THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: 8

Princess Celestia was frantic as she hurriedly made her way into the Canterlot Castle library. The princess made her way over to a particular shelf before her eyes glanced over all the tomes and volumes. "Impossible. If there was any news of another alicorn arrival then I would've been aware of it. There is no alicorn destined to appear as of now. Yet my scouts tell me there is one who is holding Chrysalis hostage right now, and a filly no less? Who who who? Which aspect is it?" Princess Celestia's eyes widened as she pulled out one book in specific before hurriedly flipping through the pages. "Who could I have missed?" Princess Celestia only appeared more puzzled as she just shook her head. "There is no such filly in existence! I am sure if it!" She gasped before pausing, "Unless..."

Queen Chrysalis laid in her bed locked in her bedroom chambers as she just sobbed into her pillow. She shook her head, looking to the ceiling. "Oh why? Why why why must everything turn out this way!? Just when I thought I'd found something special! My own alicorn daughter is just too dimwitted to understand anything! To even let the celestial guards go!? How absurd!"

One of Queen Chrysalis' guards who stood near the door raised a hoof. "M-My Queen, please calm down."

Queen Chrysalis snapped angrily before turned and swiping her hoof from her bed. "No! Don't you tell me to calm down!"

Princess Yucca made her way hurriedly down the halls of the changeling castle. She trotted atop black marble tiles as small torches lit the way towards the Queen's chambers. Along the way massive windows gave a spectacular view of the grand hive located beneath the surface of Equestria, however Yucca wasn't concentrated on that at the time being. Currently she wore a gorgeous blue gown and a crystal tiara fastened on her head. She also wore a pair of flight goggles and a knapsack on her side with some books. Despite appearing entirely random with what she was wearing, she still seemed happy and excited to show it off to the Queen. And as the filly arrived at the doors to the Queen's chambers, she practically bounced before taking in a deep breath. She adjusted her dress, realizing she'd forgotten to sew room for wings which prevented her from flying fast. But she was still proud of it. She prepared to knock on the Queen's door soon enough. "Momma! Are you in there!? I want to show you something!"

"Yucca is more of a hindrance to me than she is an asset! It's no wonder she was left out in the desert!"

Yucca flinched as she hesitated in knocking then, before appearing a little distraught over the Queen's words. And in her mind, another particular image flashed in her head, a faint recalling of something she could scarcely remember but still affected her all the same.

A hooded mare remained shrouded by desert winds and from within the shadow of her cloak. She shook her head and turned away with a fierce trot as she disappeared with her growing distance, only stating, "I'm sorry!...." before she'd vanished forever.

"I have spent all this time taking care of her and what does she do for me in return!? She whines and complains and yells, oh mother this oh mother that! Now because of her I may have Celestia on my doorstep in the coming days! She has only brought me trouble!"

Yucca gasped silently to herself before her eyes saddened and she just lowered her head and turned in the opposite direction of the Queen's chambers. She sluggishly made her way back down the halls towards her own bedroom chambers then.

Queen Chrysalis just shook her head from in her bedroom chamber as she just sighed heavily. "But of course I do not detest Yucca's presence. She is loyal to me and for that she has my thanks. But she is indeed useless to my cause. Perhaps too much of a burden to bare and too much for I alone to handle. Maybe she would be better off with an ordinary pony family." Chrysalis glanced up longingly as she appeared conflicted. "Oh choices and decisions, how I wished an alicorn on my doorstep would solve all such issues. Whomever is the one who caused all this, you are a cruel one indeed to leave me to decide such a thing."

One of the guards frowned a bit. "My Queen, are you truly considering giving Yucca away to the ponies? How could they handle her when not even you can? It's a little too much to hope for my Queen. Plus Yucca knows everything about the Hive including you, whose to say she won't go spilling secrets to everypony about where we're located and what we're planning."

Queen Chrysalis shook her head as she just sighed covering her face with a hoof. "No, she may be dense but she is not so foolish as to do something that may put me in danger. Yucca is insightful enough to realize that at least. She treads carefully and when it truly counts, she will do what she feels she has to to please me. It is only frustrating I must leave a trail of bread crumbs in order for her to understand what it is I truly want. I am beginning to suspect she is purposely ignoring my lessons on pony subjugation. For what reason I do not know, nor do I care. If she refuses to accept what it means to be a changeling, then she has failed as my daughter."

Another guard just regarded Chrysalis with a saddened expression. "My Queen..."

Queen Chrysalis also appeared upset and saddened by her own words, but she meant every single one of them. She couldn't spend her whole life caring for Yucca if it meant nothing in the end. Yucca was draining all the energy from her, and fast. Yet Yucca never gave anything in return. With all of her potential she still had yet to accomplish anything beneficial to the hive or even show the motivation to do so. It'd only been a year since Chrysalis found her and already the Queen felt as if she'd been taking care of the child for a torturous amount of time. Queen Chrysalis slumped her head as she just muttered. "We shall send her overseas."

The two guards blinked, a little confused by the Queen's words. "Hm?"

Queen Chrysalis bore a tired expression as she touched her forehead with a hoof thinking to herself. "We shall send her to mature overseas. I won't simply send her off to live with the ponies, that'd be too risky and foolish. Perhaps in another hive Yucca can manage to grow into a meaningful asset to the changeling race, and if she chooses to live her own life then she can do it away from Equestria to where she won't become an even bigger hindrance to our cause. Either way it seems like a more reasonable solution." Queen Chrysalis rose before climbing out of bed and then looking to her guards with another sigh. "Let us go speak with her."

Queen Chrysalis made her way down the halls leading towards Yucca's chamber, still appearing somewhat hesitant. As they arrived she stood before the massive wooden doors leading into her adopted daughter's quarters. How long had it been since she'd constructed this little domain for the alicorn? Back then she'd only done it to bring favor to Yucca, to build respect and loyalty. But now it felt like such a familiar thing, such a familiar place. The Queen shook her head as she gulped, before knocking on the wooden doors. "Yucca? It's your mother. I'm coming in now. We have much we need to talk abo-" but as the Queen knocked, she found the door was already slightly open. The doors were already open? The Queen along with her guards proceeded inside. "Yucca?"

The room was silent as Queen Chrysalis couldn't help but glance about the room for a second. On the walls hung poorly drawn pictures of the changeling Queen as well as other notable figures in Equestrian history. Queen Chrysalis could make out the poorly drawn pictures of Celestia and Luna as well, as each of them wore frowning faces in their pictures and appeared to be villains in a sense. This brought a smile to Queen Chrysalis's face as she trekked further into the room. She accidentally stepped on a few toys along the way, and didn't fail to notice Yucca didn't fix her bed nor did she put any of her books away, and the windows were open allowing a chilly a breeze to pour right in. Queen Chrysalis however had an ominous feeling regarding the situation then as she just closed her eyes halfway before proceeding forward towards a tiny round table, which on it looked to be a single piece of loose paper.

Queen Chrysalis's nose scrunched up before she lifted the picture with magic, as it was poorly written. I will make you proud.

The Queen couldn't help but smile a bit in reaction to the letter. But her eyes widened a bit as she saw that beneath that letter there was yet another one. She blinked before picking it up. No I really will this time I promise! But erhm which way was Canterlot again Momma? Oh never mind I found my map! Queen Chrysalis's brow raised as she was beginning to become a little confused. She then noticed there was yet another letter to be read on top of the tiny table, she picked it up.

So I don't know what to pack Momma! I've got clothes, goggles, sweets, and everything I might need! Can you write me back soon!? I might need some help after-all! Wait wait nevermind! I mean! Uhm, oooooooh~ I'm so confused. I need some ice-cream.

At this point Queen Chrysalis was growing a little frantic as she immediately snatched up all the letters and turned to the last one with wide paranoid eyes as she appeared to possess a look of innate fury. It read simply.

I'm off to help stop the Evil Queen Celly Doom Ray and her sister, The Big Bad Moon. Wish me luck! Love you Momma!

Queen Chrysalis opened her mouth as if about to say something before she'd paused, looking back down at the first letter.

I will make you proud...........

Suddenly the Queen appeared piqued with interest as she bore a light smirk and a sinister expression. Aaaaah, or maybe.

One of the guards approached Queen Chrysalis then. "My Queen, shall we send out a search party? It seems Princess Yucca isn't-"

Queen Chrysalis rose a hoof. "Ah! No, no no it's fine. Yucca is just perfect. She's only on a little trip of let's say, self-discovery. A search party isn't needed. But we do need scouts. I'd like them to go keep an eye on things." She glared back at them. "We're changelings, we strike when the opportunity presents itself, and I believe, we've just gained an unexpected opportunity." Queen Chrysalis snickered to herself softly as she lowered her head and grinned fiercely soon afterwords. An unexpected opportunity indeed.

Yucca stood on the borders of the Badlands, the only home she knew, as she gulped to herself yet raised a hoof in defiance. She had her trusty knapsack, flight goggles, and compass. She pulled out her compass as she turned towards the more scenic route away from the Badlands and then nodded to herself. Ahead of her she could see grassy plains and distant mountains as far as the eye could see, and for some reason, it caused her to be a little afraid. "Okay! It may be tough living on my own but I've gotta find a way to make it somehow! Momma is counting on me!" Suddenly Yucca just manifested herself a floating cloud as she climbed atop of it and then sat comfortably as the cloud rose and started to swiftly glide across the landscape. Yucca sighed as she lowered her head, "Oh just how am I gonna do this!?" She gasped, "I-I mean what am I gonna do for food!?" She then manifested a strawberry milkshake as she sipped on it and took a deep breath and then manifested herself a pillow atop the cloud before leaning back and crossing her lower legs and just looked up towards the sky. "Mmmm tasty! But it'll sure be hard, but I have to make it! I can't give up no matter how hard it is!"

Yucca closed her eyes halfway as she rose, leaning up on her cloud ignoring the endless scenery around her as she opened her knapsack and then pulled out a book, or a totem in particular. She began rubbing her muzzle as she crossed her two front hooves while sitting indian style. "Momma wants me to stop the Princess of the Sun and the Princess of the Moon. How will I do this?" She appeared frustrated for some time before she took another sip of her milkshake unknowingly taking a longer sip than she originally intended, causing an intense brain-freeze. The filly immediately fell back onto her cloud before grabbing at her head and rolling around in pain. "Ow ow ow ow ow! Brainfreeeeeeeeeeze!" But she rose almost immediately then with a gasp. "Oh oh oh! I know! YEP!"

Her cloud suddenly came to a screeching halt as with a slight twitch of her wings she turned it towards a different direction. The filly pointed her hoof ahead as she gave herself a reaffirming nod. "We've gotta go to the Everfree Forest! The Forest of Chaos!" The filly began clapping her hooves eagerly as she bounced atop her cloud. "You know what we're going to do cloudy!? We're going to throw the greatest pranks of all pranks! Yes yes yes! A prank that's SO AMAZING that not even the Princesses of Equestria will be able to see it coming! All I need is magic! And a castle! A big scary thing! The help of all the animals! And my awesome moves!" She then lowered her frame as she fastened herself onto her cloud and then peered ahead with confidence. "READY OR NOT, HERE I COME EQUESTRIA! I WILL MAKE YOU PROUD MOMMA!"

And the cloud shot forward with intense speed, disappearing in a matter of seconds.

Princess Celestia sat still in the Canterlot Library as scattered around her was an assortment of books, stacks and stacks of them piled atop of one another. At this point in the day, sunset had already come and the moon was due to rise soon. Princess Celestia's mane was in tatters as deep bags underlined her eyes as her eyes were wide with disbelief. She appeared shriveled up in a sense, shaken as she just sat there motionless staring down at the tiled floor lost in her sea of thoughts.

Soon entering the library with a sense of panic would be Princess Luna herself, "S-Sister, there you are! What're you doing he-"

Princess Celestia spoke, "It isn't here Luna."

Princess Luna's eyes widened as she raised a brow at Celestia in worry then, remaining silent with curiosity.

Princess Celestia had a tremble in her voice as she looked down at her hooves in horror. "The Tome of Transmutation. I checked every quarter, every sector, every nook and cranny I could find. It, isn't, here! Luna! The changelings may have stolen the Tome of Transmutation! Even worse they may have created an alicorn with it!" She hurried to her hooves breathing heavily. "We must find it Luna! We must find whatever alicorn was created! That tome is too dangerous to be toyed with, and to think somehow, someway, the changelings have gotten their hooves on it is beyond worrying!" Princess Celestia immediately teleported up towards her sister as she grabbed hold of the fellow alicorn. "Do you recall what that tome is capable of Luna!? Do you understand!?"

Princess Luna blinked a bit as she let off a nervous chuckle, not used to seeing her sister act in such a manner. "N-No Sister, I do not. Erhm, would you care to enlighten me as to what might've happened? I do wish to help you if I can." She then became serious regarding Celestia with an intense glare. "Do explain what this tome is, it seems I may have been absent during its creation."

Princess Celestia huffed before backing away from Luna for a moment to regain her composure. "F-Forgive me Luna. I forget that the Tome of Transmutation was only constructed in a recent generation. Forbidden from the common unicorn it was; yes, but still, it possessed helpful knowledge that may have been of use someday. But now it has caused us this." Princess Celestia paused with a deep and heavy sigh. "And I can't imagine how anypony managed to find it unless they found themselves in all sectors of the library practically all day and night let alone use it! The spells that this tome is capable of teaching sister, given the right components and magical capability, essentially one could craft a living being from anything. But who would be so masterful as to be able to actually use it besides us? The skill required is tremendous. They must have had the utmost confidence in their ability and possessed a high amount of knowledge regarding the tome itself. To think Queen Chrysalis might have somehow been the one to trifle with such magic is questionable to say the least. Either way we must find out what's happened to the tome and what was created from it! For all we know we could have an alicorn who is the master of pudding or picking flowers! Something entirely unnecessary! Or something completely dangerous! We need to find out if the rumors of this supposed alicorn are actually true!"

Princess Luna's eyes widened. "W-Wait what? Another alicorn!? When, where!?"

Princess Celestia just shook her head. "That's what I've been saying sister! My scouts have stated that they themselves came across a mysterious alicorn filly who not only let them go, but took Queen Chrysalis hostage. It seems that whoever this alicorn is she may have been created for the sole purpose of thwarting the changeling threat which means whoever created her might have had good intentions for the whole of Equestria. Either that or Queen Chrysalis bit off more than she can chew."

Princess Luna scoffed, "Hah! I'm willing to bet on the latter sister. Queen Chrysalis would be one so foolish enough to trifle with such magic and to botch it up nonetheless. She would be willing to risk much in order to take the whole of Canterlot and all of Equestria."

Princess Celestia nodded yet again. "I agree sister. We must investigate this issue with haste, all of Equestria could be at stake!" And the two hurried out of the Canterlot Library, shutting the door behind them as they moved onto the more pressing matter.

Riding atop a manticore would be Princess Yucca as she pet the top of its head happily. "Thank you kitty!" And as she peered off into the distance having emerged from a particular forest path, it was revealed she stood before a wooden bridge leading towards the Castle of the Two Sisters. Yucca hopped from the top of the manticore as she just trotted merrily towards the the castle, crossing the bridge along the way as she stated simply. "Just what I was looking for! I shall put on the best show for all the princesses to see!" Next Chapter: The Final Countdown: 7 Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 14 Minutes