Sunrise Eclipse yawned as he stepped off the train, weary from the long trip from Canterlot. He was tagging along with his college roomy, Thunder Eclipse, back to his hometown. He never really cared much that his and Thunder's last name were the same, but his family had roots in most towns so he didn't look too deep into it.

"So Thunder this is where you live? Wow, it's well... quaint. Certainly not what I'm normally used to" he chuckled with apparent amusement. Sunrise smiled as he spread his wings a bit and looked at Thunder "You ready to go home and see the friends you have been missing?"

Sunrise took off, leaving a dazed Thunder, and lazed on a cloud in the sky. As he relaxed, his mind came up with music lines as he thought. Thunder raised a slight eyebrow at his friend, and chuckled before flapping his wings to join him. Thunder looked at Sunrise in the light of dawn after the two day trip on the train. Sunrise was lying on his flank, and Thunder's eyes fell on his cutie mark. Sunrise was an unusual pegasus to say the least. For one thing, he could care less about the weather team. He preferred to make music, which was his talent apparently, considering this his cutie mark was a musical score. Thunder moved his eyes to his friends face and knew instantly that Sunrise was making up new songs with an ease that impressed most ponies, and got him almost any mare he wanted.

"Hey Sunrise, wake up Sunrise" Thunder bopped him on his muzzle. This was a different Thunder than many ponies got to see, as most times he was a bit of a shy pony, but Sunrise had this effect on many ponies bringing out the best in them with his heart and his music.

"Whoa, bad vibes Thunder. You just ruined what could have been my best song yet" Sunrise opened his eyes and looked down at Ponyville with some interest. It really did look like a nice place to live. He looked up and was nearly plowed down to earth as a flash of rainbow hit him. "Ouch what the hay" Sunrise corrected his position and was graced with the image of a blue mare with a rainbow mane and tail hugging Thunder. He sighed and flew up to his friend

"So this is your big sis Rainbow Dash?" The mentioned pony looked away from Thunder and eyed Sunrise with a penetrating glare. With the sudden hostility, Sunrise floated a step back.

"Thunder who's your friend?" Rainbow Dash looked this new pure black pegasus over then looking at his sunset gold mane. She appeared to be checking him out.

"Oh Rainbow this is my friend Sunrise, he's the musician I told you about in one of my letters." Rainbow had a quick look of remembrance and nodded her head and got a look in her eyes that they had both seen in college.

"Alright well, the rest of the gang is waiting at Sugarcube corner" She waved for Thunder and Sunrise to follow her, emphasizing her call to Sunrise with a slight swish of her tail and mane.

Sunrise raised a slight eyebrow at the reaction that was normal to him from most mares; after all he was one of the most wanted stallions in Canterlot. He sighed as he forgot about the swish and his mind drifted off to his mental piano. He began to hum some of his most prized songs, one was his retake on some classics but with a sad set to it instead of its original purpose of a love song. He let his mind wonder over his love life, but that was a bad road for him. Being surrounded by adoring mares all the time might sound like a dream to some stallions, but it wasn't what it cracked up to be. "Huh, I love music and all, and my talent makes me popular with other ponies... but why is it that that's all anypony sees in me. After all, that's just something I'm talented at and love to do, but its not all of me." Sunrise whispered to himself in a depressied tone. As usual his friend could hear every word.

Thunder looked at him in worry. He knew there was another reason for Sunrise agreeing to come out here besides their friendship, and it was a mare named Symphony. He remembered Sunrise's newest fan, the lovey dovey Symphony. She was just trying to seduce his friend just to get a chance at the most popular student on campus and Sunrise hated mares like that. Thunder didn't ask Sunrise about it, because he knew better, yet he also yearned to help his friend. As they reached the cupcake shaped building, Sunrise smelt the smells of a party: cake, punch, balloons, and sweat. He knew it would be a bad one for him, but he would endure for his friend.

He thought to himself about how much he wished somepony would treat him not like an idol but as a normal pony. Somepony like Thunder. Even with his rising fame in the literary world, Thunder had a personality that just made you want to treat him like a normal pony. Sunrise landed behind Rainbow and Thunder with a small sigh. Rainbow Dash looked back at the black pegasus with a cocked head. She shrugged her shoulders and moved on into Sugarcube corner. Thunder was right behind her with an upset Sunrise trailing behind.

Sunrise didn't know what hit him until the pink blob jumped off him and onto Thunder. "Hiya Thunder, its been a long time, so how was college and who is your friend and why does he look so depressed and…" Sunrise cocked an eyebrow as he watched the display of a crazy pink earth pony.

"Pinkie Pie get off me first" Thunder pushed the hyperactive pink pony off him and he stood up "Now everyone this is my best friend, Sun…."

"Oh my, is that really you Sunrise?" Everypony in the room looked over at the purple unicorn who had spoken to Sunrise. Sunrise's eyes widen as he took in the image of a unicorn he never thought he would see again.

"Twilight is that you, I haven't seen you since you left Canterlot" Thunder noticed what most ponies would have missed on Sunrise's cheeks. Sunrise was blushing, Thunder had only seen a blush on the black pegasus' cheeks when he came back to the room from another party he had entertained at drunk from all the drinks bought for him by the mares.

"Oh I am sorry I never said good bye to you, I was in a rush of sorts" Twilight smiled and walked over to the two pegasi. "I see you made friends with Thunder with ease. That's not an easy feat you know."

"You know Sunrise Twilight?" Thunder asked with pure interest remembering Sunrise talk on and on about a mare he had a crush on back before she had moved.

"Yes Thunder I do he used to be my neighbor in Canterlot and I use to help whenever he got writers block with his music" Twilight giggled "He is like a brother to me."

Sunrise visibly cringed at the word brother.

"Heh. Yeah...a brother," he said dejectedly.

"Well Sunrise why don't I introduce you to the rest of the gang" Rainbow butted in with a quick and snappish manner. She brought him over to a yellow pegasus and a white unicorn. Before she could say a word Sunrise smiled and looked at them both.

"You must be Fluttershy the natural with animals, and you must be the fashion expert and wonderful clothes designer Rarity" He smiled to the yellow pegasus first then the white unicorn "And the hyperactive pony must be Pinkie Pie, Thunder told me all about you girls."

Sunrise looked over at the food in the bakery and his stomach grumbled. He looked back at the blue pegasus next to him and decided what the hay. He knew he couldn't really get Twilight but he could try and fall for another pony. Rainbow saw him looking at her and she thought it to be out of interest in her and rewarded him with a batting of her eyelashes and a flip of her hair. Sunrise walked back over to his friend Thunder, attempting to avoid the gaze of Rainbow, who had been by the door the entire time.

"I'll leave you to catch up with your friends Thunder, I need to find a piano before I go crazy" Sunrise smiled but before he could exit Pinkie Pie rushed back over to him and ushered him back into the building.

"You can't leave without having some party cake or having some punch made special by me" The pink pony giggled as she pushed Sunrise back into the throng of friends.

Sunrise sighed knowing this was going to be worse than he thought. The pony of his dreams sitting at a table with all her friends, she thinking of him as a brother, and the fact there wasn't a piano to take his mind off his depressed feelings. As he was ushered in by the pink pony, Rainbow was back by his side showing the same interest he got from his fans, well the ones that were mares. Sunrise would never date his best friend's older sister even if she was as attractive as Rainbow. He decided to humor her but he wouldn't let things go very far. He decided this because most of his fans would try and he wouldn't lead them on but he would let them try their best and he would show them he wasn't interested in them, but they always seemed to try harder. Sunrise had noticed a banner when they first entered but he didn't pay close attention to it, in fact he just looked at the pink pony who now was dancing and bouncing, this was when he noticed something in the corner, a piano. Wait why would there be a piano in a bakery thought Sunrise as he walked over to it. Everypony in the building save Thunder had devilish smiles on their faces as Sunrise rubbed his hoof over the ebony wood feeling its fine finish.

Thunder walked over to his big sister who had stayed close to Sunrise and he whispered into her ear "Sis, how in Equestria did you get that piano in here?" He asked.

"Oh it wasn't my idea, when we got a letter that you were not coming alone we assumed it would be the musician" Rainbow smiled her awesome smile and winked at her brother "Hmm I wonder if he is single."

Thunder nearly gagged at that and he watched as his big sister closed the distance between herself and Sunrise as he sat down on the piano bench. Sunrise was lost in his mind as Rainbow sat down next to him. Everypony could she was trying to get the new pony in town to notice her in a romantic light. Sunrise closed his eyes and began to play one of the classics, his hooves played along the piano's keys moving so fast it was as if the piano played itself. Everypony except Thunder and Twilight looked at him in awe, never before had they seen such talent. The music played was soon turned into a more modern song. It was a favorite of his as he began to sing a few lines from it, "Spend all your time waiting For that second chance For a break that would…"

As the song left his lips a deep sadness encased Sugarcube corner, it wasn't even one of his own songs it was a song by Angel Mic. Sunrise turned from singing the song to humming the lyrics with abandon. His mind was cut off from the rest of the world as his hooves continued to play across the keys of the piano soon the music changed again as he began to free play. He was in the cord of E minor making up small lyrics of his own "Out on your own with the pony of thy dreams in locked in chains, A prince you are yet a pauper you must be…" It was another sad song. He had a ton of them and knew much more from other artists but as he opened his eyes his hooves stopped moving. Thunder knew the song Sunrise had played by Angel Mic was one he played only when he was hurting deep down even though it was one of his favorite songs. Sunrise stood from the piano and unknown to all the ponies save Thunder he was wearing a mask of happiness. He smiled before he moved over to his friend. "This is your party I shouldn't take the lime light here, go have fun buddy, I'll just sit back and relax."

Sunrise's mask didn't fool Thunder because he knew Sunrise too well to be fooled. Thunder looked around and saw that every pony watched the musician even his Fluttershy was enthralled with the new comer. Thunder chuckled at the normal thing with his best friend, every pony watching him and not Thunder. There was a reason Sunrise made friends with Thunder so easily. He had asked him the first day of classes to treat him like a normal pony, and not a musical idol. Thunder spaced out for a second as he remembered the first day he had met the Maestro Eclipse.

Four Years ago

Thunder walked into his new dorm and was greeted by the sight of a pure black pegasus with a sunset gold mane siting at a piano with his eyes closed. Thunder widened his eyes as his roommate began to play the piano with fast and deft hooves. The music was divine a concerto of pure magnificence from the time before Celestia and Luna were the rulers of Equestria. With the door still open the music floated out to the courtyard of the college, and a scream of excitement flew from every mares' mouth and two mares came running into the dorm pushing Thunder out of the way

"Oh my Celestia, it's Maestro Eclipse, he is coming to our college, oh this is perfect." Thunder's eyes widened as he remembered hearing about a Maestro Eclipse from Vinyl Scratch. He was a master pianist at the age of seven. He was the roommate of Maestro Eclipse but he didn't have time to think on it as two fan crazed mares were pushed out by the black pegasus.

"Ugh I am tired of crazy fans, I just want to be able to relax and learn at college but nooo! Every single place I go I get mobbed by mares that just want a few seconds of fame!" The black pegasus looked at Thunder at this moment "I am going to guess your my roommate, please call me Sunrise, not Maestro or Maestro Eclipse, those are my stage names but no one ever bothers to learn my real name"

Thunder watched as Sunrise walked over to the piano and close it. He looked sad to Thunder and Thunder got the urge to help him. "Hay M.. I mean Sunrise what's wrong" Thunder placed a hoof on Sunrise's shoulder "Maybe I can help, oh and I am Thunder Eclipse"

"Well I am always treated good because of my talent but not for me, I just want a pony to like me not my music but no every time I try to get people to see the real me they always beg for my music" Sunrise sighed as he looked back at his piano "If only one pony would get to know the real me."

Thunder smiled "Well Sunrise its your lucky day I'll get to know the real you" "Hmm, really, then from now on treat me how you would any other pony"

Present

Thunder snapped out of his space out as Sunrise was dragged away by Rainbow Dash to the food. He walked over to Fluttershy and gulped before he reached the yellow pegasus. He was so shy at that moment that Fluttershy seemed to be the most talkative pony ever.

"Hey Thunder umm how was college for you?" Fluttershy gulped but she was nowhere near as nervous as Thunder.

"Hey Fluttershy, It was umm great, I made the best friend I could ever have" Thunder blushed as she looked at him with her big loving eyes.

Thunder smiled as Fluttershy nodded and he looked over at Sunrise who was now enjoying a slice of cake. Sunrise felt the bad vibes in the room, everything was so tense and he was sure that if it got any worse the entire building would implode. "Hmm I guess some lively music will help it".

Sunrise moved away from Rainbow and back to the piano "Alright I do believe this party needs some music, if you know this song then get off your flank and dance along" He started a jaunty tune as he began another one of his favorite songs, it was happier than most songs but it still had a twinge of longing. It had no singing and its mood was for dancing.

Sunrise used his talent of being able to put all his heart into the music sharing his infectious love for music and dance. Thunder smiled as the music infected him and the rest of the ponies there "Come on Ponies shake those tails." Sunrise chuckled as the gang began to dance around even though none of them knew the song.

The dancing lasted for hours with small breaks for food and drink and eventually a tired and still slightly depressed Sunrise closed the piano and stood from the bench. He smiled and walked a few feet before his knees buckled. Thunder was by his side in an instant knowing what happens after Sunrise played music like that, and it wasn't pretty. Sunrise would be out for at least twelve hours.

"Oh my what happened" Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash came over to Thunder as he lifted his friend up onto his back.

"He just played himself to exhaustion and he normally has a small drink that soothes his tired muscles, but he is the only one who knows how to make it…" As Thunder spoke Fluttershy's flank rubbed against his causing him to blush insanely.

"Umm actually he isn't the only one, I made the drink up for him when he was so tired after his concerts" Twilight came over with pure worry in her eyes "I can make the drink but I need some time to find the ingredients so get him into a bed for the night."

With that Twilight was out of the bakery and looking for the ingredients for the drink while Thunder and Rainbow took Sunrise to their home.

To Be Continued

Author's Note: The Lyrics used in the first singing part are not mine they belong to the artist Sarah Mclachlan, it is from her song In the Arms of an Angel