The morning had only just given way to afternoon, but one would be hard pressed to tell given the completely overcast skies above.

Rarity watched the Captain pace methodically back and forth across the deck of the ship as he observed the rest of his crew go about their maintenance of the vessel.

She rubbed her neck and frowned.

She would've glowered at the large feline pacing before her, but somehow she felt that wouldn't have gone over well, and she'd be far worse off than she was.

Once she had been freed, Rarity was given her own quarters to stay in near the Captain's—the room in question being complete with a passably comfortable bed and a decent view of the seemingly endless ocean through a large window.

Really there was nothing else of note about the room other than that, but it still felt too lavish to the mare, given what she knew everypony else was going through just below decks.

She couldn't help but feel guilty.

Still, she swallowed the guilt and put up with the room for the moment. After all, it was important that she try to stay on the Captain's good side for now.

She thought she had done a fairly good job so far, all things considered. She had been polite, flattering, agreeable, and hadn't been so much as a small nuisance while in his presence.

The Captain seemed pleased with her compliance and apparently the pig had even convinced him to removed the horn ring somehow.

Despite all of this however, Rarity began to doubt herself after another burly feline member of his crew roughly and quite literally dragged her out of her bed by the scruff of her neck.

Despite her indignant and pain filled cries, the brute wouldn't let go—not until she was on deck. Now she stood near the railing, nursing her sore neck and silently cursing the Captain and his crew.

The most galling thing about her current situation she found, was that she hadn't even been given an opportunity to clean herself up or style her currently atrocious bedhead into something more presentable.

Setting that aside for the moment though, she now had no idea where she stood with the Captain. She saw the cat that had dragged her out here, inform the Captain of her 'arrival' and she saw the Captain acknowledge the fact, but other than that, he hadn't even looked in her direction.

As rude as she found it, she also found she couldn't really complain. From what that 'human' Salvatore had said, the Captain wasn't exactly pleasant company, and in the short time she had been around him, she had to agree.

He tried to come across as a gentlecolt, but he was arrogant, self-centered, and there was a cold malice in his eyes. Looking into them, Rarity felt as though he could turn on her or anypony else in a mere moment without warning.

So she stood there in silence, waiting for him to react to her presence.

Eventually another crew member, a gangly looking stork-like creature, came up and spoke to the Captain. Rarity perked her ears up, but couldn't hear from where she was standing near the railing at the front of the ship.

The Captain nodded in response and finally turned to the mare with a lopsided grin. Rarity quickly schooled her scowl into a pleasant smile, almost unconsciously trying to smooth her mane out somewhat.

The rather rough winds and salty air wasn't doing her any favors in that regard.
"Ah, forgive me, my little Jewel," the Captain exclaimed, walking over to where Rarity was, "I'm afraid I've been a bit distracted at the moment."

"Oh, please darling, it's no trouble," Rarity replied with a dismissive wave of her hoof, "a mare must have patience if she wants to get anywhere in life after all."

"Too true I suppose," the Captain replied with a chuckle, "either way, you have my apologies... but now the time for pleasantries has passed, and I mean to begin your training as of this moment."

Rarity hid a grimace behind her curious smile.

"Oh?" she replied with a raise of her brow, "and just what did you have in mind if I may ask?"

"Now now, my Jewel, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," the Captain replied with a knowing smirk, "I don't expect you to enjoy what's to come right now, but by the time your training is finished, I assure you you'll have come around."

With that ominous statement, he turned on his heel and began walking towards the center of the ship and the stairs that led below deck, motioning for Rarity to follow.

As soon as his back was turned, she frowned, but reluctantly followed after him. A feeling of dread settled in her stomach at the feline's words, and she wondered what he had in store for her despite herself.

Whatever it was, she was certain she wouldn't be too thrilled about it, just as the Captain had said.

They both made their way downstairs and into the narrow halls below deck. The Captain suddenly rounded a corner and at the end of the path, Rarity could see a single wooden door and nothing else.

Though that particular hall was short—especially in comparison to every other path she had seen, the mare's hackles rose and the dread she felt suddenly spiked.

She opened her mouth to ask just where the Captain was taking her, but decided against it at the last second, considering she was about to find out anyway... whether she liked it or not.

"I thought quite a bit about how I wanted to break you in," the Captain said suddenly, his tone somewhat light and conversational as he turned the door handle and pushed the door open, "I wondered if I should go with a slower approach... maybe ease you into your new role."

He stepped inside the room and Rarity trotted in behind him, stopping inside with a small gasp. Her eyes widened in both surprise and confusion at what she saw inside.

"I'm well aware that patience is a virtue my dear," the Captain continued, walking over to the object of Rarity's shock, "but unlike yourself, I was never really one for waiting around until the time was right. I was always the one who made their own opportunities."

His tail flicked back and forth, hands clasped behind his back as he thoughtfully observed a nervous and confused looking Salvatore gagged with a white cloth and tied to the single chair in the small, mostly empty cabin.

Rarity looked from the human to the Captain to the well dressed and smirking pig standing near a wall next to a table. The white mare didn't like the look of the instruments she saw on that table... not in the slightest.

Apparently Salvatore didn't like them either, because his gaze constantly shifted to the table, his expression showing more than a bit of trepidation.

"With this in mind, my Jewel, I've decided to 'throw you into the deep end' as it were," the Captain said with a wicked grin, "you see, I've looked into your eyes, and I've seen a soul filled with compassion and endless generosity."

The Captain stopped his pacing and stood in front of the human. Rarity watched as he raised a hand and closed it into a fist, save for his pointer finger.

"If you're going to be an effective second, I must tear these things out of you."

A single claw extended from his raised finger and he slowly brought it to Salvatore's cheek, just above the thick cloth wrapped around his mouth, making the human wince and squirmed uselessly in his chair.

"I don't have a use for anyone who can't do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, so to that end..."

He dragged his claw along the length of the human's cheek, eliciting a muffled hiss of pain from the human as the claw drew a line of red.

Rarity looked on in horror, her heart beginning to race and her legs beginning to shake as she realized what the twisted feline intended for her to do.

He's insane if he thinks I'm going to—

"I know what you're thinking my little Jewel," the Captain purred as he brought the claw to his lips, "I know that you know what I have planned by now, and trust me when I say, that if you don't comply... I will kill the human..."

He licked the claw clean of any blood and grin toothily at the mare.

"...and I promise both you and the human that it will be a very slow death."

"Y-You wouldn't..." Rarity whispered, taking a step back, "s-surely you can't expect me to... to just..."

Her horrified gaze flickered to Salvatore who furrowed his brow as he looked back. Though his face showed a grim acceptance, Rarity could clearly see the sweat beading on his forehead and the visible shaking of his frame.

She swallowed and took another step back and returned her gaze to the Captain, who raised an expectant eyebrow.

"Well, little Jewel," he pressed, "what's it going to be? You showed such conviction when you took up my generous offer, now it's time to test that sincerity."

Rarity open and closed her mouth silently. She looked back to Salvatore and saw the human close his eyes and breathe in through his nose.

After a second, he opened them and exhaled through his nose before looking her in the eye and nodding ever so slightly.

"Might I recommend you start with these?"

Rarity jumped slightly and whipped around to see Napoleon standing next to her, holding out a large and viciously sharp needle and what looked like thin silvery wire.

"A... A needle and thread?" Rarity asked, fear lacing her strained voice, "w-what am I supposed to do with this?"

"Oh, I think you'll find a way to make good use of them," Napoleon replied with a wink, "who knows, you just might find you have quite a rare talent with such tools."

Rarity gave the swine a bewildered look, but the pig simply motioned for her to take the items. Reluctantly she took the items in her magic and trotted over to where Salvatore sat.

"Excellent choice, Napoleon," the Captain commented with a chuckle, "not what I would've gone for, but it should be entertaining nonetheless."

He turned back to Rarity, his amused smile becoming a stern frown.

"I trust you're ready to begin?"

Rarity glanced back to the Captain and gave a jerky nod before turning her attention back to Salvatore. For a few heartbeats, the two merely stared at each other.

Rarity's lost and desperate gaze met Salvatore's scared yet determined look, her own eyes tearing up as she threaded the wire through the large needle.

With a single sob, she raised the needle in her shaky magical grip.

Next Chapter: Equus II – Things Escalate... Quickly Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 37 Minutes