Changing Expectations

by KKSlider


140- Kokyangwuti

Everyone was in position. It had taken a bit, but all the soldiers had managed to hurry up and wait, and were now in what defensive positions could be made. We had already delayed too long, and I wanted to go in sooner rather than later.

Luna, Celestia, Shining, and myself were all going in. Cadence was staying up top, as were Coxa and Thorax. They would keep an eye on things from up top, and should anything go wrong, take control over our respective nations. Celestia had tried to order Shining to stay up top, while he tried to convince her to stay, but both had eventually agreed to come: Celestia because she refused to leave her sister’s side out of fear of losing Luna again, and Shining because he wanted to personally watch over Celestia’s security.

With us, several platoons of the Red Right Hoof and the Canterlot Reactionaries would be giving us escort protection, as well as generally scouting out the city. The ponies and changelings got ready behind us as we prepared ourselves.

“Honestly sister, you are only making things riskier,” Luna complained.

“I’m not leaving your side. Especially when there’s Nightmares involved.” Celestia pouted. “I don’t want to lose you again.”

“Need I remind you that you fell as well?” Luna asked.

Celestia pawed the ground, “All the more reason to stay by your side. We are safer together. Even if I do not have the mana pool required to fight, I am more than capable of casting spells with help. Captain Shining or Phasma can dual cast with me, if needed.”

“I’ve never done that before,” I interrupted.

The alicorns and Shining stared at me.

“That’s a pretty important thing in combat,” Shining said.

I shrugged, “Changelings more or less use my Weave, but I never really relied on someone, nor has anyone ever really relied on me.”

‘Makes me wonder if this kind of magic would be useful in situations like the defense of Hooferville. I just have no experience to know for sure.’

“Then Shining will stay close and protect me,” Celestia said. “And if I must, I can guide you on how to supply mana to a caster. I have taught countless foals how to use their magic, you know.”

I sneered, “Are you saying I’m a foal?”

“How old are you, again?” She asked.

“I’ll have you know that I’m very independent for my age. Look, I even put my shoes on!” I said, raising one of my booted hooves.

The ponies, save for Shining, laughed.

“And you’re the one leading this expedition?” He griped.

“Phasma is more than capable of fighting,” Luna reminded him. “You know that better than any of us.”

Shining glanced at the fan structure, “The changelings had the element of surprise. Will we have that, going in down there?”

“Let’s hope so,” I muttered. “Are we all ready?”

“Ready,” Luna nodded.

“As I’ll ever be,” Celestia said, her helmet bobbing a bit with the motion.

“Reactionaries ready,” Shining announced after receiving nods from his ponies.

The ponies going in were mostly pegasi, though there were a few unicorns and earth ponies in the mix. How they would be ferried was yet to be seen, though I suspected that the pegasi would be doing a lot of heavy lifting real soon.

“By your command,” Froghopper said.

He was the changeling leading the Red Right Hoof’s scouting force. As much as I blamed him for leading us into Double Dealing’s obvious trap, he was the best scout we had. Apparently.

“Right then, let’s boogie,” I muttered.

“Wait, Phasma,” Celestia called out, marching up to me. “I know of a good spell that will keep the area lit up nicely. I simply lack the power to cast it. This is the perfect opportunity for me to walk you through how to dual cast.”

I glanced briefly at the flickering orb I had casted earlier. If we wanted any permanent source of light, the alicorn with the sun on her ass would surely know the best spell.

“Alright,” I nodded. “I’ve got power to spare. Let’s shed some light on the city.”

Celestia guided me through the process, and together we summoned an orb that glowed a soft yellow light. It started out as small as my hoof, but rapidly grew in size as I funneled more and more magic into it. As I fed it, Celestia gently pushed it off with her magic, sending it down to replace the fading white light. She pushed it as far out and up as she could manage.

Once it was sufficiently big enough and bright enough to illuminate the whole city, we got into formation, then flew down into Nisir.


I was staring into the eye of a mechanical god.

It was gargantuan in size. A perfectly clear crystal, as big as a house, with a faceted surface that glinted in the fake sun’s light, sat in the middle of a bright blue vice, at the core of some arcane, impossibly complex system of mechanical rings, tubes, and other sci-fi contraptions.

It was Nisir’s sun, without a doubt. The contraption was encrusted in ice and rust, the crystal being the only unmarred surface. The structure as a whole stretched from horizon to horizon of the dome’s surface. Gears of unfathomable sizes sat around and behind the dead sun, visible only behind the mechanisms and through missing panels in the sky’s surface.

I recognized some of its structure. Concentric rings housed the runes and enchantments to power the sun, keep it stable, and keep it quiet. Now, however, these metal and glass bands were devoid of any magic; whatever powered the sun and its enchantments had long since leaked away.

Not only was Nisir’s sun more complex than the Third Hive’s, but it looked like it once moved. The crystal-device was set on a path, rusted over, encased in ice, and unmoved for millennia, but the path was still clear. From horizon to horizon, the artificial light could make its way across the sky. And, judging by the distant bands of ice and rust, the sun’s path was rotatable on a gear at each end of its arc.

Nisir’s sun not only traveled across the sky, but the changelings adjusted its position to match how high it was during winter and summer.

‘The only thing missing is a moon, and some way to artificially create sunsets…. Unless they figured both of those out, too.’

Even if we could turn the utterly gargantuan device on, we had no way of freeing the tracks from their corrosion, nor any way of figuring out where the control panel for the sun even was. Once, this sun had nurtured an entire civilization. Now, it was dead, just like the lings that lived under it.

I had stopped in mid-air, buzzing my wings to a hovering speed as I gazed into the crystal orb. I saw my own reflection in the thousand-faced diamond, staring back at me in awe. Ponies and changelings had gathered around it to gawk, though a number of our more competent troops didn’t let themselves get distracted, and were much further down on the descent to the snow-covered city.

“They built a sky,” Celestia gasped, staring into the crystal orb.

“That’s not possible,” Shining Armor muttered, held aloft by two pegasi and a weightless spell.

“They did it anyway,” I said quietly.

The Third Hive had only built a sun, a small fraction of the device that dwarfed us all. The sun construct rose out and above a sea of hexagonal tiles, a feature that the Third Hive lacked. These tiles were covered in ice, frost, rust, and sockets. Once, they might have been painted or sealed with some substance. Now, exposed to the elements, few were left in good quality, with a number of them missing and massive clockwork constructs visible in their absence. Here and there, fan ducts had been spaced out along the dome’s structure, interrupting the sea of frost and sockets.

Speaking of the sockets, many held circular crystals, each as big as a changeling’s skull. Given their number and size, I could only guess as to what their purpose was.

“What are these for?” I wondered out loud, pointing to one crystal. “Some part of the artificial sun’s mechanism? Powering it, or moving it along its path?”

“Perhaps they were stars,” Luna suggested. “If the changelings of yore had conjured a sun, what would stop them from conjuring the rest of the sky? There must be millions of these crystals, more than enough to mimic stars in the sky, if illuminated with varying brightness…” Luna said, voice trailing off.

“Whatever the answer is, we cannot hope to understand it so soon,” Celestia said. “It may take centuries to fully uncover this secreted-away city’s secrets. Such complexity has not been seen since… I can only think of a few examples, all before the Age of Discord, and none as complete and large-scale as this place.”

“And we’ve only just set hoof in the place,” Shining shook his head in disbelief.

“I think the Third Hive was mimicking this wonder,” I said. “I can recognize some parts of it, like those support rings, and those cone-shaped things that must be projectors of some sort,” I pointed to different parts of the device as I described them. “However, much of this thing is completely beyond the Third Hive’s capabilities. They must’ve had some sort of schematic for the sun, but the movement piece was too complex… Questions for later, I suppose. What part of the city are we going to investigate first? The glow in the castle seems like a good place to start.”

“Oh, you want our opinion now?” Shining asked. “You seemed dead set against listening to us just half an hour ago.”

As Celestia and Shining glared at me, I cleared my throat, “Yes, well, I was concerned you would do something stupid like deciding not to go in. Because, you know, you all said you weren’t going to go in. Now we’re in.”

“And you’re learning just how daunting this journey is?” Celestia said.

“No! I knew the dangers, I just didn’t want to lose my species best chance at finding out who we were, and a chance at growing our numbers somewhere safe and close. Forgive me for not trusting Equestria completely, but our alliance is still young, and a single disaster could bring it down. So yeah, I have to make decisions that will affect the odds of my species’ survival, and the longer we’re in here the more I’m remembering the outcome of the last time we explored changeling ruins…”

Luna put a hoof on my withers and gave me a reassuring smile. The act nearly caused us to plummet into a freefall, as we both had to continue flying and my wings and elytra are awfully close to my withers.

“I am glad we are keeping the upper hoof and going on the offensive. Many wars have been lost due to hesitation,” Luna said.

“Well, we’re committed now,” Shining grunted. “Point me to the castle, Private,” he ordered the pegasus carrying him.

“The light from within is the most eye-catching anomaly,” Celestia admitted. “If we are going in, we should secure the castle first. Not only will we discover the source of the glow, but it is the most defensible position in the city.”

“Let us head a spear into the castle, and from there, we can spread out and secure the city,” Luna agreed.

“Let’s not split the party,” Shining said, making me raise an eyebrow. “We don’t want to spread ourselves too thin. We should secure the castle, and then move slowly, securing our positions as we go. Thoroughly clearing the place before we take each district is our safest option here.” Shining rolled his neck to glare at me, “If there’s one good thing Equestria got from your legions, it’s that we learned how to fight in urban terrain pretty well. The Reactionaries have the experience to hold the city, but if we overstretch then it’s going to be for nothing.”

‘Maybe I was wrong about Shining Armor. Maybe he really is a nerd. You’re not sneaking that D&D reference by me, unicorn.’

“It might be worth it to secure the outer city section to the right of the castle first,” I said, “and then work our way around the circle. That way, we aren’t surrounded if the Nightmares attack.”

“To the castle, then!” Luna commanded as she began her dive.

“I’ll join you in the rearguard,” Celestia said, staying by the dead crystal sun.

I nodded, and ordered the changelings to follow me as I dove to the massive castle that sat in the middle of Nisir.


We set down quietly on the castle’s largest balcony. The structure was something along the lines of a half-circle exterior courtyard, covered in snow. If there was once plant life here, there was no trace anymore. The snow crunched underhoof as we landed. The changelings and pegasi fanned out, approaching the walls and empty window frames of the grey castle ahead. The rainbow hue continued to pulse faintly from within.

They lined up against the entrances, and with a nod from Shining, entered the open doorway and open windows silently. There were no flashes before we entered; we might have need of the element of surprise, and errant spellfire could awaken whatever slumbers within.

A unicorn that had been ferried down appeared in the doorway to the balcony. He nodded towards the Equestrian Captain, and disappeared again. Shining nodded and made his way to the doorway himself. As he did so, Celestia and several more guards set down behind Luna and I.

“The Captain seems to be leading the vanguard,” she said softly. “I would like it if you two stayed close enough to him to provide help, should he need it. I’ll take things slowly and watch your rear.”

“You can count on us,” Luna said.

“You’ll be staring at our rears, got it,” I joked.

Celestia rolled her eyes and motioned for us to leave.

“...evacuate immediately…”

I spun on my hooves and stared hard at the doorway ahead of us.

“Heard the voice again,” I said quietly. “A lot more clearer, though it still seems broken up. Confirmed to be some sort of automated message, but just how they’re projecting it through the Weave…”

“Your orders, My King?” Froghopper said, suddenly appearing next to me.

I flinched in surprise, “Gah! I mean, uh, we continue. Get up there with Captain Shining Armor and keep your eyes on a swivel for anything strange.”

He nodded, then pointed to the door, “There’s a strange glow, sir.”

“Look for anything new that’s strange!” I groaned.

The scout saluted and then made himself scarce.

“... hath fallen…”

“Ready when you are,” Luna said, making me jump. She squinted, “Are you sure you are all alright?”

“I’ll be fine. Probably. Let’s go bust some ghosts.”

Before I could change my mind, I strode through the doorway and entered Nisir’s castle.

The inside was bare. Being used to Canterlot Castle’s opulence, seeing a bare interior of a castle was a surprise. The ground was marked with patches of ice and snow, particularly close to the doorways and former windows, but was otherwise bare stone and marble. The stonework had cracks and was covered in rock dust and debris from collapsed walls, ceilings, and pillars, but otherwise the hallways were completely empty.

The light was clearly stronger on one end of the hall, where a changeling and earth pony stood sentry at an intersection. We delved further into the bare castle, following in Shining Armor’s hoofsteps. Guards were posted at any open doorway or intersection, and we chased the light. It was steadily growing in intensity as we walked.

I was curious to see how it could make light bend around corners.

‘Perhaps its projecting through all solid surfaces? How would that even work? Magic, I guess. It’s always fucking magic.’

The Weave message continued to broadcast, getting louder and louder and somewhat clearer as we delved deeper into the castle. It was looking like whatever was projecting the message was at the origin of the light, or was the origin itself.

Through rubble-strewn halls, barren rooms with half of their walls missing, and desolate courtyards we walked in silence.

The light softly changed colors as we marched, until it stopped growing in brightness, for we had arrived at its origin, its apex.

Nisir’s Throne room sat in the largest room, overlooking the destroyed gate at the city’s center. The tall vaulted ceilings that once held banners and honors and other décor now hosted nothing but a thousand icicles. The red marble promenade that marched up to a grand throne was covered in snow and debris.

The throne itself dwarfed any I had ever seen before. It was five times bigger than myself, making it at least twice the size of the Mithril Throne, and upon its great seat lay a small changeling skeleton. It was black in color, any decorations stripped away and replaced with smatterings of ice.

The chitin had long since decayed away, leaving behind the weak and thin inner skeleton. It was a royal as big as myself, yet the throne’s enormity made it look more like a larva than anything else.

He, as his skull was too squarish in shape to belong to a female, sat slumped over in his throne’s embrace, his own skull propped up on a hoof, as if he was bored and struggling to not fall asleep. A thin layer of ice encased his bones, preserving his posture for eternity. Behind a tall, twisting horn sat a crown of gold, diamond, blue Mithril, and a hundred precious stones. Yet no stone was no more precious or breath-taking than the one that was situated in the front of the crown.

It was massive in size, almost as big as the king’s skeletal face, and it was the origin of the colors we had seen from the city’s border. As the colors shifted from blue, to white, to red, to orange, and to more, I watched as galaxies of matching colors slowly shifted into view across the circular gem, only to shift away and be replaced by another galaxy. Behind them, a Tapestry of a trillion more twinkled, distant yet detailed enough to pick out.

The gem had depth. It was like a window, seeing far past the city’s border at the far end of the cave, let alone the socket it was affixed to.

“Nisir hath fallen. Evacuate immediately. Panar guide thee, We shall bar the door.”

The voice came from the gem, the death rattle of an immortal king.

In the vast throne room, the changelings had prostrated before the king of ice. Dozens bowed before he who had not lived a day in ten thousand years. I understood why; it was not the king, but the jewel that they bowed before. I knew its majesty and significance, for I had seen its contents once before.

The Great Tapestry.

All that ever was, and all there ever will be.

The ponies were glancing at their insectoid counterparts with equal parts confusion and fear.

“Why are they doing that?” Luna asked, breaking the room’s silence.

‘Silence for the ponies, that is.’

“It is the natural reaction upon seeing Panarthropo’s work in its entirety,” I said simply.

“What?” Shining bleated. He had stood behind a row of guards that faced the throne. “Are you talking about that big black gem up there? How is it even glowing? No, nevermind that, is it a threat?”

“Nisir hath fallen…”

No one touch Panarthropo’s gift,” I commanded aloud and through the Weave. “Rise. I said rise!

At my yelling, the changelings snapped out of their religious fervor and rose, looking rightfully sheepish.

“What is Panarthropo’s Gift? Is it that crown?” Luna asked, gesturing to the king.

“How do you know it’s name? Are you holding information from us?!” Shining barked, picking up immediately where Luna left off.

“Are we in danger?” Celestia asked, galloping in from the grand hall behind us and sliding to a stop behind Luna and me.

Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, and every single pony and changeling– save for the few that stood at the ready, facing the skeleton– looked to me for answers.

“Its name is Panarthropo’s Gift. It’s… projecting a Weave,” I said. “Somehow. A synthetic Weave, one larger than any changeling royal’s, though noticeably less welcoming and without the presence of a royal. It’s broadcasting a message; Nisir hath fallen. Evacuate immediately, We shall bar the door.”

“Bar the door– so it is a containment of some sorts?” Celestia asked.

I nodded, “Just as we thought. Whatever it is sealing isn’t here, though. That spell that scoured away Nightmares in the Third Hive? The Weave feels like it’s almost projecting it.”

“Is that spell the source of the glow?” Luna wondered.

“W–what?” I shuttered. “No? It’s the Tapestry itself. The…. galaxies?”

“What galaxies?” Luna frowned. “I see nothing but a black opal there.”

“Pitch black,” Shining clarified.

“You don’t see it?” I blinked, “But it’s right there…. It’s… The Great Tapestry, the structure of the universe itself. Right there! It’s like a window!”

“We see nothing, Phasma,” Celestia shook her head. “You claim that there are galaxies within the black jewel on the skeleton’s crown?”

“You can’t see it,” I mumbled. “It’s… beautiful.”

“The Tapestry,” a changeling muttered.

“The Tapestry,” another quietly agreed.

“Knock off the creepy cult stuff,” Shining said. “Are we in any danger right now?”

I looked back at Panathropo’s Gift. It glowed with wondrous light, and I could feel the cleansing spell’s presence, distant and muted.

“Definitely not. So long as we don’t touch the skeleton or the gem, there should be no Nightmares anywhere close to this city. The Gem would kill them…”

“That’s all I needed to hear,” Shining sighed, motioning for his guards to stand down.

“How did you know it’s name?” Luna asked me. “Same way you knew the city’s name?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah, its Weave supplied the answer. None of you can see the Gift’s actual appearance?”

The ponies shook their heads.

“It seems like only changelings can,” Celestia said, pointing out the obvious. “You can see it, you can hear it, you can feel it…”

I once again turned to the gem, sitting high up on the throne, atop the corpse.

“A pity. This is something I wish you all could see. Perhaps in the Dreamscape, I can show you all…”