Grape woke to the sound of cheering. She sat up, rubbing grass out of her hair. Pettigrew was nowhere to be found.

"Pettigrew? Where did you go?"

She headed down the hill. She felt her eye twitching the entire way down, and rubbed it a few times to try and make it stop. The twitching was causing her to get a headache.

Lanterns lined the streets, in the form of Jack-o-Lanterns. Peach waved to the crowd from a large float that resembled a dark colored version of her castle. She spotted Grape.

"Grape! Hello! I haven't seen you in a bit and was wondering if you were alright!" She dug through a small bucket. "Here! Take some candy!"

She tossed it at Grape, and they all hit her face.

Peach giggled. "Sorry! Try catching it next time, yeah?"

"So...the float?"

"Oh, it's Castle Fawful! I thought that it'll show one of the trials we went through to become the strong kingdom we are, and the colors matched the Halloween theme so..."

"I see."

"You're not dressed up? I decided to go as Cackletta. It matched the theme, you know?"

"I do now."

"I love your costume by the way! It's really clever!"

"C-costume? What costume?"

"You look like a cute little pumpkin! Bye!" Peach waved as she went down the corner.

"Pumpkin? Costume? She thinks I'll ruin my dignity by playing dress up?"

"The new moon."

Grape looked around. "What? Who said that?"

"The new moon. Your powers."

"Wait, are you speaking to my mind?"

"They will be unleashed."

"Stop it! I don't know who you are but-"

"I know you, and you know me. Think back to my voice."

"...Davidonell?"

"Very good. And I know what will happen if you stay here for much longer. You need to get out. Go back to your hill. Everyone will be safe."

"Why should I listen to you? You barely know Darkle! I know myself better than you do, so leave me alone!"

"Grape, you need to listen to me! You'll put everyone into grave danger if-"

She ignored him and pushed her way through the crowd.

She saw Olly's float. He seemed upset. Dimentio was leaning against the prop of a spiral tower. He saw Grape and looked away from her. Olivia noticed the anger brewing between Olly and Dimentio about Grape. She said something to Olly, and he waved her off. She hopped off the float and crossed to Grape.

"Hi. You vanished yesterday. I was a bit worried. What happened?"

"Olly's little soldier accused me of cursing him and his friends. It just so happened that they were cursed right after they ate my cookies."

"But...was it your fault?"

Grape hesitated. "Perhaps...My magic has been acting a little strange lately."

"I can tell. Unless you actually wanted to dress up for Halloween, but that doesn't seem like you."

"Why does everyone keep saying things like that? First Peach, now you."

"Well...have you seen yourself lately? Your hair actually looks great, made out of vines. Does it hurt any?"

Grape shook her head.

"That's good."

"Grape, get out of there now! I can't keep this spell for much longer! I'm trying to warn you of a dangerous-"

Grape grabbed her head. "I've had a pounding headache since yesterday."

"Oh, that might mean it hurts then."

"And David is trying to talk to me. He's telling me to go back. But I really do want to see the parade. I haven't been to a parade before."

"Grape, I think you should apologize to Olly and Dimentio."

Grape scoffed, then laughed. "Apologize? To them? For what? I didn't mess up! I scared Dimentio off on purpose, and I also didn't do anything to curse Olly's soldiers! I have no need to apologize for anything!"

"But you were mean, and being mean is also something you need to apologize for."

"Why should I? I don't need to apologize!"

"Grape, this is exactly what I was talking about! You keep fixing yourself, but then you just...revert! You keep doubling back on your own word! You keep hurting others but one day you'll realize that you're hurting yourself too."

"But I don't need to apologize!"

"Why not? Afraid your fragile little 'reputation' will finally slip through your fingers if you show even one slightest bit of 'weakness?'"

Grape felt her mask crack. She covered the crack with her hand.

Fear in her eyes, she did the only thing she knew how.

She ran.