Farewell
Morning had come to Equestria. It had rained the night previously; the grassy ground was wet and the sky was filled to its edges with a dreary host of gray clouds. The cemetery in Canterlot, home to the resting places of many a brave soldier and hero from Equestria's past, looked very much like an ominous, albeit peaceful sight from the impact of this weather.
A light mist currently drifted over the burial ground, hovering just above the damp, dew-laden grass and floating past the many headstones and mausoleums. In the mid-morning light, three shapes could be seen slowly walking over the dirt path that trailed throughout the area, two of them bearing individual bouquets of flowers in their grasp. Those three shapes were Persica, Peach Blossom, and Habeas.
It had been two months since Persica recovered from her wound and left the hospital in near-perfect health. Today was her late husband's birthday, and with that, as they did every year, the mare and her daughter came to visit him with flowers in their hooves. Habeas had also chosen to accompany them, once more in his unicorn disguise, but he was wearing a genuinely sullen look on his face like they had on theirs.
After a few minutes of wandering through the cemetery, Persica and Peach Blossom stopped when they realized they had gone far enough. When Persica glanced to Habeas and gave him a small nod, her daughter and herself left his side and walked from the path to their destination, which laid on the grass away from the path. Despite the tempting feeling to join them, Habeas knew it wasn't his place to do so, and so he stayed back. For a time, he simply observed them.
It wasn't thirty seconds before the two reached Chantilly's spot little more than a dozen feet away, though the trek felt much longer. The burial site of Chantilly Cream was marked by a standing, thin block of smooth, dark, and partially reflective stone. On the grave, written in the headstone was an epitaph Persica herself had spent many long hours perfectly etching in during the days preceding his burial.
Here lies Chantilly Cream
A Faithful and Loving Husband
A Kindly and Brave Soul
A Father Who Departed Far Too Soon
May He Forever Rest in Peace
Peach Blossom heard Persica inhale a deep breath from next to her when they stopped in front of it. Exhaling, she laid the flowers she held at the foot of Chantilly's grave. Peach Blossom in turn placed the flowers she had beside her mother's own and approached it a little bit closer. She placed her hoof onto its smooth, untarnished surface, closed her eyes, and whispered an intimate wish describing her deep desire to have met him and known him better. It was a conversation that nobody else could hear, but after all, it was only meant for one, dearly departed pony's ears.
When she finished and opened her eyes again, Peach Blossom took her hoof off of the headstone and turned around. When she looked at her mother's face, Blossom gave her a weak, meaningful smile, and hugged her leg in a warm, tight embrace. Knowing full well that she wished to have some time alone at the graveside for now, the filly gave her mother another small and fragile grin before letting go of her and walking off to the sound of wet grass crunching underneath her feet. Persica watched her daughter leave and make her way to where Habeas stood a fair distance away, and only after she knew the filly was out of hearing range, she turned back to the gravestone and began to speak.
"Hey there, Chantilly..." Persica saying the name of her husband felt as fresh as the first time she had ever spoken to him when he was alive. "It's been a while. I wanted to wish you a happy birthday, among other things. Knowing you, you probably want to know how I'm doing, huh? I'm... doing, and feeling, a lot better than I have ever been before, as of late."
A long silence befell her, as though she was hoping for a response to somehow grace her ears. "You want to know why, right?" she asked next. As she thought of the proper way to give him the important set of news, she turned her attention to the two bouquets of flowers that sat before her. As her mind spun about for the explanation she sought, she pressed a hoof down on them to set them in place better so that the summer wind wouldn't push them away after she would inevitably leave. "Chantilly, I've... found somepony. Well, someone, I guess I should say."
She paused for only a second, and then went on. "You may never have met him, but I know you would've liked him," she ended up saying next in a quiet voice. "He's jovial, helpful and kind, and as cheerful as a spring cricket. He's, uh... also a good cook, heh. He's the kind of guy who makes me laugh when I'm down and glum. Just being around him now makes me feel like I've... finally found someone else. Someone who can make me feel happy, like you did."
Lifting her head up, she looked up to the gray sky as a sliver of golden sunlight was just starting to sneak through it, before looking back down to the gravestone. She knelt her knees down onto the grass and sucked in a breath of the fresh, cool air. "I just want you to know that even with this outcome, I'll never replace you. I'd never be able to. I'm only moving on. I only wanted to find the one person who I know I could feel like... this toward again. And he's the one who I found. I... I love him, Chantilly. I love him just as much as I love you."
Persica sighed and relaxed the muscles she was only now realizing she had tensed. "That's... that's all I have to say, Chantilly. I hope you can understand, wherever you are. Goodbye, for now. I love you more than you could ever know, and I miss you just as much."
After bending forward and rubbing her hoof over the name inscribed in the stone, Persica sat there in silence for three still minutes, looking at the gravestone, the ground in front of it that housed her husband's remains deep within the earth, and the damp grass that surrounded it all like a great sea that bore a lonely ship on its ever-shifting current. When she felt ready to depart, she dried the tears that were starting to form around her eyes and stood up. She gave one last look at the grave and the flowers placed at its base before turning around and walking off.
Habeas and Peach Blossom were patiently waiting a mere dozen feet away, and only watched in respectful silence as she slowly approached them. "Let's go," she told them upon arriving. Upon organizing themselves they walked through the cemetery, out of it, and onto the bustling morning streets of Canterlot. Habeas noted the silence Persica gave off as Peach Blossom started to energetically skip ahead of them, and acted accordingly.
"How are you feeling?" he whispered into Persica's ear as they were just passing out of the city gates, gaining her attention.
She shrugged. "Good, right now. Content, I guess you could say." She looked up to the sky again, and this time saw a very promising sight. The sun was just starting to peak through the gray clouds and reveal its golden glow, as well as some of the blue sky behind it. The way it started to glisten off of the wet grass on either side of the dirt road and leaves in the trees all around them made a smile start to form on her mouth. "It... looks like it's going to turn out to be a good day, wouldn't you say?"
Habeas nodded his head in agreement. "You know something, I've traveled around the world long enough to realize a few things. One such thing being what happens at dawn."
"And that meaning?"
"That whatever or however the morning may seem, it may never turn out to be a day it presents itself to become. Sometimes it starts off with beauty to match a painting; with a wonderful sunrise and cloudless sky, and the next thing you know, it transforms into a raging storm. Other times it starts out dreary and depressing, but evolves into something wondrous and utterly breathtaking."
"I take it you changelings never had good weather forecasters?"
He managed a small smirk. "No, not really. If anything, we mainly made things up as we went along and saved the planning ahead for the most important of occasions."
"So that's how you must have left your hive then, am I right? Planned it all up and fled before long?"
Habeas shrugged. "Meh... I'd say it was half planning, half being rushed to action by a fear of getting my wings pulled off by the queen."
"Ever get the same, wing-pulling feelings about me when you first started staying with us?" she questioned, remembering just how long ago it was they met, and under what circumstances.
He let out a small, short, stale laugh. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind once or twice. But shortly after our second confrontation upon you discovering me sleeping in your barn, when you allowed me to recover in there, I quickly started thinking otherwise."
Persica turned her head away a few scant inches, her good eye looking to the pebbles and gravel lining the road on the ground. "I'm glad I started thinking the other way as well. If it wasn't for you and Blossom convincing me to think in a different manner... had I stayed with the rotten feelings I held for your kind, I... honestly don't know how things between us would have turned out."
"Don't trouble yourself with mind-twisting thoughts like that. It's all in the past," Habeas said back in a soft tone. Detecting that they were far enough from the city to not be spotted, he then morphed into his true form in a small flash of light. As he finished transforming, Persica inspected him meticulously, still fascinated by his new 'normal' appearance months after he metamorphosed into it.
"You know, Habeas," she commented, "I don't think I may ever get used to you looking like that now."
"Well, as I've said many a time before, I can shift back to my original form if this one troubles you. I still very clearly remember what it was like," he suggested. Persica shook her head and gave off a small chuckle.
"I didn't say it troubles me, I just don't think I'll get used to it. At least, not anytime soon," she repeated. "That's not to say I don't find you rather handsome."
"Hmm... Do you really?" he asked, shifting her a playfully skeptical look.
"Truly," she smiled, leaning her body slightly against his chitinous one as she, her love, and Peach Blossom continued their long walk home. "Truly, honestly, and sincerely, you... gorgeous little love bug."
Habeas couldn't help but titter at her words and gently nuzzled his cheek against Persica's, gaining a gratifying hum of amusement from the pony he utterly adored. "I love you, Persica."
"And I love you too," she tenderly whispered back.
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A sequel eh? Well... this ended on a rather bittersweet note.
So damn nice work friend, damn fine work well done
Looking forward to more from you soon man!
It's definitely a nice story, i am glad to hear about a potential sequel since some parts, especially the apini arc felt rather abruptly cut.
Will Habeas and Persica have a hybrid baby? What about Apini? How will she fare? Will the hive send more changelings?
Find out next time, on
Drag-TARATS!obviously an acronym
7878230
these are very important, unanswered questions
Wait, what happened to Apini and her children? I'm pretty sure they don't have a happy ending here.
Aw, it ended
But yay, sequel!
Love it!!!!!
Sequel, SEQUEL!!!!? AWESOME!!!!!!!
whop whop
was about to say felt cut short seeing a complete sign one it
This is, without a doubt, one of the best stories I've ever read here. Great characters, great interactions, great plot. (Oh, and changelings)
Absolutely can't wait for the sequel, and I wish you well in all your future writings!
ok I can say I hade to stop and dry my eyes a few times and after seeing the Author's Note I now understand way this last chapter does not feel like the end of a story and more like the end of a story ark.
I can say this is a exultant story and I will defiantly be watching for the sequel.
this was some real goddamn fire
10/10
Oh, words can't express how beautiful and uplifting this story was! More than just a changeling x pony romance, it addresses serious themes like grief, prejudice, healing, and the bonds of love and family. Thank you Author of Ever-changing Names, and I look forward to the sequel! Perhaps we'll find out what became of Apini and her family, if Habeas is able to reveal his true form in public (the events of "To Where and Back Again" can't be far ahead), Habeas and Persica officially and formally married, and how King Thorax's rise to power affects them. I'd also want to see the sequel work in some nice cameos from the show and surrounding world. As I've mentioned before, Ponyville is the next closest town to the Peaches; let's see them travel there to sell peaches and meet all our favorite show-canon characters for at least one chapter. Pinkie Pie can cater Peach Blossom's cute-ceanera, the Apples can become business partners, they can adopt a pet from Fluttershy, have Discord pop by for no particular reason (because that's just how he is) for some fun farm chaos, etc. They could even be background observers of some key episodes like watching the Applewood Derby, attending Coloratura's Ponyville concert or Trixie's "apology tour", etc.
This was one of the sweetest stories ive enjoyed reading in a long while. Im happy to have read it and I hope to see the Sequal soon!
I Liked the story, though I hope for a better life for Apini if there's a sequel.
A good ending to a good story. 10/10?
can't wait for the sequel.
(Adds story to favorites)
There will be a sequel? Yay, I want to know more of what Habeas has be come? May the love bug live on
I thought it was pretty good, but think you rushed quite a bit with the Apini conflict. She came off as a real cruel and sadistic cunt that I feel like you tried to make us sympathize with or feel sorry for, but there's no way in hell I could bring myself to care for her suffering after what she not only tried to pull, but took a perverse joy in.
I have a few other things I forgot to mention in my last comment to your story. My only disappointment was I that I was expecting more fun shapeshifting moments from Habeas. After transforming into Peach Blossom's appearance for the latter's amusement, he only ever assumes a basic unicorn form for going out on the town; for most of the tale, he's on the farm in his default body. As we've recently learned changelings can even assume disguises based on inanimate objects, regardless of not only shape but also size, there were so many varieties of ways we could have had moments where he's shapeshifting in order to entertain Blossom, narrowly evading being discovered (could even be comedic), or perhaps even become something handy to help Persica. I hope to see a lot more of those in the sequel. Another thing is that you never described Persica's cutie mark; what does it look like or mean? Just things I hope you'll consider for the sequel.
Well, this was a joy to read. The story was simple, but with so many powerful underlying themes. I like your writing style here; it reads in such a way that every scene has a certain softness to it, even the scenes that are intense or violent. It's a bit hard to describe really, but it's done quite well.
A sequel sounds pretty nice after this. I'll look forward to it.
~Erised
This was a great story with real readership grip. I am very glad the author ended it rather that letting it go dormant. I really hope that the Author does other short stories about the characters here. I for one would love to see a conflict story about the family dealing with a hostile royal guard or princesses once Habeas is discovered.
With these characters it would make for an interesting short story.
Again to the Author, Great work
The Monk
7879158
I don't want to disagree with you because some of my favorite stories include the mane six, but I really prefer stories that don't include them at all, it allows for real world building and a fresh outlook on the MLP universe. While fun to see them in a story, many stories would be better off without them. Especially if the Author includes them simply as a love letter to the readers. The worst example of a good story that does this is "Scaling Love" by Krokorokok. While a good story, its so much of a love letter to the mane six that the mane character comes across as a creepy reclusive neck beard. The story would have been so much better had the Author not included the "Human meets the Mane six" portion. In the version of that story that I have as an audio book, that entire section is completely missing, as it seriously creeps me the buck out every time I hear it.
Just my two cents
The Monk
I never liked the new changelings very much but this ending and him turning into one surprised me a bit but it had a cute ending. I am not saying I hate this story because of that this is one of the more favorable fan fiction I have read.
This isn't the first bug romance I've read, nor is it the longest. It reminds me of Affliction of the Heart, but cannot compare as Affliction is currently on it fifth volume, so it's had a lot of time to develop a deeper relationship. As it compares to something shorter, like A Change in Fashion, it is a remarkable story. Overall, I had fun reading this, though I think you should easy up on the similes and metaphors. I give it an 8.5/10 considering the finally with the red eye, but would love to read again and again.
Roll credits
7881628 Also, two months later... no real mention of any effort to find the attacking changeling... no concern Chrysalis will send a whole bunch more...
It's fine to wrap a story up like this if a sequel's coming, but you really want to make sure people know the character's are aware of the obvious dangers they're in.
7878441 They died suddenly from a Cordyceps infection.
It looked kinda like this:
churchofvirus.org/bbs/attachments/Cordyceps_possesion_6.jpg
Fungi are scary.
Fuck yeah
Does this story have any suggestive content, or or sexual content?
7888341 The chapter titled 'Love'.
So is nightmare moon in this?
Brilliant story, can't wait to see the sequel finished. But i guess it will take some time, even with the good chapter progress you make. Patience is the key
Really liked how you developed the characters, it was not rushed like it happens in to many stories in my opinion. The characters were also belivable and hat their own personality. I hope we see more of the changeling assassin, and how it will develope further with the family of her. Even if she was really bad at the chapter and killed the husband i somehow hope it will get a more or less happy ending for both parties.
7967869 earworms are catchy songs. Perhaps annoyingly catchy at times, but still.
8006410 Well, she could have also had a drone replace him... and without that mysterious warning which was never explained EVER (seriously, why didn't the writers think to use Thorax to fix that old plot hole? He was the PERFECT choice to be the one who decided to slip a warning to the ponies), there was no reason to raise the shield in the first place, so nopony would ever have suspected.
Chrysalis' entire plan was sabotaged by Villain Balling from the getgo. It made no sense because the Plot had to happen.
I loved this story
, my only misgiving is the new changeling form, but that is just my opinion, great story, 
but i wonder what happened to the bee family...
7967897 I have yet to read your fic yet, but I would like to know if any of the main 6 appear in this fic.
Where did you come up with the name Habeas Brittle?
8092264 His parents gave it to him, of course.
8164030
Yes?
this is the second time I have read this story and I can say it is still super good just totally amazing.
This story was written very well. Not only that, it stands out in comparison to other pony-changeling relationships because most others I've read are solely between a stallion and a female changeling. Awesome job.
7882933
Very good point there. Thank you for your thoughts. ;)
A wonderful story, very well written, and heartwarming to to the core. Loved it.
9664805
img.picturequotes.com/2/439/438974/dont-live-every-day-as-if-it-were-your-last-live-every-day-as-if-it-were-your-first-quote-1.jpg
I just want to say wow what a ride you made me tear up an only a handful of stories I've read have done that this was an amazing story and I believe it has earned a spot in with the favorite and a follow I can't wait to see what the sequel has in store
I loved this story and cannot wait till the sequel is finished.
Just finished the story and it was great! Starting to read the next one. Hopefully you will come back t it. Thanks for your work!!
This has been a awesome story and one I have enjoyed.