A full moon shines down on the land below, with cool breeze rushing through the neighboring forest, separating a massive building, called the Lunar Academy, from any and all “outsiders,” as though the walls themselves did not do an apt job at doing so themselves.

Within the Lunar Academy walls, as the moon is firm in its place, a meeting starts as classes start, between Princess Luna, Lunar Sonata the Headmaster(a dark blue coat and snow white mane and tail), and the special tutor Raven(with a grey coat and black mane and tail, with a blue/black striped fedora), who is always thrilled to be called into such meetings.

“I will assume that you both are aware of the reason for this meeting?” Princess Luna asks.

“Oh most certainly your highness. I get to train yet another pony to become a heartless soldier ready and willing to set fire to a village of innocent foals!” Raven exclaims with scorn.

“That is a bit rough, do you not think?” Sonata inquires in response.

“Rough but accurate, at least one time, due to a certain somepony’s faulty intel,” Raven retorts.

“I am quite aware of that error, Raven, but beating a dead pony will not-” Luna begins.

“What an apt phrase, your highness!” He exclaims.

“-solve anything. You are correct though, you will be training a new pony, though she is..an interesting case,” She finishes.

“Special case? You mean apart from being a mare?” He asks.

“Indeed,” Sonata interjects. “She is actually near the same age as you, a few years younger, though she is not of the Lunar Academy,” She explains.

“Wait. You mean to tell me, I am training..” Raven says.

“Yes, an outsider,” Luna affirms. Raven, cool-headed as always, slams his hoof on the table.

“You must be bloody joking! Since when do we ever allow an outsider, at least one so close to when we normally graduate them into the Academy Guard and Mercenary work, into the Academy? This is absurd!” He exclaims, glaring at the two who are putting this upon him.

“At ease, Raven, know your place,” Luna says sternly, Raven grumbling and closing his eyes, shaking his head in disgust.

“Anyway, as Luna said, we are bringing in an outsider, as we believe that she would be a good addition to the Academy and its history, but more importantly, an apt soldier to protect Equestria,” Sonata explains.

“You act as though we are desperate for more ponies or something, is there something happening that I am being left in the dark about?” He asks.

“At this point in time, the information you seek is on a need-to-know basis, and you are not in that circle. What I will tell you however, is that though we have the capability to do as we have done for many moons, we believe this outsider to be imperative to our operations,” Sonata states.

“So basically, you are throwing me in with this outsider, leaving me as ignorant as I am assuming she is, to prepare her for something that I have no clue about, all because I am apparently not part of your little elitist circle?” He replies.

“Actually, she is a little more familiar..” Sonata admits, to an expected glare from Raven.

“..you two are insufferable. I suppose it would be meaningless to press the issue though, so I will reluctantly move on from your lack of information-telling. Can you at least give me the run-down on this..outsider?” He asks with a spat at the word outsider.

“Indeed. We already have a file completely set-up for your perusal,” Luna says, with a nod to the Headmaster, who slides said file across to Raven.

“Good to know how long this has been in planning..” Raven grumbles, opening the file as the Headmaster begins speaking once more.

“While you will no doubt look through the whole file with a fine-toothed comb, I will at least give you the basics,” She begins. “Her name is Holly Leaf, a rather short 18 year old pegasus with a white coat and green mane and tail. Given up at birth to an unknown group for unknown purposes, likely to pay off some sort of debt, she eventually found herself as a maid for a group of wealthy ponies in Manehatten. One of our spies within that group watched the mare and analyzed her, and after the course of a few weeks, reported that she had a strong potential to aide us in our cause. To spare unnecessary details, we were able to get her out of their bondage, and she is in transit this night to the Academy, where she will be residing within your room until the time comes in which she will become part of the ranks, at which point she will likely be on the field. Beyond that, there is little else to really say, and even less that I can actually tell you anyway,” She explains. “Any questions?” She asks.

“One in particular..” Raven says.

“Yes?” She inquires.

“Why the hell is she staying in my dorm? Is that not one of the most-enforced rules on this whole campus, as to not increase the risk the defilement of our prospective troops?” He asks.

“Ah, that is an easy one. We are of the opinion that the risk of that happening with you at the helm is so low as to be non-existent, and the second you would try anything..” She begins.

“Then I would get an appropriate punishment for endangering the operation, I get it,” Raven finishes.

“Precisely. We have no problem with you eventually getting together with her, but..” She tries to say, before Raven bursts out laughing.

“HA! Getting together with an outsider? I am not that desperate, captain, believe me that much,” He says.

“Oh yes, because your non-existent mare throughout your whole life attests to how much of a mare’s stallion you are,” Luna interjects.

“Bloody hell, I forgot you were even there!” Raven exclaims. “Also, that is a lie, I did have the two,” He continues.

“You cannot even count the first one as anything but a farce, and the second one died the instant it began because of your other feelings,” Luna says brusquely.

“..okay, I see your point,” Raven concedes. “Still, to stoop so low as to date an outsider, you two must consider me in quite low regard,” He finishes.

“I think you two may hit it off, actually,” Luna says with a smirk.

“I think the same,” Sonata does the same.

“..insufferable, both of you! Do not even dare try to court us!” He exclaims.

“Calm down, what you do is up to you, but no carnal embracing until that day of marriage, or that prior warning will come into play,” Sonata says.

“You really make it difficult to not lunge at you, you know that?” He says, unamused.

“Noted, crumbled up, and thrown away due to lack of care,” She replies.

“Anyway,” Luna begins. “She will be staying in one of the guest areas for the daylight hours, and you will properly meet her tomorrow night. Get your room ready to house her, and the rest I leave to you. Do make sure she gets to her classes, help her with what she needs, train her, etc. etc.,” She explains.

“Yes mother. Should I tuck her into bed too?” Raven asks.

“Do not test me,” Luna replies.

“So terrifying. Are we done here? I would like to return to my room and figure all of this out,” Raven says.

“Indeed. You are dismissed,” Luna responds, Raven swiftly leaving on that cue. At his departure, Sonata turns to Luna.

“Are you sure about this?” She asks.

“He is our best option to train her, and you know what she is capable of,” Luna replies.

“Be it done according to your will, your highness,” Sonata says with a bow.

“Ensure that all goes well, captain,” Luna says.

“Yes ma’am,” Sonata says with a salute, which is reciprocated before Luna leave the room as well, leaving Sonata to ponder the many moons that lay ahead.

Author's Note

EDIT note of 6/29/18: Modified Holly's age to 18 for a variety of reasons, making Raven 21 canonically.

Thank you for taking the time to read the first chapter of my new story! I hope it was to your liking.

Please provide any feedback you may have, and have a blessed one!

Note: I am not writing old English/Equestrian for Luna or otherwise because I am not fluent in writing it. I can only read and inderstand it fluently(for the most part) and type/speak limited amounts of it.