Royal Serpentine Ensemble

The crisp air of mid-autumn cut through the quaint town, a strong breeze cutting the meek warmth and causing ponies to draw scarfs closer to themselves as they set about their homes. Spools of white wool were drawn from windows, sills and rafters to the ground, fences and walls, setting up fake spider webs some featuring large black rubber owners. Carved pumpkins smiled, leered and laughed with darkened hollowed faces awaiting the candles within to flare them with light in a few nights time.

Nightmare Night was but a few days away and the ponies of Ponyville were rife with excitement and anticipation, for this year they not only had the Princess of friendship in attendance but both of the Canterlot Princesses were set to visit alongside a Queen of a lamia tribe nestled to Equestria’s Southern territory and a number of her subjects alongside. Granted the last drew a mixture of emotions ranging from excitement at having so many Royals deem the quaint town worthy of their visitation, to nervousness at the presence lamias typically emitted due to their often intimidating appearance and even embarrassment to those few who were familiar with lamias and these ones in particular alongside their typical… antics.

One such individual familiar with these antics was in fact one of the royal Princesses, Luna, who, alongside her sister, had taken up temporary lodging within Twilight’s crystal castle. Luna was in her room, facing a vanity mirror that spanned the height of the wall, turning sideways towards it, the night Princess’ horn lit up and a click of wire metal on metal sounded as her magic drew over a costume from a long selection rack she had brought with her.

The Princess did so enjoy this holiday, for it was the one focused solely upon herself, contrasting her sister with the Summer Sun celebration. True, it was started from her transformation into Nightmare Moon, but having come to appreciate its nuances and the fun within she now eagerly awaited it each new year. One part of it all was the dressing up part as historical or fictional characters or monsters. Luna had donned her former persona during her first rocky celebration and each new year was followed by a different costume and thus was Luna to be found attempting to decide upon one at such a time.

The next costume hovered over, a simple black rope and pointed black hat hovered before Luna’s form between her and the mirror to allow her a better inspection of how she’d look when donning the clothes “Hmmm, no, too simple, the colours are too muted upon me and a witch is too basic a choice for the Princess of the coming celebrations! What would ponies think if I took their joy so lightly!?” Luna wondered allowed to herself returning the failed costume to a rack of no’s alongside that of a row of maybes should she not find the perfect costume amongst her selection.

As Luna chuckled to herself as she held a bubble-gum pink Princess costume forward there was a knock on the door to her room. Moving the costume to the no rack with only a hint of embarrassed haste, Luna half turned her head towards the door to speak “Who is there?” She called managing to keep her voice under control much better than her initial return.

“Princess Luna, we have an additional costume that we have been commanded to deliver to you.” Luna recognised the monotone drone of one of her guards, she and her sister having brought a small contingent with them to help protect them from threats if needed.

Were Luna not so engrossed in her costumes she might have found it odd that the guard seemed more monotone than usual, though wooden in speech on duty, the guards often held a veil of authority when speaking whilst now the voice sounded more dull than anything, or that they had been commanded, none other than the Princesses themselves could command only request the guards to do things, even Celestia and Luna’s own advisors had to follow such limitations and rules.

These abnormalities flew over Luna’s head, at first at least, and so she simply called back “Enter.” She assumed Twilight’s friend Rarity had done her a dress, though it might be rude to decline, Luna didn’t wish to dress formally as Rarity often attempted to impress upon them all, the festivities were for fun, not formality.

However, the second the two guards entered carrying a large ribbon tied box between them Luna finally took note and understood the reason for the previous oddities. The first and most obnoxious clue to the source of both the surprise gift and the guard’s statement of being commanded were their eyes; gone were the round pupils of ponies in their place perfectly round, pulsating rings of colour flooded their eyes with a kaleidoscope of hues, filling both their vision and heads with sensations of relaxation, bliss and submission to the colours mischievous owner. Their wide grins portrayed the sensations of euphoria bouncing in their vacant minds, pacifying their wills and thoughts easily as little was left of their previous selves beneath the spells entwining their minds, hence their inability to speak as they typically would.

Even if their eyes were clear and glazed, or even alert, Luna would have been unable to ignore the second sign of the gift deliverer’s identity; that of the gift itself. The gift was bright white, clear as ivory with the corners adorned with vivid red trims, the ribbon itself a royal purple. As if the colours weren’t clue enough for Luna to understand, the box was also patterned to that of large scales. Serpentine likely being the intention.

Luna’s face flushed as she looked over the gift of her friend Ruby Scales, one of the lamias Queen Sunny Coils had brought along with her from Shady Grove. Luna had experienced Ruby and other lamia’s abilities, those of hypnosis, which now pacified her two present guards. Said abilities Ruby had used on Luna previously.

Luna did not deny her enjoyment of it, the experience was deeply relaxing, blissful, freeing and any other emotion or sensation Ruby wished to impress with her awesome powers. However, what Ruby did to her hypnotised victims, including Luna, often varied, from simple benign relaxation in her control and coils to more dominating situations, being constricted was often the simplest but could vary as far as being a servant maid for the great serpent for a time. Ruby could often be persuaded to back off from going too far, trouble was her own charms alongside her natural species instincts made it difficult for ponies to outright decline or refuse her demands, let alone resist her hypnosis when confronted with it.

This technicality of not being outright refused or rebuffed often had Ruby pushing ponies (again, including Luna) to dip deeper into her control than they normally would... or ought to. Still Ruby wasn’t cruel or insidious, but it still flustered Luna to no end how easily Ruby seemed to twist around her and not just in the sense of slithering around. But not tonight! Whatever Ruby intended with this gift, Luna was sure she could resist with her alicorn will! For this was her holiday and Luna intended to enjoy it as its centrepiece, not Ruby’s coil toy.

“Mistress Ruby’s Nightmare Night costume for you Princess.” The two guards droned as one as they set the box down, Luna flushing a little deeper as she saw the pair shiver at having obeyed Ruby’s command, the Princess knowing decently well how good the pair likely felt in that moment.

“R-right,” Luna stuttered, struggling to wrangle her thoughts under control “Thank you, you may return to your duties.” Luna felt like she ought to wake them, but decided the embarrassment of being had by the snake mare before the Princess would be sufficient. She wouldn’t want them to end their trance without having fully enjoyed it and as the pair left to do so, Luna felt only slightly flustered at how easily her mind had justify that thought.

Once the door shut, Luna turned her attention to the box. Ruby would likely be upset, even annoyed, were Luna to outright ignore her gift but not half as much as when Luna declined to wear it. For Luna had little idea what it was but knew almost for certain it would convey the idea of Ruby holding ownership of Luna, as lamias often enjoyed employing over hypnotised victims.

Luna wondered if it were her old maid outfit she’d been mesmerised to wear previously, it had been rather cute, a standard uniform with white and red colouration to indicate Ruby alongside a purple snake eyed jewelled necklace that only vaguely resembled a collar if an outside observer was in the know, the gem being enchanted to drip-feed Ruby’s hypnosis to keep the wearer placid and submissive. Luna had kept the collar and sometimes wore it at times of stress, during her joint rule with her sister. However, opening the box revealed the truth and Luna flushed deeper as the reality was far more embarrassing than she had anticipated.

Within was indeed a white and red themed article of clothing, but beyond that there was little resemblance to the uniform Luna had envisioned. Instead, the clothing was three pieces, centred around a white silk the first made to be worn over the chest alongside trailing see-through red veils done to hang down Luna’s front neck to trail over her front legs. The belly area would then be left exposed with the second piece donned around her tail and rump with similarly red hanging veils. The final, smaller, piece was a beautifully snake decorated necklace with a luscious purple veil to be worn up the neck over the mouth and nose. The silver necklace was done up in intricate links that Luna knew a lamia’s tail could thread through to easily turn it into an unmistakable collar and leash, to complete the look of the belly dancers outfit Ruby had sent.

For that was what the collection of clothing made up, vaguely based on what Luna believed to be Saddle Arabian in origin, the dancers clothing, Luna felt, would provide no subtle suggestion as to who was in charge between herself and Ruby, doubly so if Ruby hooked her tail around her. Frustratingly, the latent mingling’s of hypnosis that permeated Luna’s psyche immediately tried to work her conscious mind into accepting Ruby’s gift and justifying it as the obvious choice, the others not meeting her standards (as if this would), of it being relaxing to give into Ruby’s control and have her choose for her (how was this an option!?), that Ruby would rid Luna of her embarrassment and fear so that she could fully enjoy the night’s celebrations in her decided outfit.

Luna flushed, shaking her head as her internal voice almost went silent on that one, agreeing Ruby would, as she had done previously, rid Luna of her fears of ostracization from other ponies for her choices and any potential embarrassment at being seen in such a getup. Whilst Luna had allowed Ruby’s control to overwhelm and dominate her during her visit to Shady Grove, Luna was determined to enjoy this night to herself! Ruby would just have to sulk until she found another pony willing (or semi-willing) to occupy her attentive affections this coming night!

With a stern, decisive nod, Luna put the lid back over the gift and pushed it into the corner with the other no’s. Outside, the guards were using a one-way wall scry spell to see Luna’s reaction and upon observing her declining Mistress Ruby's gift the pair turned robotically away as the spell faded, turning the wall solid to the outside observer again and sent one of two scrolls Ruby had given them in a puff of magic. Another shiver rocked them as reward as the message floated away into the autumn night.

///

Luna was making the final adjustments to her costume. The plan was for her to meet her sister, Celestia, at the castle entrance alongside Twilight and Sunny, although Luna expected a disappointed Ruby to possibly be present or waiting outside if not. For Luna had not in fact donned Ruby’s revealing costume choice but had instead gone with, what Luna felt, was a rather fetching pirate captain look. Her flowing celestial mane had, with some trouble, been wrangled into flowing directly down the back of her head beneath a tied bandanna over her head leaving just a bit of mane visible beneath a large night sky black and star encrusted pirate captain’s hat with the skull and bones at the centre replaced with that of the symbol of Nightmare Moon. The sides were twisted into silver rings and bangles that hung in a flowing mimicry of dreadlocks which jingled at the smallest of movements from Luna.

Luna also sported a thick jacket with silver rims and buttons and even a curved sword, albeit a fake one (Luna felt it safer than using one from the Canterlot armoury) and a nice dark sea blue scarf to finish the whole thing. Luna briefly wished she could have gotten Celestia to loan Luna her phoenix and paint it a dark colour for the night but Luna highly doubted Celestia or Philomena would agree to such suggestions. Still, overall, it was an amazing costume.

Luna turned, intending to head down to the castle entrance now she was ready, but just as she turned for the door Luna heard a knock “Yes?” Fairly certain it would be her sister asking to go down together, Luna was surprised to hear the guards again.

“Princess, may we enter?” Luna pursed her lips, they had the same monotone voice as a few days ago, having woken up after the hypnosis wore off, Luna and Celestia had teased them during a meal to Twilight and Sunny at being had by Ruby but it seemed she’d done it again. Whatever could the snake want now?

“Oh... very well, enter!” Luna said knowing she had to pass them to reach the entrance anyway and Ruby would have likely ordered them to do whatever it was she tasked them with regardless of if she agreed. Sunny must have told her Luna hadn’t come skipping down in her dancer’s getup and was likely going for a last ditch attempt, but it wasn’t going to work!

The door opened and indeed the guards stood before her, swirly eyed, but between them they carried yet another Ruby-themed box, although this one seemed even larger than the first “We have come to deliver this.” They said in unison, stepping forward and dropping the box in front of Luna before moving back to block the space around the massive box so Luna couldn’t squeeze past.

Luna pursed her lips, the lack of a shiver indicated their orders were still ongoing and Luna could tell Ruby had told them to block Luna from escaping without opening the box. Still, in their state, Luna doubted they could stop Luna just teleporting past them but Luna knew her sister would likely reprimand her for such behaviour towards a guest, ignoring their generosity (double meaning or not) as well as insulting her guards, even in their current mentality (or lack thereof). And of course, Celestia would point out Luna had made far fewer attempts than she to properly deter Ruby previously as Luna tended to let Ruby lead as Luna enjoyed the relaxing freedom of Ruby’s control.

Sighing as she resigned herself to whatever Ruby had sent this time, Luna moved towards the box. Even if she opened it, Luna still felt confident she could decline Ruby’s costume suggestion. Using her magic, Luna tugged the ribbon free but instead of revealing a lid the box fell open towards Luna. The Princess jumped a little as a set of purple slitted eyes glittered at her and she froze up as the tensed up coils of the snake before her were posed to strike in a leaping hug. When no such hug came, Luna relaxed and took in the box’ contents fully.

Luna hadn’t been mistaken when she had seen those purple slitted eyes, or shimmering scales. At first Luna thought Ruby had somehow climbed into the box and been carried in despite her immense size and weight (which Luna knew from carrying said coils that two guards would never manage alone) but closer examination revealed it to instead be a massive suit that was a frightfully accurate copy of Ruby Scales.

The purple slitted eyes, often lidded with a sly grin, or coyly upward in a not-so-innocent curious look stared back unblinking at Luna, the Princess could just vaguely see the eyes shimmer over white backdrops revealing them to be lenses for the wearer to look through. The canvas white of Ruby’s body was done so gracefully Luna couldn’t find any stitching, not even her wild red mane portrayed any clue towards a sewing machine being used. But the greatest thing was Ruby’s giant tail. The gleaming white and red bellied coils of the lamia were piled high in the box, and yet flat almost like a pool toy that had to be inflated or toy waiting to be stuffed, Luna supposed the air option made more sense as that would work better with magic to aid in the movement, disguising a pony walking as slithering.

Luna had to admit, it was an impressive gift, at least design wise. A little conceded given Ruby had sent a gift of herself in costume form, but given lamias love of dominating ponies, letting Luna be a lamia meant a lot from them.

Still, Luna had worked hard on her costume and even with this costumes pretty spirally eyes Luna was only going to give it a try at most! Luna found her magic drawing the costume forward towards her when she began to muse on this thought, a blush crossing her face as she realised what had happened! Ruby must have enchanted the costume with her hypnosis to get Luna to put it on, the sneak! Most likely the eyes had extra hidden lenses that displayed Ruby’s pattern and would only be visible from non-direct eye contact so Luna would have to move her gaze to keep seeing those wonderful colours.

Luna gave a disgruntled noise as she wrestled her mind free of Ruby’s influence again, she had clearly let Ruby have the impression of a greater freedom within Luna’s mind than Luna had intended to let the sly snake have, later on they’d need to discuss boundaries and limitations so Ruby can break them. Luna blushed, she hadn’t looked at the lenses for that thought.

Sighing through her nose, Luna took in the costume, which she was now holding by what would be the back when worn, a large opening from the neck to just above the start of Ruby’s snake tail was visible with a zip waiting to be tugged up to the neck to seal her in. Like this, the lenses couldn’t be seen allowing Luna some freedom of thought as she mulled the idea over. She could just drop the costume, falling to the floor would prevent any possible sightings of those enrapturing eyes again. But a big part of her, aided by her latent hypnotic sessions and the blasts from the costume, was highly tempted to try the costume on, the lenses would almost certainly be more powerful... perhaps even irresistible if Luna wasn’t careful... but the thrill of escaping with her mind just in time was alluring.

Luna couldn’t help find the thought more in line with her sister’s more adventurous and daring tendencies, but perhaps she was rubbing off on her, that or Luna really was all Ruby believed and treated her to be. Still, Luna did still want to go with her current costume... but she could quickly try on this gift from Ruby.

Accepting this as a reasonable compromise and not the terrible idea it was, Luna pulled open the space in the back and began to slide a hoof into the costume, Luna could feel scales on the inside, like those of Ruby’s tail giving the impression that Luna’s leg was being coiled up almost, as her leg slipped neatly into the costume’s leg itself.

How bad an idea this was became apparent instantly as the costume suddenly sprang on Luna, the costume leapt up Luna’s back, wrapping over the barrel of her chest, the head hanging low to Luna’s neck, Luna’s second hoof slipped into the costume and Luna felt something as equally as scaly as the costume reach up within and wrap around the limb, dragging it down into the second leg trapping them both. Luna tried to step back but the lower half of the costume moved around and Luna simple stepped onto the costume, with the opening stretching out to let her hind legs slip inside as well.

“What is this!?” Luna cried in alarm “Ru-bulghy!!?!” Luna’s shout was cut short as a large forked tongue suddenly darted out the back of the head mask and into Luna’s mouth, pushing in to wrap around Luna’s own tongue and occupy the space of her mouth to prevent her talking or calling out with a very intimate kiss.

Distracted by the appendage exploring her mouth, Luna didn’t notice the multitude of tiny tail tips following out after the tongue until they were wrapping over her ears and horn, a buzzing, fizzling took over the top of Luna’s skull and she knew her magic had just been sealed up by the magic-resistant coils of a lamia and that drew her gaze towards them, seeing them threading around her horn and ears, muffling her in the leather creaking of stretching muscles and scales that so easily flustered Luna at times.

The tail tips began unhooking Luna’s golden hair bangles as well as removed her hat and bandanna, undressing her from her costume as the zip began to pull up Luna’s body, pushing her down and pulling the costume up. Luna squirmed, trying to pull herself out whilst she could but the inside of the costume seemed to lack any friction, slipping over the scales within on her back legs meanwhile her front almost seemed glued within the legs of the Ruby costume and even tugging on the costume chest didn’t do anything at this stage.

Luna let out another muffled cry glancing at the guards but they seemed unfazed by their Princess’ distress and made no move to act in anyway to aid her “Oh, don’t mind them, they won’t disturb you whilst you get dressed in your costume for tonight.” Luna shivered, knowing the owner of that voice, she glanced back towards the costume’s mask to see it had turned enough to look back at her. For indeed, that was what it was doing, the eye that was visible turned back to look at Luna as the blank face before now bore a wide gleeful grin “And you are going to wear this costume because I put a lot of effort into it.” The Ruby mask said, mouth moving perfectly as sound resonated out of it.

Luna briefly forgot she was gagged and tried to speak, the tongue within squeezing and rolling about to remind her and Ruby merely chuckled that smug chuckle of hers at Luna’s predicament “Relax, Luna, you’ll enjoy the festivities with me better this way. Now, let’s finish dressing you up.” Ruby said as the coils gripping Luna’s horn and ears tightened.

Seemingly on its own, the talking mask of Ruby flipped up and over Luna’s face, sliding over her features and pressing her eyes behind the purple lenses of Ruby’s see-through eyes, wrapping over Luna’s mane and swallowing it from view as the zip quickly rolled up and sealed Luna within the costume. There was a shimmer and the zip disappeared from view and then a tingle that made Luna’s fur stand on end across her whole body at the same time as one coil tail tip on each ear plunged down Luna’s ears with a swish noise making the Princess shudder in ecstasy in despite of herself.

Next thing, Luna felt her hind legs being wrapped up like the front two, though invisible within the scaly confines. Her torso too felt as if it were wrapped in the huge bands of Ruby’s muscular coils, holding her still and immobile, that was until the costume suddenly pushed itself up with Luna within, the legs, Luna’s front, reaching up to touch the cheeks of the costume’s mask, though Luna was not doing this, merely a passenger within. The Ruby costume- no, no it was no costume, Luna realised. It was just in fact Ruby but she had transformed herself into a costume and managed to coax Luna into wearing her.

Ruby turned to face Luna’s mirror, smiling as Luna looked through the lenses, the tail of Ruby’s body had seemingly inflated and spilled free of the box and the lenses were no longer see-through from the outside, giving no indication of Luna trapped within whatsoever “Your costume looks wonderful this year, Luna.” Ruby teased and although Luna groaned in response Luna wasn’t certain if the sound escaped whatever was containing her currently.

“But it’d be poor form if I didn’t keep up with my own!” Ruby said, her horn glowing as she picked up Luna’s discarded pirate costume and began to braid her mane just as Luna had done, wrapping the bandanna over her mane and donning the pirate cap and jacket. Luna hated how well Ruby wore her outfit, she looked ready to steal the Princess away in a more conventional sense than she currently had done.

“There, I’m ready to steal gold and thoughts!” As Ruby said this her eyes pulsed with several colourful rings, like the guards, but brighter, vivid, their power drawing Luna in from the reflection but also as they played out right in front of her, making her eyes shrink and her mind spin.

Ruby held still, waiting until Luna groaned and sighed as the colours toyed and tugged at her mind “Did that feel good? I bet it did, it has been a while since your last induction, I told you not to turn me down before this holiday or I’d get you back.” Ruby said with a small laugh as Luna let out a hummed whimper having forgotten this warning amidst the many meetings and talks of court since then “Besides, aren’t you loving this?” Luna groaned in defiance, this was her holiday and she did not wish to spend it as an internal costume piece!

“Hmm, that so? Well, we’ll see if you feel that way after we’ve played a few hypnotic tricks on a dozen ponies or so... assuming you can still think after that many!” Luna blushed, knowing she could hold out far longer than a regular pony against Ruby’s inductions... but so many back to back, her mind was doomed... and she felt so frustrated at how flustered she was getting at the idea.

“Now, let’s go get Sunny and your sister so we can start shall we?” Ruby said as if it were a suggestion and that Luna wasn’t trapped within Ruby at this point.

Ruby turned, her coils rising up behind her to toss the empty box aside as the two guards smiled warmly, praising their Mistress for a “job well done!” before being dismissed back to their original duties as Ruby made her way through the castle. Luna could see through Ruby’s eyes, her sister and Sunny were waiting at the entrance, were Luna not already blushing she would have done as she took in the fact her sister had donned a nigh perfect copy of the original dancer dress Ruby had sent her, just in blue, white and gold for Sunny instead.

Celestia was talking casually with Sunny whilst absentmindedly stroking the coil wrapped around her neck and shoulders like a gigantic feather boa. Luna couldn’t help but roll her eyes at how easily Celestia allowed herself to be taken like she was, given she was one of Equestria’s rulers and had been the highest authority up until Luna’s return. But then, Celestia always had been more adventurous than Luna in their antics with lamias.

As Ruby slithered down towards the pair, Sunny looked up at Ruby and Celestia turned as well “Nice costume Ruby.” Sunny commented.

“Indeed, I believe my sister has chosen on a pirate theme, did you plan that together or did you hypnotise her into being your crewmate?” Celestia asked leaning her head around to try and spot her sister, Luna, in a bundle of coils and perhaps a crew outfit of her own.

Ruby grinned and shook her head “Nope, Luna has a different costume on tonight, would you care to see it Celestia?” Ruby asked getting a little closer.

Celestia wore a sly smile of her own, likely believing Ruby to have eaten her sister for refusing her initial costume (something that Ruby had done prior for different reasons or even just at Luna’s request) and nodded. Her grin vanished as Ruby reached up her hoof and held it to the bridge of her nose, the mask splitting at the sides between Ruby’s cheeks and ears and tilting forward allowing Celestia to see the face of her sister.

Ruby’s internal forked tongue was still playing within Luna’s mouth, Luna’s own hanging out below it with a small trail of drool rolling down, as the tail tips sliding into her ears sent a pulse of hypnosis into Luna’s brain, so instead of crying out for her help she moaned in bliss as her brain was manipulated as easily as her body was being, eyes rolling up from the overwhelming sensations of it all. Ruby pushed her head back up and Luna was swiftly sealed back inside her with only a half muffled yip dismissing her, trapped again, feeling her body being squeezed all over in a crushing hug by whatever trapped her, similar to how Ruby would often squeeze Luna with her coils.

Ruby lowered herself down so the blushing Celestia was looking down at her as Ruby grinned up, her eyes flashing with hypnotic colours for a moment making Celestia’s eyes dilate to pinpricks “She’s loving her costume.” Ruby stated and Celestia nodded in agreement as Ruby stood back up and slithered out ahead of them. Luna within had slowly pulsing rings of her own and an attentive ear could just pick out her long shuddering groan when Ruby held her mouth open.

Celestia turned to find even Sunny was a little rosy in the face at what Ruby had shown “W-was... was that what you planned to do if I refused your costume?” Celestia asked her.

Sunny looked at Celestia and shook her head “That was not what I envisioned when Ruby suggested our joint idea for this season, I believed as you that if either of you refused we’d eat you, her term of ‘sealing the sisters within us’ being a bit too vague for me to come up with that idea.” Sunny said pointing at Ruby’s back with her tail tip.

Celestia nodded “It did seem to catch you off guard too...” Celestia then blushed “Wait, you intended to eat me if I refused?” Celestia asked.

“But of course.” Sunny said with a smile looking back at the Sun Princess who blushed lightly.

“So... if I take off the costume...?” Celestia hinted and Sunny smiled at her.

“How about I eat you before a crowd, this is meant to be a night of frights, seeing their Princess being devoured would certainly qualify to that?” Sunny suggested and Celestia, with a smile, nodded and the pair set off after Ruby for a most succulent night of scares, sweets and sensations!