Entering a village, a festival is going on. People are playing harmless pranks on each other, and the children are laughing and having fun with sweets. Today is the Day of Laughter. A harmless day of food, fun, and jokes. Not to be forced, but to be enjoyed. -- Anon Guest
"Are you laughing today?" said the small child up a tree. "I need t' know before I do stuff."
Journey Threshold put her guard up in a cold second. It honestly saved time. Any little town like this could only have one of two reactions to a Hellkin like her passing through. Treat her as a novelty, or treat her as an enemy. This was new. "How do you mean, am I laughing today?"
"It's the day of japes," said the kid. "We play jokes on each other an' if'n you're not laughing, you gotta wear a red ribbon. So's people know."
"I don't have ribbons," said Journey.
"Momma gave me some in case of I had enough today." Something unseen was put aside so the kid could rummage in a pocket. It was a thin red cloth. Simple hemp dyed with henna. "You put it somewhere viz-dibble so's nobody has a mistake."
"Thank you," said Journey, tying the fabric around her left horn. "Is that good?" When confirmed, she risked entering the village.
It was chaos, but it was friendly chaos. Simple spells were flying back and forth in something close to a snowball fight in the middle of summer. People exchanged terrible puns with each other. Savoury food was made up to look like sweet treats and vice versa.
And everyone bearing a red ribbon could sail through it all without a single mote of it all. Those throwing magic about steered their shots to they would miss anyone with a red ribbon. Servers at the local inn made certain Journey got what she ordered.
It was astonishing to watch.
Further, nobody was bothering her for being there whilst also being a Hellkin.
Journey decided she wanted to join the fun. She had a few tricks she could play that would cause little in the way of harm. It was rare that she had the opportunity to play without gathering further trouble.
Today was another one of those rare treasures.
Anyone not wearing a red ribbon, if they were within seventy-seven feet of Journey, would find themselves with their own shadow dancing to a tune that Journey also projected within the same range.
While that was going on, she had a go at conjuring one of those magic 'snowballs' to throw at someone.
[Photo by Melanie Magdalena on Unsplash]
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