After soaring over dozens of towering offices and apartments, we touched down at Buckler Library, perhaps one of the biggest and most expensive looking libraries I’d ever seen. The Canterlot Library didn’t even hold a candle to it.
“I don’t think we’re gonna be back in time for dinner,” Katana said as we landed. “This place is massive.”
“There’s seven stories, including the basement,” Flash said. “We can make it back in time if we only search the first two and come back tomorrow morning for the rest.”
“Fine. I’ll keep an eye on everypony who comes and goes.”
“Good,” I said, then tried to shape my sword around my waist only for it to vanish again. I sighed. “Stupid sword. Try not to look too obvious, Katana.”
“Duh.”
Katana trotted off while Flash and I went up to the library’s entrance, which was at the top of a wide flight of stairs. A security pony stopped us, but let us in after flashing our Royal Guard stars. The inside was just as grand as the outside. Mahogany walls and bookshelves lined with ebony and bronze, marble floors for the main hall, and such intricate carpets in the reading areas that they may as well have been one entirely hoof-sown rug. Even the lights were marvelous, hanging from crystal and silver chandeliers. Colored glass windows depicted historical events and characters; Star Swirl the Bearded, scenes from the Hearth’s Warming eve story, Clover the Clever, Flash Magnus, Rockhoof… there were too many to name.
I walked up to the front desk and waited until a pretty unicorn mare came up to help me.
“Sorry to bother you,” I said, bringing out my Royal Guard star again. “I’m Lieutenant Shield, this is Officer Sentry. We’re looking for somepony and hoping one of the librarians might know where he is.”
“Oh, of course!” the mare said cheerfully. “Just let me grab my supervisor, he has to confirm your ID and authorize any release of personal information. If you’ll just wait here, please.”
I nodded and she trotted off and disappeared.
“I’ll start checking around upstairs while you talk to them,” Flash said.
“Sounds good. You know what Stonehenge looks like?”
“Shining Armor gave me his file.”
I nodded and gave him a quick salute, which he returned before flying off. I found a comfortable chair while I waited for the receptionist’s return.
*
Ink Blot galloped down the stairs into the basement of Buckler Library, gasping for breath. She had never been so scared in her life. I’m Lieutenant Shield, the stallion’s words rang in her ears.
Finally making it to the bottom, she turned a corner and dashed down a long hall, then stopped at the seventh wall-lamp and turned it sideways. A hidden door opened beside it, and she entered a dark room lit by a small fireplace and candles. The boss sat on the only chair at the far end of the room, aimed directly at the doorway with a desk in front of it. Her face was hidden in the low light.
“What is it, Ink? You know I don’t like you barging in unannounced.”
“Please, forgive me,” Ink blurted, bowing her head low. “It’s an emergency. A stallion calling himself Lieutenant Shield is waiting at the front desk.”
“WHAT? That’s impossible!”
Ink flinched. Her legs were shaking. “He fits the description. He said he’s here looking for somepony.”
“Who?”
“He didn’t say. I told him I needed to get my supervisor for the information, nothing more. What should we do?”
“I suppose he’s looking for Stonehenge. Get Sunray, explain the situation, and don’t raise any unnecessary suspicions. The Lieutenant can’t have learned we’re here… unless his meddlesome father somehow got a message out. No, just let him search, he’ll leave us alone once he knows Stonehenge isn’t here. Still, having him around might slow down our plan. Have him followed once he leaves, I want to know where he’s staying.”
Ink Blot bowed once again. “As you command, Lady Fate!”
Steeling herself, she galloped out in search for Sunray.
*
The wait was becoming longer than I expected. Where had that mare gone off to? It couldn’t take that long to fetch a supervisor.
Standing up to go search for somepony, the receptionist suddenly came around a corner followed by a pegasus stallion.
“Sorry I took so long,” the supervisor said, going behind the front desk with the receptionist. “I was in the middle of an important meeting. So, I hear you’re looking for somepony? What’s your name and R.G.C. number?”
“Swordulan Shield, code 3179.” Every Royal Guard had a four-digit ID code. It was really only used in situations like this.
The supervisor grabbed a clipboard and began flipping through papers, eyes quickly scanning them. “Hmm, 3179… ah, here you are, Lieutenant. Could you describe the pony you’re looking for?”
“His name is Stonehenge Shield, though I don’t know if he uses it often. He’s a tall earth pony, a bit bigger than me, with a gray coat that has a hint of brown in it. Golden eyes, with a faded dark blue mane and tail. I don’t know how long either are, but last I saw they were short. I think he prefers short.”
The supervisor picked up a different clipboard. “Hmm, I don’t recall anypony like that coming or going. You’re free to look around while I check the records; perhaps he checked out a book recently. This being a quality establishment, we keep track of everypony that goes through our system in one way or another.”
“Thanks, I appreciate the help.”
I began going up and down the aisles of bookshelves and reading areas. Ponies of all kinds were deep into their books and studies, some whispering between each other, and at least a couple looked asleep. It brought me back to being a student at the School for Gifted Unicorns. Felt like it had been a lifetime ago, back when things were simpler. Except for my tests, those had been a pain in the flank.
I interrupted those I came across to give Stonehenge’s description and ask if they’d seen him. Nopony had. I made it all the way around the first floor and Stonehenge was nowhere in sight. I returned to the front desk just as Flash Sentry arrived.
“I’m afraid you’re out of luck,” the supervisor said. “I’ve got nopony under Stonehenge’s description on the list.”
“No sign on the second floor, Sir,” Flash said.
I shook my head. “Same here.”
“You’re free to search the rest of the library, perhaps check back tomorrow,” the supervisor said.
“Will do. Thanks for your help. Let’s go, Flash.”
Coming out of the library, I scanned the street for Katana. I couldn’t see her anywhere, but there were a lot of ponies walking back and forth.
“See her anywhere?” I asked.
“No, Sir.”
“Wonderful,” I sighed. “Discord is the greatest there ever was.”
My sword blinked back into existence, still in its surfboard form. That was useful, at least.
I levitated the sword in front of me and jumped on. “Come on, maybe she’ll spot us taking off.”
We flew off in the direction of home and stopped over a rooftop to wait if Katana followed. She didn’t.
“What if she spotted Stonehenge?” Flash asked.
I nodded. “That would be one reason for her to disappear like this, but what are the odds of that? Let’s go back and double check.”
Landing back down in front of the library we began to search the street. I kept my sword hovering above me, hoping she might recognize it, but there was still no sign of her.
“I leave her alone for half an hour,” I muttered angrily.
“Perhaps she got bored and went back to your mother’s,” Flash said.
“No, that wouldn’t be like her, especially when we’re trying to find Stonehenge. Ponyfeathers. You know what, she says she knows how to take care of herself here in Manehattan, I’m gonna trust her on that. We’ll worry if she’s not back before dark.”
Flash gave me a worried look. “Are you sure, Sir?”
“Always. And you can stop with that Sir business, I’m not your commanding officer.”
Hopping back on my sword we began making our way back to my mom’s. Hopefully Katana really had just gone back.
As we neared the apartment, a voice called out from behind.
“Looking for me?”
We stopped and turned around. Katana was right there.
“Where in Celestia’s name were you?” I asked, almost ready to slap her.
Katana smirked. “Watching your backs. Good thing too, you’ll never guess what I found. Come on.”
She dove into a wide alley, and Flash and I followed her to a dumpster. Sitting beside it was a pegasus stallion, his wings, hooves, and muzzle tied.
“Caught him trying to follow you,” Katana said. “Came out of the library too.”
I gave her a level look and put my sword off to the side. “You can’t just go tying up somepony because they happened to be going in the same direction.”
Katana glared at me. “He wasn’t just going in the same direction. I saw you come out the library and start looking for me, and then he came out and followed you back and forth as far back he thought was safe. I could tell, he kept looking directly at you. This guy knows something about Stonehenge.”
I looked at the poor stallion, who seemed understandably upset. “Hmm.” I untied his muzzle. “So, were you following us?”
He said nothing.
“Answer our questions,” Flash said. “You’re speaking to Royal Guards on official business.”
Still he said nothing, only giving us a cold look.
“Where’s Stonehenge?” Katana demanded. “Don’t play stupid with me, I can tell you know something. Talk!”
“Quiet, Katana,” I said. “He’s not talking. Most suspicious. Don’t make me lock you up to get answers.”
He snorted. “On what basis? I have no information.”
“Who sent you?” Flash asked.
“I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.”
“What do I know?” I asked.
“Celestia is a Princess.”
“No kidding. I also know the sky is blue.”
“Let me at him, I’ll make him talk,” Katana said.
I put my hoof out to stop her. “No, I’ve got a better idea. Since I can’t actually arrest him…” I levitated my sword to him and luckily was able to shape it around his neck like a collar. Then I untied his hooves and wings.
“What are you doing?” Katana asked. “You can’t just let him go!”
“Sure I can. Get the hay out of here, whoever you are.”
He pulled at the collar with his wing. “What, you cast some tracking spell on this thing? You expect me to lead you anywhere important? Hah.”
I smiled. “Not at all. If you don’t return to whoever sent you, they’ll never know what happened. I’d like to think it’ll make them nervous. I can listen in or look through it too, in case you’re thinking to get a message back some other way.”
He narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
“Oh, and it could also spontaneously combust, in a surprising variety of ways actually. Probably not, but it was given to me by the Spirit of Chaos himself, so you never know. Have a good day. Come on, Flash, Katana.”
I turned away, and Flash followed, though Katana hesitated a good few seconds. The stallion galloped off in the opposite direction.
“You think he’ll call your bluff?” Flash asked.
I chuckled. “Considering none of that was a bluff, I sincerely hope so.”
“You’re crazy,” Katana said.
“What are you going to do now?” Flash asked.
“Eat dinner with my mom,” I said matter-of-factly. “And then I think I’ll see where our friend has run off to.”