Look before you leap.

Look before you leap. (飛ぶ前によく見よ., Tobu mae ni yoku miyo) is the 17th episode of the first season of The Ancient Magus Bride anime.

Synopsis
Chise realises the teddy bear Elias gave her grows crystal flowers by absorbing magic. She receives a magic reduction bracelet from Angelica. While walking on the street girl named Stella requests Chise to find her brother Ethan, who has gone missing. After giving the crystal flowers to various creatures for information, they learn that Ashen Eye kidnapped Ethan. Chise uses a magical fur to transform herself into bear, and is able to find where Elias and Ethan are being held.

Summary
Waking up on Christmas day, Chise discovers that her new teddy bear has sprouted flowers and confronts Elias about it. He explains its purpose, to which Ruth comments on his attraction to the flowers as a Fae, before notifying his apprentice about the remaining gifts that she’d received from fellow friends. Later making their way outside in order to thank Simon for his gift, Chise and the others stumbles into a girl called Stella Barklem who’s looking for her little brother Ethan Barklem. While it appears that everyone has forgotten about her little brother, Chise and the others offer to help her and they set out into the woods to find him. As Elias is unable to track the boy, Chise resorts to taking aid from the local Fae by giving them the crystal flowers and other methods until finally finding out that Ethan had been abducted by Ashen Eye.

Learning that it was Stella’s own words that caused Ethan to be taken away from her, Ashen Eye goes on to propose that they a game as to give them a chance to return Ethan. And to make things more interesting, Ashen Eye takes Elias hostage as well and tell the two girls (and familiar) to find them before sundown. While they head off to search, Elias and Ethan starts exchanging words in the meantime. Chise ends up finding them after transforming herself into a Werebeast, causing Ashen Eye to admit defeat and take a crystal flower before leaving. Stella and Ethan go on to thank Chise before heading home with their parents.

Navigation
Episodio 18