"What the hell, Bathilda?"

I am so sorry, Hiro. I didn't mean too. I was just... Trying to get through the entrance.

Weakly defending herself after knocking her companion to his death, Bathilda felt terrible.

"That was the worst feeling I have ever experienced. It feels like it's still going on."

They're probably still at it to be honest.

Bathilda didn't think about what she was saying until the words were out, but by then it was too late to take back the sentence Hiro wished he hadn't heard.

"Not helping, Bathilda!"

Sorry. It was just crazy how it happened. They're quite easy to take down from some distance, but when they swarm you in a large group like that. They're much more dangerous, huh?

"Dangerous? That's an understatement if I've ever heard one. Murderous, little bastards is what I would have gone with. But let's stop talking about it please. I... I need some time to reflect on what just happened."

Now that Bathilda knew her hitchhiker was back from grave, she was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Leaving Hiro to his own devices as requested, she snuggled into the cave wall and brought up her status.

Name: Bathilda

Race: Blood Sucking Bat

Class: None

Title: Rodent Slaughterer

Level: 25

XP needed until next Level: MAX

HP: 254/254

MP: 214/214

Skill Points Available

Evolution Available

Well, damn. I wasn't exactly aiming to level up off the Bart stampede, especially after my leveling had slowed. Not that I'm going to complain. I wonder how many of them I killed?

Not that it's important in any way. Stupid rats. Whatever, I'll deal with my skill points later, first up are my evolutions.

Bringing up her evolution list, Bathilda saw that the same three options as last time were still available to choose. At the bottom of her list, however, was a new addition. One that made Bathilda's heart jump and it was all thanks to the Blood Sucking Bat species reaching max level.

Vampire Bat: A specialised path that branches off from the Blood Sucking Bat. Evolution options are limited.

Has limited evolution options.

A rare monster that can replenish not only its health and mana from the blood of its victims, but is capable of stealing XP and skills too. As long as these predators are not inflicted with a life threatening injury or killed on sight, they are able to make a full recovery from the blood of a single victim.

Limited options? Still, it sounds pretty good and I suppose limited evolutions are better than final evolutions and The Creeper. I still can't believe that option is a thing. Anyway, here we go.

Please work out the way I want you too. Please work out the way I want you too. Please work out the way I want you too.

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Chanting away and crossing her claws, Bathilda confirmed her choice. As the evolution began, she relaxed her body and dropped into an comatosed sleep against the wall of her base. As her eyes shut, she could still hear Hiro mumbling in complaint about her not making the entrance wider before she confirmed her choice, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Nothing but to enjoy the well deserved rest that evolution was providing.

That and hope like hell she wouldn't be too big for her base once she was finished.

Stupid Hiro, making me worry.

Bathilda thought that being a nurse had been a strenuous job. Had it been rewarding? Without a doubt. Every night she went home drained, but happy. Was it hard as hell? Without a doubt. The mental fortitude needed to endure such a career choice was dwindling with every passing generation.

She would have never compared her employment to something so different as gaining levels and evolving as a monster. It wasn't as though the two shared any similarities at all. Yet as she laid there, in her unconscious changing state, Bathilda thought about how her new life could very well be considered more strenuous than her past.

She had almost starved to death before feasting on Brat juice, refusing to feast from the repulsive creatures she had encountered. Not that the idea of such held any appeal to her until after she had evolved in to a blood sucker.

She had almost become dinner to the ridiculously-large Milisnake, not to mention the fall they had both partaken, and had fought one to many losing battles before running away.

Fortunately, Bathilda wasn't dead yet. She held on to the hope that one day she would be able to help the people living in this world. Once she found them that was. And after she had escaped the stupid labyrinth, of course.

With those thoughts in mind, Bathilda enjoyed the peace until she eventually regained control of her body. The period of down time between evolutions was increasing, not that she minded. It was the only time Bathilda got to relax and self reflect.

Hiro, how do I look?

Still holding hope tight in her core, Bathilda asked her hitchhiking travel buddy to break the news about her appearance. Praying her choices had led her down the right path, Bathilda was hesitant to cast (Echolocation+).

"Still like a Bat. Except this time, you're even scarier."

Not receiving the news she wanted, Bathilda sat up to check herself out.

Shit. Shit. Shitty. Shit. Shit. Shit. I thought for sure that I would be closer to the ones you see in the movies. Then again, I look like a straight up horror story.

Dejected that life was unwilling to let her change, Bathilda sighed before laying back down.

"What are... Moveys?"

Without much enthusiasm, Bathilda explained to Hiro how motion pictures worked. She explained television, streaming services and even explained how they had managed to change society.

"You had moving pictures in your world! That sounds amazing!"

I suppose they were entertaining. The problem was that they could implant ideas in to your mind to make you more suggestive. Take my evolution for example, I was half expecting to come out like a dazzling vampire. I was always on team Edward after all. But because I thought like that, I was foolish. Instead, this world has shit on me once again. It really seems to hate me. I mean, my appearance makes me look like I'm on team Jacob for God's sake.

"That sounds... What?"

I've had it, Hiro. With this shitty place. The horrible rats. This stupid Bat thing and these crappy evolutions. I'm done.

Rolling over, Bathilda gave up on her hope and refused to move again until she eventually fell asleep. As dreams carried her away, clouds became her companions and Bathilda flew through the open sky. A far cry from the cramped cave tunnels she was used to traversing.

Bathilda could see a great amount of sights from the open sky. As she flew forward on the breeze, she took in the wonders her new world had to offer her in awe. It wasn't until she tried to alter her direction and a human hand rose up in front of her, did Bathilda's heart skip a beat.

She was no longer a bat.

The hand was attached to an arm, that was attached to a body, and as Bathilda gazed down at the legs dangling below her. She didn't register the distance between herself and the ground, nor did she question how she was flting without wings.

Instead, a smile spread across her lips. She felt the muscles contract and smiled harder after noticing the little, button nose on the front of her face. She was beaming as a single tear rolled down her cheek, tickling her skin with its soft touch.

As an instant reaction, Bathilda brought her hand up to wipe the tear away, but she stopped short. Staring at the hand once again, more tears begin to fall as she wiggled her fingers and giggled to herself. She hugged her body and felt blessed by the soft caressing touch of her own skin as she cried joyously.

Her fingers drifted through the clouds as they led Bathilda to a city she had never seen before. It was encased in a large, circular wall and the entire city was still and calm. Almost every building was built from the same grey-stone and they all had magnificent carvings engraved on them.

As she reveled in delight, Bathilda heard screams coming from the city below. Her core values would never let anyone in need go unaided and she set off with incredible speed. Flying past the beautifully-engraved, grey buildings, Bathilda managed to reach the source of the noise.

To her surprise, an Ogre was part way there to throwing a screaming child into its exceptionally large mouth.

Knowing what was about to happen, Bathilda shot forward without hesitation.

"No!"