♪
[MEG] The Witch of Blessings, Sophie Hayter.
The newest and youngest of the Seven Sages,
who earned the title of genius at the age of 17.
Believe it or not, she made the long journey
all the way to our remote town of Lapis
to open the gate during the Otherworld Festival.
On top of that...
[FAUST] In exchange for allowing Sophie
to stay here for a few days,
she'll open the otherworld gate.
Go, learn what you can from her.
Sophie's a genius.
[MEG] I've been ordered to assist her
with whatever she needs.
- [MEG] I mean, seriously? - Hm?
Ah?
- You. - [MEG] Me?
Yes.
- Take me to the gate. - Sure!
I don't know why I didn't bring it up!
Obviously, you would want to see where you'll be working!
My name's Meg Raspberry, and let me just say,
it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
[footfall]
♪
It's nice to meet you, S'berry.
She must not have heard me.
ONCE UPON A WITCH'S DEATH
BLESSINGS WITH THE OPENING OF THE GATE
How can anyone enjoy this kind of weather?
I mean, the river's half frozen over.
[footfall]
That reminds me of this time I took my mistress' broom
and played curling.
She got so mad, I swear I thought
she was going to melt the ice
and send us both into the water.
[sighs]
[MEG] Not one for small talk, huh?
She has such a distinct aura, it feels unreal
to be walking beside her in this backwoods town.
- What's wrong? - Oh, it's embarrassing.
But I was admiring how pretty your face is,
not to mention I'm absolutely obsessed
with the whole blue hair, red eyed combo
and how mystical it makes you look.
I see.
[MEG] I saw a video of your parade!
You were really something!
We're the same age, but you've accomplished
oodles more than me!
If you don't mind me fangirling for a smidgen,
you were amazing!
- [giggles] - I'm not.
- [SOPHIE] Say, S'berry. - [MEG] It's Raspberry.
- [MEG] Yes? - Do you have a nickname?
Ah? Uhh?
You're the second person who's asked me that.
You're Faust's apprentice, S'berry.
[MEG] Close, it's Raspberry.
So, it wouldn't be unusual for you to have a nickname.
Is it really all that important for me to have one, though?
There are plenty of mages in the world who don't.
But those of us with a nickname
have proven they've earned recognition.
Heh, heh, heh, very kind, but it's not for me.
Truth is, I'm just a nobody.
S'berry the Nobody Witch.
That's not my nickname.
And for the last time, it's Raspberry.
Ah!
Maybe I'm finally having a breakdown,
but you're Ms. Sophie, aren't you?
I'd cause a stir if I walked through town as myself.
Fantastic!
And that was real quick! Smart, real smart.
It might end up causing a scene if people knew the truth.
And we don't want that, right?
It's a shame, though.
You won't get a chance to show off
your beautiful hair and eyes.
This is only a temporary spell, it won't last.
It's not as if I'll ever be able to escape
the hair or eyes I was born with.
What does that mean?
♪
[indistinct chatter]
If it isn't Ms. Faust's apprentice.
Do you have business in town?
A little bit, yeah!
♪
She's more of an acquaintance.
Are we gonna get to play, Miss Witch?
Uh, I'm busy today, but we will soon, for sure.
[GIRL 4A] Cross your heart?
It's the apprentice witch!
Yo, eternal benchwarmer!
♪
You've got two seconds to clear out of here, ya runts!
When I catch you,
I'll stuff your mouths full with cow dung
mixed with pig poop!
Just so you know, I'm not usually unhinged.
Anyway, that disguise sure is effective.
Nobody's picked up on who you are.
Well, if it isn't Ms. Faust's pupil!
[MALE CIVILIAN 4B] Give my best to your mistress!
[SOPHIE] Is it always this friendly?
[MEG] Yeah, pretty much.
It's a small town so you tend to always
run into people you know.
- [SOPHIE] S'berry. - It's still Raspberry.
- What's the matter? - Nothing.
I just noticed how no one has called you by your actual name.
Huh.
Now that you mention it, you're right.
Then again, my mistress is a great witch,
and everybody around here knows me as her apprentice.
I guess I'm okay with just being that for now.
I'm starting to understand
why you don't have a nickname, S'berry.
It's Rasp... Huh?
[SOPHIE] Obviously, you haven't earned recognition yet.
[groans]
What's her problem?
[MEG] This is the spot where we'll open the gate!
♪
Oh, wow!
I don't know what you're doing, but it's cool!
I'm virtually constructing the gate.
- [growls] - [MEG] Wait, what?
Is this the appropriate size?
Yeah, sort of.
Tell me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the same magic
you used in the festival?
Yes, I'm applying the principles of illusion magic.
[MEG] But, I didn't tell her anything about the properties
of the land's magic
or how the gate is supposed to be constructed!
The only word to describe Sophie's abilities
is "brilliant."
No wonder all those people were impressed by her parade.
Given we're the same age,
the gap between us is depressing.
But this is also the opportunity of a lifetime!
You've gotta tell me.
How'd you pull off such a nifty spell, Miss Sophie?
It's quite easy.
First off, learn the mechanics of science and physics.
Then you recreate them using magic.
When you have a fundamental understanding,
it's not difficult to construct.
[MEG] Got it! Sorry I asked!
[stomach growling]
- Uh? - I guess I should eat.
♪
[chomps] [mumbling]
Didn't catch a word of that.
[SOPHIE] [swallows] It's good.
I know!
No way I wasn't taking you to the best bakery in town.
♪
[sighs]
[indistinct chatter]
♪
[laughs]
This is a nice town.
It's quiet and everybody's kind.
Yeah, turns out those are its only two redeeming qualities.
[SOPHIE] Say, S'berry.
Raspberry. Yes?
[SOPHIE] I was wondering why you study magic?
It just kind of happened. You know?
No, what do you mean?
Magic's been a normal part of my life.
My mistress took me in when I was just a kid
on account of me being an orphan
and having nowhere else I could go.
[SOPHIE] An orphan?
[MEG] We're similar.
I mean you've studied magic
ever since you were little, too.
The difference is, I did it out of necessity.
Necessity?
- So, S'berry. - [MEG] Raspberry.
Anything specifically you want to do with magic?
[chuckles] Make tons of money.
Oh, but I guess my first priority would be surviving.
- That's your top choice? - Of course.
Come on, who doesn't want to live a long life?
There are lots of people I don't want to forget.
[SOPHIE] How modest of you, Raspberry.
It's S'berry. Wait.
Now you've got me messing up my own name somehow!
[SOPHIE] What I find strange, though,
is nothing you want requires magic.
[MEG] Huh?
There are far more effective ways of making money
and living a long life in the modern world,
and none of them involve spells.
Since you just happened to choose magic
you have no clear goal for studying it.
That's why you haven't yet been recognized as a witch
despite studying under the legendary Faust.
Yeah? Well, then,
let's hear about your super goals!
There's only one I strive for.
That's to eliminate magic from this world.
[gasps]
It threatens to take everything away from me.
And I have studied my enemy quite carefully.
Since our circumstances are the same, I'll share this.
[swallows]
[SOPHIE] You have too many possessions, S'berry.
To truly learn magic, cast everything else aside.
Your family, hometown, friends, petty dreams.
The optimal way of understanding magic
is by abandoning all of those anchors
and pushing towards your ultimate goal.
Girl, I should've known you've got jokes,
but maybe you should think before you speak, huh?
I should think
before I speak, huh?
Thinking a little too hard, there.
[MEG] The Witch of Blessings,
who moves people with her beautiful magic,
wants to get rid of it entirely?
Hold up. What?
Thief!
No biggie, there were leftovers.
[MEG] It a wasn't leftover!
I was planning to eat it later! Give it back!
- [chomps] - [MEG] Ugh!
Or should I suck it out of your mouth,
Witch of Endless Hunger?
[MEG] That expression she made earlier.
Was that the real Sophie?
[screaming]
Now that I got that out of my system.
[SOPHIE] I have only one goal.
To eliminate magic entirely from this world.
She does have one good point.
If I didn't fall into magic,
not only would my natural beauty
have made me a billion-dollar actress,
I wouldn't have this "one year left to live" curse
to worry about.
- [chirps] - [squeaks]
But... on the flip side,
if magic didn't exist...
♪
...life would be empty.
That must be true for Sophie, too.
Ugh, I can't get my thoughts straight.
Time to make some tea.
[trickling]
- [FAUST] Stupid spine. - You're up!
[MEG] Back on your feet already?
Yes.
That poultice you gave me worked wonders.
Where is our esteemed guest?
[MEG] She collapsed in the drawing room
the second we got home.
[FAUST] Yes, she must be exhausted.
[MEG] Um, so about Sophie.
She says she wants to completely eliminate magic
and that I have too many things in life holding me back.
Is that so?
[sighs]
From her perspective, she probably felt like
it was the right advice to give you.
From her perspective?
[FAUST] Meg, do you know how old Sophie was
when she left home?
She became a Sage at 17.
So I'm gonna guess 17?
- [FAUST] She was five. - Whoa, that's younger than I...
[MEG] Wait, five?
[FAUST] She's smarter than everyone.
Too smart for her own good.
Also, the most important people in her life
never accepted her.
♪
[MEG] It was an incredibly depressing story.
One I was barely able to listen to.
Sophie was born in a small northern country
with exceptional magical potential.
On top of that, she had the misfortune
of having blue hair and red eyes.
People called her a "devil child."
Her superior intelligence was obvious from a young age.
But that only led everyone to distance themselves from her.
Even Sophie's parents couldn't understand
their own little girl.
Then, when she turned five,
her magic began to blossom.
In the northern nations, magic is still considered taboo.
They call it "the work of the devil."
Ultimately, Sophie left home and was taken in and raised
by the Council of Magic.
[door slamming]
♪
She was abandoned by the most important people in her life,
and all because of her exceptional abilities.
[gasps]
[FAUST] Despite how similar your circumstances are,
you were surrounded by individuals
who accepted you.
Perhaps that's why she views your situation as privileged.
♪
Sophie isn't shy about how much she hates magic.
No wonder she hates seeing me study it
when I sort of stumbled into witchcraft
without having any clear goal in mind.
The part that confuses me, though,
is why she would choose to go around the world
performing magic for others?
[FAUST] Because she still seeks human connection.
She believes someday she'll earn recognition
if she makes people happy.
Ironically, everything she lost because of magic,
she's trying to reclaim by using it.
Relying on what she hates the most.
She's desperate.
[FAUST] Meg, it isn't wise comparing yourself to her,
considering you're a loud, stupid, big softie.
Your only real strength is your skill in the kitchen.
Thanks for saying so.
Now that I've gotten the negatives out of the way,
I will say I've never once detected
any hint of corruption in you.
[MEG] Huh?
[FAUST] The light you carry within is bright,
and I know it will melt the ice surrounding her.
♪
[MEG] She's asking the world from an apprentice again.
At the same time, I want that amazing gal to leave Lapis
having a totally different outlook on life.
- [birds chirping] - [FINE] Heya, Meg!
[MEG] [gasps] If it isn't the love of my life!
I brought you a small present.
Oh, an engagement gift?
Yeah, because I'm the one always bringing up marriage.
This sure is something.
[MEG] Opening the gate requires constructing
all seven levels of magic techniques.
Since we called in help
to handle that part of the ceremony,
gathering the materials is my responsibility.
[FINE] Ms. Faust hurt her back, didn't she?
Will this helper of yours be able to handle the job?
[chuckles]
Oh, she's one powerful broad.
Okay, dude.
So then, she's a woman?
[MEG] Don't worry, you're my legal wife.
That's never happening, Meg.
Where did you put the copper, S'berry?
Uh?
Uh-ah?
[trembling]
Just to be clear,
this aforementioned broad is the Sophie?
Relax, she's only my second wife.
That's never happening, Meg! [whimpering]
- Uh? - [thuds]
My brain is fried.
I'm going to wet myself.
[MEG] If you want, I'll drink it up.
- [FINE] Gross, no! - [Meg grunts]
♪
[SOPHIE] And with that, the seventh and final technique
has been constructed.
[MEG] Then we should be all set
for the Otherworld Festival tomorrow.
These past few days of practicing
have really paid off.
I say that, but it's not as if
I've 100% mastered this part yet.
The only way is endlessly practicing.
Huh?
Ms. Sophie,
about this otherworld spatial connection
stabilization technique of yours.
It seems a bit different from my mistress'.
I admit, I'm impressed you were able to notice.
I help her with it every year,
so I'm familiar with the construction.
But how come you changed it?
[SOPHIE] I've made the gate larger than it's ever been.
Until now, it may have been stable,
but it was small and not a proper entrance and exit.
[MEG] Ah, I get it.
That way, more residents from the otherworld
can come here,
making the festival even more lively.
That is what you were thinking, right?
[groans]
At the same time, if it does become unstable,
there's no telling what could end up happening.
We should at least consult my mistress.
No, we won't, I'm not relying on Faust.
I've worked on several large-scale spells before
and this is no different.
My construction will work just fine.
If there is a problem, I'll stop it.
Even if I have to die.
I admire your resolve,
but don't go throwing your life away.
- [stomach growling] - Ah?
[chewing]
Hmm, mm, mm.
[SOPHIE] Look at all the people.
[MEG] Sure, the Otherworld Festival
is about to begin.
What do you think about the pre-festival atmosphere?
I don't mind.
[MEG] I knew it. See,
you do like people after all.
- Meaning? - [water burbling]
Ah... I was under the impression
you weren't very fond of humans at first.
I don't recall ever mentioning that.
Has Faust been talking about me?
Maybe a little.
My, what a gossip.
[MEG] The simple fact is, I like magic.
I believe I'm here now doing this with you
because I enjoy it.
Surely you have that.
Something in your life that gives you purpose.
[SOPHIE] I don't know.
Where you're born isn't the only place you belong.
If you ever feel lonely, you can come hang out with me.
Plus, we'd make such a killing off the crowds
that we'd draw in!
Fifty-fifty, down the line.
- S'berry. - Ms. Sophie.
Hopefully, I don't kill you tomorrow.
[giggles]
- [indistinct chatter] [bells ringing]
Incredible turn out this year.
[giggles]
[indistinct chatter]
- Ready to begin now, S'berry? - Oh, you betcha!
Activating the first technique.
♪
Second. Activating third, complete.
♪
[MEG] We're connected to the otherworld.
Right.
Activating fourth and fifth techniques now!
Using support magic to stabilize the space!
Next up, transmuting the gate.
♪
Seventh, establishing barrier.
♪
[MEG] Perfect.
Now, we just have to maintain this
until the gate opens completely.
Uh? Ms. Sophie!
[gasps]
[Meg grunts]
[explosion]
- Well, that hurt. - [both gasp]
♪
- [crowd cheering] - [MEG] They can't see it?
[MEG] This is bad.
There are tons of dangerous things in the otherworld, too.
Unknown pathogens and mythical monsters
we don't have in this one.
All manner of life forms that could kill millions
with only a single touch.
The barrier identifies and removes those threats.
One problem... there is no barrier now!
Crap. Crap.
Mega crap!
[gasps]
Sophie, reconstruct the barrier technique.
I'll try and buy us some time with a simple one!
[MEG] I can't waste precious seconds
drawing on the ground.
This is the only option!
C'mon, you can do this.
It worked. Ugh!
No, it's not nearly enough!
♪
[panting] Faster, I need to make more!
[panting]
Hurry! More! I have to go faster!
♪
[panting]
Uh?
Ms. Sophie?
Good work, but it's okay.
- You can relax. - Ah?
♪
Pretty.
We still have the finale to do.
Huh? Ah?
- [crowd cheering] - [gasps]
Simply marvelous.
♪
Meg!
[crowd cheering]
♪
[MEG] Man, I screwed up.
I can't believe even though the barrier broke,
it wasn't as bad as I thought.
[sighs]
If we didn't intervene
for a few days, it'd be an issue,
but since we dealt with it right away,
it shouldn't have much effect.
Guess I sort of jumped the gun back there
and popped a vessel from all of the stress.
[MEG] My nose was stuffed with tissues
during the final address.
Nice nosebleed.
And the crowd had a good time.
At the cost of my girly dignity, though!
Tell me, why did you lie?
I did?
[SOPHIE] You said you made the mistake.
Technically I did,
since I noticed how unstable the gate was
and didn't do anything about it.
Besides, I'm an apprentice witch,
so the worst I'll get for messing up
is basically a scolding.
- But, I-- - It's not crime
for you to want to put on a good festival.
Anyway, it's not like I could leave you
with negative memories of Lapis.
S'berry.
Take a look at all the Otherworld citizens
that came over!
[SOPHIE] Thanks.
[MEG] What do you say, Ms. Sophie?
Why don't we take a look around and see what--
- Just Sophie. - [MEG] What?
You don't need the "Miss." Call me Sophie.
Holy...
You never told me you had such a cute face!
You middle aged man.
Whatever gave you that idea?
Ah?
[chuckles]
[MEG] Let's go, Sophie!
♪
FLOWERS BLOOM IN THE FESTIVAL NIGHT SKY