For sometime Sunset Shimmer had wondered about her life, especially after meeting Twilight and the Rainbooms. Her life had truly become different; she had become more introspective, spending more time reflecting. She knew, somehow, that her meeting with Twilight and the Rainbooms had created something good. But where it was leading her, she didn’t know.
It had been a week since her confrontation with Adagio. It was a quiet Saturday morning, and she just woke up. Sonata just arrived last night, and was still asleep. She took that time to reflect. Much has changed since she first came to Canterlot High, and so much has changed since the Fall Formal and meeting the Rainbooms.
Her introspective mood deepened a bit more. Soon Sonata would wake up, she realized. She smiled a bit while she sat on her bed. She never had anyone else live with her ever since she came here from Equestria. It was a big shock the first day she arrived, looking very much different from the way she was then. She wasn’t a pony anymore!
Somehow that first look on herself, as she passed by a mirror, made a lasting impression on her. She realized that it might be a new start, a new beginning for her. That was true then, and it was so much more true now. She could see some parallels between how it was then and how it is now. So much changes, and at the same time a beginning. She had quite a few of those in her life, she mused.
It was much as true now, with Sonata around, and with that confrontation with Adagio. She just shook her head. She wondered what else would be coming along. She heard Sonata stir. She knew she just woke up. Sunset took a few more minutes to reflect, then went out to go to Sonata’s room.
After doing groceries with Sonata, with Pinkie Pie coming along to help out, they were back in the house. Sunset had just finished checking on her emails, and now she had not much left to do. Pinkie and Sonata had also finished cleaning the house, and were now in Sonata’s room chatting.
The two seems to be getting along well, she thought. She leaned back on her chair, taking the time to relax. It was almost 5 p.m., and there were still a few hours left before dinner. The afternoon was quite cool enough to go out, which she wanted to do just then.
Guess I’ll go and have a walk before dinner, she decided. She changed to her black leggings, a nice white shirt and her favorite leather jacket. Even if it was leather, it was quite light and also provided much warmth, especially since the evenings can be quite cool later. She peeked at Sonata’s room and found her and Pinkie still talking.
“I’m out to take a walk”, she called out to them, and Pinkie waved at her.
“All right, we’ll just stay here and guard the place”, Pinkie said. Sunset went down the stairs and then out the house. She locked the house, just in case anyone tried to come in unannounced. Knowing Pinkie, she knew that they’d be spending most of the time talking and sharing things in the room than anything else.
It was a cool afternoon, with few people out. Sunset rarely walked around the neighborhood, and she thought it might be good to see more of it. She found it quite amusing that she was out just as the sun was setting, as if to match her name.
The neighborhood where she’s in was quiet and peaceful, with houses that have well-manicured lawns. Although daily she saw the houses as she walked to and from school, she never really took the time to look at them, or really get to know the neighborhood.
Funny I never really noticed the houses before, she thought as she walked on. She marveled at how well kept the houses were, and thought that her own house was just as well maintained as the others there were. She thought of getting to know more of her neighbors, but then wondered how they would react to a teenage girl going up to them to greet them.
She passed a few more houses before coming up to an intersection, which she then crossed carefully. Traffic was light in her place. She has seen few cars pass by daily, and since it was a Saturday there were even fewer cars out.
Maybe I should exercise more often, she thought. Even though she walked daily, she never really thought of walking as a means of refreshing herself, or thought much of exercise, something which she thought would be a good thing to do. She began to mentally think of what she would have to buy for an exercise program. She thought of investing in a home gym equipment, like an adjustable bench, perhaps a barbell and a few dumbbells, and some plates.
She still thought of those when she realized she had wandered much farther than she had originally planned. She stopped for a moment, deciding whether to go back or go much further. She decided on the latter, as she thought that it wasn’t really that far, and she had just been walking for only a good ten minutes.
She clearly had gone to a part of her neighborhood that she rarely, if ever, had seen. For her walk she took a route that was opposite from Canterlot High, so it wasn’t unusual for her to see different sights than the ones she was normally familiar with.
She could see a park nearby, with a flat ground. There was a playground for kids, as well as some benches. The benches were under the trees, which could be a good place to rest or just reflect on a good day. She walked over the park and then got to a path that went around it. It was a rather large park, with a nice tree-shaded path as well as the benches to sit on to. A nice place for introspection, she observed as she continued to walk around it.
She was tempted to sit down and rest, but then she figured she wasn’t really tired yet, and promptly continued her walk. She noticed the path, as well as the streets, seem to go around the park, and she followed the path as well. Just ahead she could clearly see a Byzantine-style church. She quickened her pace a bit, partly so as to give herself more exercise, and partly to get to the church faster. She thought it funny that she never really had entered a church before in Canterlot City.
Not that there was any need for her to go into one, she realized, as she did come from a world that didn’t seem to have one. Which gave her another to think about as she walked on. Around the park, she noticed, there were also houses around it. Her mind however was more on the church nearby. As she came to it, she noticed the sign just in front and at the left side of the church.
“The Annunciation of the Theotokos Orthodox Church”, Sunset read the sign. She looked at the church, which had a lovely Byzantine design. It had a small dome, and off to its side is a small bell tower. She wasn’t sure if she should go in; however, curiousity got the better of her, and she headed for the church’s entrance.
She opened the door, and saw that there was another door right in front of her. She opened it slowly, peeking in. The church’s inside was lighted by the last rays of the afternoon sun coming in through the windows. She quietly went in. looking around as she saw that the church was covered from wall to ceiling with what appeared to be images, or what she thought to be paintings. In front of her she saw more of those, as well as what looked to be a door at the center.
She stood there for a moment, not exactly knowing what to do. She could also detect a faint, but sweet, odor about the church. What it was, she wasn’t exactly sure yet. Part of her wanted to leave just then, but another part of her seemed to draw her into the church. She went towards a seat and just sat there as she continued to set her gaze about. She wasn’t exactly sure what to do as she sat there, but she could feel a calm come into her, and she could feel her mind clear. She just closed her eyes and sat there until a voice took her out of her peaceful state.
“You seem to be new here”, a voice said to her. She opened her eyes and looked up, and there saw a blonde man, almost muscular by her own account, standing next to her. She could see that he seemed friendly, though at the same time quiet, almost introspective. Sunset smiled and nodded.
“You could say that”, she replied. The man smiled at her.
“I’m Jean Paul Valley”, he said as introduction.
“Sunset Shimmer”, she said, introducing herself as well.
“So you’re here for Vespers?” he asked her. She just looked dumbfounded, not knowing what to say.
“Well, I just passed by here…” she stammered a bit.
“Ah, I thought you would be attending then”, Jean Paul said. They were both quiet for a moment.
“So what church is this?” Sunset asked. Though she did know what it was, she felt like asking it to keep some sort of conversation.
“It’s Annunciation of the Theotokos Orthodox Church. It’s Antiochian Orthodox”, Jean Paul explained. “I am rather new here myself, having been here in the city rather…recently, you might say.” He said those last words carefully, almost deliberately, Sunset noticed, but she did not dare ask more about that.
“I have not been in a church before...” Sunset admitted. Jean Paul then looked at her quizzically, almost unable to believe what he heard.
“So this is your first time then in any church?” he asked. Sunset nodded. He then smiled at her again. “Fr. George is a very friendly priest. He has been here for sometime now, and maybe you would like to talk to him.”
“I sure would”, Sunset merely replied.
“We will start in a few minutes. Saturday Vespers takes about an hour, much longer than daily Vespers”, explained Jean Paul as he took his seat. “Other people should be coming here soon as well before it starts.” Sunset then sat quietly there, unsure of what to do next, but she could see that it was a new experience for her, something which she thought she should try and see.
After Vespers, Jean Paul went over to Fr. George, who had gone out from the sanctuary after taking his vestments off. After briefly talking, he motioned to Sunset, who was still seated. She went over to them and he introduced her to Fr. George. The kindly priest smiled at her.
“So this is your first time in a church?” She nodded at that. “I think there is much that we need to discuss then, but I think that for now what you have seen here is more than enough.” He then turned then to Jean Paul and thanked him for attending, then turned again his attention to Sunset.
“If ever you need to come here, the church is open any time”, he said as a welcome to her. After a few more words, she then excused herself to walk back home. On the way home, she spent some more time reflecting, wondering why she had gone there, and why for a long time she had not even thought of going into a church. She mused on that some more as she made her way back to her house. She still did have much to do though, and that she also thought of Sonata and what dinner they would have. All she knew though was that it might be a new beginning for her, though she’s not necessarily sure yet where it might lead to.