Spheres

by Neon Icy Wings

Chapter 4: Resignation, New beginning

Prism bolted upright in her bed in a panic, panting and sweating as she tried to absorb the dream that swamped over her like a tidal wave. Sighing, she let her head flop down onto her pillow, turning to see her alarm clock portraying a time that, as Prism would say, 'It's too stinking early...'

As she lay there, she went over the details of her dream meeting with K and the others. Hoping with futility that it was actually all in her head. She laid her foreleg over her forehead. "Alright. So two freaks and Discord wanna use me as escapist realism and I can't tell anypony or they'll freak out, call me insane, or both!" Her foreleg dropped from her face back to her bed with a groan, "What did I do to deserve this?"

After bashing her head into the pillow for a bit, she got up from her bed to straighten her mane out from her bed headed state. She had to look her best after all. She knew that the Princesses loved and cared about their little ponies, but it didn't hurt to try and raise her chances, the last thing she needed was a ticked off princess on her flank.

A groan escaped her, as she realized that she would need to write up her resignation letter. Well, she could request a personal meeting with one of the Princess, but that would typically be during her work hours and besides, she didn't want the ridicule of the snobby nobles who would be nearby and invariably look down on her for being a simple 'commoner' walking away from the Princesses' employment. It was just much simpler and to her liking for a quiet discharge.

Sitting down at her simple desk, she laid a piece of paper out in front of her, quill held in her wing as she pondered how to word the letter. "Well, I guess I could just wing it from the start."

She began to write, starting as what was simply appropriate with 'Dear Princess Celestia.' While it wasn't as common for ponies to write the Princesses directly, with an exception here or there, Celestia had put a system for the lowly workers of the Castle to send letters to her directly, for vacation requests, complaints or in Prism's case, why they wanted to leave. The system was made after a few times of 'misplaced' letters, notes and complaints and could no longer be ignored.

Sincerely yours
- Prism Spectrum Fracture

Dropping her quill upon a spare scrap of paper, she looked over the letter she had written before nodding and sealing it within a small envelope. Quickly donning her hoodie, she placed her letter in her hoodie pocket and left her apartment to set out for her big day at the gardens.

After walking from lower Canterlot to upper Canterlot she entered through the gardens, opening the door to 'The Shed' as it was known. It was more of a greenhouse and warehouse than anything, but the name had stuck from the older times when it actually was a shed. Once inside she placed her letter in a magical box that was a part of the Canterlot Castle letter network. Prism had heard it worked similarly to dragon fire, but she didn't know if that was true.

As Prism was changing into the gardener uniform an all too familiar, posh voice sounded behind her, "Well, well, well! If it isn't Prissy the pegasus, hard at work. Like always."

Prism rolled her eyes at the mare's voice. A voice that, until the night before, was at the top of the 'Voices that annoy Prism' leader boards, which until the night before had only two names vying for top position. Unfortunately for the voice, harsh competition had flown into town and the previous reigning champion was demoted to fourth place. No medal. Good day miss. Though if the voice's owner knew she would probably contest the board standings in royal court. If she knew about the leader boards at all, which Prism sorely hoped she didn't.

Prism turned around, making sure she didn't give the mare the reaction she was probably looking for and faced the beige unicorn mare with a violet mane, who held a somewhat mocking look reserved solely for the pegasus. "I think, Blazy, you'll see that I am prepping to work. Not currently working just yet."

Prism knew that was not what Daisy was looking for, but the unicorn continued to try and poke at Prism. "Well sweetie, the work you've done on the gardens this past week must have been simply tiresome! I assure you, if I hadn't so tragically taken ill after the changeling fluff I would have worked just as hard! Now if you excuse me, I need to prepare to work the gardens as well. Let's do our best sweetie."

And so Daisy walked past Prism, who rolled her eyes once again at the passing mare, muttering, "I'm sure you will..."

Prism toiled for hours, harder than she usually did if only to look good on her resignation day and showing Blazy Daisy up didn't hurt either.

She winced lightly as her clippers cut through a dead limb of a bush, the sound of the limb falling through leaves ever so slightly grating to her ears. Seeing a bit of color in her peripheral vision, she looked up and gave a few friendly waves at some passing ponies who were enjoying the gardens, as well as the guards who were patrolling a bit more than usual. Prism sighed at the sight, fluttering down to gently lean against a specialty non thorn rose bush. "Guess they're trying to make up for being caught off guard. Can't say I blame 'em."

"And what are you trying to make up for?" A voice said behind her.

Prism gasped in shock, recognizing the voice, and spun around with record speed to see a chuckling Princess Celestia. "Oh! I am so terribly sorry princess! I didn't mean to slack off!" She rambled, falling into a bow.

Celestia let out a small chuckle, pushing Prism up from her bow with her hoof. "No, no! It's fine. I saw how hard you've been working all day, of course you'd need a break."

Prism let the breath she didn't know she was holding out and looked up, smiling at the bigger pony. "Heh, thanks."

Celestia smiled back, a warm motherly smile. "Thanks for what? I haven't done anything."

Prism shifted her weight, rubbing her foreleg with a hoof. "Well, it's just you've done a lot for me personally. You gave me this job and never once complained. Even when giant chaos spirits took over the garden under my watch..."

Celestia walked forward while sniffing a rose, smiling all the while adressing the pegasus. "Discord's escape wasn't your fault. Even then, I wouldn't put the pressure of stopping Discord on you. It's my job to watch over you! And besides, why would I complain about the best Royal Gardener the castle has had in decades?" She chuckled over the bush before turning and walking back to Prism until she towered over the small pegasus. She simply sat down and motioned the pegasus to do the same, which Prism complied, taking a seat next to her Princess. "In fact, that's why I'm here." Her horn glowed a golden light and the resignation letter appeared with a 'poof'! Celestia's smile becoming slightly saddened without losing any warmth. "I merely came to thank you for your years of service at the castle, and to say you are welcome here anytime miss Spectrum."

Prim's eyes watered a bit, finding such praise and warmth from Celestia to be a touching display. "If I ever come back, I'll definitely take you up on that offer."

Celestia's smile widened. She got up and stretched her wings lightly. "Oh, and if you wouldn't mind miss Spectrum, I would like to message my student in Ponyville that a beloved employee of the castle will be moving to her town."

Prism waved a hoof, almost dropping her hedge clippers. "It's fine Princess, I already have a friend willing to help me."

Celestia nodded, a light chuckle escaping her. "And while I'm sure that's true, my student will probably help you on her own and on the off hoof chance something happens I want her to know you are a valued pony of the palace."

Prism resisted the urge to shrug, and gently nodded. "I guess that makes sense. Thanks Princess."

Celestia turned and started walking away when she remembered something. "Oh, yes. And if you would permit me, I'd like I could arrange your possessions to be moved to Ponyville."

Prism stiffened, brow raising at Celestia's generosity. "O-okay! But... why?"

Celestia gave one last warm smile to the pegasus. "Well, I like to do something nice for my treasured ponies of the Castle. Going away parties, little gifts. Or if you'd like I could also throw in letting you go ahead and start moving now. With no need to stay through your two weeks notice." Without even letting the poor pegasus talk from her highly confused and shocked state Celestia giggled, and said, almost to herself, "I guess you wouldn't need much of a party anyway. As I'm sure you'll be getting a party quite soon!" And with that Celestia was off, trotting towards the castle and leaving behind one confused mare.

Prism blinked, confused and even weird-ed out by the turn of events. "Snow would have a theory about planets or something with how well everything is falling into place." She shook her head vigorously, gripped the clippers tightly and returned to work. Though, a happy smile had taken place of her confusion, the sun Princess' presence warming the pegasus mare through her appointed rounds.

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After hours of toiling through the gardens' nooks and crannies, Prism had shaped the bushes, trimmed the trees and set the weeds in the green house incinerator.

And as her day neared its end, she found herself near the statues of Discord and K and C. As she stared at Discord's form she couldn't help but feel bad, especially after Celestia was so kind to her. So accommodating and nice. It took a few moments of mulling over in her brain until she came to a decision with steeled resolve. 'I'll just have to continue my duty! As a member of Celestia's trusted staff, erm, I guess imminently ex staff, I'll do my due diligence and watch over these freaks! Keep watch! Keep busy! Protect the subjects of the gardens from terror! Even if they are the ones who would do the terrorizing..."

With a sigh and a hardened glare she put her hoof to Discord's leg. "Wakey wakey, Discord. Do your schtick and let's get this over with."

She practically saw the statues eyes light up, a laugh resonating from it directly into her mind. 'Oh goodie! I was worried you'd get cold hooves and walk away! Now don't you worry, you'll feel just a little bit of a rush."

What felt like lightening rushed up her foreleg and into her body. Energy just bubbling, boiling beneath her skin gave her the feeling she could take on the world! Wrenching her hoof away from Discord's statue, she rubbed the offended hoof with a wing. "Geez! What the heck is in that stuff?!"

From within her skull Discord's voice chortled. "Only something the ponies of Equestria are missing out on! Seriously! Chaos would do wonders for all of you! Now chop chop! Need to bust out the wonder twins and all."

Prism groaned at the sensation of having a voice in her head. "Ugh. This is NOT going to be easy to get used to."

Discord huffed haughtily. "How do you think I feel?"

Prism ignored Discord, instead focusing her thoughts on learning to manage a few more voices in her head. And fervently trying to ignore the terrifying reality that she had an unhealthy dose of chaos magic that had become a part of her being. In that moment she felt she could handle it. So long as no Discord cultists found out and worshiped her she could live with it well enough.

Grass brushed her hooves as she trotted behind a large hedge bush, revealing the Mirror Mirror statue, Discord's amused laughter ringing in her ears. A shimmer upon the mirror drew Prism's attention, the smiling form of K forming within it. "It is time." Prism walked forward until they was face to face, though she glared at the mirror itself more then K himself before giving K her full attention. "Place your hoof to the mirror."

She lifted her hoof hesitantly, slowly, before bringing it near the mirror. To which she gave it a harsh smack right where K's face was. "GAH! What was that for?!" He said irritably, rubbing an eye all the while Discord was losing his already suspect quantity of mind inside Prism's own.

"Sudden fall, brief moment of coming to terms with my own mortality and overall unnecessary dramatics for what was a simple meeting." She said, a neutral expression matching K's annoyed one.

K groaned, rolling his solid red eyes to the best of his ability. "Fine. Point for you. Put your dang hoof to the glass already!"

Complying, a hoof met glass and K mirrored the action, placing his own stark white hoof to Prism's own. From between the area of their almost connected hooves a dark blue light shone, and, as if she knew what to do, Prism and K mirrored each other's action and drew their hooves apart, leaving a dark blue sphere, lolling simply on the frog of her hoof.

An awkward silence settled between the white mirror monster, the dark teal pegasus and the complete mess of a creature currently taking lodging in the pegasus' mind.

Prism glanced between the sphere and K. "Soooooo... What do I do with it?"

"Uh, can you absorb it?" Prism attempted it, pressing the sphere between her hooves, squeezing and squishing but all it amounted to was the pegasus almost dropping it. K cringed, knowing his only other idea would not sit well with the mare. "Alright. You're going to have to swallow it."

"WHAT?! SH- Ugh. Shut up Discord." She partly shouted, but lowered her volume when mentioning Discord despite his uproarious laughter in her skull.

K winced at her shout and attempted to placate the pegasus. "Weeeell, I had hoped you would be able to absorb it but I guess you'll have to get it the way I did. Down the chute." He gave a nervous chuckle. "If it's any consolation I remember it tasting at least decent."

K shrunk under her glare. "Fine... Just know this brings me ever so closer to hating you." She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and plopped the dark blue ball into her gullet.

Prism had no way to describe the taste in her mouth. As she forced the magical thingy-bob past her gag reflex, the only way she could call the taste that lingered in her mouth was 'blue.' She grimaced and gasped as she swallowed it away. "Agh! The taste wasn't too bad. But the texture SUCKED!"

She looked to K only to see the mirror empty, and instead practically heard the eerie smile from within, "See? It wasn't that bad! We all have to test our gag reflexes someday!"

Prism sighed and began to march her way to The Shed. "Speak for yourself buddy. Also: What the heck does that even mean?"

Discord decided to chime in with his own charm, "I believe he is speaking out of his rear on that one. Not everypony even has a gag reflex!"

She ran one of her wings through the leaves of a bush, rolling her eyes. "I'm just gonna ignore you two. And if C pops in for a chat tell him I'm ignoring him too."

Moonlight shone down upon the leaves of bushes and the grey stone of the statues as she walked lightly through the gardens. Memories, both good and bad flew through her mind. Her hoof laid upon the handle to The Shed as she looked over the place she had known for so long. Knowing it would be the last time she would wear that uniform in the Gardens. She took a deep breath of garden air, and turned the handle and stepped into The Shed.

As she was placing her gardener uniform back in its place the clopping of hooves signified Daisy's entrance to The Shed. It was odd to Prism, that Blazy Daisy didn't immediately bombard her with any kind of joke, poke or barb. It wasn't until Blazy was standing next to Prism and undoing her own uniform when she turned to the pegasus, expression unreadable. "So, you're actually leaving." It wasn't a question, Prism knew it, but thought little of it.

Prism shrugged, pulling her uniform down and stepping out of it. "Yeah. Things just haven't been feeling right lately, so I'm gonna scope out other horizons."

Blazy nodded lightly, a simple silence settling as she unzipped her own suit. It wasn't until Prism had put her uniform up for the last time and began to make her way to The Shed's door when Blazy Daisy spoke again, stopping Prim for a moment, "Hey. Prissy." Prism turned to see Blazy Daisy, who wore an unreadable expression, "I'll keep the gardens looking pristine for you dear."

A bit of confusion washed over Prism before she put on a perplexed smile. "Keep it beautiful Blazy. See ya."

As Prism walked through the Shed door she could hear behind her, "See you."

K scoffed from the ether. "Snob seeming one ain't she?"

Prism chuckled. "You'd think that. Wouldn't ya?"

Deciding to take one last relaxing stroll through the gardens, as it could be quite some time before she saw it again. Besides, the gardens were the best place to mull thoughts over. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say things were going too well and fast for me. Even Blazy wasn't a complete snob today. Eh, better than Snowy's move so far."

She allowed herself a shudder as she remembered her friend's letter that informed her of the nightmarish experience, which her new head-mates found quite amusing. Discord most especially. "My, my. Maybe I should have been more stealthy. It could have been fun messing with ponies on an individual basis! Ah, hindsight my old friend."

As she neared the Garden's entrance, it felt like her mind expanded, the familiar flowers, bushes, statues and trodden paths she had long maintained and cared for, all taken into her mind. Like a photograph of the mind.

She stepped between the final two hedges of the gardens. The two leafy guardians that stood atop the stone steps of the Gardens. She turned, to take one final sight of the Gardens in. "Good bye Gardens. Take care of Daisy for me will ya? As much as she takes care of you."

Her final good bye out of the way, and a strange mix of freedom and feeling lost in her belly, she stepped down the stone stairs, pondering what she should do between the steps and moving to Ponyville when K forced through her ignoring prowess, 'Well you could get something to eat. Seriously, take it from the brain beast, you are hungry.'

Her eyes protested from their continued rolling. "I guess I could drop by Hotcake's again. Heh, thought I had more time but if my move is on the fast track I best make the most of my time here." She winced at a sudden thought. "Horseapples! I didn't get Storm's hotel or room! Better pray he's there I guess... Why do I suck at planning or forethought?"

Discord's chuckle brought he rout of her monologue. 'Well, you did make a pact with three strange beings so, the 'why' isn't known but can confirm, you don't plan much do you?'

The pegasus just shook her head, as the pristine world of upper Canterlot, its paved roads began to fade into the cobblestone of lower Canterlot that she trotted upon. Guided to the neon light of Hotcake's diner.