The shopping mall had never been cleared for an entity like Incanta. Few zones for communal gathering are appropriately prepared for the structural and logistical complications that come with extraplanar, reality altering magic. The same could be said for the crowd surrounding this Snake with seemingly impossible pink scales. The Mall had no celebration planned. In fact, it was a husk of its former self: hollowed out vacant spaces desperate to be filled, but now only displayed plain white advertisements in red text inviting business to do better where others failed.

This simply could not stand for a Witch Travelling Magician like Incanta.

When encountering an extraplanar traveller, it's best to express some level of acceptance for their belonging, as well as anticipate a delay in whatever plans you had for the day. Once she is in the area, you wil llikely be part of her festivities.

Incanta cannot tolerate the sights and sounds of the dreary. Her home universe is full of colors our spectrum can scarcely contain, and she seeks little more than to share her love of life (or at least, as she sees us, a simulacrum of such).

Her crystal wand traces through the air like a sewing needle breaching and submerging in fabric. With but a touch, the customers in the mall began to inflate and bounce. Minds melting into balloons. Waves of magical energy did not contain themselves to a singular person. As the grays and eggshell whites of the predictable verticality of the walls bent and exploded in bursts of jovial colors. The Security guards turned to grinning windup soldiers. Outlining the path of the parade. A feline struggling to hide behind a wishing fountain turned gold, and chittered like an old animatronic.

A Husband and wife bent into a pair of chinese dragons made of jade and amethyst, twirling in a brilliant display of light and shimmer around a pylon as if forming a staff of caduceus.

A portly Lizard enjoying a cheesesteak at the food court grew twice as long and shoved his tail down his throat, bouncing along with a cheerful smile like an ouroboros car tire free from its duties.

an older panthress returned to her youth, her black hair exploding in an afro as her orthopedic slippers turned to platform shoes and her blouse into bellbottoms, restored to the glory of her partying days.

A greaser lion attempted to run, only to match the dance of the lead Rattlesnake, strings dictating his movements. His smile now painted. His mind now rubber and wood.

Those enraptured by the parade have lost their sense of self. only the dance. only the party. only the joy they no longer had other emotions to compare to.

And they danced until the mall itself was a shining beacon of delight: a candy cane spiral tent eclipsing the wonders of Barnum and Bailey.

Thunderous applause boomed with no source. Cheers and cartoonish sangine noises honked and boinked and blorped while horns and drums maintained the tempo.

And at its lead, the contuctor, content she brought joy to this sliver of existence whether they asked for it or not.

But soon her fun would be done, and she would find herself somewhere else. The fun of the ceremonies will eventually melt away, reality will stretch back to its boring, predictable structure. And the former parade will have nothing but an inexplicable memory, and a private craving for more.
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Two parts "Paprika" and one part "Pink Elephants," this idea came to me in a dream, which eventually gave way to Incanta herself. Lately I've been introduced to these kind of travelling muses that dance haphazardly between dream and idea like a waltz. And it burns a hole in my mind until I get it down on paper in some capacity. And what better way to do that than invite Egypturnash (Pushygarnet) To help me bring this idea to life.

If you run into Incanta, I suggest you play along. She seems to think Fleeing and fighting are games to play. And you'd rather enjoy her fun than endure a lesson she wants to teach.

Incanta is owned by me.
Artwork by egypturnash

Inspiration:

Paprika: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-QpfLV8dQw
Pink Elephants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcZUPDMXzJ8