"I am truly sorry that my master has departed us. He was one of the best mentors I have ever had. But not only was he a great mentor, he was a friend. A guardian. Most of all, he was a father figure to me. Goodbye."

And with that, my friend and fellow student Star Swirl stepped down from the podium with a final goodbye to our master, Maximus the Magnificent. I stepped up to deliver my final goodbye as well.

"I didn't know Maximus as well as Star Swirl did, so I can't say we were as close as they were, but we were still very close. Closer than most mentors and students than I have met. He taught me most of his knowledge, and most of what I know today. He spent all of his time teaching me and helping me understand his lessons. But his lessons weren't just about spells and potions. They were about life, and loving your fellow pony. Maximus the Magnificent taught me how to laugh at my own mistakes, how to understand the ponies around me, and best of all, how to love. I almost feel utterly alone without him. Goodbye, my dear mentor. Goodbye dear Maximus."

I gently step down from the platform, brushing away tears with my hoof. I turned away from the congregation so they wouldn't see me gushing tears, and thought I saw my sister, Luna. I caught a glimpse of a dark, flowing mane, regal stature, and blank flank, like mine. It was definitely my sister. What was she doing back? Luna had run away years ago, when she was just a filly, because she hadn't discovered her special talent and gotten her Cutie Mark yet. Neither had I, and I wanted to run away as much as she did, but I knew that if I followed in her footsteps, it would literally kill my father. He had already lost my mother, and now my sister. I had to stay and help him run our little village. Maximus the Magnificent had been passing through our little hamlet, and saw me rescuing a little colt who had fallen off of the bridge over the raging river. He was nearly unconscious as I pulled him out and used a heating spell to warm him, and a healing spell just in case. I then returned him to his distraught mother, and turned to go home, when I noticed Maximus. Not that he was hard to notice. With his flowing, star printed cape and hoof length beard, he was rather noticeable. After we introduced ourselves, he explained that he had seen me rescue the colt by levitating him out of the rapids. Apparently levitating a pony as big as he was difficult, but I had done with with ease. We went to my father's house and Maximus filled my father in on what had happened, and said that he wanted to take me on as his apprentice. My little sister Luna begged me not to go, to stay and help her get her Cutie Mark. Luna was nine years old at the time, and still hadn't gotten her Cutie Mark, which worried her. I hadn't gotten mine either, and I was twelve. I had accepted that I was a "late bloomer" as my father put it, and continued to reassure her as I always had, not knowing that she was more worried than she appeared. I left with Maximus to journey to Canterlot and study with him. That was the last time I had seen Luna, until this afternoon. When I went to visit my father two years later, he informed me that she had run away in search of her Cutie Mark. I am 18 now, old enough to rule Canterlot if I must, but I trust Star Swirl with that task. I still haven't gotten my Cutie Mark, and apparently, neither has my dear sister Luna.

"Star Swirl!" I shout to the ash-gray pony. "Star Swirl, wait!"

He finally lifts his drooping head, and you can see the grief in his eyes. He hid it well while he was giving his speech, but has lost control now. I trot to catch up with him, and capture him in a tight hug, both of us weeping and clutching each other. Finally, I break apart from him and tell him what I saw.

"Are you sure it was Luna? After all, it's been nine years since you last saw her." he manages to say through his sorrow and disbelief.

"Are you saying that I don't know what my own sister looks like?" I say rather stormily.

This day has taken it's toll on me, and the exhaustion, grief, and surprise over seeing my long lost sister have left me numb and almost unresponsive. "I would recognize that blank flank anywhere. It's her."

"If it is truly her, than she would want to meet you, she wouldn't just appear like that and disappear again."

I am suddenly struck with a realization.

"The statue!" I burst out, earning a confused look from Star Swirl.

"Huh?" he blusters.

"The statue of Clover the Clever! Luna and I would meet up after school every afternoon at the statue, then walk home together and talk. That's where I have to meet her!" I turn away from Star Swirl, then turn back. "Lovely beard by the way. Is it for Maximus?" I see him nodding as I run away, and hurry to the statue.

"Sister!" I saw, breathless as I see luna pacing before Clover the Clever. "You've returned!"

"Yes." Is all she says before enveloping me in a hug and sobbing in relief.

I stand on my hind legs and place my hoofs on her strong shoulders.

"You should never have run away." I gasp through the tears streaming down my face. You worried father so much, he passed away six months after you left. We though you were never coming back!"

"I heard. I couldn't stop crying when I received the news."

"Then why didn't you come to the funeral? I expected you to. We both loved father so much." That's all I can manage to say without yelling or breaking down into tears once more.

"I couldn't." she says simply. I decide not to press the issue. I know exactly how she felt. Buried under the weight of despair and disbelief.

"So what made you come back now?" I ask.

"I had to see you again."

"Me too." We collapsed on each other once more.

"Meet me in a week by the bridge." She whispers into my ear. The bridge where I met Maximus and began my journey.