Twilight Sparkle jolted awake as the pattering echo of Spike's approach lanced through her slumber. She shook her head for a moment, trying to clear the last vestiges of cobwebs from her mind and turned with a smile as Spike hopped up on a stool and bowed with a flourish.

"You're mail, Princess!" He grinned, the joke almost having lost its shine after a year.

"Spike, you know I don't like that title. It's just silly." She smiled and pulled him in for a hug, "besides, it's just little old me. Nothing special."

After a few moments, the two parted, Spike promising to be back in a few minutes with sandwiches for lunch.... and a napkin to wipe up the soggy part of the book.

With an embarrassed chuckle, Twilight levitated the scroll up before her, popping the seal and looking within.

My Dearest Twilight,

I heard you were having a little get together this evening, and I find myself somewhat in need of company.

I have been troubled recently, in part from the growing number of events that have thrown Equestria into conflict. I fear I am becoming out of touch with my subjects and am in need of a bit of wisdom from you and your friends.

I know it is short notice, and you might have had plans but... I was hoping you might be willing to play host for an evening. I could come in disguise, a friend of a friend or a distant relative, whatever might set your friends at ease, but please, Twilight, please let me visit tonight. I feel I have misjudged entirely too many things and ponies of late. The wedding, Discord, Sombra... I have even worried myself over you.

Twilight... Princess, please. I see you all so often, smiling and laughing despite everything you've been through, what I've put you through. I see you and I can't help but remember Luna and myself so very long ago. If I had only paid more attention, if I had only heard what troubled her heart, so much pain and loss could have been avoided. I don't want to risk that kind of loss again, Twilight, and I fear I am growing separate.

I await your response.

Your loving mentor,

Princess Celestia

For a moment Twilight Sparkle simply stared at the scroll.

"How does she always know?" With an almost sad smile, she floated over a blank scroll and blinked back a few tears that threatened to fall as she wrote out simply:

Dear Princess Celestia,

I would like nothing more than to have you join us tonight. Please, come as you are, we're all friends here and I hope you never feel like an outsider with us.

You could never be one to me.

Twilight Sparkle

(because you know that whole Princess nonsense is just plain silly)

With a smile and a bit of hope in her heart, she sealed the scroll and set it to wait for Spike to return. She had a schedule to update and, somewhere, she'd have to come up with an extra large pillow for the pillow fight.

Author's Note

EGADS, Someone actually caught the joke.

Hats off to CassandraMyOCisBestpony for reading, and commenting on, Spike's little quip. Well done!

And a second hats off to Cavenerd20 for catching a botch on my part regarding a portion of Celestia's letter that Twilight NEVER GOT, YET RESPONDED TO. Well done!