Snap To It

by David Silver

8 - Ultimatum

When the time came for another adjustment, Lyra was there eagerly bouncing as she waited to be called. As before, she was ushered in promptly and to the back for treatment.

"What is it you'd like today, Miss Heartstrings?" Samson cleaned his hands as he entered the examination room.

Lyra shifted on her hooves, smirking. "The works! Kindly."

Samson made a flat gesture with a hand, and she flopped right onto her back without a word. "Alright, let's adjust." He bent her and twisted her, as she seemed to enjoy, making sure every bit of her was moving properly. "I hate to point this out, Miss Heartstrings, but your back does seem to be in good order. Is it bothering you, or is this entirely preventative?"

"Oh, no, not at all. It's just a lot of fun, that's all. I've never really had it before, and it's amazing." She beamed with pride at the doctor.

Samson wagged a finger at the unicorn. "I already made you start paying for yourself. I can't charge Celestia for your good time, but you keep coming."

"Because it keeps being great." Lyra hopped down to the ground with a big stretch. "I feel alive." She glanced around as if checking for something. "But I want to talk to you."

"We are talking?" He sprayed the table with a cleaner and gently wiped it down for the next patient. "What's on your mind?"

"It's about you, and here." She pointed at him, then down to the ground. "Humans are interesting creatures, from a world without magic. I want you to keep those fingers." She directed a hoof at his hands. "Which you won't."

Samson blinked with surprise, then looked at his hands. "You think my fingers are gonna go bad?" He waggled them with curiosity. "I guess you're right, in that they could be lost or broken. But I certainly wouldn't do anything to up those odds. Why do you sound so certain about it?"

"You're not the first." Lyra put her hooves at her hips. "Celestia's been dealing with humans a while. The more magic they rub up against, the more likely it is, until they pop to the other side, and we end up with an Equestrian creature, probably without fingers, and even if they have fingers, they aren't your fingers, and have big claws, or fur, or whatever." She jabbed a hoof at him. "But that won't happen to you, because you have me. And I know how to keep fingers nice and safe."

Samson paused his cleaning at that. "And how do you plan to—" He took a sudden inhale, perhaps overwhelmed by the idea that he was visiting a world with some kind of harmful radiation that would catch up to him eventually. "I like me just the way I am, if we're being honest."

Lyra tapped her hooves together. "Of course you do, silly! I want to protect those fingers!" She shook her head. "Oh, sorry, I know this is a little sudden, but I'm here to save your life, and maybe the rest of you too." She easily stood up to smirk at Samson from a closer vantage point. "I'm working on a doohickey that'll help! I think. Just be patient, and don't hang around magic if you can, alright?"

Samson nodded dumbly. "I promise I will not actively seek magic to hang around with. Sounds like a poor idea. Now, do you have another request, or have you satisfied yourself today?"

"Well! If I had my way, we'd go another round." Lyra started for the exit. "But you have others to get to, I know how it is. You keep safe, and I suggest a 'no magic' sign on the door." She waved a hoof. "Later, doc! Don't touch the magic!" She trotted out and headed for home.

Gabby watched Lyra leave with a raised eyebrow, then looked to Samson. "She looked even more determined than usual. You okay?"

"Yes, and I think so, but her warning is still ringing in my ears." He pointed at Gabby's feathers. "Any chance those will fall off too?"

Gabby checked herself, looking over her feathers as if for the first time. "Wow, I hope not! Why would my feathers fall out?" She ran a hand back over her head, smoothing things out. "I'm not sick or anything."

"Right. Neither am I." He gestured to the front door. "It's just a one-off suggestion from her. I'm sure she'll be back when she gets whatever gadget she thinks will help me."

Gabby looked to the calendar. "She was the last planned pony of the day, and I don't see any humans on the schedule either."

Samson considered things. "I think I'll get lunch from my side of things." He flicked the knob back to Earth. "Keep an eye on the office while I'm away." He stepped out into the hallway, with no hints visible that his office was sometimes a world away.

Samson walked to his car, and from there it was a quick drive to his apartment to have lunch. A nice sandwich and a can of soda to wash it down. He took the time to ponder things, like why had Celestia not given him any warning, or was Lyra making things up?

He had no real proof either way. All he could do was make sure he didn't do anything foolish. He relaxed after eating, content to simply sit and think about what he would do that afternoon.

His cellphone starts its ringtone suddenly, making him jump. He snatched it off his belt and held it up quickly. "Hello?"

"Hey." It was Gabby. "Sorry to bother you while you're out, but somepony was hoping to talk to you."

Samson rose to his feet and headed for the door. "Tell them I'm on the way." He didn't live very far from his office, a short drive back to where he had started. It was, however, the first time he got to interact with the door to his office while it was set to the other world. The knob refused to turn and it almost looked closed.

He rapped the back of his knuckles on the door and, with a heavy thunk, it unlocked and gabby pulled the door open for him. "Thank you." He stepped inside to spot Lyra's plus one with a serious look on her face. "Oh, you were waiting for me? Hi."

"Samson, I presume?" She trotted up to him with a polite smile. "I'm Bon Bon, remember?"

Samson bumped the door shut behind himself. "I do. How can I help you today?"

Bon Bon stared hard into the doctor's eyes. "How many ponies have you seen?"

"I'd have to count. Lyra's been showing up quite frequently." Samson shrugged, fingers dancing as he made an attempt to count through them. He ultimately looked to Gabby. "How many this week?"

Bon Bon thrust a hoof in his way. "Ever, not just this week, or moon."

Gabby started counting on her own hands. "A lot!"

Bon Bon shook her head. "Lyra's a bit, hm, odd at times, but she has a point. It's not fair to go snatching a human doctor away from them without warning." She pointed to the dimensional hopping knob. "My personal suggestion? You send Gabby home. You flick that to your home, and you never touch it ever again. I'm certain you had a good time, and made some good bits, but all good things come to an end, doctor."

Samson shook his head at the mare. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that's not your decision. This is my office, and my livelihood. I like being here."

Bon Bon shrugged lightly. "Not kicking you out of your office, or anywhere else, really. But I am suggesting, for your own safety, that you make the only reasonable option. Go back to your world, make your living there. I don't know what Celestia's plan is, and it's above my paygrade to guess." She hiked a brow. "Technically, it is in my paygrade, but it'd also be a dereliction of duty." She poked him in the chest. "Do what I say, not what I do. Please consider it."

Samson crossed his arms, still firm in his resolve. "What's it to you, anyway? Why should I worry?"

Bon Bon nodded, leaning in with a hushed tone. "Because what Lyra failed to mention. Humans can only visit our world safely for six months. And time is ticking, and that six months is just an estimate. It varies on the human. No, if you want to keep your human'ness, you go away. I'm saying this for your benefit. Ignore me if you'd rather. Won't hurt me." She spun on her hooves and trotted for the exit. "By the way, Lyra says hi. Good day, Doctor." She left quickly, shutting the door with a click.

Samson blinked. "So, that was weird. Hey, Gabby. You're from the other world, so, any ideas?"

Gabby lifted her hands in a grand shrug. "If you're going to be hurt, Doc, I don't want that. I'd rather find another job than you getting hurt." She paused with a shrug. "It's not like we were super busy, anyway. I think she has a point. I'm glad we met. Now go do human stuff, and be a human."

He smiled at his receptionist that was also a griffon. "You are a treat. If I did leave, hypothetically, want to come with?"

Gabby frowned with thought on that one. "I'd be the only griffon on the entire planet! That's a big responsibility. I'm not sure I'm cut out for that." She stroked over a beak with a talon. "I appreciate the offer though. Nah, don't worry about me! It'd hardly be the first time I had to go find something new to do." She offered a thumbs up. "I'm a strong, independent griffon. I don't need no human doctor to get along!" She flexed her arm muscle for effect.

Samson chuckled at that. "I haven't made a choice yet." He let out a slow breath. "But it's sounding like I have to, one way or the other."

Author's Note:

A significant part of me thinks leaving this here, with the choice open-ended, is the right way to go. Does he stay or go? You get to decide for yourself. Either way kinda bookends the tale. Thoughts? Which would you pick?

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Comments

[Ralanost]

If this is something that happens and Celestia didn't say anything, that's super fucked up.

[Poparakelis]

11880987
She's probably a devil here, as in an evil version of herself, because not mentioning your Very self could be changed to an animal lesser than you in every way can't really be understood as anything but malicious, had she said creature instead of critter it would be better.

[D-F]

huh, i guess that's just a thing now - sure was sudden. surely celestia would've mentioned this before, though? i assume this is something you've just came up with, so i won't dig too deep into the plot hole

by the way, you should probably change that complete status for the story. if it's intentional, are you really just going to leave us hanging after suddenly dumping all that onto us?
didnt read the author notes at first, my bad. personally, i think he should stay - or at least try to - the ending's way too sudden, in my opinion. you could also flesh out the story with the drama, but of course, this is a slice of life so i understand if you don't decide to take it in that direction.

[Diamondized]

Well, assuming that the problem in its entirety is magic, the question becomes 'what happens to magic in the human world?' If it gets neutralized, the solution is simple. Space out the visits to avoid too much saturation and come back when it's all gone. The only issue then is figuring out how much magic you're saturated with at any point in time.

As for leaving it here, well... it feels a bit incomplete- to end it immediately after Bon Bon's brief visit would be just really weird. A short epilogue to reflect on choices made would solve that. A follow-up on Lyra's invention either succeeding or more likely failing, a letter from the ponies wishing him well regardless of his decision, an explanation from Celestia with possible apologies for selfish behavior, looking back on the chance of a lifetime, and an acknowledgement of what could have been.

One door closes, another opens. Quite literally.

[Ralanost]

11880995
Wow, didn't even realize the story got listed complete. That's not an ending or a conclusion. Just some bullshit pulled out of nowhere and done. I've read manga that got axed with more grace. Feels like you took a perfectly healthy dog out back and gave it the Old Yellar with no warning or build up. Just a bullet to the head.

[David Silver]

11881009
How do I do an epilogue without, very clearly, stating which choice is made?

[Emtu]

I'm not a big fan of stories ending like that either. I would have liked, at least, for him to meet one or more of the previous former humans.

[Diamondized]

11881031
That's a good question, mostly because it's not something that should be done. It's always better to make a choice rather than leave it up to the reader since you can't really make a satisfying ending without doing so. It's your story and you're the one telling it- you can't just close the book while telling people to use their imagination for the ending. It doesn't work. It leaves the readers confused at best, and angry at worst.

[Winter Star]

If anything, leaving the ending open ended as you did would only work well if there is a sequel. The sequel could shift away from the slice of life and become a drama by focusing more on if he really would change species, why that change occurs, and why such information was withheld by those in the know, i.e. Celestia.

[Morphy]

So a certain cumulative dosage of magic causes spontaneous transmutation? They might want to include that in the handbook ponies give to visiting humans...

I wonder what Megan from Gen1 ended up as?

As for the Doctor, I highly suspect he would not choose to stay and "roll the race dice" as it were. His hands are an integral part of his work and even the few Equestrian races with opposable thumbs would be a poor substitute-- not to mention losing access to everything we take for granted back here on Earth (family, friends, familiar places, and technology).

[David Silver]

11881073

11881071

11881054
As requested, epilogue posted!

[Blue Wolf]

*Sniffs the air* Hmmmm.....what's that smell? Can anyone else smell that?
No it's not opportunity. I think it's horse****. Alot of it.
😁