REMASTERED - Chapter 3 - Learning the Ropes
Together Arc and Ember enter the Town Hall. It looks less like a meeting place and more like a repair shop. Supplies, books, and half-finished projects fill the room to bursting. Ember looks around the room.
“Mythic Honor? Are you here?”
Arc turns to her. “Maybe he needs a bit more time to get cleaned up.”
A voice comes from a pile of junk in the corner of the room. “Ember?! Is that you?!”
The very old unicorn emerges from the pile and walks over to them. He is clad in a fresh, but still worn blue robe and appears to have removed the briars and feathers from his frizzy white beard. Ember rolls her eyes.
“Who else would it be? Anyways, I want to talk to you about this… thing I found in the wasteland on my way back from Vengeance.”
“Something new you say?!”
Arc looks over at Mythic Honor “Um… I think she’s talking about me.”
“Of course I am you idiot!”
Mythic Honor looks to Arc. “Welcome to our little corner of Tartarus!”
“Thanks. I think.”
The old unicorn gestures with a hoof around the room. “This here's my lab! I make whatever I can from whatever I can get my hooves on for the tribe! I'm also the town's smith, doctor, and alchemist! Bring me whatever you find out there!”
“Uh... okay. What should I be looking for?”
Mythic Honor looks Arc up and down. “How about some Beetle Chitin to start! With that I can make you some armor! You'll need it to survive around these parts!”
Arc puts his spear over his shoulder. “Sound advice. Now... where are these beetles?”
“Ember'll show you!”
Ember gasps. “I will?!”
“Yup! Now get moving!”
Mythic Honor retreats back into the pile from whence he came. Arc and Ember leave Town Hall. Ember looks over to Arc as they make their way back to the wagon. She appears visibly upset.
“I know he seems a bit odd, but he's the best there is at what he does… as strange as it may seem at times.”
“Yeah, I kinda got the whole ‘mad scientist’ vibe from him.”
Ember frowns. “He’s not angry, you idiot!”
“I mean…”
“Whatever. Anyways, beetles often roam around the fields nearby. We should go see if we can find them grazing on rocks.”
She looks Arc up and down, clearly unimpressed before continuing.
“Unless, you need a rest that is.”
“I think I just got my second wind. Let's do this.”
The other members of the Vile Tribe have already unloaded the wagon and it sits empty. The two head for it as Ember turns to Arc.
“Just so you know, most of our diet consists of beetle meat.”
Arc shrugs. “Guess I’m trying something new. Are they… tasty?”
“Not really. I’ve had worse, but that might just be because dragons like spicy food.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
Ember frowns. “What’s that supposed to mean?!”
“Don’t dragons breathe fire?”
“Yeah. Why?”
Arc sighs. “Nothing. Let’s go.”
Hopping into the driver’s seat, Ember takes the reins as Arc sits down next to her. Frowning she turns to him.
“Back.”
“What?”
“I said get in the back.”
“But why?”
Ember rolls her eyes. “Because you don’t deserve to sit next to a warrior like me! Now MOVE!”
Sighing, Arc hops in the back. Ember smirks as the wagon starts to move.
“Much better.”
Arc frowns as he falls backwards into something slimy.
“Dare I ask what I just fell into?”
“Probably an organ.”
“From what?!”
Ember shrugs. “Could be a beetle. But then again it could also be pretty much anything I hunt. You see, I have a nasty habit of leaving holes in things.”
“Funny.”
“Who’s laughing?”
Arc sighs and attempts to change the subject.
“So, what exactly are these beetles for? I’m assume they’re more than just food for the hideout.”
“Armor from the chitin, weapons from the mandibles, and food from the rest. If we’re really lucky sometimes a nice little surprise in their bellies.”
“Like what?”
Ember rolls her eyes. “Beetles will eat almost anything, so you can sometimes find useful items in them. Certain minerals we can use to make better armor, cast off items from demons, stuff like that.”
“And this is your job?”
“Ours now apparently.”
A short time later they stop. Looking out, some of the ugliest insectoids Arc has ever seen approach the wagon. Ember points a claw at them.
“There’s some. Get to it, meat.”
“Meat?”
Ember nods as she lays down across the front seat. “That’s what dragons call inexperienced young dragons.”
Arc shrugs. “Well, I suppose that’s what I am.”
“Do try not to get bitten. Their mandibles are poisonous.”
“Uh… how bad…?”
Ember scoffs as she holds up a vial. “I have the antidote here if you’re afraid of a little thing like dying.”
“The thought had crossed my mind, yes.”
“You’ll never have the heart of a warrior if you’re afraid of something as docile as beetles.”
Arc looks her over. “Says the one with full body armor.”
Ember shrugs. “I don’t really need it to take them on. My scales could easily stop them, and dragons are immune to their poison anyways.”
“Then why…?!”
“Because there’s a lot meaner and stronger things out here! And if we run into them I want to be ready!”
Arc sighs. “Guess that makes sense. But if your idea is to be ready shouldn’t you be looking around for trouble? Or at the very least, standing?”
Ember waves a claw dismissively. “I’m the real warrior here, not you. Just go kill some beetles and we can go back.”
Arc leans over and grabs Derpy’s spear as he hops out of the wagon. “So… how exactly do I… do this?”
“I’ll walk you through it. First, hold your spear upright with the tip pointing up.”
“Okay.”
Ember looks over and points with a claw. “You see that pointy part there? That’s called the ‘tip’. You thrust it into things just right and they die.”
Arc rolls his eyes. “Thanks for the instructions.”
“No problem. Any questions?”
“Um… not really, no. Wait, yes!”
Groaning, Ember turns back to him. “What now?!”
“So what part of the beetle do I stab exactly?”
Ember chuckles and closes her eyes again. “That you’ll have to figure out yourself.”
“Alright then. Here goes nothing.”
“I’ll wait here for you then.”
Arc looks to the beetles as he steps forward. They skitter around apparently ignoring him as Ember calls out again.
“One last thing.”
“More invaluable advice?”
“Yeah. This breed of beetle is actually pretty tasty, so try to get a lot of them.”
Arc readies his spear. “Yes, ma’am.”
An hour or so later the wagon slowly makes its way back to the Vile Tribe’s hideout. The back is loaded to bursting. Ember turns to Arc as the beetles pulling them struggle to move the heavy load.
“You know, you didn't have to kill THAT many! I mean… I know I said to kill a lot, but that’s going a bit far.”
Arc looks down at the pile of dead beetles under him. “I hate to admit it, but I am SO looking forward to eating these!”
“There are some good pieces here. Mythic Honor should have no problem making you some Chitin Armor by tomorrow morning.”
“Never wore armor before.”
“It does take a bit of getting used to, meat. Moving is a bit awkward at first, but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it.”
“Really?”
Ember nods. “Yeah. Either that or some lucky creature will have a bit of extra flavor with their snack.”
Arc rolls his eyes. “Thanks for that image, Ember.”
They return to the Vile Tribe hideout through the main gate and head over to a large building that appears to be some kind of workshop. As he and Ember jump out of the wagon Arc turns to her.
“So, what do we do now?”
“We process the beetles before they go bad.”
Ember and Arc each carry a beetle inside the building. The perimeter is lined with several long tables with various knives and other tools hanging haphazardly on the wall. They set their beetles down and Ember picks up a blade. Using it as a pointer she speaks.
“Chitin in one pile, meat in another, stomachs over here, and everything else in this bin.”
She deftly demonstrates as several other members of the tribe carry the rest of the beetles inside one by one. Arc frowns.
“So chitin goes over here…?”
“Careful with your cuts. The fewer you make the easier it is to use the chitin. Think big pieces, meat.”
“And the meat?”
“Nobody cares if that’s not in one piece. They have to cut it before roasting or boiling it anyways.”
“Do we do that too?”
Ember scoffs. “Nope. Have to leave some fun for the others, after all.”
“Division of labor?”
“No, it’s just someone else’s job.”
“That’s what I said!”
Ember frowns. “Just keep cutting.”
Tossing the meat into the pile as told, Arc turns back to Ember.
“So what exactly goes in the ‘other’ pile?”
“Antennas, organs, legs, and whatever else.”
“How about the mandibles?”
Ember frowns. “What about them?”
“I thought you said earlier they were used to make weapons, or something.”
Nodding, Ember smirks. “Just seeing if you were paying attention, meat.”
“See? I can learn?”
“So can a beetle pulling a wagon. Don’t get a big head over it.”
“There… all done, right?”
Ember looks over his shoulder and nods. “Yeah. Just do that a million more times and you’ll make it.”
“Uh… make it to what?”
“Old age.”
“That would be nice.”
“Whatever. Look, I’m going to get started on my bench over there. You okay to work by yourself?”
Arc shrugs. “I guess.”
Ember turns and walks away. “Try not to mess this up too bad.”
“No promises.”
Sometime later Arc turns and look over to Ember’s bench. She works significantly faster than he does.
“You’re pretty good at this.”
Ember shrugs. “Doing it every few days does that to someone.”
“Just one question.”
“What now?”
Arc points. “That little pile next to you. What are those?”
“The venom sacks.”
“Uh oh. Should I have been saving those?”
Ember shakes her head. “Nah, you’ve just been throwing them out with the ‘other’ pile.”
“I can start…”
“Not a chance, meat.
“Why not? I mean, if they’re useful…”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “You want to risk getting venom on your skin?”
“Not really, I guess. But what about you?”
“What about me?!”
“If it’s that dangerous…”
Ember holds up a venom sack. “Watch.”
Turning the sack upside down, she dumps its contents in the palm of her claw. It pools for a moment as she looks to him.
“Nothing dragon scales can’t handle.”
Grabbing a rag, she wipes the venom off and tosses it aside. Arc notices the rag turning brown and turns to Ember.
“So what do I do if I get some of that on me?”
Ember points to a red bucket nearby. “Wash with copious amounts of water and see Mythic Honor for treatment. He makes a salve for that purpose. But don’t worry too much about accidently nicking one. The glands are really deep in there and aren’t easily punctured by our regular knives.”
She holds up a small but thin blade before continuing.
“This is pretty much the only thing that could cut it.”
“What’s the blade made out of?”
“One of my teeth.”
“What?”
Ember shrugs as she turns back to her bench. “Lost it in a fight with a demon. They grow back though so no big loss. In any case, get back to work.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Sometime later they finish their task. Ember rubs her palms together happily as she walks over to the stomach pile.
“Now my favorite part! Cutting open the stomachs!”
Arc grimaces. “Any particular method?”
“Not really. Just hack and dump the contents. Watch.”
Grabbing a stomach, she carries it over to a corner workbench with a large bin next to it. Slicing it open Ember dumps the contents onto the bench. Sticking her claws into the pile of goo she spreads it around.
“This lets us see anything worth saving.”
Arc holds his stomach as he watches. “Like… what?”
“Small precious stones, teeth, and claws mostly. Pretty much anything that’s not partially digested flesh can be used for something around here.”
She fishes out a couple teeth and drops them in a small basket to her right before sweeping the rest of the guts into the large bin to her left with her arm and turning to him.
“You ready to try it, meat?”
“Um… let me watch you do a few more.”
Ember chuckles. “Okay, wimp.”
Arc watches her work for a few moments before sighing.
“I think I’m going to regret asking this, but what are we going to do with this leftover… slop?”
Ember points with a thumb toward the door. “We feed it to our own beetles.”
Arc frowns. “So they eat… beetle vomit?”
“Pretty much. But now it’s your turn, meat.”
She steps back and tosses a fresh stomach onto the workbench. Arc takes a deep breath, slices it open, and dumps the contents out. Spreading them around as his face turns green he roots around in the contents before turning and throwing up into the bin. Ember watches and laughs heartily as he does so.
“I was waiting to see just how long you could hold it in, meat!”
Arc sits up and rests his elbows on the table. “I hope I didn’t ruin your beetle food.”
Ember shakes her head. “Nah. In fact, I think you might have just fortified it a bit. They’ll love it.”
Arc turns back to the table and its contents. “I hope they do. Hey, what’s this?”
He pulls out a good-sized black rock. Ember grins.
“That's onyx. If we bring it to Mythic Honor he can grind it into a powder and use it to treat your new armor. Onyx will make your armor black as pitch but twice as strong.”
A gong sounds once outside. Ember tosses aside her tools.
“Sounds like supper is ready.”
They quickly run the materials over the Mythic Honor’s workshop before heading over to the center of town for a hearty supper of grilled beetle meat. Ember looks to him and frowns as he eats.
“Come on now. It’s not THAT good!”
Arc grins. “Tastes like chicken.”
“You’ve EATEN chicken before?!”
“Yeah. Haven’t you?”
Ember shakes her head. “Nah. Dragons use them to play a game called ‘Hotfoot’.
“Uh… not sure I want to know how that works.”
“Trust me, you don’t.”
After eating, Arc and Ember head back over to the Town Hall to see how things are coming along. Mythic Honor continues to run his forge as he talks to them.
“Your armor should be ready by tomorrow morning, human! Right now it just needs to cool!”
“Thank you. I really appreciate this. Anything else I can do to contribute around here?”
“There are always supplies to replenish from the far corners of Tartarus! Ember usually takes care of it alone! But I would feel better sending her out to some of the wilder locales with backup!”
Ember frowns. “I don’t need someone to babysit!”
“He’d watch your back though, Ember! Make sure the demons don’t get the jump on you!”
“Like I need someone for THAT!”
“Then how about this?! He can keep them busy while you fight them off!”
Ember smiles wickedly. “Yes… yes, I see it now.”
Arc frowns. “See what?”
“They’d go after you first for sure.”
“Why me?”
Mythic Honor calls out from an anvil. “Because you don’t have any scales to pick off!”
Arc sighs. “Glad to be of service.”
Ember shrugs. “We all do what we’re good at.”
“I guess so. But I could do more than be a decoy.”
“Right…”
“No, I mean it. Just give me a chance.”
Mythic Honor nods. “Sure! Ember can teach you to be a proper warrior! Turn those noodly arms of yours into… uh… something a bit less… scrawny!”
Ember frowns. “Mythic Honor, there is no way I can turn him into ANYTHING even CLOSE to a warrior!”
“Oh really?!”
“Yes, really!”
The elderly stallion sticks a hoof in his ear and closes one eye as he digs around in it. “Strange! I must be hearing thing again then!”
Ember scoffs. “That’s nothing new.”
“Well these voices sound like yours, Ember!”
“What are you getting at?”
“I seem to remember your boast when you first arrived here! Let’s see here… I think it was something along the lines of the idea that you could turn any one of us into a warrior!”
Ember shakes her head. “Yeah, I meant any of you PONIES!”
Mythic Honor grins toothily as he points to the cherry red armor nearby. “Well, he’s one of us now!”
“No one could…!”
“Not even you, Ember?! Not even our greatest warrior?! The strongest we’ve ever had?! You can’t handle a task like…?!”
“Fine, I’ll do it! But just don’t blame me if he gets himself killed.”
Arc sighs. “Thanks, I think.”
They are silent for a time as Mythic Honor works and Ember seethes. Eventually Arc breaks the silence as he turns to the stallion.
“Um… it would be nice to know more about the ponies I'm helping. Mind if I ask you a few questions?”
“Have at it!”
“For one, why are you called The Vile Tribe”?
“We aren't evil like some of the other prisoners in this place, you know! To the likes of the demons, law, order, teamwork, friendship, and love are vile concepts! The name just kinda stuck like dung to the inside of a hoof!”
“Isn't there any way for everyone to leave Tartarus?! You don't deserve this!”
Ember frowns as she leans against a wall. “The Gates of Tartarus are a barrier that contains creatures of evil intent. We could probably walk right out the front gate... if we could get to it, that is.”
Arc appears confused. “So, what’s stopping you?”
Mythic Honor pulls something out of the forge and dumps it in a barrel of water as he chuckles and turns back to Arc.
“Some of Tartarus' most powerful demons like to hang out near the gate! Plotting ways to escape, no doubt! Every ten years or so, somepony gets it in their head they want out and decides to risk it! A few days later the demons drop off what's left of their body in front of the gate!”
Arc sighs. “Guess I'm stuck here for a while, huh?”
Ember laughs. “Awhile? More like the rest of your days.”
Arc folds his arms over his chest. “I doubt that. Strongly. Twilight will find a way in here sooner or later.”
Mythic Honor chuckles. “It's not the getting in that's hard, but the getting out young fella! Like putting your head through an iron fence without being able to pull it out again!”
Ember appears confused. “Twilight? Wasn't she the pony who banished you here? Why would she take such a risk?”
Arc walks over to a window and looks out. “By now she knows of her mistake and is probably thinking of ways to bust me out of here. Together she and her friends can overcome any obstacle.”
Ember rolls her eyes. “Oh really? How can you be so sure?!”
“Believe me, I know Twilight. If anyone can do this she can. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm just going to sit around waiting. We going out tomorrow, Ember?”
“Always. What for?”
Arc shrugs. “Whatever the tribe needs the most. And if we happen to find something useful, all the better.”
Mythic Honor shakes his head as he continues to work. “You really think you’re getting out of here, don't you?!”
“Gotta have goals in life, right?”
Ember scoffs. “As insurmountable as they may be.”
Arc smiles at her. “Glad you have faith in me, Ember.”
Mythic Honor cackles. “I like your style there fella! But it’s getting late and morning comes early! Ember, why don’t you show the newcomer to the showers?!”
Ember shrugs and straightens up. “Sure. I could use a shower before bed.”
She motions for Arc to follow her. He turns to her as they walk.
“I was hoping someone would suggest that.”
Ember frowns. “What?”
“Getting cleaned up.”
“No one who does what we do wants to go to bed dirty, so showering before bed is the norm.”
“And the others?”
Ember shrugs. “Most do it early in the morning before they start their work. I don’t pay that much attention though.”
They come to a small building. Stepping inside Arc spies numerous pipes sticking out of the wall around the perimeter. He watches as Ember pulls a lever to start the flow of water before stepping under the flow and grinning.
“Ah… that does feel good.”
Arc looks around. “Um… Ember?”
“What?”
“Where’s the, uh… stallion’s side?”
“There’s just this one room.”
Arc turns toward the door. “I… think I’ll just wait outside then.”
Ember raises an eyebrow. “What is your problem? Just ditch those dirty rags you’re wearing and pull a lever to start the shower!”
“Um… humans aren’t much for… disrobing in front of others of the opposite sex.”
“Why?”
Arc blushes as she looks away. “We don’t like others seeing our… um… you know…”
“Your… what? Genitals?”
“Yeah.”
Ember turns away and chuckles. “Don’t worry. I doubt if something as small and feeble as a human could have the girth or length to pleasure me anyways.”
Arc sighs and steps forward. Pulling a lever he starts the water and steps under it. A few minutes later Ember pushes her lever up and walks over to a nearby table with towels on it. Drying herself, she turns to Arc whom is still showering.
“Hurry up and finish so we can…”
She stops talking and stares at him for a few moments before speaking.
“Uh… what are you doing?”
“Getting cleaned up?”
“Rags and all, I see. You’re little seed spurter really THAT tiny?!”
Arc groans. “Look, my clothes are caked with pony blood, beetle stomach acid, my own vomit, and probably a few other things I’m forgetting to mention. I couldn’t sleep in these as they were anyways.”
Ember rolls her eyes. “And what were you planning to change into afterwards?”
“I was just going to let myself air dry.”
“You do know it gets really cold here at night, right?”
“N-no.”
“Didn’t anyone tell you ANYTHING?!”
“Guess not. Any suggestions?”
Ember throws up her claws in frustration. “I’ll head over to the storehouse and get you a work smock. They’re not exactly your size, but are baggy enough to be workable.”
“Thanks.”
Returning a few minutes later, she tosses a smock onto the table with the towels as Arc turns off the water.
“This should fit. At least it had better, as it was the biggest one they had. Now then, I’ll just wait outside for you, tiny.”
Arc frowns. “What happened to ‘meat’?
Ember laughs heartily as she heads for the door. “Believe me if you’re THAT small, this is a MUCH more accurate nickname for you!”
Arc shakes his head and disrobes. After putting on the smock he adjusts it as best he can before turning to his old clothes. Heading back to the showers, he turns one on low and soaks them before wringing them out. Repeating the process a dozen or so times he looks them over for a few moments before sighing.
“That’s going to have to do.”
Stepping outside Arc finds Ember standing there impatiently and tapping her foot.
“Took your sweet time in there, tiny! I heard the water start up again! What, did you miss a spot?!”
“Sorry. Had to wash my clothes.”
“Uh, why?
“So I can wear them again tomorrow.”
“I got you that smock for a reason!”
Arc gestures to the baggy fit. “Well, I can’t really fight in these!”
Ember frowns. “Yeah, yeah. This way.”
She leads Arc past several rows of broken-down looking houses.
“So… do I get my own hut or do I have a roommate?”
Ember grins and shakes her head. “That’s not how this works.”
“Oh?”
“Everyone has to earn their place. You start out in that.”
Arc turns to see where she is pointing. He sighs as he spies an ancient looking tent nearby.
“I saw to it the maintenance crew had it all ready for you, tiny. Sweet dreams.”
Ember laughs as she heads into a nearby hut and shuts the door. Groaning, he walks over to the tent and crawls inside. Spotting an old wooden chest on one side he walks over to it.
“Really hope there’s some blankets in here.”
Fortunately the chest is filled with half a dozen rather thin blankets. Arc lays two on the floor of the tent before spreading the other four off to one side.
“Alright, the bed’s made. But I still need to hang up my clothes somehow.”
Looking around for inspiration he spies the central support pole.
“That’ll have to do.”
Tossing his clothes over it, Arc adjusts them before turning back to his makeshift bed. Lying down he pulls the blankets over himself before closing his eyes and sighing.
“First time I’ve been comfortable since getting here. Hope tomorrow goes better. What am I saying, of course it will be.”
Smiling slightly Arc slowly drifts off.
“After all… it couldn’t be any worse than today.”
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9613824
That event was actually based on a real life experience my wife had many years ago. More on that in a later volume.
9613836
You'll have to read Volume 2 - The Wanderer to see how that ends. Here's a hint! Not well. :-) Chapters uploaded daily.
I...don't want to call the interactions unbelievable, because...well, everyone but Arc is pretty spot on. By that, I mean that Twilight betrayed him. Not something minor like alerting the guard in her haste, or assuming and trying to get someone else to help. Betrayal. No one who has literally been thrown into hell by someone they called a friend, especially after her little tangeant, would ever trust them again. Its a betrayal on every level, and it could not only cost him his life, but cost him the little he had after Twilight stole the rest from him.
Twilight is irredeemable in this fic, and I doubt I'll find anything that could change my mind.
EDIT: Oh, and I refuse to believe Derpy would have ever accepted Twilight's excuse. After all that build up on abandonment and trauma, she then does a 180 on that and pretty much just says 'I realize you banished my only friend in the world, the one who cared for me when literally no one else would, the one who I wanted to be a father to my foal, and...yeah, i guess we can be friends.'
Sounds like an RPG game.
10184470
DING, DING, DING!!!
All the good old Role Playing Games the wife and I played in our younger days are summed up in this volume. You know the hero is going to accomplish great things. But they all start out small with fighting slimes, goblins, or in this case beetles.
For me this chapter reminds me of one of those 'Prison Escape' stories or the perspective of what it's like to be a 'Prisoner at War' during those early war days, long before my time. Despite being betrayed by his friends over a misunderstanding, locked in some place with figures who've had it just as rough as he did, and add to the fact that 'getting out' seems impossible, Arc represents that one figure who still feels there must be some hope that he'll get out or someone will come to get him. Sure, he has to learn to adapt and roll with the punches being in a place that's not like 'Ponyville' but given what he's already been through he's not the type to just lie around and do nothing.
In a place like this, he's going to need a group of friends whether if it's Ember or that one group or even a pony who's description sounds like 'Starswirl the Bearded' (I'm sorry, first thing I thought of when I thought of blue robes and white beards). It probably won't matter how Arc does it or what it's going to take, but if his friends won't come by to save him somehow he's got to figure it out himself.
10220085
Arc certainly does not give up even when things aren't going well. For now he's staying with the Vile Tribe and their leader Mythic Honor (I have to have my illustrator draw a picture of him). Mythic Honor was based on a cartoon character I saw many years ago. He always wore a blue robe, had a beard that looked very poofy, and acted very strangely. All the while he was a genius and the best a knowing what to do.
Like in prison, one must always have friends.
Arc is bit up beat for being cast into hell by accident, a scene of anger or self pity would make more relatable. Still great story.
10811751
A bit of my own personality there. Rather than get upset or angry, I generally turn that energy into either rectifying my situation or finding ways to deal with it.
So how big is ember in relation to arc? Oh also a suggestion for the rewrite of the first 2 volumes. You should have arc train in some spear fighting by one of the local guards so that he has a reason to be able to fight with a spear competently. Well that or give him a history of hema fighting. And while a spear is easy to use at the basic level, and you dont really need training for basic spear use, anything more advanced, (like fighting demons) needs serious training. Fighting some solo wild animal like a wolf with a spear while untrained in its use? Perfectly viable. Fighting demons untrained? Not gonna happen. I suppose you could also have ember train him and have him like awaken some magic in a moment of need or something
You know, now that I think of it, a lot of his competency could be validly explained by a military background with a recreational interest in hema for his competency with weapons. And his being ok with staying there in equestria could be explained by him being a loner woth no family. Also his quick attachment making could be explained by (and no offense as I speak from personal experience) being on the higher end of the autism spectrum. From personal experience as a man on the high end of the autism spectrum. I know that I, along with a lot of other high functioning spectrum people, tend to form strong attachments (especially romantic) fairly quickly.
10957760
well it's like ember said you point the business end of it to what you want dead, spearfighting is not hard, part of the reason it was so widely used in battle during the middle ages
Pessimism is immune to Murphy
11500027
Oh yeah... it can ALWAYS get worse. Every time we hit rock bottom someone throws us a shovel.