//------------------------------//
// Mission: Impossible... Or Not? 
// Story: SHIFT 
// by A_guy_from_Earth 
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Noise from library hall caused Spike to wake up. He put away comic book from his face, stood up and went down to the first floor. There was Twilight, which leafed through seven books at the same time.

“What’s happening?” – asked dragon.
“Spike?” – she surprised, - “I’m sorry that I made you get out of bed. I just can’t find “The Luminary”, that old folio about powerful spells.” 
“Oh… And did you look for it everywhere?”
“Yes. It wasn’t in the place where it should be, and where I or you could put it I’ll never know. Oh… If so, them I have to go to Canterlot tomorrow. Because today I have a lot of work that I need to do.”

She sighed and lowerd her head. Spike just compassionately nodded and went back to the second floor.

When he was ready to get in his bed again, he suddenly remembered and shuddered: Twilight can’t find “The Luminary” because that tome isn’t from here, it’s from Canterlot library, and it was returned five months ago. Alarmed little dragon was about to run downwards and tell alicorn about it, but stopped himself. No, he would do it differently: he himself will visit the capital and take the book! It will become that present to Twilight about which he thought and wanted to make. She will have no need in wasting her time and strength for it, and will be able to continue her works. She will be so glad!..

It was wonderful idea, but it may be problematic: he also can appear to be as busy as Twilight. He needed to learn more about it. He got down again and asked pony:

“Twi, is there any requests for me?”
“Hmm… No.” – answered alicorn, - “And why are you asking?”
“It’s just… Applejack asked me to help her with easy, but continuous task.” – he lied.
“Well then, you can go. But tell me, please, when you will come back.”
“Well, it will take a lot of time, so… I can return only tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow???”
“Yes, but, please, Twilight, don’t worry! I’ll be fine! You know me and know Applejack. I will help her, and if something will happen, take a nap at her place and tomorrow return here!”
“If so… okay then. And good luck!”
“Thanks! You’re the best!” – exclaimed Spike, hugged her, ran to the second floor, took few bits from moneybox and his cards and, having put them into a small bag, rushed outside.

In half of an hour he took train to Canterlot. “So, it’s ten o’clock.” – Spike thought, - “Then I’ll be there in three. I won’t have so much time, so I need to rush to the Star Swirl wing. As I remember, there are almost no queues in it, so I will get the book quickly. Then I will run to the station, and approximately at nine o’clock return to Ponyville. Twilight will resent, but I’ll explain the matter, and everything will be fine…”

He arrived in Canterlot in enlivened mood at the calculated time. Only having left the station, he rushed to the library. Soon he approached the entrance to its necessary wing – Canterlot library is huge, so every its wing has own entrance. He was about to open the door and ask the librarian, but… When he came closer, he saw an advertisement, which said that library administration apologizes for the inconvenience, as yesterday the wing was closed was closed for a week due to the replacement of wiring. This text was like a punch in the stomach. His plan failed. He was ready to roar out of desperation, but in the closing seconds found willpower to resist this impulse. And then he took a thought. No… It’s not the end. He still has possibilities to get the book! But the things that he has to do for it he didn’t like.

He together with Twilight and Pinkie Pie sneaked into this wing once, and this attempt was quite successful. Now he has incredibly powerful device, so he will be able to do it alone. The new plan is next: for avoiding any suspicions he will take another appearance, enter the main library hall, wait there till the end of workday, then, when all other will start to leave, he will hide in some chamber, then just turn invisibility on and, when gurads and cleanrs will finish their work, calmly take the book. After it he just will leave the library, take normal look and return to Ponyville by the first train. So Spike hided in some back alley near the palace and there gave mentls command to begin the change. Several minutes – and he was sandy yellow earth pony with brown mane and tail, green eyes and wine as cutie mark. He wore simple jacket and glasses. Usual intellectual. Little change of library card, and he will be ready.

When he entered the hall, he thought: maybe, he would be able to find “The Luminary” among the books that exhibited there? Then he won’t do anything wrongful! But he already changed his look, so it’s useless now to return to nornal. And, honestly, it’s not necessary. So Spike politely refused the offered assistance and began to search among the rows of bookshelves.

There were really a lot of book about magic and spells. Hundreds and even thousands tomes, that were published in small circulations, but all of them had been focused on wide range of readers. Specialized books, like “The Luminary”, were rare there. And that meant only one thing: the book stored in the closed wing.

But library will be closed only in two hours. So he had to play the seeking reader. And, maybe, he will get lucky.

Spike examined, probably, three hundredth shelf, when he heard beautiful voice behind him:

“You are looking for something special?”

He slowly turned and saw that his guess was right: it was voice of princess Luna. Such events aren’t rare – princesses frequented the parts of the palace that were opened for public visits to talk to ordinary ponies and learn about the situation firsthoof. And, speaking about the library, they can spend here whole their day.

“Um… Y-yes, Your Highness.” – Spike lost his courage, but answered.
“Pardon me, but it’s just unusual to see earth pony diligently looking through magic tomes.” – princess said.
“Oh, this… Your Highness, I do it not for myself, but for my good friend. She is a practicing magician, and she now needed one rare folio. So I decided to make her a little present and bring it to her.”
“Ow, that’s what… And what is the name of the needed book?”
“The Luminaty”, Your Highness.”
“Hmm… You know, they aren’t stored in here. All copies are in Star Swirl the Bearded wing.”
“I see…” – Spike sighed, - “As I feared… Oh, excuse me, but can I order this book from here?”
“Well… It’s possible, but it’s rather long procedure, and it costs a lot – about eighty bits, as far as I remember.”
“Well, it seems so that I have to return here tomorrow”.

Luna surprised a bit:

“And you are ready to do all this for your friend, mister?..”
“Grenn Wine, Your Highness. Yes, I am. We know each other since foalhood, and she is wonderful pony. In order to make her happy, I'm ready.”

Alicorn smiled and… hugged her interlocutor with own wing. Spike, after that incident with Rarity, because of such sudden act from princess almost fainted.

“We liked thee, Green Wine. Kind, responsive, tender, caring… You also are wonderful. Good luck to you!” – alicorn winked and, having smiled one more time, folded her wing and went away.

In ten minutes spike came to his senses, his legs stopped to tremble, and he sat down at the nearest table.

He sat like this till the moment when librarian said that reading-rooms will be closed in five minutes. Spike, having heard it, stood up and together with other few remained visitors rushed to the exit. But he was walinkg near walls, so when he saw the way to side corridor, he whidded into it. No one noticed it – other ponies after several hours of reading were slack. There masked dragon hided in the chamber of temporary storage of decommissioned equipment. He had to wait another three hours, till the moment when guards would finish the evening check, and janitors clean the halls.

Three hours passed. All things were set in their places, and guards made sure that there were no suspicious or overworked individuals in the rooms. So Spike, having prepared the bag and made himself transparent as pure glass, changed his hooves a bit to make the steps inaudible, and when the last guard left the hall, got out from the store.

So, he is invisible and inaudible now. It’s possible to start the quest.

Walking through the corridors, he slowly approached the necessary wing. Rooms and corridors were empty, the path was well lit through big windows by moonlight – it seemed that it would be easy to get there, but…

When he underwent third part of the way, Spike almost ran into small group of guards: he approached another turn, when they appeared from around the corner. Dragon shuddered. At first he froze, but then, having remembered that his camouflage always was qiute good, calmed himself and decided to go forward slowly. Spike insensibly sighed and began to slink, like cat that approaches sleeping mouse. Ten steps were left, five, two… His heart pounded, and he covered with sweat. One more step – and they were at the same level!.. Spike froze again. And guards noticed nothing and quietly stomped further. When they got out of sight, little dragon breathed easily. That was close, but no one noticed him! His camouflage was really incredible.

It gave him confidence, and he boldly strode forward. Now Spike didn’t slow down when he saw guards, and just came closer to walls. Insomniac councillor also didn’t notice him because his senses were dulled. When he was already near, Spike grew bolder and became inpudent, so, using own imperceptibility, began to parody guard’s walk, and in front of keeper of the repository of rare books almost danced a jig.

In short, he reached the wing without any problems. But it was necessary to get on the other side of the door, and it was firmly closed. Teleportation will be problematic – he has to become visible again to do it, and burst of energy will be so big that only unalive will not notice it. He needed another way. So, having thought: “Nightmare Moon surely would be proud!..” Spike gave mental command, became gas cloud and through thin gaps entered the room.

When he materialized again, he looked around. Everywhere were traces of repair: furniture covered with cellophane, there were several toolboxes on the floor, and walls were holed. But the hall was absolutely empty. Little dragon, trying to remember the location of the books there, started the searches.

Soon he succeeded: he lifted another sheet and saw four tomes of “The Luminary”, standing near each other. Spike smiled, took one book and put in in his bag.

Then, using the same trick, he left the wing – he had to made greater effort now, as he needed to transform the book, but it wasn’t so bad. When he got out and became material, but invisible again, dragon looked around and, having made sure that there were no one near, rushed away.

Only one thing remained – to get out of here.