THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: 9

It was a surprisingly beautiful day in the Badlands. The sandstorms weren't as violent as they typically were, but nonetheless, Queen Chrysalis and her band of royal guards were actually hoping otherwise. They all stood atop a rocky peak in the desert wastes, praying for some form of miraculous obscurity to prevent them from participating in Yucca's scheduled play-date. Many of the guards were trembling as they wore their heavy plate armor and Queen Chrysalis herself trotted back and forth frantically as she had her head lowered. They continued to do this until one of the guards in particular just spoke out in a panic, "M-My Queen! Must we do this!? P-Please, it is a waste of resources to participate in Princess Yucca's play-dates. I-It'll only be damaging to our cau-"

Queen Chrysalis however swiped her hoof, cutting him off almost immediately. "Silence you coward! Stand strong. Many have survived Yucca's play-dates before, you can surely do it this time. Besides the rules of the game dictate we're able to abuse this entire landscape. I've played with Yucca in these wastes for many days and months and I know what to expect. Stick with me and we'll be back in the hive and Yucca will be back to working on her studies on pony subjugation in no time. Give and take, that's how the game is played. Now stand proud and tall like the changeling you are! It is almost time." Queen Chrysalis gulped as she glanced to another one of her guards. "What game is it today? Dodgeball? Baseball? Racing? I do hope it is charades this time around."

Another of the guards pulled out a scroll, opening it before he glanced over the checklist of games. His hooves started trembling however as he dropped the checklist out of sheer horror. "M-My Queen it's...it's..."

Queen Chrysalis snarled, "Stop stuttering and tell me what it is!"

The guard lowered his head as his face darkened and he wore a look of utter defeat. "Hide and Seek day...."

Queen Chrysalis blinked a bit before letting off a slight chuckle and confident smirk. "H-Hah! Hide and Seek? That's what had you so frightened!? Hide and seek is an easy one! You are certainly over reacting!"

But the changeling guard interrupted her. "Jailer Edition...."

Queen Chrysalis froze as a tremble ran down her spine as all of her guards suddenly went into a panic. They all began running around in frantic circles as many simply began to bolt off in opposing directions although it wasn't time for the game to begin yet. Queen Chrysalis was now flustered as she looked around at all of them in their panic unable to maintain order and control. "S-Stop you idiots! STOP! If there's anything we mustn't do it's cheat! Cheating is the worst thing one can possibly do in this situation! LISTEN TO ME!"

But suddenly sounding off around a large perimeter of the Badlands would be a melodic siren as all could hear the loud booming voice of a familiar little filly speaking in her royal inherited Canterlot voice.

"READY OR NOT! HERE I COME!"

One of the guards tore at his mane as he screamed. "M-MY QUEEN WHAT ARE WE TO DO!?"

Queen Chrysalis was breathing heavily as she soon pointed in one particular direction. "Over here! That nook shall lead us to an old ravine! It is one of the best places for hiding, we must only last for a few minutes!" And with that the band of changelings all made their way over and down into a small nook. Leaping off the cliff's edge as they fluttered down and descended into the shadows hidden between the rocks. They all crept slowly as Queen Chrysalis lead the way, ensuring to stay out of the light as she glanced back at her changeling guards. Many of them decided to run off on their own, the fools. And sure enough, their screams echoed in the distance with time. Queen Chrysalis closed her eyes in frustration as she frowned heavily. Forgive me my subjects...

"My Queen! I-I can't take this anymore!" Another one of the guards began to back away from the group as they'd made their way through the cramped nook. He shook his head wearing an expression of inherent fear as he trembled. "P-Princess Yucca...She's...She's not normal! We should've left her in desert! She's...She's too much to handle! I can't take this anymore! I'm heading back to the hive!" And with that the guard immediately turned from the group, hurrying out into the open light and onto a more obvious path from between the rocks as he glanced about hurriedly in paranoia. He sighed with relief then, "See! I-It's all safe!"

Queen Chrysalis kept her voice lowered as she glared at him angrily in desperation. "GET BACK IN HERE YOU FOOL."

But soon, the sounds of soft giggles could be heard outside the nook as Queen Chrysalis and the other changelings immediately lowered their frames and remained silent as many couldn't bare to watch.

"Oh oh oh! THERE you are!"

The guards' sense of relief rapidly melted away as he soon started to tremble as he backed up slowly, shaking his head. "N-No!...Impossible, P-Princess Yucca please! Please wait! I-I don't like this game! I just want to return to the hive! PLEASE!" But soon snatching the changeling would be a lasso as he was pulled in slowly inch by inch. "NOOOOOOOO! I don't wanna go to the jail! I don't like sweets or your stories Princess! Please anything but the laws of equestrian moral! M-Mercy! Mercyyyyyy!" And in the next second he was gone as he was pulled in with sheer and utter force with telekinetic magic.

Queen Chrysalis placed a hoof over her face. "Your foolish unintentional sacrifice shall not be forgotten." She stood as she looked back to her remaining band of changelings once again. "My changelings! Now is the time to move! Yucca may be quick but even she has her distractions. She will spend majority of her time reciting stories to the prisoners and feeding them an endless amount of sweets. That or making them try on much pony attire from dresses to skirts or whatever you may think of." A shiver ran down many of the changeling guards' spines then. Queen Chrysalis continued. "I can't promise all of us will make it out of this with our pride intact, but we must try. Yucca will be our representative at the meeting and pleasing her will surely bring us one step closer to the subjugation of all ponies of Equestria." Queen Chrysalis bowed before all of them. "You have my utmost respect brave soldiers."

The rest of the changeling guards then placed hooves over their hearts as they bowed their heads in the form of respect as well.

Queen Chrysalis nodded to herself in confidence. "Let us do this then."

As they all made their way to the opposing end of the cramped nook and out into the open path, the scorching sun beat down on all of their faces. They all huffed as they trotted hurriedly through the wastes. It was practically an entire open field with another large sector of the canyon being only on the far end. All that was available to them in this area was some shrubs and dead trees. They all remained close to one another as Queen Chrysalis suddenly raised a hoof as she snapped, "HOLD!"

Almost immediately all of the changeling guards halted in position.

Queen Chrysalis was silent as she listened closely to the ambiance of the heavy winds going on around them. She possessed an intense glare as if listening attentively and lost in deep thought. N-No...Something isn't right. What's going on?

Suddenly a guard blinked a bit as he eyed a dead tree in particular. He trotted on over to it as something hanging on the tree caught his attention. It was what appeared to be a royal guards' helmet from the changeling hive. He raised a brow at it. "Hey! Did any of you lose your helmet? I could've sworn we were the first to pass through here." He looked back up at the helmet curiously.

Queen Chrysalis' eyes widened as she immediately looked to that guards' position thinking to herself in her own distress. That's because we are supposed to be the first ones here. If that helmet is here then that could only mean one thing. Queen Chrysalis gritted her teeth as she immediately yelled out, "IT'S A TRAP! RUN FOR IT MY DEAR CHANGELINGS!"

But it was too late. Suddenly enveloping the entire area surrounding the band of changelings would be a tornado rainbow magic. Queen Chrysalis snarled fiercely as she saw emerging in the distance would be a filly as she clapped her hooves with an excited smile.

"You're mine again Momma..."

Queen Chrysalis sighed heavily as she had her head buried in her two front hooves which were crossed over one another. She was stuck in an elegant dress and was wearing makeup as her mane was fashioned into a ponytail. Her along with the rest of her band of changelings were all stuck in a large makeshift cell surrounded by a purple barrier. "How long did we last this time?"

One of the guards pulled out a rusty old pocket watch as he was dressed in a suit and tie and wearing a monocle. "A new record my Queen! Five minutes and 14 seconds! Isn't that amazing!?" He clapped his hooves as did the rest of the prisoners.

Queen Chrysalis just groaned heavily. At least the play-date is over. She then laid on her back and spread her hooves, just looking off into the open blue sky. She frowned heavily as she thought back to when she'd first received Yucca. Before any of this had ever begun Queen Chrysalis would never have imagined Yucca to be this troublesome. Then she thought back to just a moment ago when she and her changelings had just been seized with such ease. Were they all so easy as to be a child's plaything?

Queen Chrysalis now bore a tired look as she just sighed heavily, "You know..." She recited Yucca's frightening words in her head then.

You're mine again Momma

Queen Chrysalis shivered before continuing. "Maybe I do need some help."

Her changelings glanced over at her curiously, remaining silent as they did so.

Not far from that particular area of the canyon, hiding behind a large boulder would be two ponies. They wore what appeared to be leather brown and gold armor which had the celestial crest in the center of each breastplate. They each also bore a pair of goggles as one pony poked her head out from the side of the boulder. She squinted down at the cage of changelings and particularly at Queen Chrysalis. She turned back towards her partner as she nodded to him. "It's definitely Queen Chrysalis. but I still don't get it. Why's she locked up?"

The male just shrugged as he shook his head. "Beats me. She must be up to something awfully fishy."

The female pony nodded yet again as she pulled out a small notebook, "Right, well I guess we better include this in our-"

"HELLO!"

Both of the celestial guards froze in place as sitting atop the boulder they were leaned against would be an alicorn filly. She leaned forward then as she spread wings somewhat before exclaiming happily. "Oh this is the first time I've seen celestial guards!"

The guards each immediately looked back in bewilderment as they rose from their positions and turned to face the filly. One of them snapped, "We've been compromised!" And they spread their wings and rose to the skies before flying off in a specific direction.

Yucca watched in excitement while bouncing in the process, "Wooooooow! They're fast!" She lowered her frame and wiggled her rear in the air as if wanting to chase after them. "Momma! Momma! Momma! Did you see that!?"

Queen Chrysalis distracted by the sudden commotion, leaned up and peered off into Yucca's direction. "Hm?"

Yucca blinked a bit as her ears perked up as she immediately rose to the skies in excitement. "TAG!?"

Queen Chrysalis' eyes widened. "Yucca, don't you dare!"

Yucca began clapping her hooves happily. "Tag tag tag! I shall show you my awesomesauce!" And with that the filly leaped back and turned masterfully as she spun and immediately flapped her wings, kicking off the air as she'd propelled forward like a torpedo in pursuit of the two escaping pegasi who'd been spying on the Queen. "Ready or not here I come!"

Queen Chrysalis watched Yucca depart with worry as she gritted her teeth. Celestial Guards were spying on me? How long!? I knew bringing her out would be risky, Grah! Blasted Celestia! Always too cautious for your own good! "GET ME OUT OF THIS CAGE THIS INSTANT! WE MUST BE AFTER THEM!" Queen Chrysalis looked to her guards as they all soon started to work at the bars of the cage with their magic. Queen Chrysalis snarled fiercely as she glared at the bars in irritation then at the purple barrier of magic surrounding them.

As the guards continued to fly, they looked to each other with light smirks before regarding one another with approving nods.

"HIIIIIIIIIIIII~"

The celestial guards' eyes widened yet again as they glanced back and up in the sky, seeing a tiny purple filly pursuing them.

Yucca just waved at them as she closed her eyes. "Tag is so fun! Don't you all think its fun!? I just love it! I mean I get to show everypony how fast I've gotten and show them all my cool moves! Like this!" And the filly then spun in a circle before her tiny purple horn started to glow to the guards' astonishment. She cast a spell, freezing the two of them in place as she remained fluttering there happily for a second as she looked at them outlined by her purple magical aura. "Tag you're it!"

The guards however weren't paying mind to the filly's words as they each struggled to move as the female snapped at the filly. "L-Let us go you, you..." but she trembled, still unable to believe she was looking upon an actual alicorn. "Y-You alicorn?...."

The other guard cut in, "We're royal guards for Princess Celestia! You'll be in big trouble if you don't let us go kid! So un-" but before he could finish, the magic holding them in place vanished as they each looked at one another in confusion then back at the filly.

Yucca clapped her hooves, "Whew that was fun! Well I caught you! Now it's your turn to catch me!" With that Yucca just flew back in the opposing direction back towards the Badlands as the two celestial guards just appeared absolutely puzzled.

The male celestial guard reached out attempting to call out to the alicorn. "W-Wait kid! How're you a-....well, nevermind."

The female guard just continued to stare off into the general direction the filly flew in. "What the buck was that?"

Her partner shrugged. "I have no idea."

A few minutes had passed since Yucca departed to go pursue the two celestial guards. Queen Chrysalis trotted back and forth frantically; nervously even. She groaned in annoyance. "Ugh! W-Where is she!?" S-She couldn't have possibly gotten into some trouble right? I mean, she's an alicorn! But she's too dense to understand the dangers out there!? But just as she'd been reciting her worries in her mind, in the distant sky she saw the tiny purple figure approaching rapidly from above. This brought comfort to the Queen as she immediately gasped in relief, flapping her own wings as she rose to the sky to meet the filly. "Y-Yucca!"

Yucca flew into Queen Chrysalis as the two immediately embraced one another in a tight hug.

Queen Chrysalis glanced down at her worriedly, "W-Where are they!? Where are the celestial guards!?"

Yucca spread her hooves happily as she exclaimed, "I let them go!"

Queen Chrysalis gasped. "YOU LET THEM GO!? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!?"

Yucca crossed her hooves as she was held close by Chrysalis almost as if she were the confused one. She raised a brow at the Queen, "Because it's their turn to chase after me. That's how the rules of the game works! It wouldn't be fair otherwise!"

Queen Chrysalis' face darkened as she just said nothing and remained there in silence.

Yucca blinked a bit, "Momma? Hellooooooo~ Momma! Say something! Say something say something say something!" She then pushed away from the Queen as she fluttered back and on top of her head before leaning down in front of her face and pulling on the Queen's eyelids. "Momma Momma Momma Momma Momma Momma Momma Momma!"

Queen Chrysalis just wore an extremely tired expression as she just continued to say nothing.

Hours later in Canterlot, the two recon guards made their way immediately to the throne room. At this point in the day, sunset had already arrived as the guards' paced heavily towards the throne with panicked expressions. Princess Celestia was currently sorting through scrolls and the likes as she didn't fail to notice the approaching guards. She flashed them a worried glance seeing as how frantic they were to speak with her. Princess Celestia raised a brow at them, "What is it my dear subjects? Is something wrong?"

The guards immediately knelt down as one of them gulped before speaking. "M-My Princess! After all that time in the Badlands, we've finally caught sight of Queen Chrysalis. She appears to be in good health and is still certainly in Equestria!"

Princess Celestia sighed as she shook her head in disappointment. "So she is still here then? Oh Chrysalis, I'd hoped you would've moved on from all this by now. It seems we will have to raise awareness in the Badlands then to watch out for the changelings."

The female guard spoke out this time, "B-But that's not all Princess! There's erhm...Well there's something else!"

Princess Celestia remained focused on a scroll yet piqued with curiosity. "Oh? Something else? What else could there be?"

The female guard hesitated for a moment before gulping. "Y-You see Princess. Well Queen Chrysalis, erhm, somehow she, well-"

Princess Celestia sat there patiently as she waited for the guard to spit it out already.

The female guard began tapping her muzzle. "Well ugh, how do I explain this? Well she appears to uuuuuhm.."

The other guard rolled his eyes with a moan before stating simply. "She seems to have been taken prisoner by a filly alicorn."

Princess Celestia's scrolls all toppled down the steps leading up to throne as she bore wide eyes and her brow twitched.

The two guards just looked to one another then back at Princess Celestia as they beckoned in unison. "Princess?" Next Chapter: The Final Countdown: 8 Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 27 Minutes