Lowering his hand, he glanced between the four ponies of his bodyguard quaternion. "The whole 'Phase' system exists across the feudal houses of the moon, but you're not born into a Phase as you would be in the sense of being noble- or common-born in Equestria, you're bid on by representatives from each phase within your House, based on your performance in a public school. So your parentage doesn't matter -- or at least, if things are done impartially, it shouldn't."