It’s a dark and stormy night. Seven ponies have gathered in a room lit by a single candle, Kitzu, the central figure, waits.
“Well, get on with it.” Kitzu prompted from her chair. Fluttershy was sitting opposite, Luna waited to the left, Twilight, and spike to the right while Starlight Glimmer stood near the rooms only source of light which was positioned some distance behind Kitzu. Smith and Pudding waited nearby.
“Um, Kitzu there is something I should tell you first.” Fluttershy’s voice sounded a bit rough.
“You’re in bat mode. - Don’t worry, I won’t be afraid, or startled, or anything.” Kitzu offered.
“Did you tell her?” Fluttershy asked Twilight.
“I… I guess I might have.” Twilight offered. Twilight knew full well she hadn't, but could not rule out the possibility She might have told Kitzu when she was younger. Which wasn't going to happen for some time yet.
“Was that supposed to be a secret? The whole town knew about it.” Glimmer prompted.
“Every pony thinks she’s cured.” Twilight offered. “No pony knows that she’ll turn back simply by drinking a glass of cider. - The alcoholic kind.”
“Can we get on with it?” Kitzu protested. “I’d like this bandage over my eyes off if that’s alright.”
“Kitzu, don’t be short.” Luna scolded in a quiet kind voice.
"I can't help it if I'm vertically challenged." Kitzu protested.
“Alright, all right, hold your kittens.” Fluttershy offered. “I wanted it dark so there wouldn't be a shock to your eyes, and my transformation makes it possible for me to see in the dark.”
“I thought bats were blind?” Kitzu asked.
“Only in bright sunlight, or total absence of light. - Just like fox ponies.” Fluttershy corrected as she began to undo the wrappings around Kitzu’s head. “Bat ponies aren’t much different from yourself. What makes bats, and bat ponies special from most other mammalians is their ability to use echolocation.”
“Oh, OK… kind of like my geomagnetic sense.”
“Yes, I suppose. I don’t really know much about it.” Fluttershy admitted.
“It’s an ability we fox ponies inherited from our fox ancestors.” Smith offered.
“Well, let's see what those eyes look like.” Fluttershy offered as she removed the last of the gauze covering Kitzu’s eyes. “So how do I look?”
“Beautiful.” Kitzu offered, looked about, excitedly, got up, trotted over to Luna, gave her a hug, said mom I can see again as she scanned for Twilight. Finding her, Kitzu went straight to her and gave her a hug. She then gave Fluttershy a hug, and went in search of the other ponies, but found they were too close to the only light source. “Um, I think it might be OK for a little more light, preferably defused.”
“We wanted you to be able to be slowly readjusted to the light.” Twilight offered.
“I’m OK, it’s just that with a single candle, I can’t see anything when looking in the direction of the candle.”
“Perhaps we could light a few lamps?” Glimmer suggested just as Luna used her magic to open the drapery to let in the moonlight.
“Way more better.” Kitzu proclaimed prancing about the room delighted she could now move about without having to take time to use her other senses to determine her whereabouts. “Oh, hallway!” And with that, she dashed out of the room and could be heard racing back and forth.
“Kitzu, we need to wash your mane, it’s a mess,” Twilight called following after her.
“I’ll help.” Pudding offered following after.
“Any idea why she’d be avoiding Princess Celestia?” Glimmer asked Luna. There was a certain amount of familiarity owing to Luna’s frequent visits. It was the first time Glimmer had an opportunity to ask.
“Who…?” Luna prompted.
“Kitzu, or Kitzumi as Twilight sometimes calls her.” Smith offered. “Princess Celestia was here earlier owing it seems to Sunset Shimmer’s presence. Princess Celestia decided that she wanted to meet Kitzu, and Kitzu just seemed to always either be somewhere else or just left any time we got close. I suspect Miss Kitzu is using fox magic as well.”
“Nerves I guess.” Luna offered. “She just seems to be intimidated by my sister. - At least I hope that’s all it is.” Luna couldn't help but wonder if Day Breaker had anything to do with Kitzu’s apprehensions concerning Celestia.
“It couldn't possibly be something you’ve said to her, perhaps when she was younger?” Starlight Glimmer prompted.
“Kind of wish I knew,” Luna responded wondering what the Luna Kitzu remembered had said to her. Was Kitzu under orders to ovoid Celestia, or was it something else? Had Celestia done something to make Kitzu want to avoid her?
“Who was she calling mom just now?” Starlight Glimmer asked.
“Maybe that’s a subject we shouldn't breach?” Smith whispered to Glimmer.
“True, after all, the fillies mother might be dead, and she was talking to her spirit… Why not admit it though? Inconsistencies like that just bug me.” Glimmer offered as she pondered the question. Nor was it the first time she'd heard Kitzu call either Twilight or Luna mom. Indeed Luna was most often addressed as Moona or muma, which Glimmer surmised could be a variation of mom. Perhaps Luna and mom combined?
“Well, she’s not mine.” Smith quipped.
“Maybe not, but I did give you two this assignment for a reason.” Luna offered with a smile. “And not just because you are both fox ponies.”
“Am I that obvious – wait, you mean it’s mutual?” Smith cast a glance at Pudding who looked quite flushed.
“That would leave either Twilight or Princess Luna.” Glimmer mused ignoring the diversion. “Being Twilight’s filly doesn’t really make much sense as there’s no way she could have hid the pregnancy from an entire community that is prone to gossip short of her having had a foal prior to coming to Ponyville. Granted Kitzu has rather taken to her, but she’s also rather fond of you, Princess Luna.” Could Celestia have orchestrated something to cover a pregnancy Glimmer wonder, but then dismissed the idea. No, this had Luna deeply mixed up with it, and Celestia seemed to know very little about Kitzu, plus the fact that Kitzu actively avoided Celestia every time she came to visit.
“I imagine you find it all rather perplexing.” Luna offered just as the sound of something breaking could be heard out in the hallway. Her ears perked up. “One moment.”
“That’s not a denial.” Glimmer stated as Luna headed for the door.
“Maybe you shouldn't pry.” Smith cautioned as Luna stepped out of the room. Glimmer followed with the Lieutenant following after her.
“Wasn’t me, Pudding knocked it over,” Kitzu called from the ceiling of the hallway. Kitzu was presently hanging upside down, hooves firmly fixed.
“Young filly, don’t make me come up there after you!” Twilight called. Miss Pudding was perched halfway up the wall above a stand where a lamp had been, and Fluttershy was on the opposite side of the hallway.
“But I don’t want a bath!” Kitzu called back. Kitzu’s mane was a mess. Owing to the need to keep the padding over her eyes dry, Kitzu had gone over a week without a proper bath.
“Oh for...” Luna said sounding a bit put out by the situation. “KI-TZU-MI – NIGHT-FOAL! GET DOWN FROM THERE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!” The effect of Luna’s royal Canterlot voice was immediate in that it caused Kitzu’s hooves to become unstuck along with Miss Pudding. Poor Fluttershy cringed on the spot. Twilight managed to catch Kitzu with a levitation spell, and Miss Pudding was left to her own devices, twisting, momentarily alighting on the small stand, stepping down, and knocking it over in the process.
“What was that? What’s going on out here?!” Scootaloo called poking her head out from a doorway a short way down the hall. A little further down Spike could be seen in a gray flannel nightgown with matching cap while holding a candle to light the dark hall. Kitzu could be seen hanging in mid-air with her feet straight up.
“Nothing to see here, go back to sleep.” Glimmer told Scootaloo.
“Why’s Kitzu upside down in mid-air?” Scootaloo asked suspiciously. Kitzu’s eyes were fully dilated, and she’d a frantic look despite having wings and legs tucked. Her tail swished back and forth.
“Bath time,” Twilight informed.
“Run Scootaloo, it’s too late for me,” Kitzu called as Twilight marched down the hall with Kitzu – who remained upside down until she was plunged into a tub.
“Just out of curiosity...” Glimmer began looking at Miss Pudding. “How’d you climb up that wall like that?”
“It’s a trait of fox ponies.” Luna offered as she followed after Twilight and Kitzu. “We can stick to most surfaces, and are really good assassins too.”
“Nothing, just Kitzu trying to avoid getting a bath,” Scootaloo announced to the occupant of the room she’d come out of, turns, and heads back in.