Stare Master

Stare Master is the seventeenth episode of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, season one. In this episode, Fluttershy offers to take care of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. This is the first and only episode in season one where Applejack does not show up, as well as not being with Apple Bloom. The episode's title is a play on the exercise device Stairmaster.

Introduction
The episode begins with Rarity in her shop trying to complete an order of twenty robes for Trottingham by the following day. Her sister Sweetie Belle tries to help in an attempt to get her cutie mark, but just ends up making a mess. Fluttershy soon arrives to drop off Rarity's cat Opalescence from her grooming appointment. Rarity is surprised at how well behaved her cat is, seeing as she couldn't get Opal to behave without getting scratched. She asks Fluttershy if she used "the Stare" on Opalescence, but Fluttershy says it's just due to her being good with animals.

Moments later, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, arrive for their sleepover at Rarity's house. Together with Sweetie Belle, the Cutie Mark Crusaders plan on finding their hidden talents in order to get their cutie marks. Sweetie Belle even made capes with golden underlining for the three to represent the group. Unfortunately, the gold she used was part of a silk cloth Rarity needed to finish her order. Realizing that it's going to take much longer than before, Rarity is forced to cancel her sister's sleepover. Seeing the young fillies disappointed, Fluttershy offers to take care of them. Rarity warns her that her little sister and her friends can be quite a handful, but Fluttershy insists.

In town, Fluttershy runs into Twilight Sparkle, who's off to visit Zecora in the Everfree Forest for some tea. Learning that Fluttershy is going to babysit the three fillies, Twilight wonders if she can handle it.

Fluttershy babysits the Crusaders
In Fluttershy's cottage, she asks the Crusaders what they'd like to do first. The fillies suggest going adventuring in the Everfree Forest, but Fluttershy forbids this due to the forest's dangers. The Crusaders try to be "creature catchers", but their roughhousing results in breaking a nearby table. They then try their hoof at carpentry to fix the table, but that doesn't work out so well either. Fluttershy tries to keep them quiet by playing a game of "Shhh!", a game of who can be quiet the longest, but the Crusaders end it immediately by losing on purpose. Before the three's hyperactivity gets out of hand again, Fluttershy sees them to bed, promising they can do more "crusading" in the morning.

The three fillies claim they aren't sleepy yet, so Fluttershy sings them a lullaby. Sweetie Belle recognizes the song, and Fluttershy suggests she sing along. Her version of the lullaby, however, is loud enough to wake up the chickens in a nearby chicken coop. The Cutie Mark Crusaders run out of the house to help rustle the flock back to the coop. In the end, Fluttershy is able to get the chickens back in the coop by giving them an intimidating look.

Fluttershy tucks the Crusaders into bed again, but they're still wide awake. They still want to find their talents, and decide to sneak out of the cottage when they notice that one of the chickens has escaped to the Everfree Forest.

Venturing to the forest
"All I needed to do was just show them who's in charge. Nothing's gonna get past Fluttershy. Good with animals... Good with kids..."

- Fluttershy

Fluttershy is relieved that it's quiet, but notices that it's too quiet. She goes to check on the fillies and discovers that they're gone. Looking into the henhouse, she also notices that one of the chickens named Elizabeak is gone too. Seeing hoofprints leading into the Everfree Forest, Fluttershy hesitantly ventures into the forest to find them. While the Crusaders argue amongst themselves, Fluttershy finds Twilight, only to discover that she's been turned to stone. Realizing what this means, she rushes to find the fillies.

Fluttershy finds the Cutie Mark Crusadiers looking for the missing Elizabeak. She tells them that a cockatrice, a creature with the head of a chicken and a body of a snake, is on the loose, and warns them not to look one in the eyes. However, they laugh at the silly description before seeing the chicken pass them by. They notice a second chicken hiding in the bushes, one with a long reptilian body: the cockatrice. Its stare causes Elizabeak to turn to stone. The Crusaders panic at the sight of this, and Fluttershy tells them to stand behind her. When she sees how scared the fillies are, Fluttershy confronts the cockatrice face-to-face. She counters the cockatrice's gaze with her own intimidating stare, ordering it to change Elizabeak and Twilight back to normal. As the cockatrice runs away, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, impressed by their babysitter's ability, dub her the "Stare Master". With Twilight and Elizabeak free from the creature's spell, they all return home.

Epilogue
Back at the cottage the next morning, Fluttershy explains to Twilight the events that happened, inspiring her to write another report to Princess Celestia. Helping the Crusaders pack up so Rarity can take them home, Fluttershy learns one shouldn't do a task that is more than can be handled.

Rarity then returns, surprised at how well her sister and her friends behave. She asks Fluttershy to help her with a new problem with her cat Opal, who is clinging tightly to her body.

Quotes

 * Rarity: Now back to work. I lost a lot of time, and I can not have anymore interruptions. WHAT NOW?!


 * Rarity: Did you use... "The Stare" on her?
 * Fluttershy: Oh no! I wouldn't. I couldn't. I-I don't really have any control when it happens. It just happens. Really. I'm just good with animals. It's my special gift, you know.


 * Fluttershy: What does that patch on your cape mean?
 * Cutie Mark Crusaders: (shouting) The Cutie Mark Crusaders! Yay!
 * Scootaloo: We're on a crusade, a mission!
 * Apple Bloom: To find our cutie marks!
 * Sweetie Belle: Yup. And look. I lined them with this special gold silk. It took sooo long to make, but I think it adds just the right touch, don't you?
 * Apple Bloom and Scootaloo: Oooooh!


 * Fluttershy: So, what should we do?
 * Scootaloo: I'm gonna get my mark first!
 * Fluttershy: Girls...
 * Sweetie Belle: Nuh-uh!
 * Fluttershy: Shouldn't we--
 * Apple Bloom: I am!


 * Scootaloo: We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!
 * Apple Bloom: And we wanna crusade for our cutie marks!
 * Sweetie Belle: And we um... Yeah what they said!


 * Apple Bloom: Hammer!
 * Scootaloo: Hammer.
 * Sweetie Belle: Hammer!
 * Scootaloo: Hammer.
 * Scootaloo: Hammer!
 * [pause]
 * Scootaloo: Hammer.


 * Sweetie Belle: Um... that doesn't look like a table.
 * Scootaloo: We were making a table?
 * Apple Bloom: Somepony needs to put this thing out of its misery.
 * Scootaloo: We are definitely not Cutie Mark Carpenters.


 * Fluttershy: Now that we've gotten that out of the way, how about a game?
 * Apple Bloom: A game?
 * Fluttershy: It's called "Shh."
 * Scootaloo: What's that?
 * Fluttershy: Well... It's a game about who can be quiet the longest. Sound fun? I'm the world champ, you know. I betcha can't beat me! ~Squee~
 * Scootaloo: ...I lose!
 * Sweetie Belle: Me too!
 * Apple Bloom: Me three!


 * Apple Bloom: How about "Cutie Mark Crusader Coal Miners"?
 * Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo: YAY!
 * Fluttershy: NO!
 * Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo: Awww...


 * Apple Bloom: Oh wait, now I know how to call a chicken... Scootaloo! Scoot-Scootaloo!
 * Scootaloo: That's so funny I forgot to laugh.
 * Apple Bloom: Y'also forgot how to call a chicken! [Smiles smugly]
 * Scootaloo [Shocked]: Why, you...
 * Apple Bloom: [Blows a raspberry]


 * Apple Bloom: Maybe our special talent is arguing!
 * Sweetie Belle: What would a cutie mark like that even look like?


 * Fluttershy [To Twilight's stone statue]: Don't move! I'll be back for you!


 * Fluttershy: YOU! Just who do you think you are, going around turning others into stone ?(as she's being turned to stone) You should be ashamed of yourself! I have half a mind to find your mother and tell her what you've been up to, young man! Now you go over there and turn Elizabeak and my friend Twilight back to normal - and don't ever let me catch you doing this again! Do you understand me?