The Real Reason

The two lunar guards in front of the tower's entrance stepped aside as Celestia walked past them without a glance, without even slowing her pace.  Not long ago they would have challenged her.  But they had learned.  These ponies were among the first to have an inkling of the changes that would soon take place in Equestria.

It was symbolically inappropriate, Celestia thought as she wound her way up the stone staircase, that she should have to walk up to see Luna.  It was one of those little details you had to manage in a relationship like this.  Luna had such a perceptive subconscious.  But Luna loved her tower.  Perhaps Celestia should arrive on the roof for her visits.

She barged into Luna's bedroom without knocking.  Luna had been asleep, but she jumped up quickly and stood up straight and still.

"I see you're wearing the stockings I sent you," Celestia said, keeping her tone neutral.  "They look as good on you as I had imagined."  Luna smiled shyly, and looked down at the stockings herself, which had broad horizontal stripes of light and dark blue.

Celestia walked up to Luna, very close, so that Luna would feel her breath on her flanks as Celestia circled around her, inspecting her.

Then Celestia lifted one gold-shod hoof to each of Luna's legs in turn, scraping down it, making long runs in the fine silk stockings and leaving a vertical welt on each leg.  Luna flinched each time, but did not cry out, only looked at the ruined stockings in dismay.  Her ears drooped, and her lips trembled a little.

"I hear you had a little conversation with Twilight yesterday," Celestia said.

Luna looked away miserably.  "But, but, she started talking to me.  What else could I do?"

"I will say this once more," Celestia said, quietly but very firmly.  "Twilight Sparkle is mine.  You are not to talk to her without permission.  How you obey this order is not my problem."  She had meant to be very firm about this.  But Luna looked so miserable that eventually Celestia relented, and let Luna lick her hooves.

Then she left, allowing Luna to return to bed; and climbed the stairs the rest of the way to the observation platform, where she took off into the evening sky.  She soared above Canterlot, looking down on her city.  Her city.  Why had she never thought of it that way before?  Now she realized that it was good to be a goddess, after all.  And she owed it all to her dear little sister.