The Jack of All Trades

by Lord Zalgo

Stare Master

“Are you sure you don’t mind taking me to Zecora’s, Phoenix?” Twilight said as she and Phoenix walked through town in the direction of the Everfree Forest.

“Of course I don’t mind. It’ll be nice to see Zecora again anyway.” Phoenix replied. Suddenly, three fillies zoomed past both of them, effectively disorientating them. After they recovered their bearings, they noticed that the fillies were the Cutie Mark Crusaders and that Fluttershy was right in front of them. Fluttershy then flew over to them.

"Oh! Hello, Twilight. Hello, Phoenix. Where are you two off to?" She asked.

"We’re heading to the Everfree Forest, to Zecora's, to get some of my favourite tea." Twilight answered. Fluttershy responded with a worried look.

"Th-the Everfree Forest? Uh, you'll be careful, won't you?" Fluttershy asked.

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy. I’m accompanying her to make sure she doesn’t get lost in the forest.” Phoenix continued. Fluttershy seemed to calm down after hearing that.

“Oh, good. With Phoenix there, I’m sure you’ll be fine. N-not that you wouldn’t be fine on your own, but- Oh, dear.” Fluttershy looked around, embarrassed. Twilight giggled soothingly.

“It’s alright, Fluttershy. How about you? What are you doing with the girls?" Twilight replied curiously. Fluttershy landed calmly before continuing the conversation.

"Rarity has a big order to fill tonight, so I volunteered to take the girls over to my cottage for a sleepover." Fluttershy said.

"Wow. Sounds like everypony has their hooves full today. Taking care of those three fillies all by yourself? You sure you can handle it?" Twilight asked in concern.

"What? These sweet little angels? They'll be no problem at all." As Fluttershy spoke; Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo ran over to us, smiling so sweetly, one could swear they saw halos above their heads. Phoenix looked over to the girls.

“Make sure you behave, girls. I do have Cheerilee’s phone number memorised.” Phoenix said sternly. The girls’ smiles faltered slightly from worry and all three of them gulped lightly before nodding. Fluttershy then led the Crusaders in the same direction as Phoenix and Twilight before turning to walk towards her cottage. The two groups waved goodbye before parting ways as the sun began to set in the sky.

Twilight and Phoenix continued to head to the forest. At the threshold of the forest, Twilight seemed to hesitate. Phoenix turned and smirked.

“Come on, fearless leader. What’s the worst that could happen?” Phoenix said. Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but Phoenix continued to walk into the forest.

“Rhetorical, sweetheart.” Phoenix said. Twilight quickly followed, not wanting to lose her guide. They walked through the forest for a few minutes before they began to converse.

“I’m more than happy to help you, Twilight, but why did you pick me to accompany you here?” Phoenix asked.

“Well, I was going to go alone, but I remembered that you found your way to Zecora’s hut really easily when you were affected by the Poison Joke.” Twilight explained.

“Making me the perfect guide, right?” Phoenix said, more of a statement than a question. Twilight nodded before tripping over. Phoenix was instantly by her side helping her up.

“You alright?” Phoenix asked.

“Yeah. I just tripped on that stupid rock.” Twilight replied. Phoenix’s eyes didn’t leave the rock she pointed to.

The strangely shaped rock...

Once Twilight was on her hooves again, Phoenix picked up the rock with his magic and pulled it closer. What he saw flared his senses and he was ready to move. A stone tortoise with its eyes in a widened state.

“Twilight, we need to move.” Phoenix said with finality.

“What? Why?” Twilight asked.

“There’s a cockatrice on the loose. We need to leave.” Phoenix replied.

“A cockatrice?!” Twilight exclaimed. Before they could react, a creature flew from the shadows and approached them at an incredible speed. Phoenix turned to see what it was.

Which was one of his greatest mistakes.

The only thing in his sight was the crimson gaze of a cockatrice. He felt his hind legs become stiff and impossible to move, but the same sensation continued to spread across his entire body. In his last moments of consciousness, he pushed Twilight out of the way of the cockatrice with his magic. Within seconds, Phoenix’s vision became black and his mind went blank. Twilight watched in horror as Phoenix’s body became stone with a look of fear plastered permanently on his face. Unfortunately, Twilight didn’t have enough time to recover before the cockatrice made eye contact with her, subjecting her to the same fate as Phoenix. Even the single tear she’d shed became stone as well.

The cockatrice retreated back into the shadows when it heard a voice and rapid hoofsteps coming towards the area.

“Twilight? I-is that you? Oh, Twilight, it is you. Phoenix! You’re here too. I need your help. The girls are out here somewhere, and I'm afraid that they're—.“ Fluttershy couldn’t finish her thought as she realised what had happened to the two of them and gasped in complete fear.

“Oh! What's happened to you two?” Fluttershy asked them despite part of her knowing the answer and her friends’ inability to reply.

“Oh, no! If you've been turned to stone, it must mean—Oh! Oh no, the girls! Don't move; I'll be back for the both of you. GIRLS!” Fluttershy said before flying back into the forest to look for the Crusaders.

Silence fell in the forest after Fluttershy left. The moonlight bathed the stone ponies in an azure glow. Suddenly, light began to emerge from Twilight’s stone form as the rock coating shattered and was blasted from her body. She inhaled deeply and coughed a few times before analysing her situation. Her analysis stopped when her eyes met with the statue that was once Phoenix Fortesque. She walked towards him tiredly and put her hoof to his face and flinched at how cold it was. Her tears were about to come again, but the same light emerged from Phoenix the stone was blasted from his body.

Phoenix’s exhaustion hit him hard as he started to sway slightly before stabilising himself. He noticed Twilight immediately as she had already wrapped her hooves around him. They heard voices in the distance, which they recognised as Fluttershy and the Crusaders.

“Come on. Let’s get back to them.” Phoenix said as he began to support Twilight. They walked back to the girls as they both slowly began to recover their strength. When they finally exited the Everfree Forest, Fluttershy offered to house Phoenix and Twilight for the night to recover. Twilight gratefully accepted, while Phoenix politely declined.

“Getting stoned really takes it out of you.” Phoenix said with a smile, causing the girls to laugh and the Crusaders to look confused. Before Phoenix could leave, Twilight stopped him.

“I saw... Before you were encased in stone, you tried to save me.” Twilight said with a smile.

“I suppose it didn’t work.” Phoenix replied.

“It doesn’t matter. Thank you.” Twilight said before hesitantly moving her head forward and kissing his cheek.

Phoenix blushed as Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy let out a sound of appreciation for adorableness, while Scootaloo let out a sound of disgust. Phoenix waved as he walked away from the cottage as the girls waved back and went inside.

As Phoenix walked back to town and back to his home, he contemplated the fact the Fluttershy was much more capable and powerful than she allows herself to be.

‘I think I should work on sharpening that rose’s thorns.’ Phoenix thought. However, there was another thought on his mind.

‘Two of the girls have kissed me on the cheek. Is... Is it just something girls do when they’re friends with somepony? Hah... Mares...’ Phoenix thought in defeat before sleep overtook him.

Author's Note:

Sorry about this chapter being so short. I'll try not to make a habit of this.