It was alright, he didn't know. Surely he thought she was still at the theater or something. But he was so strict on her; what would he do if he found out she failed her mission? He didn't even know the outcome of the Sparkle Theater attempt yet, and she hoped it would stay that. Grape checked down the hall, then started quickly to her room.

"My dear? A word."

She froze, recognizing that voice anywhere. It was the same person she'd been trying to avoid since her return. It was her caretaker, Rex. She had no choice now; she followed closely behind him to his cozy office down the hall. Despite the fact she's been in that room more times than she could remember, this time it felt very unwelcoming. Rex sat at his usual spot, and invited Grape to sit with him.

"It's nice to see you back here," he said. The tone was warming, but a cool undertone implied he knew she failed. "How did your mission go? Well, I hope?"

"I wish I could say so, Rex. The thing is, Peach intruded in my plans. Everything crumbled apart."

Rex considered something very heavily, then let out a long sigh. "It's the people you chose, my dear. They're holding back your true potential."

"My Sour Bunch? But you gave them to me!"

"Yes, I did, because I knew a great leader like you could shape them into better soldiers. But Damian...he fought you, didn't he?"

"Yes, but he helped me become more focused on my goal and-"

"That was more than enough, my dear. Damian is the reason you failed."

"But Rex, Travis even defected from the Sour Bunch to join Peach's little misadventure."

"And who's fault was that?"

"...Mine?"

"No, my dear. Damian!"

"Rex, you can't believe every failure of mine is caused by-"

"Every time you've failed, he was always involved. Do you remember when you stole your first priceless artifact? Those bracelets, I believe?"

Grape looked at the marvelous shine of the golden bracelets.

"Atticus was accompanying you then. And who was with you when you got caught? Damian."

"I guess you do make a point."

"Do you want to know what happens to those who fail the Bunchling legacy?" He stood.

We'll talk on the way."

His footsteps echoed silently in the empty halls. Grape never used her magic near him, she was too afraid to do so. So she "walked" the best way she could, even if it ruined the bottom of her dress. For all she knew, Rex didn't even know she had magic. However, he always got upset at her dress for being dirty and sloppy. He was always such a perfectionist.

"So, what was your plan anyway? I'm curious."

"Well, I know how strict you are, so of course I had the Sour Bunch steal things for you, but I mainly went there for myself."

"Is it because your obsession with theater? You really need to drop childish interests like that if you ever hope to be a great leader. I was never into dolls or plays. I was focused on the Bunchlings and their reputation. If you ever wish to be as good as the old masters, you need to do the same."

"I understand."

"Good girls don't play with dolls, you know."

"I know."

He stopped in front of the Bunchling's room and opened the door. "Damian. Come outside with me."

Damian let and shut the door behind him. "Yes?"

Rex lifted his cane from the ground. "You do realize that you're being punished, right?"

"W-wait, what? If this is about the Sparkle Theater thing then-"

"I know what happened, and I know who's to blame for my dear's failure." He shifted his grip on it, pointing the curved end at the Bunchling. "You've run out of chances."

A beam of Darkle fired at Damian's mask, shattering it. He fell to the floor, a pile of ash. The broken shards of his mask landed within the ash, still glimmering brilliantly.

"Rex, you said that-" Grape started.

"I know what I told you when you were new to being a leader, but times have changed, my dear. You need to know that...when they fail you, you must punish them. I can show you how, if you want. I know you can do it. After all, you're like me when I was your age. You just need to...do better and be better. Try again. If they fail you, don't forget what I said."

"But we're family, Rex. We can't just kill each other if we don't get along. What about making mistakes?"

"My dear, if you're a good leader...you don't make mistakes." He started off, looking over his shoulder to talk to her one more time. "Like I said, try again. And don't be afraid to punish those unworthy. Don't disappoint me."

He left her alone in the hall. She faced Damian. Guilt and remorse sank in her heart. She felt like he didn't deserve it, even though she knew he did. She picked up the pieces of his mask. Their masks marked their rank as a member of the Sour Bunch. It's been that way for centuries. Rex and Grape's masks covered their entire face, showing them as the powerful leaders. The others were simply footstools; she wasn't supposed to care for them. They were recyclable. In a matter of a few days, Damian would be replaced with a new recruit. Losing their mask meant they were no longer a part of the Sour Bunch; and Rex had shattered it.

She had the Dark Baker sweep up Damian's ashes and took his mask back to her room. She sat at her vanity and gently placed his mask onto the desk. One of the gifts given to her by Rex was a kit to care for her mask. He told her it was important it never got shattered. She never needed to open it until recently, when she had a battle against a hero named Deku. With one punch, he was able to break a large part of her mask. She still felt some pain from the damage, and she partly wondered why. She knew she wasn't a Bunchling, and that the mask was the only thing to survive both forms of Radiant Peach's attacks, but it was only her mask. Her pets survived entirely until their cores were shattered. It made her feel less than them. Especially since Rex always told her to "do better and be better."

She repaired his mask the best she could and made her way to the main hall. Candles burned on solid wax, wicks unaffected by the flame's destructive appetite. The room she entered was the memorial. Every Bunchling that made an impact was allowed on that stone. Rex had only put on mask on there. It was a half-faced mask that belonged to a Bunchling named Tobias. He refused to tell her about him, and said Tobias was only important to him.

A few other masks hung from the stone, most of them faded with the scars of time. Tobias' mask looked like it was purposely broken. She found an empty spot near the top and gently placed Damian's mask on a small empty hook. She brushed a finger against the stone. Using her Darkle, she carefully wrote his name.

"Damian..." She tapped her forehead against the mask. "Rex said I should try again, so I have no other choice. I guess I'll find Peach and kill her now, since she no longer has the power of Sparkle on her side."