Soaring down the familiar tunnel towards the Brat's, Bathilda is full of confidence after her most recent evolution.

'Are you ready, Hiro?' she asks the voice in her head.

Yes. Although I doubt I will be much help. There isn't much I can do without a body.

'Of course there is,' Bathilda beams to her new accomplice. 'You will be my second pair of eyes. All you have to do is watch my back. Easy enough, right?'

Oh. In that case, I will do my best

Happy for the help that she hopes she won't need, Bathilda shoots out of the Brat's side of the tunnel. Her first opponent is not far from the exit yet it hasn't noticed her arrival. Confused, but grateful nonetheless, the distance between Bathilda and her enemy shrinks to almost nothing before she is noticed. Unfortunately for the Brat, it can only shriek in desperation before a Wing Blade bisects it mid cry.

With the silent room filling up with noise before stopping, leaving a bone chilling echo, Bathilda eyes widen at the luscious liquid pooling from the headless body and all sane thoughts leave her completely. Unnoticed is the her level up notification and even Hiro, shouting away inside her head is ignored due to Bathilda's newest desire.

Like a savage, Bathilda dives on the lifeless husk of the still larger enemy and sinks her fangs deep into its warm flesh. Without knowing why, or what to do, she is already draining fresh blood from her enemy before it all goes to waste. A white noise is all Bathilda hears, she now has a one track mind and greedily slurps her way through her meal.

All of a sudden, the blood she is drinking mid-process turns from delightful heaven to sinful Ash, causing Bathilda to gag at the disgusting taste present in her mouth.

Bathilda!

'Cough*... What?' in a haze, Bathilda answers Hiro as though she has just woken up from the worst hangover she has ever felt.

Fly now! Fly!

'Don't shout. What do yo...' she begins, but is abruptly cut off but the hitchhiking leech.

Fly now or we'll die! Fly!!

Hearing about death again is enough to wake Bathilda from her intoxicated stupor. Without looking around she jumps high into the air, pushing down hard with her wings at the same time, putting distance between herself and the incoming threat.

As she reaches the roof, Bathilda is once again made the recipient of some harsh words.

What in the fucking hell was that?

Knowing full well what Hiro is talking about, but not wanting to admit it, Bathilda tries to dodge the question acting as though she is clueless.

'What was what?' she responds playing dumb.

Don't you dare 'what' was 'what' me! You know damn well what I mean. I understand you need to drink blood now due to your species but I didn't expect you to turn feral.

'I didn't turn feral!' she snaps back. Insulted at the insinuation.

Why didn't you answer me then?

'I was...'

Feral?

'No, I was...'

Obsessed?

'No! I was...'

Zoned in?

'Yeah, that's right. I was zoned in.

Bull Shit! The blood took a hold of you and you know it. What's going to happen if you kill another Brat?

'...' unable to give Hiro an answer, as she has no idea what will happen until it happens, Bathilda looks down at the four remaining rodents beneath her. Just in time as well as a rock sails past her head hitting the roof. On impact the well thrown projectile causes small pieces of dirt and stone to rain down from above. Quickly performing evasive manoeuvres, Bathilda barrels out of the path of the incoming ceiling. Not only does she have to avoid the shower from above her but also the multiple rocks that the Brat's are now launching from below.

Little bastards!

Her accomplice voices the thoughts running through Bathilda's mind.

'Little stone-chucking bastards is more like it,' she corrects while rolling out of the way of an oncoming stone. Thinking of her next choice of action, Bathilda glides down to the floor at a 90 degree angle creating space between herself and the Brat pack. As they see their mortal enemy land a short distance away from them, all four remaining rodents drop down and begin to charge her.

Bathilda steels her nerves again, as a raining dirt roof was not what she had expected, and once more commits to her earlier plan. Now knowing she has the speed to evade falling rocks and free thrown projectiles her confidence has been boosted.

The Brat's spread out on their approach, unluckily for Bathilda, if they were lined up a single blade would have been all it would take. As the first of her targets close the distance, it reaches almost 20 feet away from her before Bathilda slices the air with her wing. The magical crescent of air is swept low as it's released. Flying forward with fantastic speed, it severs all four of the Brat's limbs as it is just about to jump at her. An agonising shriek is released from the downed rodent, the pain of having all four appendages taken off in a single blow is excruciating and it is making sure everyone knows. Another batch of fresh blood begins to gather underneath the horrible creature where it has collapsed.

The remaining three Brat's, showing a form of intelligence, have started to circle Bathilda instead of charging her like the first. Fortunately for Bathilda that was exactly what she needed at that exact moment, a slight reprieve. Struggling to maintain sanity, her thought process is breaking down once again at the sight and smell of the deliciously vibrant liquid on the floor.

As the Brat's slowly circle their unmoving target, they begin to close the gap and close in on her.

Bathilda!

Bathilda!

'It's... just... so... beautiful,' losing herself to a trance, Bathilda doesn't even check her enemies before darting forward towards the suffering Brat. Slamming hard into her new meal, she sinks her fangs in and for the second time today Bathilda revels in the sweet nectar of life.