“~For it's time for you to fulfill your destiny,~” Celestia sang as she began to lift into the air. Her magic mixed with the atmosphere of the odd realm and culminated in a single point, the spell that would give Twilight exactly what Celestia deemed she had been found worthy of.

Streaks of fire erupted between the two. The spell was absorbed by some unknown force and sucked clear from the air. Both equines were forced to backpedal in shock as the fire licked the air between them, though it quickly died down, and the ambient music accompanying Celestia’s singing was replaced with a metal guitar playing out a sick solo.

They looked to the sound and saw a strange creature on his knees, playing his guitar into the air. Shocked by the development, neither did anything as he stood from the ground. He brushed his clothes, streaks of shiny star dust mixing and disappearing into the air, then moved his hands to reposition a hat, only to find it missing. He sighed, heavily, before turning to face the incredulous faces of the magical ponies.

He beamed widely, his facial hair bouncing excitedly from the small movement, before sweeping into a bow. "My apologies. It felt appropriate, and that was the first time I've ever had the chance to escape the InBetween." He straightened, a mile long smile splayed over his face. "Friends call me George, and it's just so good to be back."

Silence hung in the air like an opera singer’s high note and both ponies merely looked at him in shock and confusion. George didn’t move. “Who do you think you are?” Celestia asked with some anger poorly repressed behind a calm tone. This creature had just absorbed all the magic that was to be Twilight’s. A great blessing, stolen by this creature.

“George. I believe I said that, already,” the man replied, standing from his bow for a second time. “Oh, wait, no, you mean that like, ‘Who the hell do you think you are,’ don’t you? Oh, well, that’s a bit harder to answer.” The man reclined against nothing, and Twilight remained in too deep a state of bewilderment to be shocked by this act.

“You have Discord in this universe, right?” he continued. “Right, I can tell by the look on your face that that’s the case” Celestia’s face hadn’t moved since George started speaking. “See, in the world I’m from, I’m Discord’s brother. Very fun times were had, but eventually, I had to take him home. Of course, using one man’s chaos magic can’t work out well, so the spell cut off too soon, and I was forced into the realm between realms while Dizzy was placed securely on his bed.

“But then, sometime later—I’m not quite sure how long it is. See, I’ve never been that good with keeping track of time in my head. Anyway, suddenly, tons of magic, all in one place! Right here! I took it in and used it to escape, and for that I really must thank you. It was so wonderful of you!” He bent down onto his knees and kissed Celestia’s shoes, then began to spit to the side. “By skies above, those taste horrible.”

Celestia yanked her hoof from the creature’s grasp, her face now fully displaying her anger. She stomped the ethereal ground and her horn glowed. In a split second, they were in Ponyville, all of the Elements standing around and bearing their necklaces.

“Elements!” Celestia called, getting the attention of the bearers. “This creature has stolen magic and intruded upon a gift I intended to give Twilight. He admits he is a chaos user and I have determined him as a threat to Equestria. Use the Elements of Harmony and bring peace to the land!” Her tone was regal and powerful.

After several minutes of nothing, Celestia turned to the bearers to see the problem, none of them had their elements any longer. Looking back to George, she would have slapped a hoof to her face had she been any less a ruler. He wore a tiara upon his head, a necklace around each of his appendages, and one around his neck.

“Bling, bling,” he said with a wide smile.

“I demand you give the Elements back!” Celestia exclaimed, her cool long since gone. Her face was red and she began to blow steam from her nostrils in anger as her mane’s movements shifted erratically and images of fire began to move along the colorful pastel hair.

“Oh, you’re just jealous of my swag,” George replied, posing awkwardly to show off all the Elements at once.

Celestia began to grind her teeth. In a flash of yellow magic, Discord arrived, wrapped in a towel with a bath cap on his head. “Oh, Celestia, you naughty girl. I told you I was showering.”

“Discord,” Celestia snapped. “We have a real threat here that I trust you to take care of.” The draconequus turned around and looked at George.

George was busy hugging a blushing Fluttershy as he squeezed her tightly in his arms. “She’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!” George exclaimed in pure ecstasy, rubbing his face against Fluttershy’s coat. Fluttershy turned a brighter red, and Discord turned back to face Celestia.

“Really?”

A curt nod from Celestia answered the question. Discord shrugged and approached George, his mismatched eyes looking at the bipedal with curiosity. The human turned his gaze away from Fluttershy and immediately spotted Discord, before throwing the pegasus into the air and running to Discord, wrapping him in a hug as well. Just before Fluttershy hit the ground, having forgotten she had wings again, George snapped his fingers and a red satin cushion appeared beneath her.

Discord was shocked by the sudden attention and looked over his shoulder to Celestia. He gestured to the being who had pulled him into a full hug and shrugged. In an angry exhale unbecoming of her station, the princess turned away to face Twilight. Discord then looked back to see the bipedal crying as he looked up.

“You’re a good guy here!” George exclaimed happily. “I wish I had a present... Oh, I have an idea!” George removed the element of magic from his head and gave it to the draconequus. “Merry Good-Guy Day!” Discord eyed the element on his head, confused about why this creature had given it to him. “So proud of you, bro. Man, to think, without the harmony guys and me here, you turned out just fine!” Another hug encircled Discord and this time, he slowly returned it.

“Ugh!” Celestia exclaimed, exasperated by the situation. “Am I the only one who thinks he’s a threat?! He stole the Harmony magic that would make Twilight into an alicorn!” Music that no one had noticed playing came to a sudden stop with the sound of screeching violin strings. Before Celestia could figure out why music had been playing at all, she was suddenly distracted by George.

“Ah, ah, ah, get it out!” he shouted, an orb of pink magic forming in front of him. He tossed it to Twilight. She was caught by surprise and stood still as the magic absorbed into her body. She glowed white for a moment and when it faded, she looked the same as she had before: no wings, just a unicorn. “Harmony magic leaves a bad taste in my bones. Blegh.” George said, pointing into his mouth as if to gag.

“What did you do?” Celestia asked, turning to George, only to find that he no longer wore the elements. Each of the necklaces had been returned to their rightful heirs, though the tiara still sat on Discord’s head. George, himself, looked like he was glowing. The man blinked a few times before making a shooing motion with his hands. A floating spotlight that had been focusing on him started to drift away on the wind.

“I gave her the ability to choose,” George replied, stressing the last word as he glared at Celestia, who suddenly felt very small under his gaze. “She can be an alicorn, a princess, when she wants to, and the rest of the time she can be the Twilight she and her friends have learned to love. The best of both worlds, as it were, and you are not to force some ‘destiny’ bull crap on anyone. You choose your own destiny, so the best thing you can give someone, is a choice. And I don’t care if I have to fight all the magic users in Equestria to prove it.”

“But it was a sign of achievement!” Celestia countered, though her voice was weaker than normal. “To show how far she has come, how much she has done and how far she has progressed!”

“Then give her a bleedin’ diploma! Don’t change her body without her permission!” George paused. “On second thought, a normal diploma should work just fine.”

Silence.

A cough.

“Now then,” George began, tugging at the neck of his shirt. “I believe now would be a good time for a nice calm party. Croissants, various other fancily named things. I know a really cracking tea recipe I think you guys would just love here. Then, we can talk about my arrangements afterwards. Everyone will be able to think clearly after some nice herbal-ish tea. Deal? Deal. Let’s go.”

George walked off and, after a few moments of awkward glances to and fro, everyone else followed, Discord very proudly flaunting his new headwear as he went.

Author's Notes:

Again, it's a one shot. Any comments about 'you should write another chapter!' will most likely be ignored. (Unless you feed my ego while you are at it).

All Hail the Mighty Staple Cactus, Defender of Commas! He has kindly graced this work with this wisdom, just as he did it's predecessor.

Let there be much rejoicing!