A/N: I don't own Gravity Falls or Sparkles & Gloom.
A day in the Light
The sun rose over Mystica Falls Academy. Shining on Cloud Castle. As the light peered through the windows, Pacifica slowly opened her tired eyes. She have had a terrible night. The beds in Cloud Castle are literally made of clouds, so soft that it felt like you were sleeping on air, which you technically are. For someone like Pacifica who prefers a hard surface to sleep on, clouds are incredibly uncomfortable. She tried sleeping on the floor but even that was too soft. Meaning that she didn't get that much sleep. Pacifica had planned to just stay in her room for the entire semester until she can get her magic back from her idiot sister but as she laid in her bed about a dozen happy blue birds flew in and started singing. Apparently singing birds is what they use for an alarm clock, and they won't stop singing until she got out of bed! After getting up Pacifica made her way to the bathroom. Without even touching anything or even uttering a single command, the bathroom instantly conjured up a fluffy little rain cloud that gave her a warm shower. It then generated a nice breeze to dry her off. Pacifica walked over to the mirror where the same blue birds flew in and started working on her hair. Seeing the birds try different hair styles on her finally drove her over the edge.
"GET AWAY FROM ME YOU PESTS OR I'LL ROAST YOU!" Pacifica trying to swat the birds away. Surprisingly the birds were not bothered by this action against them. They simply continued singing their happy song waiting for an opening so that they can go back to working on her hair. Seeing how fighting this is pure folly, Pacifica reluctantly allowed the birds to groom her.
As Pacifica exited the bathroom she was startled at seeing ten toes right in front of her face! "Oops sorry," a girls voice apologized. Pacifica looked down to see her roommate Emma Sue standing upside down. "I sometimes forget how much seeing feet freaks people out."
"Which begs the question to why you're always upside down?" Pacifica asked.
"Well I come from the high mountains. So I've always had to look down on the world and everybody in it. Now that I'm on the surface I want to look up to everybody so..."
"Thank you," Pacifica cutting her off while covering her ears. "I just want to know why not hear your life's story."
"Oops I'm sorry," Emma apologized again. "Oh we better hurry or we'll be late for breakfast. I can't wait to introduce you to my friends!" Without waiting for a response, Emma grabbed Pacifica's arm with her leg and dragged her to the cafeteria. At the cafeteria, Pacifica was appalled to see nothing but fruits and plain yogurt with some assorted nuts for breakfast. Apparently this is what's known as the Princesses' choice meal. Healthy and helps watch your figure. Pacifica could hear her stomach demanding for some meat, but sadly that is not an option. After getting their tray, Emma led Pacifica to table with two other girls. One had light skin with long brown hair tied into a plat and worn over her shoulder wearing a pink dress. The other had dark skin with curly hair wearing a dress with a log logo on it. "Hi girls, this is my new roommate Pacifica." Emma introducing her to her friends. "Pacifica this is Mayz from the kingdom Cornia and Timbra from the River Lands."
"You can call me Log," Timbra insisted.
"Why log?" Pacifica wondered.
"Oh boy here we go again," Mayz and Emma giggled.
"Oh because I'm the river log race champion for the past 3 years!" Log bragged showing off pictures of her riding a log down rapids and crossing the finish line. "Which is why my people sent me to this school. To show that I'm the best."
"Great," Pacifica rolling her eyes. "So what's your story?" she asked Mayz.
"Oh it's nothing really. I'm just good at solving riddles." Mayz blushed as if she was embarrassed to admit it.
"But isn't that what the people of Cornia are famous for? I mean you guys made the world's first labyrinth, the Corn Maze I think it's called." Pacifica recalled. The Corn Maze is famous through out the land not only due to its size but the fact that you have to solve hard puzzles if you'd ever hope to get out. One man was rumored to have been stuck in the maze for 30 years.
"Yes but I cleared it in 15 minutes. That's how I earned the name Maze. Which I changed the spelling so that it's my own." Mayz revealed.
'An upside down girl, a log obsessed freak, and a corn head. Is everyone in this school a weirdo? Mabel would have fit in so perfectly here.' Pacifica thought to herself. Soon the group got down to talking about the latest gossip. Who's the handsomest boy, who's the best teacher, and of course who they plan to go to the prom with. All subjects that Pacifica wanted to avoid.
"Pacifica is there something wrong?" Mayz asked.
"Huh, what? Oh there's nothing wrong why do you ask?" Pacifica trying to hide her disinterest in these girls.
"You haven't touched your yogurt. Aren't you hungry?" Mayz asked. As a master of riddles she's also a natural detective.
"Oh no it's fine. It's just that I'd like a little meat with my breakfast. Is there a way I can get some bacon or eggs?" Pacifica asked.
"I'm sorry but no. You see because the Deep Dungeon school is right next door to us, Cloud Castle and everybody in it has a 'Protect from Evil' charm placed on it. As such all the animals here cannot be harmed for any reason, including the eggs. The closest thing we have to meat is the soy patties that they serve at lunch." Emma explained.
"Great," Pacifica groaned. This would explains why the birds weren't bothered by her swatting them earlier. They were protected. "So why are the two schools together? Why not have Deep Dungeon and Cloud Castle separate?" Pacifica wondered.
"Budget cuts," the three girls answered at the same time.
"Of course," Pacifica rolling her eyes. Things didn't get much better in classes. All the students sat quietly paying attention to everything the teachers were saying. No one interrupted or caused any sort of commotion. Desperate for some action, Pacifica tried to shoot some spitballs but thanks to the Protect from Evil enchantment the spitballs vanished before hitting anyone. Meaning that she can't even spit at people for fun. Pacifica's eye twitch with annoyance. This place was becoming more and more unbearable. She was just about to explode when she heard some kind of commotion coming from outside the class. Curious everyone ran outside to two boys arguing. One was a tall boy with black hair wearing a shirt with a heart insignia. The other was a short kid with a pine tree logo. "What's going on?" Pacifica asked.
"Robbie and Dipper are at it again," Emma sighed.
"Who?"
"Robbie is the captain of the Valentine clan and Dipper the leader of Pine Tree team. They are both training to be heroes and they kind of have a bit of a rivalry." Emma explained. Pacifica couldn't help but grin. This actually sounds exciting.
"You take that back!" Dipper demanded. "No one says that about my team!"
"Make me squirt!" Robbie laughed.
"Then I challenge you to a showdown!" Dipper declared.
"So be it," Robbie accepted. All the student in the area were engulfed in a bright light and soon found themselves in an arena with Robbie and Dipper on the field; and they were not alone. Robbie was with three other boys who Emma identified as Lee, Nate, and Thompson. Over at Dipper's side there was Mermando, Gabe, and Norman.
Since this is the first time Pacifica has ever seen a challenge, she didn't know what to expect; but judging how everyone is so nice to each other and how the protection spell keeps everyone from harm, she didn't really expect much from this match. So she was pleasantly surprised to see the six boys running up and attacking each other and getting hurt in the process. "I though no one can hurt each other here?" Pacifica wondered.
"The only exception is here in the arena. All hero students can come here when there's training or a challenge is called. Along with anyone in the immediate area so that we can watch." Emma explained.
"So what are Dipper and Robbie doing?" Pacifica wondered since they didn't join in the fight. Instead they were standing on these platforms posing like those male models in Mabel's magazines.
"They are doing the Hero Pose," Emma whispered. Pacifica just stared at her in confusion. "You know how most magic spells are usually cast by incantations or potions right?" Pacifica nodded. "Well heroes casts spells by posing heroically. Each pose is a different spell. Usually the team captain stays back as they casts spells to help their team fight. Such as power up spells, healing spells, and such. The winner is the one who can take down the captain down from the platform."
Now that Pacifica got the basics of the game she gave it her full attention. Every time Robbie strikes a pose his body began to radiate with a strange light. Once engulfed in this light his teammates had various effects, sometimes they got stronger, or quicker, or they are able to perform some magical attack! Over on Dipper's side, things were not going so well for them. When Dipper poses, his body only slightly glows, flicker really. You'd miss it if you blinked. That meant that he couldn't enhance his team as well as Robbie was. Which didn't bold well for his teammates who were getting a thrashing.
"Give it up kid! You're no match for us!" Robbie yelled at Dipper trying to get him to concede.
"Never!" Dipper shot back. "A true hero never gives up! It is better to lose with dignity that to surrender in disgrace."
"I wonder if your team feels the same," Robbie pointing out how badly injured Dipper's team was. In fact they were begging him to call off the match, causing Dipper to wonder if it is better just to throw in the towel.
Over at the bleachers Pacifica was getting annoyed by Dipper's speech. She's always found the whole 'hero' thing to be pretentious and arrogant; and seeing those words coming from such a weak little boy just makes her angry. So angry that she just wanted to hit him; but she can't because of that darn protection spell. That's when she remembered that they are at the arena, and according to Emma, this is the one place you can attack other students. Focusing on her powers, Pacifica casts a ball of sparkle dust at Dipper hoping that it will at least hurt him.
On the field Dipper looked sadly at the state of his team. As much as he wanted to continue fighting he can't let his friends suffer. He was about to surrender when Pacifica's sparkles reached his body, unexpectedly giving him a burst of energy. Not knowing what's going on, Dipper suddenly pointed his right finger to the sky with his right leg stepping out, the 'Call to Arms' pose. A basic spell that gives your team the courage and strength to fight on. Unlike before when he just dimly glowed, this time a flash of bright rainbow colors flooding out of Dipper's body. Shining on Mermando, Gabe, and Norman, their injuries completely healed. Not only that but they too felt a surge of power. Mermando, being a merman, conjured up a huge tidal wave! Gabe, a puppet master, summoned several shark puppets that turned into full size sharks surfing the wave! Norman, the gnome, split himself into dozens of tiny versions of himself and started riding the sharks right at their opponents! This triple combo ruthlessly assaulted Robbie's team, quickly turning the tide of the match.
Back in the stands, Pacifica face palmed herself. She had completely forgotten that she has Mabel's sparkle magic that only has a positive effects. So instead of hurting Dipper she accidentally helped him. In more ways than she can possibly imagine. A fact that did not go unnoticed by Emma and her friends.
Robbie was shocked and bewildered. Never did he think that the runt can do such an amazing heroic pose. Seeing his friends losing, Robbie jumped off his platform and punched the ground. Sending off a shock wave that dispelled everyone's attacks. Leaving behind only a small puddle of water with some poorly made wet sock puppets and a bunch of gnomes running around in circles until they all crashed into each other reforming Norman. Pacifica instantly recognized that move since her father would often use it to cancel out her and Mabel's magic. Hinting that her father must have studied here. "I concede," Robbie announced giving Dipper's team the win. As the audience cheered Dipper and his teammates all got into a victory pose, but without Pacifica's sparkles his body barely glowed, causing many to wonder if the last time was a fluke.
Later in her room, Pacifica thought back to everything that happen on her first day. How pleasantly annoying everyone is, how everyone in Cloud Castle is protected from harm, and there is what happen to Dipper during the hero's dual. Helping him was the last thing on Pacifica's mind but somehow her magic made him stronger. No not her magic, Mabel's magic! For whatever reason, Mabel's sparkle magic made Dipper's heroic poses more powerful. Not that it mattered. When you come down to it, she really couldn't care about the outcome of the dual. While she was lost in her thoughts, she heard someone knocking on her door. Since Emma was still out hanging out with the others, that left only her. At first she wanted to ignore it but whoever it was kept knocking. Frustrated Pacifica opened the door to find Dipper standing there. "What do you want?" she demanded.
"Look I know it was you that helped me during the duel," Dipper started off saying. Pacifica couldn't help but wonder how'd he found out, but then she saw Emma, Log, and Mayz around the corner peeping at them.
"So what about it?" Pacifica asked.
"I want to know if you'd like to form a Pactio with me?" Dipper proposed. Pacifica's jaw dropped at the seer ridiculousness of this.
A day in the Dark
Mabel shivered as she cradled in a fetal position in the corner of her room. She had a miserable night, the only thing they gave her to sleep on was a pile of hay. However Mabel didn't want to go anywhere near it since the hay was moving on its own. To make matters worst, her roommate appears to be a vampire (Mabel never got her name) who is currently sleeping upside down from the ceiling. At least Mabel hopes that she's sleeping, fearing that the vampire is just waiting for her to go to sleep so that she can drink her blood! So as you guessed Mabel did not sleep a wink at all her first night.
After what seemed like several hours, Mabel was startled by sound of a loud horn. "What is that?" Mabel panicked.
"That is the start of another day," the vampire yawned before landing on the ground and washing her face from a small water hole on the floor of their room. After cleaning herself up, the vampire put on a pair of glasses and was about to leave. "You better hurry if you want breakfast," she advised. At this point Mabel couldn't help but noticed that her roommate had a strange accent.
"Um thanks," Mabel said trying to be polite.
"You shouldn't talk like that. Students here will kill you for less." the vampire warned before leaving the room.
At the Feeding Pit, Mabel was shocked and scared at the feeding frenzy going on around her. Everyone was fighting each other for food, which she found odd since there are plenty of food to go around. "What is going on here?" Mabel wondered as she tried to navigate around the crowd, eventually making it to the bacon table.
"HEY!" this gruff voice yelled. Mabel turned to see this girl, slightly bigger than her, wearing a strange mask looking down on her. "Those are my bacon!" the girl said.
"But you already got plenty of bacon," Mabel said seeing the plate of nothing but bacon.
"Yeah that's my first breakfast. I'll need the rest for my second and fourth breakfasts." the girl laughed.
"What about third?" Mabel asked.
"I kind of skipped third because three is a bad luck number for me and...HEY! Why am I telling you this?"
"You know it wouldn't hurt to share," Mabel lectured.
"Share?" the girl chuckled in amusement. "Alright I'll share." Mabel perked up thinking that she may have made her first friend. "WHEN PIGS CAN FLY!" the girl was about to attack Mabel when this ladle came flying, hitting the masked girl in the back of her head. "Who did that?" the girl demanded only to be silenced by this strange flying creature.
"And what may I asked do you have against flying pigs?" the creature asked. That's when Mabel realized that this is a genuine flying talking pig!
"Uh nothing Mr. Waddles sir!" the girl cowered.
"Good, not get out of my feeding pit!" Waddles oinked. With that the girl ran as fast as she could. Waddles then turned to Mabel. "You, I've never seen you here before are you new?" Mabel nodded. "Come with me." Mabel wasn't going to argue and quietly followed the flying pig to the kitchen. "I must apologized for what happened out there. The student can get a little rowdy at times. I am Waddles the head chef here in Deep Dungeon."
"Mabel, and I'm just grateful for your help." Mabel insisted.
"You are a strange one. It's rare for someone with your manners to be here in this side of the school." Waddles commented.
"There was a mix-up at the registration," Mabel joked. "Mr. Waddles sir, why is everyone fighting for food when there are plenty out there?"
Waddles paused for a second before answering. "Well you see, everyone has their favorites. The trolls prefer rotting meats, ogres like to gnaw on bones, and vampires love blood, but I can only cook so many of each dish. So the students end up fighting for scraps while ignoring the other options out there. It's like they don't appreciate my hard work." Waddles sighed sadly.
"I appreciate it, and if I could I'd eat all your cooking!" Mabel said playfully.
"Thank you I really appreciate it," Waddles smiled. That's then he heard Mabel's stomach rumbling. "Oh that reminds me, you didn't have anything to eat yet. Tell me what would you like and I'll make it right now." Waddles showing her the menu.
"I'll take a grilled ham and cheese sandwich please," Mabel ordered.
"You got it," Waddles winked fluttering over to his table. Waddles picked up a carving knife, and to Mabel's horror, stabs himself in the gut! Waddles then proceeds to cut a piece of his flesh off, cleans it, he places it on a slice of bread, adding cheese and spices, finally shooting fire from his nostrils cooking the sandwich. "And viola! A special deluxe ham and cheese grill that I made especially for you my dear." Waddles adding an olive to complete the meal.
Mabel felt like she was going to hurl by what she just witnessed, and she would have if she had anything in her stomach. Taking a second to recover she had to ask. "Mr. Waddles why did you do that?"
"Do what?" Waddles feeling a bit confused only to realize that she was looking at his blood stains. "Oh that, my dear Mabel you don't have to worry. I'm immortal. You can cut me into a thousand pieces and I'll be just fine. See." Waddles showing her that his injury has already healed. "In fact all the meat served here came from my body."
Mabel didn't know how to feel about all this. For one it seemed too cruel for Waddles to keep mutilating himself for food, but on the other hand, he seems perfectly fine with this arrangement. "But doesn't it hurt?" Mabel asked.
"Oh yes...extremely," Waddles simply said followed by an uncomfortable silence. "Oh look at the time!" Waddles checking his invisible watch. "You need to get to class and I need to prepare for today's lunch. We're having pork chops and I'll need to cut a lot of them if I want to feed all the new students!" Waddles pushing Mabel out of the kitchen.
As Mabel sat in her first class waiting for the teacher to arrive, she couldn't help but stare at her sandwich. On one hand she's starving and it smells so good, but on the other hand she can't get the image of Waddles mutilating himself out of her mind. It pretty much killed her appetite. Still she did promise to eat all of Waddles' cooking and keeping promises is sacred to her. "Oh that's a mighty fine sandwich you got there," a familiar voice chuckled. Mabel looked up to see that same masked girl that harassed her at breakfast. "You know you do owe me one for taking my bacon," the girl threatened.
"Grenda just leave her alone, the teacher could come in at any minute." Mabel's vampire roommate whispered to the masked girl. Apparently the two are friends.
"Here I don't want it," Mabel said softly handing Grenda the sandwich.
"Uh okay," Grenda feeling confused. Most students don't cave in so quickly. At that moment the teacher entered the room.
"Class I am you teacher Ms. Pyronica, and I just want to tell you I have one rule. DON'T YOU EVER DISOBEY ME!" Pyronica yelled loudly while at the same time breathing fire! "Do that and we'll get along just fine." Pyronica chuckled sinisterly. "Now that you know who I am, why don't you each come up here and tell the class a little bit about yourselves."
One by one the student all gave a brief introduction of themselves as well as a quick demonstration of their abilities. Mabel tried hard to pay attention since she wants to at least learn the names of her classmates, but her stomach was hurting so badly and having a hard time keeping her eyes open that she couldn't focus. Before she knew it, it was her turn. Mabel slowly got up and made her way to the front of the class. "Hi my name is Mabel, I'm the daughter of the Hand Witch." Mabel began saying. Apparently her mom has a bit of a reputation since some of the students began looking at her with some sense of respect.
"That's great but what can you do?" Pyronica dared.
"Oh I can..." Mabel paused realizing that she doesn't have her sparkle magic anymore, she has her sisters gloom magic; and she has no idea how to use it! Never the less she knew that she had to perform something, anything for the class. Mabel focused as hard as she could but all she could do is conjure a tiny black smoke from her finger. "Tada," Mabel hoped that this would be enough.
"Ha ha ha, what a joke." "I bet she can't even do a lamp lighting spell." "Daughter of the Hand Witch indeed." Mabel heard her classmates laughing at her. At this point she could not longer take it! Starving and sleep deprived, stuck in this forsaken excuse of a school, and all because of one person. Her hellspawn of a sister! Just the thought of Pacifica living it up in Cloud Castle while she is suffering here in Deep Dungeon is enough to push Mabel over the edge. She can feel Pacifica's dark magic raging through every fiber of her being! All she needs to do it release it and she can have her revenge on everyone!
"NO!" Mabel screamed much to the surprise of her classmates. Mabel took a few deep breaths trying to calm herself down. "I'm better than this. I will not give in to temptation no matter how tempting it may be." Mabel whispered to herself.
"Was that screaming really the best you can do? Maybe I should put you in the choir." Pyronica ridiculed.
Mabel simply smiled, feeling proud of herself for sticking to her morals. "I'm sorry Ms. Pyronica but this is the best I can do right now."
This of course prompted the entire class to laugh at her, but Pyronica was strangely silent as she stared at Mabel's face. A few seconds later she gestured the class to be quiet. "Mabel, that was smile was AMAZING!" Pyronica praised.
"Really?" Mabel feeling a sense of accomplishment that her teacher was moved by her warm innocent smile.
"Yes In all my years of teaching, I've never seen a more perfect psychotic smile from a student!"
"Say what?" Mabel getting all confused.
"A smile that on the surface gives the impression that you are a sweet innocent child, but hides a vicious monster that can strike without warning. The only one who's ever done it better is our school's co-principal Bill Cipher, and he doesn't even have a face." Pyronica mused. "Better keep my eye on you. I sense that you are destine for great evil."
"Thanks," Mabel getting all depressed again. Concerned that they think that she gave a psychotic smile instead of a friendly one.
"Alright who's next? Ugh Gideon." Pyronica groaned.
"That's me!" a little hunchback boy called out. The boy ran to the back of the room and started to drag something covered by large sheet to the front of the class. "Hello everybody, I'm widdle Gideon. Aspiring mad scientist here to show you my latest invention." Gideon pulls the sheet off to reveal a strange device with a dog and a duck strapped on to two chairs. "I give you the brain switching machine!" This caught Mabel's attention.
"Brain switching? That's impossible, not even God Level wizards can do that." Pyronica scoffed.
"There is nothing that can't be done with science!" Gideon preached.
"Except help you pass your classes. This is what you're 6th semester here?" Pyronica laughed.
"Oh it will work this time You'll see!" Gideon swore pulling the switch. The dog and the duck barked and quacked in pain as they were subjected to several volts of electricity. "It's working! It's working!" Gideon laughed manically, only for the device to explode. "I don't get it, I'm sure it was going to work this time." Gideon checking his blue prints.
"And this is why you're still here in my class instead of graduating. Face it you will never be a mad scientist, you're just an Igor." Pyronica ridiculed.
"Actually I'm a Ugor. The Igors are my neighbors." Gideon informed her.
"NEVER CORRECT ME!" Pyronica roared sending the little hunchback flying in the air until he hit the wall on the other end. "Just for that you have detention. Now GET OUT OF MY CLASS AND TAKE THIS GARBAGE WITH YOU!"
"Yes mam," Gideon gathering up the pieces of his machine and carting them away. As Gideon hurried out of the classroom, Mabel was replaying the events in her mind. Even though no one else caught it, as a devoted animal lover, Mabel noticed it before the device blew up. For one brief second, the dog quacked and the duck barked. That means that Gideon's brain switching machine works, sort of, and maybe just maybe that device is Mabel's only hope of getting her powers back from her sister.
Later outside in the courtyard, after deciding to skip detention, Gideon sat alone staring at the pile of junk that should have been his greatest accomplishment. "I just don't get what went wrong," Gideon muttered to himself.
"Don't worry master, you'll figure it out." This strange device that looked like a bowl with metal legs said.
"Oh Footbot, my only friend. You always know what to say." Gideon hugging the robot.
"Of course, you did build me after all." Footbot stating the obvious. "With Ghost-eyes and Killbone's help."
Gideon sighed sadly thinking about his old team. Recalling how they originally made FootBot to be bigger with a full body, but then the upper half blew up leaving only the legs. After that Ghost-eyes and Killbone quit due to creative differences (Gideon throwing a tantrum at their incompetence) and eventually graduated. Last he heard the two now work as henchmen for some crime boss named Bratsman. "I sure miss those buffoons."
"I'm sure you'll find other friends sir," Footbot assured him.
"Yeah right. Tell me where in a magic school am I going to find someone who's even remotely interested in science?" Gideon questioned.
"Excuse me I just want to say that I really liked you machine," he heard a female voice say to him.
Gideon slowly looked up and saw Mabel standing right in front of him. "Yu...you really mean that?" Gideon overjoyed by the fact that someone other than Footbot is talking to him; and not just anyone, a girl! The most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Granted he hasn't really seen that many girls but still.
"Yes," Mabel nodded. "And I was just wondering, if you can make another one? I'll help in anyway I can." Mabel pleaded.
"Sir, I've analyzed the female's vocal patterns and facial expression. I believe there's an 87% probability that she's planning on using you." Footbot informed him.
"Go away you're cramping my style!" Gideon pushing Footbot away, ignoring his warning. "Now where were we?" Turning back to Mabel. "Oh yes, I think I might be able to accommodate you." Gideon smirked.