Celestia helped Sunset pack everything into the boxes the hospital provided. Eventually everything was ready and loaded on the cart. They waited for the staff to finish the release paperwork.
Dr. Quinn returned, paperwork in hand. “Okay Ms. Shimmer. We’re ready. Sign this, and we will get you loaded up and heading out to your new life.” She grinned. “Sign here, here, and here. And on this tab here. Initial this. And here. Also here. Right. Read this, then sign here and initial here, and here. Okay. Done. And Ms. Shimmer, please be sure to contact Dr. Discord, he specializes in trauma, and I am sure he’ll be able to help you with your memories. Also don’t forget I expect to see you back here twice a week for your evaluations and checkups. The appointment schedule is in right here, in the back of this folder. Do not forget please.”
Papers signed, Dr. Quinn removed the back copies of each and placed them into Sunset’s folder. The originals she placed into Sunset’s chart. “All set then! I’ll have a nurse come roll you out, and I’ll see you, Ms. Shimmer, in my clinic downstairs in two days. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early, there’s paperwork you’ll need to complete before the appointment. Best wishes Sunset! I’ll see you then.”
With a smile and wave, Dr. Quinn left the room, heading for the nursing station. She chatted briefly with the charge nurse, then went into her office. The charge nurse tapped one of the shift nurses on the shoulder, and after a brief discussion the shift nurse headed to Sunsets room.
“Hello Ms. Shimmer. My name is Nurse Feelgood. I’m told you’re going home now? Congratulations! I’m sure you are looking forward to that.” Nurse Feelgood smiled, hands crossed before her. “If you’re ready to go, I’ll wheel you out now.”
Grinning, Sunset replied. “Yes, please. I love you all dearly, but I am so ready to be home. Let’s go.”
Taking her queue, Nurse Feelgood stepped behind Sunset’s chair and pushed her towards the door. “Where are we heading exactly?” she asked.
Celestia pushed the cart through the door. “Perhaps I should take the lead. We're heading to my car in the northeast lot. This way.” She cleared the door and started down the hall towards the elevators.
“Wagons ho!” snarked Sunset, causing Nurse Feelgood to grin.
“Wagons ho it is Ms. Shimmer,” she laughed.
Down in the parking lot, Celestia, Sunset, and Nurse Feelgood looked at Principal Celestia’s sports car. It was a sleek and sporty two seater, with a swept top and a little tiny compartment in the back for a few bags of groceries or whatever else someone might put in a sporty car’s trunk.
Looking at the boxes, then back at the opened trunk, Celestia sighed. “I think I’m going to need a bigger car.”
Sunset face palmed. Nurse Feelgood burst into laughter.
It felt good to be out of the hospital. Strapped into the passenger seat of Celestia’s sporty two seater, window down, Sunset enjoyed the breeze whipping through her hair. Behind her, strapped to the open trunk of the car, was her borrowed wheelchair, fronted by boxes and looking like something out of a scene from an old movie, with hillbillies and lots of horrid twanging music. She snorted out a laugh at the image, which she tried and failed to stifle.
“Laugh it up, Sunset. Laugh it up. I know where you live,” growled Celestia. They both exploded in fits of laughter.
“Stop! Stop… don’t make me laugh so hard! Oh ugh..” Sunset gasped. “You’re horrible! When did you get a sense of humor?”
“I’ve been hanging around this girl who likes to snark at everything. I think it’s rubbing off on me,” grinned Celestia.
Sunset grinned. “Thank Celestia! I was hoping I would rub off on someone!” She laughed.
“Okay, seriously! What’s up with that?” asked Celestia. “You do that all the time. So why is Celestia your apparent swear word of choice?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Uhm… Yeah, I can see where that would sound… .awkward? Okay. Yeah your counterpart? Princess Celestia? My mentor? She’s not just the ruler of Equestria. There’s magic involved…”
“Yes. And…” asked Celestia.
“Well. She’s responsible for moving the Sun. Like, around. Every day. She brings the day. She used to bring the night too. But her sister returned. Long story. Anyways…. Yeah, so her sister? Princess Luna? She moves the moon. Brings the night. And like, the stars. And the planets. So, yeah… magic. Anyways... “
“Wait. What? So Luna has a counterpart too? And she moves the moon? And Celestia moves the Sun?” Celestia got a pensive look, then after a moment, pursed her lips in a moue.
“Uhm… Yeah. So that’s why everyone says ‘thank Celestia’. And thank Luna too, I guess? Don’t know - that’s new, she returned after I left, you’d have to ask Princess Twilight about that. Wait… what’s that face? Why the pout? You’re pouting.”
“I am not pouting! I’m merely reflecting!” pouted Celestia.
“No. No, that’s a moue. What’s up?”
“I am reflecting. Reflecting… Reflecting that maybe, I got the shorter end of the existential stick here? I’m the Principal of the local High School. And my counterpart is a Princess, and a god? What the heck fate? Why do you hate me?”
Sunset laughed, then reached out and hugged Celestia. “Trust me, no one hates you. You’re the real deal in my book.”
Celestia laughed. “In my book too. Okay, driving Sunset. Need my arms… thanks!” Sunset leaned back into her seat, smiling.