[heartbeat thumping]

Very nice work.

And how is working with your partner?

No prob. We're practically best friends now.

Then I think you'll do just fine in this class.

You've done it again, Augustus.

[chuckles] Yeah, I killed it in Fantasy Grudgby this weekend.

You just didn't do the assignment?

I got the new prodigy to do it for me.

And all I had to do was "pretend" to be his friend.

[person gasps] Hmm?

[sniffles]

Aw, come on, dude. It was just a joke.

[sniffling]

[sighs] You've done it again, Augustus.

Why does this keep happening?

Ow!

Oh, no. No, no. Not this.

[student chuckles]

Aw, the poor little baby got his feelings hurt.

Talent can't make up for gullibility.

[both laugh]

Um, hello there.

[chuckles] Sorry, I was trying to be funny,

but I just ended up being horrifying.

I thought I was the only one that hid here.

[groans] Who's that?

You might as well just do her homework now. Get it over with.

Go away!

Are you talking to me?

All of you!

Hey.

Sometimes I get wrapped up in my own thoughts too.

But my dads taught me a little trick to quiet the voices.

[inhales]

[exhales]

[both inhale, exhale]

Huh? [screams] No. No I don't wanna go. [screams]

I'm Willow. Augustus.

It's nice to see the kids embracing multitracks.

I remember giving up everything for illusions.

To be honest, I thought this would be more trouble than it's worth.

But I haven't seen students this enthusiastic ever.

Well, trouble might be closer than you think.

These are the last messages I got from Luz.

She must've typed them quickly because all I could decipher was,

"Learned a lot of bad stuff," something, something,

"Day of Unity," something, something, and "Don't scare 'em away"?

I don't know what any of it means.

What about all those hearts?

Oh. [chuckles] Those are for me.

I went by and checked out the Owl House.

It was crawling with Coven Scouts.

I was thinking of capturing one for information, but...

It's okay, Willow.

They're tough. Not everyone can stand up to them.

But I didn't want to bring more attention to Luz and Eda.

Oh. [chuckles] Of course, yes.

Smart move.

[bell rings, screams]

Hey. You should say something.

I'm fine.

We just started hanging out again,

and she needs time to get to know the new me.

You mean the real you.

[chuckles]

[rattling]

[chirps]

[gasps] I remember you.

[chirps]

Wait! Get back here.

[gasps]

What are you doing here, Golden Guard?

Wouldn't you like to know? [chuckles]

But rest assured, Gus, I--

[clattering]

I'll ask you one more time.

What are you doing here, Hunter?

[chirping]

[grunts] Ow, ow, ow, ow. Okay, fine!

Truth is,

my living situation has been compromised.

Maybe.

So, I just need a place to crash.

Temporarily.

Hexside was the only place I could think of.

How vague of you.

Do you know where Luz is by any chance?

She's not with the Owl Lady?

[Principal Bump over PA] Students, please join me

in the gym for an important announcement.

I'm not sure what you're going through,

but that much Hex Mix can't be good for your stomach.

[chattering] [groans] What's going on?

Uh, students, teachers, let me introduce the esteemed--

Please, Principal Bump, I deserve no accolades.

Hello, everyone.

My name is Adrian Graye,

Head Witch of the Illusionist Coven.

[gasping, chattering]

Unfortunately, I'm not here with good news.

The Emperor's Coven has plans to stop multitrack studies

by inducting every Hexside student into a coven

before the Day of Unity.

[all gasp]

Mother Titan! [grunts]

Don't worry. No one's magic is going to be sealed away.

Head Witch Graye supports us

and has come to help.

Before any Coven Scouts come by,

I'm going to make illusions of sigils on your wrists.

They'll be temporary and harmless.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait. Wait. I just started the other tracks.

Are you sure this is safe? Don't worry.

Once a scout sees the fake sigil, they'll move on,

and you can continue your studies in peace.

Now hold still.

[gasps] Stop!

Don't trust him. He's hiding behind an illusion.

[gasps]

[Adrian] Cut!

Just... [groans] Just cut.

[gasping]

[chuckles] All right. Couple of notes.

Tom, that Adrian illusion was lacking a certain...

Hmm? You get me?

I don't know.

Severine, that was really poor work.

You're on thin ice.

[groans]

Captain, the read of your last line was

just a little... [grunts]

I don't know what that means.

You'll figure it out.

And you...

Well, you just ruined any chance we had of making this something.

You were gonna trick us into getting sigils.

Uh, yeah.

I work for Belos. Kind of my job.

But let's make sure you can never use your little illusion tricks again.

Shall we?

[all gasp]

No! No, stay back.

I said stay back!

[screams]

How are you doing this?

[grunts] [groans]

[groans]

Head Witch, it looks like the whole school

is covered in a giant...

Illusion.

Hmm.

Find that boy, the one who did this.

This is a complicated spell.

If we could have some direction...

Am I the only one who knows how to do their job?

Just figure it out.

Would you look at this?

The detail is just so... Pow!

I hate working for this guy.

[panting]

[grunting]

Oh. What?

How did we get here?

I think it's an illusion.

I just got a text from Ed.

He, Bump and a bunch of others are in the Healing Homeroom.

We should find our way over.

[gasps] Willow, watch out!

[chuckles] I got it.

Lucky shot, Willow.

Hey, don't listen to her. You totally got me.

[groans]

Why are we here?

Whoa, Gus.

Wha-- Is your eye okay?

[groans]

Huh?

My spell, it's still active.

Well, you're a witch. Unspell it.

No. I don't know how.

I've never made one this big before.

Well, if we're still in Hexside, we should find a teacher.

Maybe they'll know how to help.

Hunter, why'd you save me back there?

From getting a sigil?

Don't those guys work for you?

I owed you.

For the food.

Are these real steps or illusion steps?

[screams, groans]

Real steps.

When we first met, you were trying to trick me into joining a coven.

And now, you're helping me stay away from one.

'Cause of a sandwich?

It was a good sandwich.

No sandwich is that good.

Come on. If we wanna find a way through this, we need to trust each other.

What's going on with you?

I... [grunts] [Coven Scout] Hey!

It's the kid!

[grunts]

[chirping]

Hunter!

[grunts]

Wait. Aren't you the Golden Guard?

Seriously?

Dude, what the heck? We're on the same side.

Our deepest apologies, sir.

The Emperor sent out a search party for you.

He's been worried sick.

You don't say.

[chirping]

I'd be honored to escort you back to the castle, sir.

I am sure the Emperor would be thrilled to know you're okay.

Say, why aren't you in uniform?

[Hunter stammers] I...

Follow me.

[panting]

Oh, Titan! He's looking for me!

[groans] He'll know I'm here.

[stammers] I gotta run. I gotta hide!

I g-- I gotta-- [pants, gasps]

Hey. Try to breathe.

Like this. [inhales]

[exhales]

[inhales, exhales]

Did you run away from the Emperor's Coven?

Why?

[sighs]

Not too long ago,

when I showed a little talent and started taking more advanced classes,

it always felt like anyone who wanted to be my friend had an ulterior motive.

Until I met Willow.

And, eventually, Luz and some others.

So, yeah, not everybody's great,

but not everyone's bad either, you know?

For what it's worth, you can trust me.

I promise not to mess with you.

That's not worth anything.

Stop acting foolish.

All right, tough guy.

Let's keep moving, then.

[crashes]

I got this.

No, I got this!

[both scream]

What are you doing?

I just got you back as a friend.

Let me protect you.

[rumbling]

[grunts, groans]

[grunting]

I don't want your protection.

I want you to see who I really am! [grunts]

Come quick.

[grunts]

[gasps]

Is this real?

[groans]

Yes! Yeah, we made it through the illusion.

High five!

[grunts]

[gasps]

Willow! You're okay.

Augustus! I've been looking everywhere for you.

Whoa. What is he doing here?

Oh. Don't worry. It's cool.

He helped me escape from Graye.

I think he ran away from the Emperor's Coven.

Also, he hasn't showered in a while.

Be nice.

Interesting.

Anyway, let's find the others before these illusions get any more... [screeches]

Huh?

Okay. Let's get moving.

Who are you?

What are you doing?

Willow's on our side.

That's not the captain.

You're scaring me, Hunter.

Have you ever seen her play Flyer Derby?

There's no way she'd be afraid of me.

[Adrian] Oh. Again? Cut!

Severine!

You had your chance, and you blew it!

Not that I'm surprised.

But I-- I followed all your notes.

Well, he was still able to see through your shoddy performance.

So maybe you should've figured out the note inside the note.

[whines]

And you two...

are making my job very difficult.

[panting]

[gasps] Belos.

[grunts]

[grunts]

I command you to stop!

[gasps]

Technically, he is our superior.

Well, right now, he's just a runaway.

And our dearest emperor wants him back, so tie him up.

[grunting]

[groans] Just put him--

Out of his misery?

Gotten.

To sleep, dude! To sleep.

Oh, yeah. Right, right.

[chirps] He's waking up.

[grunts]

Huh?

[gasping]

This-- This is an illusion!

Gus, are you-- [grunts, groans]

Whoa! It's okay.

Try not to stand so fast.

This isn't an illusion. You're in the Healing Homeroom.

Well, Mr. Golden Guard.

Hunter.

We saw you being dragged around,

and the Flyer Derby team was determined to save you.

But I am not yet convinced of

your innocence.

Where have your scouts taken Augustus?

That's the Golden Guard?

Dude looks sickly.

I could probably take him.

[snarls]

I'm not with them. I swear.

I was with Gus the whole time.

I was trying to get him to you.

Maybe we can trade him for Augustus.

I'm sure the Emperor would want him back.

[gasps] I'm not lying. Gus was showing me around.

There was a sandwich.

He showed me this breathing thing.

Please! You gotta believe me.

He's telling the truth.

And he can help us drive Head Witch Graye and his scouts out of the school.

Yes, um, Graye said he'll be in the gym.

But he will be guarded.

That won't be a problem.

Willow can bust through anything.

Yeah, but I'll need help.

Say no more.

I'm on it.

[sighs] Let's just come up with a plan.

Yes! This is my favorite part.

[Adrian] And, yes, at first,

I thought that fooling children was a waste of my impressive talents.

But I realized that a true genius can find the art in everything he does and--

Hey. Hey!

[sighs] You've done it again, Augustus.

You couldn't even tell Willow apart from an illusion.

Yoo-hoo. Come on.

Are you listening?

This is my monologue.

Now, this is your doing?

Yeah. It's all my fault.

Oh. Right. All about you.

Now how about telling me how you know about the Looking Glass Graveyard?

I've been looking for the Galdorstones.

They'd make great gifts for the Emperor.

Where did you say you found them?

[grunts]

[scoffs] Boring.

See this mirror? It's a handy little magic amplifier.

It'll help me sort through those little memories of yours.

[groans] Stop. Wait. This hurts.

Oh, don't be so dramatic.

Hmm. Well, that's one less thing to worry about.

Now, where were we?

[gasps]

Gym is off-limits. Graye's orders.

Graye may be Head Witch, but I'm still principal.

It'd be wise to let me through.

[chuckles] Oh, yeah?

Yeah.

[whistles]

Get 'em!

[screams] Yeah!

[both scream]

[both grunt]

[both grunt]

[groans] [groans]

Enough!

I will not be cowed by a group of students!

Then how about just two of us?

Nice one.

[panting]

Huh?

[groans] Make it stop. Make it stop.

I don't like these memories.

What's going on?

Gus is trapped in his head.

And the others are being affected too.

[rumbling]

[laughs] I needed a reason to play with one of these!

I really have to talk to my parents about this.

We'll hold him off. You save Gus.

B-But how?

[groans]

[chirping]

[grunting]

[grunts]

[gasps]

[gasps]

What's wrong with me?

Why can't I learn?

Gus!

[laughing]

I let myself get tricked again.

Everyone thinks I'm the smart one.

So why do I keep acting so dumb?

Gus, can you hear me?

I can't even trust myself anymore.

It's hard when you can't trust yourself.

I spent my whole life believing I was doing something good for someone good,

but it was a lie.

And some part of me still wants to believe in that lie.

Just like you want to believe you're dumb or whatever.

But it's not true!

I promise.

I wouldn't mess with you.

Uh, now, uh, how did that breathing thing go again?

[gasps, whistles]

[wheezes, whistles]

[laughs]

Gus!

Oh, I'm so glad you're okay.

Me too.

[grunts] Thanks, Hunter.

What is this?

Just go with it.

[groaning]

When Emperor Belos catches wind of this...

I'm sure he'll be thrilled to learn one of his captains was defeated by a couple teenagers.

[groans]

Severine, get on that ship or you'll be walking back to the castle!

You know what? It has been a rough year,

and my self-esteem can only take so much.

I quit!

I'm going back to the Tiny Cat Coven.

[cheering]

I can't believe you took down a Coven Head.

Yeah, and I almost went down with him.

Is Graye gonna be all right?

Uh, probably.

[both laugh]

Hunter! What's going on at the castle?

Did you actually leave the Emperor's Coven?

Have you ever sneezed with your mask on?

[barks]

[inhales] Everyone in the castle is traveling to the Head

for the Day of Unity.

I think I did.

Yes?

That's gross, man.

Listen. Emperor Belos has been lying to everyone.

The Day of Unity isn't about the Titan or magic.

It's much scarier than that.

Sorry. There's a lot to explain.

Then you'd better get started.