a much bigger and longer story where that's part of the plot. It a type of story I might do in the future.
10342583
10342664
Found it!
Twilight's so smart, for 5 minutes she forgot algebra existed.
This old trick? My dad used to do it on me a couple decades ago. Seems so silly and obvious now.
10343350
And she's going to feel silly about overlooking how the trick works too.
10343922
That math trick is just a little appetizer for what's next. Unless it was taught to you so you're already aware of it, the mind-reading one is going to be much tougher to figure out how it works.
I've seen this trick before. It lost all its remaining mystery the moment I applied some basic algebra.
I think I know this trick.
It has something to do with how tense the hoof/hand is, if you’re thinking about it, it’ll tense up.
Chapter three: the detachable thumb.
While I agree that thinking of one hand could tense it up, there are still quite a few people that can still think on a hand and still not have it tense. Cartoon logic would likely have allowed Eric to feel the sweat off the frog of the hoof Twilight was thinking of, however a more subtle approach would be Eric watching Twilight's eyes the whole time... she would have very likely (yet subtly) glanced at her hoof of focus.
As for the next step: mind alteration... though I am reminded of an old Russian mind control work trick my dad had once told me about.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2016/11/13/1294965__safe_artist-colon-arifproject_edit_editor-colon-watermelon+changeling_minuette_angry_animated_arif%27s+angry+pone_bust_caption_floppy+ears_flo.gif
10345135
Yep, that's it!
10345262
As much as Eric loves to see Twilight squirm any chance he gets, he doesn't want to that much
10345388
That sounds like something the season 6 Starlight might have been open to doing in a prank.
10345708
Trixie will be mad about the human using parlot tricks to outsmart and troll Twilight... without her.
10342015
Me, lol.
10344244
Same.
10347779
I haven't seen you comment in a little while. Welcome back!
10345135
That was actually my theory, lol.
10345388
The eye focus thing was my other theory, lmao.
Hey, free food is free food.
Usually this is how you get undergrad students to be your test subjects!
My only complaint is that their anger toward Eric seems a little too cut off. Other than that, this is a hilarious story
10350344
I know right? I would have done the same thing if I were them.
10350413
At least Sunset is Twilight's student, kinda. Especially if you go with her line in "Forgotten Friendship" about Twilight being her teacher
10350620
Yeah, that did end a bit too quickly now that you mention it, but I was trying to keep this chapter as short as possible.
I probably would have said "potato", because they're my favourite vegetable.
The whole time i was reminded of that time when Twilight read Rainbow Dash’s mind.
10351004
That was a "mind-reading" trick I heard about too. If Eric was doing his tricks on Sunset, I may have used it in this story.
I'm not sure if Twilight would know/remember enough about the states' names for Eric to use it on her (given the EQG world has the USA) so I had to stick with tricks that wouldn't require knowledge about places on earth.
10351173
Thanks!
10350865
Since I know about this trick now, I don't know what I would have said if it was done on me without me being aware of it. Probably carrot, given that's the most common answer.
10347590
Oh, yeah. Trixie would have loved seeing Eric troll Twilight so much!
10351254
I think I'd say potato because it's one of my 'prepaired insults' that I have so I can have a snappy comeback that's funny. Just alongside it being my favourite veggie.
10342015
So basically, he picks a number that is his end-game's end result, then does math in his head quickly based on what number she picks, then has her perform multiplication, addition, subtraction etc until he gets her down to the number he wants her at? Clever.
I'd figured it had something to do with reflexive body reactions, otherwise he'd not have needed physical contact.
So am I correct in guessing that he had one or more pictures of carrots in the room where she could see them?
10382787
Nope, and Eric would have said that in narration if that was the case since Twilight didn't figure it out. He did nothing to tempt Twilight to say "carrot", and is why even he admitted that he doesn't know why the trick works.
https://www.fimfiction.net/group/213901/my-little-reviews-feedback/thread/447489/reviewing-how-to-frustrate-your-adorkable-alicorn
Another amazing story. Great job.
Awesome fucking sequel!
10881528
Thanks, and glad you enjoyed it!
This was a hilarious story and I loved it! Keep up the good work.
10351167
I wonder how long it will take for someone to wave the white flag.
10351004
I... fell for it...
static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tamakicorner_2.png
10354480
No. While she chooses a number at the start, he also has her divide by that number, meaning the final answer has nothing at all to do with what she picked.