Peach entered the next stage, ready for whatever the Sour Bunch had prepared for her. She walked off the starting platform, coming to a stop rather quickly by a Theet dressed as a ninja.

"You can't go there!"

"Oh? Is something wrong?" Peach asked.

"There are guards everywhere! You can't go into the manor this way."

Stella joined Peach's side. "Oh, that's too bad! But wasn't there a secret passage this way? Maybe we can get to the manor through there."

Peach walked around the small area, examining for anything that seemed out of place. Two cherry blossom trees sat by a rock wall, creating an arc over the rock as if they concealed a secret. Peach used Sparkle on the trees, causing them to go into a full bloom. Petals sprinkled down as the rock moved aside to reveal the passage.

Peach ran through the new entrance, coming up through a well within the barrier the Sour Bunch had blocked off. A Theet nearby clapped when she appeared, claiming she might be able to help the Theets, if she were able to sneak past the guards so far. She had to sneak her way past the rest of the Sour Bunch guards. She was able to get a good look at them as she waited them to walk past. They looked like puppets rather than grapes like the Sour Bunch before. They hung from purple string, wooden blocks making up their bodies. Their lanterns were paper lanterns, with glass using the light like a beacon.

She made her way past them and spotted a ninja Theet hiding behind a large rock. He seemed scared, and Peach understood why. Whenever her castle, her home, was taken over, she was always a bit scared too. She pat the Theet.

"It'll be okay, I'm here to help."

Using Sparkle to help cheer him up caused him to jump to his feet and push the rock aside. He thanked Peach and leaped into the hole under the boulder. Peach followed him down, coming to a barren room with he, and two other ninja in the room, standing by a wall. Peach tapped a hand to the wall. It spun, her with it, to reveal another room, this one the house of another glimmer of Sparkle. Assuming based off the theme, Peach had a feeling this Sparkle would allow her the stamina and skill of a ninja.

Once the transformation was complete, Peach hurried off the save the Theets. She had to jump up some walls to leave, but thankfully already knew how to do so by adventuring with Mario. She landed just outside the building, spotting another Theet. He whispered to her some advice.

"You can take out the enemies ahead by hiding in grass."

Peach nodded. "Okay. I'll take these guys out and save your manor, alright?"

"Thank you for helping us, and the theater."

Peach smiled. "Of course! I'd do anything to help those who need it!"

She tiptoed into the grass, using a paper shield the Theet gave her to hide her face. She pulled out one of her kunai and came right behind the sleeping guard. She lowered the disguise and grabbed the second kunai. She charged the guard and sliced him to pieces. She put the kunai away and continued.

The stage was littered with the puppet guards and parkour-like jumps and platforms. Taking out the guards near the manor opened a way inside. Two guards sat on rooftops nearby, with a slightly larger guard wearing red surveying the areas the other guards missed. In order to reach the one in the center, she had to work a longer way around and remove the other guards. The guard in the middle started to get suspicious and checked up at the rooftops at some point after she'd taken out the second guard. She took that time to sneak back down and take him out from behind.

She went to the cage and unlocked it by cutting down the lock. "Are you okay?"

The Elder exited the cage, panicked. "I'm fine, but the scrolls! They've been taken!"

"The scrolls?"

"There he is! The thief!" He pointed to a Sour Bunch on the rooftop she'd just jumped from.

He looked like the Sour Bunch she saw before. His golden mask stuck out from the purple garb he wore. He clutched a large bag over his shoulder, a scroll sticking out of it lazily. The red guard popped in a cloud of smoke, revealing a log with the Sour Bunch mask on it.

"Oh, gumdrops." Peach huffed. "Don't worry, I'll get those scrolls back!"

She took chase. He was fast, and most of that probably came from the fact he was shorter than her. He'd put good distance between the two, but if Peach played to her surroundings, she'd be able to catch him before he went too far. Some Sour Bunch tried to block her, underestimating the speed she was picking up. She cut through them with no problem, without needing to slow down.

By now, she could see the ninja, and saw he tripped on a large boulder. The loose scroll fell, rolling off the boulder. He stopped to grab it, but ran off, leaving it behind, when he saw Peach was catching up to him.

"Madame Grape won't care if I lose one little scroll, right?"

Peach came to a stop. She picked up the scroll and opened it. She looked over it.

Stella spoke again. "It looks like you can catch up to him with this! Can you do it properly? Oh-who am I kidding? You're like a professional at this! Who am I to doubt you?"

Peach used the scroll, transforming the boulder into a giant wave. It quickly caught up to the ninja, taking out all the other Sour Bunch who tried to stop her. The wave splashed against the floor and Peach rushed to the ninja. She cut him down, just like the rest, using the water to slide forwards and knock him down with one stroke. The scrolls flew everywhere as the bag clattered to the ground. She spun the kunai and put them away once more. The Theets came running over, cheering for her.

She went to the Bunchling and helped him to his feet. "Are you okay?"

He tore his hand from her. "Tch, Madame Grape will hear about this. Until we meet again, princess." He vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a decoy log.

"Hm...I can't wait to meet Grape."

Stella left her brooch, causing her to turn back to herself. "Huh? Why? Isn't she the reason behind this mess? I hope we can scare her off before we actually do have to fight her."

"Well, she has a group of people who help her, based off a food item, her name is a fruit, and she seems very fancy. Doesn't that remind you of me?" She exited the play, Stella following after her.

"I guess...But you're not evil."

Peach chuckled. "No...But with these similarities in mind, I want to talk with her. Maybe...maybe I can convince her to be friends."

"You seem like quite the optimist." That voice didn't belong to Stella, the Theets she'd saved so far, or like any of her Toads.

Peach turned to face another Bunchling. He held a staff, and had a very calm energy around him. He smiled.

"My name is Trevor. I see you've been making progress in saving the theater, hm?"

"Uh...yeah! I hope I can save it before too long."

"I see. And why? Why do you work so hard to save it? What would you gain from this experience?"

"...What?"

"Why is it your goal to save the theater? Besides being a nice person, why would you go out of your way to save the theater? The Theets?"

"Because it's the right thing to do! I'm not going to-"

"Is it only because you want to escape? Madame Grape is indestructible. She's seen death before. Death itself cannot take her, so why do you think you have any sort of chance against her?"

"I..."

Trevor exhaled sharply. "Tell me the truth, princess. Why do you think you can win?"

"...Because...Because good always wins!"

"Hm...And that's why Madame Grape prefers tragedy. It's more...accurate to real life than these fairy-tale beliefs." He turned, walking off, staff clacking against the floors. "And princess? Do be a dear and tell me your name. I believe you have yet to do so since I introduced myself..."

"Peach." She said sternly. "My name is Peach. And make sure Grape knows, and remembers it. Because I'll make sure she knows she's in the wrong."

"Good, you have fair manners. Madame Grape will be pleased to know the name of the perpetrator she oh-so-despises." He walked off.

Peach sighed. "Okay, Stella, are you ready for the next play?"

Stella nodded. "Let's go!"