Any other who glanced into the building would easily believe that the formation within the barracks in front of Wholehoof Bay was a typical milliary formation, perhaps for a shift change, or new orders. However, all was not as it seemed. For, unbeknownst to the inattentive Captains standing infront of all the other guards, there was one extra guard that day. One who wasn't supposed to be there, and she knew it. This operation had been considered for the past month, and seemed rather easy to Ruby. The formation was for a change of command, and she had a plan. All he proper orders would be read, and every pony would salute. Thats when she would use a new weapon, a simple spring loaded dagger-launcher. She knew that at-least one pony would not make it home, be it the Captain or herself.

The previous captain eventually came on-stage, and the ceremony began. It took a few minutes for the orders to be read, and the previous Captain made a speech. After the speech, Ruby's pulse quickened. She knew it was almost time, and as the new Captain stood at attention to deliver the order, Ruby took a deep breath. Finally. "Formation, Present Hooves!"

Reacting with a sharpness that could only from her kind, she brought her foreleg up in the first half of the salute. However, during her second half, she twisted her hoof, and the dagger fired. All other ponys jumped at least a foot into the air in their shock at the noise, which, admittedly, even Ruby hadn't thought it would be that loud. The dagger sailed through the air, and found its mark, lodging itself into he new Captain's neck, which was, unfortunatly for him, exposed through the armor. The Captain didn't even flinch as he fell to the ground, his pitch black armor clanking as it hit the ground.

All other pony's eyes landed on Ruby, who immediatly jumped away, and quickly slipping out of the armor she detested, but had had to wear. She prefered the outfit she had on underneath, a white cloak, with red stripes running along the side. At this, all the guards, who were, unconviently, all unicorns, magically raised thier weapons. Ruby took a quick analysis of her enemies. Time seemed to slow as she rapidly assesed her situation. She counted fifteen guards, and the old Captain... sixteen in total. Numbers were on their side, but she had skill on her's.

The first of the guards ran forward, swinging his sword at Ruby's neck. Ruby smirked beneath her hood as she effortlessly dodged the strike, and brought her hoof into the guard's lower chest, where the armor separated. She knew the guard would feel her hoof, but before the guard could jump away, Ruby twisted her hoof again, launching another spring loaded dagger into the guard's chest, dropping the guard quickly to the ground. Ruby pulled the dagger out, as it was attached to her hoof, and twisted again, retracting the now blood-soaked blade. The next two, trying to use teamwork, moved forward, and Ruby decided to go on the offensive. Leaping over the two, she twisted both her hooves, bringing out one blade for each hoof, and thrusting them into the two pony's necks in midleap.

Landing softly, she ducked under the sword that she knew was coming, missing it easily. A thrust, a twist, and a fourth guard left the fight. Bringing her left hoof up with a twist, she blocked another sword, and shoved her right blade through the guard's helmet's eye-hole. As she pulled out, she brought her back left leg up, and kicked hard, and met a guard in the helmet. He wasn't dead, but she knew it would give her enough time to turn around. Leaping around, away from the remaining twelve guards. Facing them, she waited for one of them to make a move.

And move they did. Before Ruby could take a breath, two of them made a lunge toward her chest. Ducking under the thrusts, she threw herself between them, ending up at their rear. Throwing her hooves into her blind spot, she made contact with one of the guards, plunging her blade into his flank. Drawing it out, she swung it around, blocking another blade, and threw her hoof at the swinging pony, the blade entering the pony's neck. As she pushed away, she collided with another one of the guards, throwing them both off balance.

Using the skills she had practiced many times before, she flipped around, landing chest to chest with the guard, as both landed on the floor. Giving the guard a quick teaser of a kiss, a simple peck on his lips, she smiled as she brought her hoof down, into the smitten guard's neck. Ruby jumped up, slicing her left blade through the startled guard in front of her. Her momentum far greater than she expected, she ended up at the wall. Instinct taking over, she ran a step up the wall, flipping her head around to search for a target.

Finding the closest pony, who happened to be charging at her, perhaps to catch her from the rear, she launched herself off of the brick wall, her momentum carrying her into, and through the guard, whose suprised look stayed on his face as he it the ground. Continuing to charge forward, she dodged the next two guard's swords, and as she ran in between them, she stuck each hoof out to her side, ripping the blades though each guards inside chest. Skidding to a stop, and facing the remaining guards, and noticed the Captain, who was standing at the back of the other five, not at all eager to join the fight. Ruby also noticed that the other guards didn't look too confident either.

Ruby took a step forward, and the guards took one back. Ruby leapt forward, and the guard's morale broke completely. Tripping over themselves, they turned tail and ran towards the entrance as fast as their armor would let them run. Raising her left hoof in their direction, Ruby considered taking out another one, but as she was about to let loose, she noticed that not all her opponents had fled, as the Captain was still standing beside her, staring at her.

Turning her head toward the Captain, she said, "Braver than you look. You going to run and leave, or do you want to end up like the Captain who relieved you?"

Starting to shake, the Captain looked at the body on the stage, then at the mass of now dead guards. He then glanced at Ruby before taking off toward the exit. "Hah... Coward." Ruby muttered before aiming her hoof at the Captain's backside. Twisting her hoof, she fired her second ballistic knife. Watching in content as the knife sailed through the air towards the departing figure, she smiled as the knife found its mark, settling into the Captain's left flank. The Captain lurched forward a couple more steps, before collapsing on the ground just before the door, mere meters away from the protection of the outside.

Ruby glanced around, making sure there were no more guards about. Satisfied that her job was done, she began to trot her way to the exit. A minute after Ruby exited, another pony snuck out from his position under the stands. As he stood up,he shook is dark mane, and made his way lazily toward the exit, stretching on his way, indicating he had been there for a while. As he walked out of the barracks, he allowed a small smile to grow onto his face.

Author's Note

New story, relatively new concept for me. Please criticize (constructive) in the comments, and I will adjust as necessary. Thanks :D