//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4. Canterlot 
// Story: Quantum Leap: Xenophilia 
// by Sparky Brony 
//------------------------------//

The train ride to Canterlot was actually uneventful. Al was actually able keep quiet during the ride, instead he was working on getting information through the comlink. But finally the train pulled up to the Canterlot station.

They barely make it off the train when, "Mommy, there's a second human there." A small voice says. Sam turns to see a small filly, light purple in color with a blonde mane. Her golden eyes are locked on Al. 

Sam looks to Al, who shrugs his shoulders, "Sam, you know young kids can see me."  

A gray pegasus gently pushes the little unicorn onto the train with a wing, "Dinky, there is only one human there, and it's Lero. You know him."

"But Mommy, there are two humans there."

The members of Lero's herd look at Sam, then at the filly as she finally makes it into the train car. Though her face appears in a window, her eyes locked on Sam and Al.

"That was…. odd." Rainbow says.

Royal Guards are waiting at the entrance to the train station, and they usher the small family quickly to the castle. Sam simply follows instructions and they shortly are in front of Princess Celestia. 

They get right down to business, "When I got your letter, I sent guards to the train station to meet the train arriving from Ponyville." The princess says quickly, "She never got off the train, and when the royal coach was checked, she was not aboard."

Lyra steps forward, "We interviewed the attendants at the train station in Ponyville, they saw Princess Twilight board the train."

Princess Celestia nods, "That means that whatever happened, it was during the trip. We are interviewing every pony that was on the train, and the conductors already said that the trip was entirely uneventful."

"Uh, Sam. Apparently that Discord fellow pushed a lot of data into Ziggy's databanks, A good portion of what's been happening in Equestria is now available, though Ziggy's trying to catalogue the information, it has to be organized."

Sam focuses on listening to Al as he continues, "Okay, we have some of it now. No one on the train noticed anything unusual. One of the attendants talked quickly to her a bit over an hour before the train arrived."

Sam whispers, "So whatever happened, it happened on the train, fairly close to here?" Al nods.

The ponies were still talking while Sam was updating Al, "We need to send guards to check the tracks, it's a long shot, but they might be able to find some clues." Celestia says.

They are all interrupted by a loud gasp from the back of the throne room. Sam looks up, a midnight blue pony with a dark mane that looks like the night sky interspersed with stars is trotting into the room, her wings up in alarm, "Sister, not just one, but two new humans? Both of them with Lero's herd? What's going on here?"

Celestia looks at her sister in confusion, "I think you are mistaken, my sister. There is just Lero here."

The blue alicorn looks hard at Sam, then glances at Al, then looks at Celestia, "Sister, dear, I see two humans here, one is dressed how Lero usually dresses, the other…" She stops and looks at the shiny outfit that Al is wearing, "I'm not certain how to describe his clothing."

Rainbow Dash chimes in, "Princess Luna, there's just Lero here. You are looking at a blank wall right now."

A faint grimace of anger passes over the night alicorn's face, "Rainbow Dash, I know quite well what I'm seeing here, and there are two humans here."

Celestia steps forward, "Dear sister, I only see Lero."

Luna rolls her eyes, "Let me show you all." She steps forward, her horn igniting, and Sam is rooted to the spot as her horn gently touches his forehead. He feels a cool feeling all over his body, and apparently that did something, because gasps are heard throughout the throne room. Rainbow Dash tackles Sam and ends up on top of him, holding him down, her wings spread in rage.

"What did you do to my Lero?" The pegasus screams at him.

Sam looks at the enraged pegasus, and hazards a quick glance at Lyra, her horn is glowing, and she has a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Uh, Al, what do I do now?"

Princess Luna quickly trots over to Al, and her lit horn passes through Al, but apparently he becomes visible as well. Lyra tries to use magic to immobilize Al, and she grunts in frustration as the spell passes right through him.

"Uh, Sam, they can see both of us now."

Sam puts his hands on Rainbow's chest, pushing the pony a little from him, "I can explain."

"Where is Lero?" Rainbow pushes her snout right in Sam's face, "Where is my stallion?" She screams, she uses her wings to lift herself and grab Sam, in moments he's near the high ceiling of the throne room, "You tell me where he is right now, or I will drop you."

"He's in our waiting room!" Al calls. Rainbow looks at the hologram.

Rainbow looks at Al, "Bring him back, right now." She snarls at him.

"I wish I could, miss, I really do. But Sam and him have switched places, and until Sam leaps out, Lero will be stuck in the waiting room. He's being taken care of, food, drink. He's on Earth right now."

Rainbow Dash stiffens, "He's home?" Tears well in her eyes. She slowly brings Sam down to the ground. She backs away, "Why? How?"

Sam looks down, then kneels to be eye level with the cyan pegasus. Though he pitches his voice loud enough for everyone to hear him, "I am a scientist, I started a program, where we figured out that I could travel in time. And I went for it. I jumped in the accelerator. And I started leaping."

"Leaping?" Princess Celestia cocks her head to the side, "What is that?"

Sam sighs, time to explain it all. He spends the next several minutes explaining what a leap was, and what he's been doing. Al helpfully fills in some gaps due to Sam's swiss cheesed memories."

Princess Luna comes forward, "So, you are here because Discord brought you here, so you could solve the mystery? Yet he could solve it himself."

Sam looks at Luna, "I had the feeling that it was something that he thinks I'm uniquely qualified to handle, though I have no idea how. I've never been to a place where magic is real, where you completely baffle the laws of physics. And yet, I've watched unicorns teleport, and levitate, and do all sorts of things that, a day ago, I would have flatly said are impossible."

Luna looks at Celestia, "Sister, if Discord really thinks that this Dr. Beckett is qualified to find Twilight Sparkle, then we should help him. And the faster he has done his task, the sooner he can leave."

Celestia sighs gently, "I agree. Though your presence should not become widespread knowledge. Lyra, Rainbow Dash, I hate to say this." She steels herself, "Until this problem is resolved, you need to treat Dr. Beckett here as though he's Lero, like he's a member of your herd."

Lyra nods slowly, Rainbow Dash growls, "Not until I see Lero himself."

Sam flinches, Al speaks up, "That would be kind of awkward."

Rainbow Dash stands tall, "That is my price for maintaining the charade, I want to see if Lero is okay." 

Sam looks at Al and nods quickly. Sam sighs, "I can't get him synchronized to your brainwaves that easily, the most you will be able to do is see him." Al presses a button, and the door to the imaging chamber opens, and in moments he's gone.

Rainbow turns to Sam, "You should have told us. Last night, at our herd date, you should have told us."

Sam puts his hands out in front of him, "I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash. In my experience, most people are really confused by a leaper, and having me simply say out of the blue that I was a time traveler would likely have not gone over well. You likely would not have believed me until you saw what I really look like. Until the illusion from the leap was somehow broken by the Princess there." Rainbow looks thoughtful.

Sam turns to Princess Luna, "Princess, how did you see? There are very few instances of people that can see through the illusion of the leap."

Luna draws herself up, "I am the Princess of the night, I must peer into the dreams of our subjects, I must be able to see what is going on in this world. I felt an odd resonance when I awoke. And it got more profound as I got closer to the throne room, then I saw the spell around you, I was unable to cancel it, but I was able to make it so the ponies here could see you for what you are."

"So others won't be able to see me except as Lero?"

Luna shakes her head, "No, only Princess Celestia, myself, and the members of your herd are able to see you as you are rather than as Lero."

They are all distracted by the sound of the imaging chamber door opening and closing. The all look over at Al.

"As I said, you will be able to see him, but you won't be able to hear him." He reaches out his hand, and as he grasps, another figure appears.

"Lero." Rainbow Dash breathes and rushes towards him, he smiles as she gets close. She skids to a stop in front of the holograms. Lero kneels down, she can see him mouthing her name. Tears start to fall from her eyes.

"He says he's okay. His memories are a little swiss cheesed, but he certainly remembers you, all of you."

Lero speaks again, and Al repeats him, "If Twilight really has gone missing, please find her. He misses all of you, and can't wait to be home soon."

Celestia moves closer, the human stiffens at her approach. She sighs and relaxes, her flowing mane ceases to flow and becomes simply pink. Lero relaxes a bit, Celestia speaks, "Lero. I assure you that this leaper, Sam, and the rest of your herd will do everything they can to find Princess Twilight. Just stay safe until you are brought home to us."

Al replies for the red headed human, "Thank you Princess. Please hurry."

Lero hold's Al's hand as long as possible so they can see him until he steps out of the imaging chamber. Rainbow Dash deflates visibly when he's gone, Sam is close enough to hear her murmur through her tears, "Love you, big guy."