I DO NOT OWN SVTFOE, GRAVITY FALLS OR THE OWL HOUSE. ALL RIGHTS AND OWNERSHIP BELONG TO DISNEY.

(Marco's POV)

I awake to another beautiful autumn day in Gravesfield, the sun streaming through the window as I blink a few times to wake myself up. I look to my side for Star, since she is most often still asleep when I wake up, however I find the bed empty. I lift my head from the pillow and glance around the room as the bathroom door opens. Out steps Star, fully dressed and raring to go. She picks up my clothes from a nearby dresser and tosses them over to me.

"Come on sleepy head, I want to get back as soon as possible," she says, the excitement in her eyes nearly burst out.

I catch the clothes and roll my eyes in a playful way. She reaches down to pull the covers off of the bed, which is my indication I was taking too long. I get up and head for the bathroom. "Ok ok," I say, "I'll get ready now."

Star laughs and starts to put the duvet back as I step into the bathroom and close the door, a few minutes later re-emerging ready for the day. We both head down to the lobby and into the breakfast hall which was empty for the most part., the combination of this being the tourism off season and it being ridiculous o'clock in the morning probably having something to do with it. We sit down at a table and begin to eat. A little while later the other three members of our group arrive in the hall and each pull up a chair, all of them looking visibly tired. Star raises her fork to them as they sit down. "Couldn't sleep either huh?"

Zach pours himself and the others coffee. "I mean how could you, its all so intense."

"Tell me about it. It surprised me that he," Star gestures to me with her fork, "was actually able to sleep. At least one of us could."

Dipper attempt to lift his coffee to his lips before giving up and letting his head slump on the table. I turn my focus to him. "What's up with Dipper?"

Dipper mumbles up from the table. "I was up all night writing down what we saw in the journal."

I take another bite of my food. "You really never change do you."

We continue our conversation for a while longer as everyone slowly finishes their breakfast and gives their bodies time to realise the day has come and to properly wake up. After everyone had finished we get up and walk out of the bed and breakfast into the cold autumn Connecticut air. A slight breeze blows the leaves around the trees as we make our way towards the portal door. We pass by the Historical Society on our way just as a familiar face opens the door and walks down the path.

"Vee, over here!" Star waves to her as Vee spots us and walks over. She is in her human form, the same one she was in the first time we met in the restaurant.

"Hey guys, funny running into you this early. You heading towards the door?"

Star smiles, Dipper yawns. "Yeah none of us could sleep we were so excited." She gestures to Dipper. "I guess some of us show it more than others."

Vee raises her hand to her mouth and chuckles lightly behind it before lowering it again. "Do you mind if I walk with you. I spent the night at Masha's and was just heading that way myself."

"Of course we don't mind. The more the merrier."

Now with Vee as part of the group, we continue our walk towards the portal door. We round the corner and arrive back at the clearing in the edge of the forest where the wooden shack is located. As we enter into the clearing, I look back to see Vee has changed from her human form into her snake-like body, which I assume is her original form since its the one she is in most often. We step up to the door and the familiar light show happens, with the patterns on the door filling out towards the middle as we approach. I put my hand inside my jacket and place it on my pocket. "Hey Star," I say, tapping her on the shoulder to get her attention as she chats with Vee.

She turns from Vee to face me. "What's up Marco?"

"Grab your wand, it isn't vibrating like yesterday but the door is still opening."

Star reaches down to her side, where she stores her wand, and looks back at me. "You're right."

Dipper opens up his journal and looks over the text. "Yesterday Eda did say that the door only opens when the large amount of magic needed to power it is nearby. She listed Vee as one of those sources as well as people from the Boiling Isles and palismens, whatever they are." He closes the journal again and steps up to the door. "Maybe Vee's magic is more compatible with the door than your wands are, so its using that this time."

Vee shrugs. "I don't claim to understand how the door works, only Eda and the Collector would know that. All I know is that when I open the door it takes me to the Demon Realm."

"Speaking of which," Star steps up to the door behind Dipper, almost shaking with excitement. "Open the door, I want to go through."

Dipper turns the doorknob and the door opens, accompanied by the blinding light and the disembodied voice welcoming us to the Boiling Isles. We head through and make footfall onto the red grasses of the Demon Realm. As we emerge back onto the other side, standing by the portal door are Luz and Amity, leaning against a tree and chatting. They hear the door activate and make their way over to it. We step through as Luz gives us all a wave, Amity behind her smiling. "Hey guys, we were just waiting here to meet Vee. Didn't expect to see you here this early."

Star waves back, smiling ear to ear. "We couldn't sleep. This whole thing is just way to exciting."

"Well since you're here we can give you a lift over to the university. Eda and the others are already over there sorting out a few things."

We all agree as Amity and Luz ready their staffs. "We'll take you guys a few at a time, we don't have enough palismen to take you all at once."

Dipper opens up his journal and starts to scribble something down. "Oh, those are palisman."

Zach steps forward. "We don't need to take two trips, I'll fly the others and follow behind you." He morphs into his dragon form and Vee, Dipper and Mabel clamber onto his back.

Luz claps her hands together. "I guess that settles it then." Star climbs onto the back of Luz's palisman and I climb onto Amity's. We all take off and Amity and Luz fly off towards the university, Zach and the others close in tow. 

We arrive at the university, touching down in front of the huge tree. Zach lands with a thud behind us, sending dust swirling into the air. Everyone dismounts their mode of transport and Zach changes back into his human form. Eda, King and Willow are standing by the main trunk of the tree, talking amongst themselves as we approach them. Eda looks up and catches sight of us walking over, giving a mile wide grin and waving to us, one Star was all too happy to reciprocate. "I see you guys had no trouble getting back then?"

"Only problem was we couldn't get here soon enough," Star replied.

"So what is it you guys want to do today?" Luz looks across our group as we take in the grand number of opportunities that have been presented to us. "Marco and Star, me and Amity have a plan for you two, so you guys just sit tight while we sort out your friends."

Star and I take a step back as the other members of the group sort themselves.

Vee approaches Zach. "I know you said that our shapeshifting is quite different, but honestly I think they are more similar than you realise. If you want, I was thinking I can try and teach you what I know?"

Zach smiles and nods his head. "I'd be happy to try and learn what you have to teach, but I can't promise any results." He looks back to Dipper and Mabel. "You guys wanna get involved with this?"

Dipper looks up from his journal. "I'm fine thanks, there are some other things I want to look into."

Zach shrugs. "Suit yourself."

Vee leads Zach off away from the tree into the surrounding woods while Eda walks over to Dipper, this time in her harpy form. "Whatcha writing there?" She leans over Dipper's shoulder and peers into his journal as he continues to write.

"Its my research and observations about this place. Its incredibly interesting and I want to make sure to get as much down as possible."

Eda leans back up and scratches her chin with her good arm. "I think I have an idea who you would get along with perfectly." She heads over to one of the branches and pulls a rope that dangles over it. A faint ringing can be heard from one of the rooms in the boughs of the tree. A door flies open as the sound of footsteps can be heard heading towards us. "This is Gus."

Gus appears on the stairs before us. He is a black male with dreadlocks, wearing glasses and a yellow blazer with a patch of the earth sown to the left sleeve. He steps down the doors and gives us a wave. "What's up everyone?" He looks across the large group and notices me, Star, Mabel and Dipper. "Hey Luz, who are these guys?"

"These are some people Vee ran into on earth. They managed to stumble onto the portal and accidently open it. They are actually really cool." She looks over to us. "We have Star, Marco, Dipper and Mabel." She gestures to each of us in turn and we each give Gus a wave. "There is another one called Zach but he just went off with Vee."

"Cool, nice to meet you all." He turns back to Eda. "I need to head back up and continue my research from the human exchange, we are sending off our students in a few weeks and there is a lot of work left to do."

Eda gives a wry smile. "That's why I called you down. Dipper is currently doing research on the Boiling Isles in that journal of his. I was thinking you two could share your knowledge of each place and help each other."

Gus raises his fingers to his chin and thinks for a second. "That could work. What do you say Dipper?"

Dipper closes his journal and looks up. "I'm more than happy to collaborate on gaining some knowledge."

Gus nods. "Lets go then. Follow me up to my office."

Gus leads Dipper up the stairs and into the room he just came out of, closing the door behind them.

Willow walks up to Mabel. "You have any idea what you want to do, it seems everyone else has a plan."

Mabel gives a sort of lacklustre shrug. "I didn't come along because this was going to be some magical adventure. I came to spend time with my friends. But they all seem content to go do their own thing, so I'm just kind of stuck in the empty space."

Willow puts a hand on Mabel's shoulder. "I get what you mean. The Boiling Isles is huge though, so I'm sure finding you something to enjoy in the meantime wouldn't be too hard. What kind of things do you enjoy?"

"I love animals. I've had a few pet pigs in my life. They are so adorable and so squishy."

"Animals you say?" Willows eyes light up as she has an idea. "I know just what to do." She pulls her palisman out of the air and mounts it. "Get on, I'm going to show you somewhere I know you'll love."

Mabel smiles. "Ok, sounds good." She gets on the back of Willow's palisman and they both fly off into the distance.

Eda walks towards the stairs that Gus and Dipper had just walked up. "I have a bunch of administrative work to do. Who would have guessed running a university would have so much paperwork. I'll catch up with you guys later." She flies up towards the room at the top of the stairs inset into the trunk with the words headmaster embossed above it. She lands in front of a pair of heavy wooden doors and changes back into her normal form before walking through them. She starts talking to what sounds like King as she does, closing them behind her.

Luz and Amity turn back to face me and Star, now the only two people left from our original group. "Now that the others have decided what they want to do, we can get on with our plan." Luz is struggling to hold in her excitement while Amity just looks calm and collected beside her. "Amity and I were brainstorming last night and we had an idea about you guys using magic in here."

I manage to retain my composure while Star's eyes bulge out of their sockets with excitement. "You mean you know how to get around King's magic dampening?"

Luz puts her hand behind her head. "Not exactly. King is only getting stronger day by day, bypassing his dampening would only be a temporary solution at best."

Star tries to save face, but her excitement had very obviously left her face at this point. Luz quickly tries to recover the situation. "Its ok though, there are a few ways people who aren't native to the boiling Isles can use titan magic."

Star looks up again. "Really?"

"Of course. I mean look at me. I'm human, yet I stand alongside some of the greatest witches of all time."

Amity chuckles. "You are far to modest. Stand head and shoulders ahead of us more like. Its not like any of the rest of us were chosen by the titan to defeat Belos."

Luz blushes a brilliant shade of purple. "Pssshhhhh, stop it." She waves her hand in Amity's direction. "She's giving me far to much credit. But yes, there are ways that people can learn titan magic even if they aren't born with it."

Star is too busy succumbing to the affects of getting overly excited multiple times in a single conversation to continue it, so I step in. "So what are these ways?"

Amity takes the rains on their side as Luz tries to wrangle an incredibly overactive Star. "Well there are two ways. You could use a palisman." She pulls her staff from the air in front of her. "They are carved from palistrom wood which grows here on the Isles, and like the people born here the wood is imbued with titan magic making them a way to use that magic in turn." Suddenly, the cat at the top of Amity's staff moves and climbs onto her shoulder, the stick that was beneath it disappearing. "That magic also gives them a few cool abilities. This is Ghost."

Star notices the cat now chilling on Amity's shoulder and rushes over to look at it. "That's so cool. Your staff is alive?"

"Yep. This is the way that Luz currently uses magic as well."

Star's attention turns immediately from Ghost to Luz. "Is your staff alive as well?"

"Yep, all palisman are." Luz pulls her palisman out of this air, and the snake like creature on the top uncoils and slithers through the air. "This is Stringbean."

Star's eyes grow wider than they ever have before as she starts to pet Stringbean. "He is so adorable."

"Thank you." Stringbean and Ghost reform into their staffs and Luz and Amity put them back wherever they got pulled from.

Star calms down and stands beside me again. "So are we going to be able to get our own palisman?"

"Not quite yet. A palisman is a bit to advanced for you, and its such a powerful expression of your self as a witch I wouldn't feel right giving you one without you knowing anything first."

I nod. "That makes sense to me. So what's the other way?"

"With these." Luz reaches into her pocket and pulls out some pieces of paper with symbols drawn on them and tosses them into the air. As she tosses them, they each seem to activate and glow a different colour. One lets off a burst of fire and another shoots out a a piece of ice. One turns into a load of flower petals and the final one turns into an orb of light that floats off into the sky. "These are glyphs. They are how I first learnt to harness titan magic and what me and Amity are going to teach you." Star and I look into the air above Luz where the glyphs had activated. We look back down as the now activated glyphs hit the ground. Luz draws our attention back to her with her hand. "Now these won't work outside of the Boiling Isles, as unlike palismans which are imbued with titan magic these simply draw on it. However, they should allow you to at least use magic while you are here."

Star and I nod to show that we understand. Amity steps forward. "So, are you ready to learn?"

We nod again as Luz starts to lead us all towards the stairs in the tree. "Excellent, then follow us and we can begin."