Click! "NO! No, no, no!" Twilight screamed. She threw the weapon across the room in frustration. It scraped across the floor and settled against the far wall. Twilight screamed again and buried her face in her hooves. She cried.

For hours she lay there unmoving. Her sobs were desperately alone in that room. Not a single other sound penetrated the massive room. Not Shining Armor's calls to his sister nor even the faintest of breezes. It was just crying echoing through the chamber. Horribly, terribly alone.

[Twilight]
There's a grief that must be spoken
There's a pain goes on and on
Empty thrones in an empty castle
Now my friends have left and gone

Here they spoke of a Republic
With such passion in their hearts
They sang of us united
But I split us apart

We were once as close as sisters
Best friends till the very end
We would stand as one together
I can see them now
Their happy faces full of joy
Has melted into sorrow
Because I betrayed their trust again

Oh my friends, my friends forgive me
That I've done you so much wrong
It's a grief that must be spoken
It's a pain goes on and on

Phantom laughter in the hallway
Phantom smiles at the door
Empty thrones in an empty castle
Where my friends will meet no more

Oh my fiends, my friends, I'm sorry
For what I've done before
Empty thrones in an empty castle
Where my friends will sing no more

Twilight's lament was interrupted by enthusiastic clapping. She looked up to find Discord sitting in a theater seat applauding her. Discord took a munch of his popcorn and fazed over to the alicorn, "bravo Twilight. You really had me tearing up there. The drama of the sympathetic antagonist coming to grips with her morals. Then ultimately choosing to commit suicide. Oh, I'm still geeking out about it. Although, you could have been more creative than using a gun. I mean come on! That's almost as cliche as jumping off a bridge."

Twilight turned her back to the draconicus, "leave me alone Discord. I'm not in the mood for your games."

Discord popped in front of Twilight and lifted her chin up, "hey there, I'm just here as a friend who's curious why you want to kill yourself."

Twilight looked suspicious,"don't think I will let you stop me."

"Oh by no means. Go ahead," Discord tossed the pistol to Twilight's feet, "I just want to know why."

"If you've been paying attention you would know why. There's a damn revolution on! Everypony I ever loved is out there ready to kill each other and I'm caught in the middle," Twilight was out of tears. So she just buried her face again.

Discord pulled his goatee thoughtfully, "I see. So instead of choosing a team to play on your just going to forfeit the game entirely."

Twilight kept her face in her fore legs, "I don't have a choice. They're all dead any way. With Celestia coming the Republican's will be annihilated. There's nothing I can do either way."

"That's where your wrong my dear Ms. Sparkle. There is always a choice," Discord snapped his fingers and a door appeared opposite the entrance to the throne room, "That door will take you to Canterlot. Where I'm certain you will find exactly what the Republicans need. Or you can go out the front door to join Celestia. Together you two can finish what you've started ten years ago."

Twilight's head was spinning, "What? No I'm not going to pick a side. I can't take any more betrayal." She screamed in frustration.

Discord picked up the pistol and paced it in Twilight's hooves, "there is always the easy way out. I'm sure it will work this time."

Twilight contemplated the weapon once again. She muttered, "I just can't choose."

Discord shrugged, "Very well, but before I go I have just one more thing. You once told a friend that choosing not to choose is not really an option. Does that still hold true or have you really changed that much?" Discord faded into oblivion, letting his last words sink in.

Twilight remained quiet. The castle joined her in silence. The only solitary sound in the empty throne room was the cocking back of a hammer.

Everypony fell asleep hours ago. Applejack volunteered to keep the watch outside on the balcony. It wasn't like she could sleep anyway. There was way too much on her mind. No matter how hard she tried to focus she couldn't. Everything that happened in the past few days was finally coming down on her. She couldn't hold it back anymore. She had to let it out. She had to cry. After checking that she was alone, Applejack lowered the brim of her hat over her eyes and finally gave in.

Once she began she couldn't stop. Her body was shaking with grief. She wept for her family. She wept for Fluttershy. She wept for Luna, Rainbow Dash and everypony who would probably soon be dead. She even wept for Twilight, but if there was one she wept for the most it was-.

"Applejack?" Speak of the devil. Sweetie Bell was standing at the doors rubbing her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Applejack sniffed back her tears and wiped them from her face. "I'm alright. Just lett'n loose a little. What're you doin' up Sweetie? Bad dreams?"

The unicorn nodded. The mares looked out into the slumbering city. "It's so quiet," Sweetie Bell observed.

"The calm before the storm. I've seen it before."

Sweetie Bell turned AJ and asked, "We aren't going to die are we?"

"Maybe, but as sure as my folks are watch'n us up there I will protect you as best I can," Applejack promised. They hugged each other warmly. For a moment Applejack felt like a sister again. That thought warmed her heart.

The pair stayed outside gazing into the stars. After some time, Sweetie Bell yawned and curled up against Applejack. The orange mare stroked her mane until she was asleep. Applejack kept her eyes to the sky. She locked onto a small constellation of 5 stars that seemed to form an apple shape.

[Applejack]
Stars above
Hear me now
In my need
Y'all have always been there
She is young
She's afraid
Let her rest
Heaven blessed
Bring her home
Bring her home
Bring her home
She's like my sis from long ago
And she has a sis of her own
If rebels die
One by one
The world will move
On and on
Let her survive
Help her move on
Bring her peace
Bring her joy
She is young
She's only a foal
Ya'll can take
Ya'll can give
Let her be
Let her live
If I die let me die
Let her live
Bring her home
Bring her home
Bring her home

The constellation twinkled and one of the stars fell across the sky. Applejack followed it to the horizon. She guessed that meant they heard her.

Then something caught the corner of her eye. The glistening of metal in the moonlight. She perked ears to the all too familiar sound of hooves marching in unison. The guard is attacking. The battle has begun.

Author's Note

Special shout out to PyrinThePyro and Emperor Artemis who requested Empty Chairs and Bring Him Home respectively.

I know some people will not like me sparing Twilight, at least so far. I debated long and hard whether I should. But staying true to the original would dramatically change my story for the worse. It all come down to what themes I'm going for. Hope you enjoy it. Now for the climax.