At the bottom of the pit, Bathilda had managed to scale a small section of the wall after much trial and effort. It was there that she hung, her tail wrapped around a loose root branching out from the wall, contemplating her current situation.

So, I'm a bat... that has a tail? Stupid Florence. She actually called me Bat as well. Although seeing it written out in front of me puts it in a different perspective.

The notifications that appeared after Bathilda had managed to (Chomp) the giant snake to death had not yet disappeared yet. She looked over to the corpse of the predator which had followed her down the pit to its own death.

Idiot.

Bathilda couldn't bring herself to feel sorry for the creature. She had always hated creepy crawlies and anything that wriggled. Now that they were apparently bigger than she was, her fear had also found itself multiplied.

What was the point in telling me about elves and dwarves if I wasn't actually going to reincarnate as one of those species. If they would have said "You will either be a dung beetle or a bat," then the choice I would have made might have been different. Wouldn't it?

Silence was the answer at the bottom of the pit.

Probably not. I'd still want to help people if I can. But, did they really have to dangle a carrot with pointy ears in front of my face to influence my decision? I doubt it, but I do prefer the elven characters.

Maybe they just wanted me to die again?

No, Florence wouldn't have bothered coming to talk me a second time if that was the case. Even though she was less helpful than the first time we met.

Still, why am I a bat? I could have been anything! Why aren't I a giant snake?

Bathilda shivered at the thought.

Why am I now the same species that children made nicknames about and teased me over when I was younger? Plus, how am I supposed to help people looking like this?

With more questions than answers, Bathilda finally brought her attention back to the two options waiting for her decision.

Wingtail Bat: The adult form and final evolution of the Baby Wingtail

These bats are usually found in colonies and hunt together in large groups. Together they can become a formidable presence, but alone they are considered weak. Wingtail Bats are able to eat more than their body weight in food and general survive on a diet of insects and small rodents. Because of their size, they hunt on a daily basis. Wingtail Bats gather in dark places and have an extremely-short life span.

Well that was poor.

Poisonous Bat: An off-branch mutation of the Baby Wingtail that has its own evolution path

Not much bigger than a Baby Wingtail, these small predators can deliver a swift dose of concentrated venom with each bite. However, due to characteristics of the geneology, they are not immune to their own poison. Stealthy by nature, these bats hunt, live and survive alone.

Are you serious? Those are my choices?

With no options apart from a limited life span and the ability to poison herself, Bathilda let out a long sigh. She then steeled herself as she chose the evolution that was least likely to be her end in the very near future.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

It wasn't that she didn't take the time to consider everything she had read. It was just that her choice was obvious.

The Wingtail Bag would make her taller, but it had an extremely-short life span. Therefore the choice wasn't really a choice at all.

Evolution Confirmed: You will be unable to move for five minutes. Do you wish to proceed...

Oh. Was that an actual question? It gives off a pre-programmed feeling, but it also feels nice to not be alone for a second. Hmm, immobile while evolving? I'm probably safer up here than down there. Not that I know what will happen when I evolve, but I should be fine here. Hopefully.

Strengthening her grip on the root she was hanging from, Bathilda made her decision and closed her eyes. Imagining the cutest bat that she could think up, Bathilda took a deep breath and waited for the mysticsl transformation to begin.

Awkwardly, the reincarnated nurse failed to take into consideration that she only possessed a tail due to the race of her species. With her biology changing from Wingtail to Poison, the extra appendage that she was currently suspended from began to shrink as it receded back inside her body with a quick thump.

Feeling as though she had just been slapped from behind, Bathilda somehow cast (Echolocation). Even though she was supposed to be unable to move due to her evolution, that didn't seem to apply to her skills.

What the hell happened to my tail? Oh.

Thanks to (Echolocation), Bathilda was able to discern what had happened, right as she lost her grip and began to free fall. Unable to move due to her evolution, she was unable to react and crashed down in to the floor for a second time that day.

Temporarily stunned at her own stupidity, Bathilda was left with a mouthful of dirt and mentally cursed the tail that had disappeared until her evolution finally ended.

Regaining control of her body, Bathilda spat out the mouthful of dirt and shook herself off. Faceplanting the floor was best forgotten.

At least nobody saw that. And I didn't die.

Having grown slightly accustomed to viewing life through an Xray, Bathilda was able to take a good look at the changes to her body now that she wasn't cascading to the ground. She was also able to feel the differences too.

Bathilda's body had become lighter and was now less plump on the lower half as she was prior to her evolution. Her mouth had an odd tingling sensation to it. She guessed that was due to either the new self-poisoning teeth she now possessed or the fact that her face was still stinging from her little mishap. Either could have been the case, but time would tell.

Although she was pretty sure it was her teeth.

Better not bite my tongue.

Other than the fact that she was missing a tail, there were no other major differences to her previous form. Her height hadn't changed much and her body had lost a few pounds, but that was it. If the colour of her fur had changed, Bathilda had no way to tell. (Echolocation) only worked in black and white.

What a load of crap. What really changed other than the fact that I can now poison myself?

Letting out a sigh, Bathilda wondered how many evolutions the millisnake had gone through to reach such a gigantic size. Once more she realised just how lucky she was.

OK. If that snake can do it, then so can I. I'll get bigger and stronger, just like that monster did.

Psyching herself up, Bathilda was still determined to help people at any cost. To do that, however, she was going to have to work out how to escape the pit that she had fell in.

Another quick scan with (Echolocation) placed Bathilda in a room similar to the first one she had first arrived in. Two tunnels lead out of the slightly larger room in different directions. The only difference between her new location and the first room were the dead millisnake and the third exit above her.

Although the first room might have been the same. I couldn't see the roof back then either.

With thoughts of much larger bugs being hidden away further underground, Bathilda decided to test a new skill.

(Fly).

Bats were known to be excellent flyers. With a bit of practice, Bathilda was hoping to achieve the same feat. Not to mention that everyone wished they could fly at some point in their life. Now, Bathilda actually had a chance to live the dream.

With that in mind, Bathilda spread her wings -which she still thought of as arms, before pushing down with as much force as she could muster. At the same time, using her feet to catapult herself up into the air, Bathilda furiously began flapping her wings trying her best to garner stability.

Slowly, she began to manoeuvre herself to the left, before shakily moving back to the right. After a minute of unsteady -but successful, flight, Bathilda landed back on the ground next to the monster's corpse to let her shaking body rest.

The shakes weren't due to the fear she felt before as she fled for her life, instead they were a product of pure adrenaline rushing through her system. Jubilation swept over her as she had just literally been flying.

I can fly!

Bathilda beamed before jumping back into the air, flapping her wings she headed up the pit she had fallen down and levelled up her (Fly) skill on the way.