Agatha the Cat Witch, a magician of many talents - control over the elements, centuries worth of intellect, and nigh-immortality that has allowed her to withstand the tests of time. This, along with her two daughters, makes her one of Sonic's most powerful allies to date. But how did she attain these powers? That remains to be a mystery to everyone… Even in this chapter; sorry for the tease! But will she divulge in her past?

At Jenni's manor, Agatha stands at the front door, holding Tails Doll in her hand as she looks at the manor owner with a quizzical look.

Agatha: "So… You want me to… take this doll for the day… for some… experiment?"

Jenni: "Yep."

Agatha: "...And why should I do that?"

Jenni: "Because you've dealt with cursed objects in your time, right?"

Agatha: "...A few."

As if by a cosmic prank, Agatha extends a hand behind her to banish a ghost that, according to the language it uses, has haunted her since the age of the ancient pharaoh.

Agatha: "But I don't willingly mess with… these…"

Tails Doll seemed almost hurt by that. Though it did understand Agatha's point of view; wasn't that long ago he tried to off Sonic and his friends, her included.

Jenni: "Oh you'll be fine, Aggy. Just spend some time with it and see what happens. It can't do much beyond move and talk without its Chaos Gem, so it's no danger to anyone."

With that, Jenni waves before closing her mansion door, giving no time for Agatha to form a rebuttal. Annoyed, the cat looks at Tails Doll before sighing, cursing in a dead language as she walks home.

At Agatha's cafe, the twin cats, Ebony and Ivory, look at Tails Doll with mixed thoughts on the entire ordeal.

Ebony: "So we're watching this thing? After it caused trouble for you before? Has that doctor finally lost her marbles being a recluse?"

Ivory: "I dunno, Ebony, I think he… she… they're rather cute. I mean, I always thought Tails was kind of cute. Do you think he has a girlfriend?"

Ebony: "...Ugh… And you wonder why people think I'm the older sister…"

Ivory: "Yeah, why do people think you're the older sibling? You're only older by… what… a minute?"

Ebony: "You are missing the point, Ivory…"

Ivory: "Oh oh! Mom! How about telling Dolly a story?"

Agatha: "...And why should I entertain that idea? You know I'm not exactly on good terms with that thing."

Tails Doll: "And I do not care for your face, but you do not see me complaining."

Agatha lit the tip of her finger on fire as a threat to burning the cloth doll if it ever talked back again. That is until Ivory splashed water on both of them.

Agatha: "IVORY! Have you gone mad, young lady!?"

Ivory: "No~ I just thought you were being too hot to handle~"

The cat witch just glared at her alchemist prodigy before igniting herself on fire to dry herself quickly. She then telepathically dragged a chair closer to her as she sat down.

Agatha: "Fine… What story do you kids want to hear?"

Ebony: "Well… I am curious how you know that weird rabbit girl."

Agatha: "Carrotia, as she calls herself? Ah yes, you two were around when I called her one of my 'better students'. I suppose that does warrant context…"

Ivory picks up the Tails Doll, holding it in her arms as she smiles and listens intently.

Agatha: "Alright. This all starts back to when those three were still much younger. Carrotia's real name is 'Bonnibel', hence the nickname 'Bonny'. She and her two friends were mind controlled to serve a witch who… dare I say, acted as my self-proclaimed rival? Her words, not mine. Wendy Witchcart, scourge of Dark Castle and a witch with a strange fascination with minecarts… Anyway, I was still a traveler of sorts at this time, though I was still looking for a place to settle down at. That's when I discovered Pito Island, though unfortunately, I was not the only one…"

Flashing back to years ago, Agatha, who looks much the same as she does in the present with her loose purple robes, arrives on an island after traveling from place to place looking for a place to settle down. The island in question is a fairly unremarkable island called 'Pito', meaning 'whistle' due to the soft whistling the sea breeze brings. She looks around, seeing unusual chunks of crystal in certain places.

Agatha: "...This place must be either a popular mining island or something…"

As she says this, the ground starts to shake as her ears perk up at the sound of wheels on a track. Looking around, she does find, indeed, a track, almost giving her assessment some validation. But she then hears the sound of an old witch laugh as the sound of wheels got louder and closer. There is a screeching halt as a minecart comes to a stop. A witch in a black cloak hops out of her minecart, appearing as an old hag with a basic crystal wand.

Witch: "This is my island, I say with my face turned blue. Now answer me this, who are you!?"

Agatha: "...Um… Sorry? I didn't think anyone lived on this island. This place seemed pretty barren."

Witch: "Barren, you say? Well explain, I shall not delay! This island was full of life, full of heart. That is until I came, Wendy Witchcart! Evil and wicked I be all. With this selfish wand, I turned everyone into a crystal!"

Hearing that, Agatha checks the nearest crystal, peering in the glass to see, indeed, a frozen Mobian, frozen in a state of shock and fear.

Agatha: "So these crystals are people?"

Wendy lets out a cackle as she answers.

Wendy: "Yes, indeed! And with each crystal, my magic feed! To a crystal prison you go, for no one will ever know!"

The witch fires a crystalizing beam from her wand, but Agatha easily reflect it by levitating sand and burning it in front of her to create a glass mirror, which deflects the beam into the sky.

Agatha: "Sorry, but I'm not impressed. This crystal is quite strong, meaning that breaking that wand of your's is my only way of saving these people."

Wendy: "Wh-What!? How can my magic fail!? What sort of trickery do you trail!?"

Agatha: "Oh yes, I never introduced myself… I am Agatha… And I am of the arcane."

Agatha then sends a slash of fire at Wendy from a quick wave of her finger, forcing the witch to hide behind another crystal sculpture as she growls.

Wendy: "This humiliation, I will not leave alone! My minions will punish until you atone!"

With a wave of her wand, Wendy calls forth three Mobians who were fairly young - a wolf, a bear, and a rabbit. Each one rode a vehicle designed specifically for them. The bunny, riding a carrot plane, tosses explosive carrots while the bear, riding a missile, fires off a series of bombs, covering the entire area with explosions. Agatha slams her hand to the ground, creating a dome barrier of soil and grass to protect herself with. But then the wolf drives with a yellow motorbike, laying down mines as he drives by, causing Agatha to explode out of her hiding spot.

Agatha: "Huh… For a bunch of brats, this group may be tougher than I thought. But it'll take more than some silly explosions to beat me."

Agatha states as she stands back up. But Wendy cackles to herself as she was preparing her next spell.

Wendy: "Thankfully these idiot trio can stall, for now… you'll be added to my collection of crystal!"

Wendy fires off her crystal beam from her wand, hitting Agatha from behind and freezing the cat in a large crystal. With a laugh, the witch approaches the crystal to gaze at Agatha's surprised look.

Wendy: "Hahaha! Your surprised look fills me with glee, like a trapped and frightened little bee! But I mustn't celebrate and prattle, for I have much to plan at the castle! My pretties, go forth and cause more mayhem! For the world, I will crystalize them!"

Wendy cackles louder as she hops into her minecart, riding off back to her castle, leaving the frozen cat to her fate.

Back in the present…

Ivory: "What? No way! You didn't get frozen! You're sitting right here!"

Agatha: "Oh? And how do you know I didn't get frozen?"

Ivory: "Because… I just said you're right here!"

Agatha: "Yes… But I could also be… a ghost!"

Agatha makes a phantom version of herself appear behind her, trying to scare her kids. It works on Ivory, who hides in a nearby cabinet, but Ebony was less impressed.

Ebony: "...But she is right. How'd you get out of that sticky situation as a crystal sculpture."

Agatha: "Fine, fine. I shan't keep you in suspense."

Agatha then turns her phantom into a near identical copy of herself, made of soil and dirt.

Agatha: "Geomancy. One of my many talents; when I made my barrier, I made a clone of me made of dirt and grass to act in my stead, using puppetry to command it while the real me hid as the earth itself."

Ebony: "Wow… That's… actually quite a talent."

Agatha: "That's many years of learning magic at play."

As Agatha says, the real Agatha comes out of the ground like a zombie, dusting the dirt off her clothes and fur as she climbed out.

Agatha: "I can only stay buried for so long before my lungs start to really demand air… That witch really loves to stall with her dumb rhymes… Ugh… I hope I don't start rhyming when I'm old and cranky…"

Voice: "Goodness, youngling, you sure gave that witch the slip. Such creativity deserves its own rewards."

Agatha's ears stand on end at hearing the voice before turning to find a yellow furred fox lady wearing a kimono, holding a closed paper fan in one hand, while her distinct white tipped tail waved in the breeze. She was examining the recently made crystal sculpture.

Fox: "But between you and she, that witch is nothing but a jester to a true magician. So why hold back, youngling?"

Agatha: "...Funny. You calling me young is a stretch if you can sense the clear power difference. …I hold back because I value life, regardless of good or evil alliance. If I can avoiding my true power, I will, lest I fear I may lose control over myself…"

The fox shifts her eyes towards Agatha, opening the fan to hide her smile. As she approached, in a split second, Agatha dodges a tail coming out of the ground aiming to "punch" her from below. She looks back at the fox, whose tail had dug into the ground, implying this fox isn't what she appears to be.

Fox: "Forgive us for that display. Miss. We wanted to see if you were as you claim. And you certainly have senses that have been trained from years of dedicated meditation and mental torment. For that, we would request you bring us along to help these these poor people."

Agatha: "...I'm not against accepting help. But would you be willing to divulge your name?"

Fox: "Tammy. Tammy the Fox."

Agatha: "Nice to meet you, Tammy. I'm Agatha."

Tammy: "Ahuhuhu~ A beautiful name for a beautiful cat~ Maybe with us, we can defeat that brat~"

Agatha: "Ugh… Please don't rhyme… That witch's rhyming was bad enough, thanks…"

The fox simply giggles more before skipping ahead, joyfully spinning and dancing as Agatha followed.

Agatha's Thoughts: "To the normal person, this fox might seem like just a strange, but normal Mobian. But with her tail attack just now, it all confirms what I'm seeing; seven tails, hidden to all but those trained to sense aura… Seven tails of an ancient fox spirit… But who? And why?"

To be continued…