A heart monitor beeped in the background as Twilight Sparkle awoke, dazed and confused, to find a cold rag wrapped around her head, and a thermometer in her mouth. She tried to sit up.

"Hey, now...try not to exert yourself".

Twilight looked to the side of the bed, to find a nurse checking the heart monitor. The nurse continued, "You're hooked up to the heart monitor. Try not to move too much".

"What...what happened?"

"I honestly couldn't tell you, your highness. I'm just here to make sure you're okay. Your friends, however, they can answer your question. Would you like me to go fetch them?"

Still confused, Twilight could only nod her head. The nurse left, as Twilight tried to figure out what happened, how she ended up here.

I remember the Summer Sun Celebration...and then the panicking...I panicked....and there was the burning in my head...and...

"Twilight!"

The princess looked up to see her loyal co-rulers, and Spike, bolt through the doors. Accompanying them were the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Pinkie Pie, despite her wings, bounced around Twilight with the same energetic fervor.

"Are you okay? Are they treating you good? They better, because you're a princess!! Do they let you have cake here? Can I bring cake here? Do you want Zap Apple filling in it, or Razzle Berry? Ooh, how about-"

"What...what happened back there?", Twilight asked, still trying to process the events of the Celebration.

"You passed out after raising the sun", Rainbow began. "I tried waking you up, but you were burning hot! The medics had to put you in a tub of water to keep you from overheating the way you did".

"Are ya okay, sugarcube?", Applejack asked her friend.

Twilight began tearing up, and as if a dam had broken, water began pouring from her eyes. "I...I thought I could do it...but it hurt...so much...all I could think about was Princess Celestia, and not wanting to let her down, and everything was fine. But then I panicked, and the moment I began freaking out, it was like I was losing control. Everything started burning as if I was being thrown into the sun instead of raising it...and then...then I blacked out. I just couldn't do it."

Rarity brushed her friend's tears away. "Twilight, you didn't fail! You succeeded! In fact, according to the doctors, you even began healing relatively quickly! You did wonderfully, darling!"

"I know, but...I...if it hurt that much to raise the sun one time, I don't see how I can keep doing this...I can't do this, girls. I can't".

"Twilight", Fluttershy began, "You've taken on dragons. You've taken on the powers of all three of the original princesses, and used them to defeat Tirek? You raised the sun then! How is it any different now"?

"Because I didn't rule the majority of Equestria then! This...this is different. Ponies are relying on me to do this now, everyday, for who-knows-how-long.

"Ah think yer' forgettin' somethin', Twi'."

"What?"

Applejack unfolded her wings. "Yer' not the only princess in Equestria. Now there's seven of us! You don't have to do this alone. You shouldn't do it alone".

Twilight sat, humbled at the farm pony's statement. She didn't have to do it alone. But...that pain...nopony else should have to feel that hurt for even a millisecond, Twilight thought. What kind of a friend would she be if she put that pain on her friends' shoulders? For Rarity, maybe, it would be easy, because she was the only other one of her friends who was well trained in unicorn magic. But the rest of them...Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Applejack...they had only just recieved their horns, Twilight thought, so how could they be strong enough to lift the sun and moon? If it hurt this much for Twilight, how much more so would it affect the rest of her friends?

The doctors released Twilight a few hours later, but warned her to take it easy, and not exert herself. This meant, no flying. When she finally walked home, she was greeted by Spike.

"I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Thanks, Spike".

The two siblings hugged each other. Then Twilight noticed something. "Wait, it's dark out. The moon is up".

"Yeah."

"But...how?"

Spike smiled. "I may have written to Luna, asking her for a small favor. I told her about your trip to the hospital. She sent this note back".

Spike handed a letter to Twilight. She began reading.

Princess Twilight,
My sister and I are aware of your failure on this morning. Do not fear. Until you are better, and ready to do your job, Tia and I would be glad to help raise and lower the sun and moon. Just take a breath and calm down. That is what you must remember. If you panic while you raise the sun, it will only get worse. Ask your friends for help. You are not alone, and carrying this burden shouldn't be only your task. That is part of the reason we made your friends into princesses, into alicorns, to begin with. They are just as fit to rule as you are.

-Luna.

Twilight took a deep breath, knowing what she had to do. But she ignored this and instead came up with what she thought was a better idea.

"Spike, bring me that SQUIP".

Author's Note

Short Chapter, I know.