At long last,( or at least since I posted this story) the origin of the WILDB.R.A.T.S! Who is Nightstalker? How did they get their amazing powers? How did they get their name? What the hell does that name mean? All will be answered here! Chap. 7

Storytime

"This has got to be the sweetest ride I've ever seen!" gaped Cyborg as the BRATS' car sped through the city streets. "How did you ever get the interior like this?" Indeed the inside of the car was more impressive then the outside. The seats had been taken from a stretch limo and rearranged so that they fit along the side and opened into the outer doors. In the center of the car, there was a computer layout that could be accessed from any point in the back. The front seats were separated by a wall with a retractable window that was made of bullet proof glass. "Lots of work and searching through junkyards." said Nightstalker as he leaned over from the front passenger seat. "What?" he asked a second later, when he noticed that everyone was staring at him with some slight fear. "Um, who's driving the rocket-car?" asked Cy. "I am." said Bartman, as he made a sharp left. "A ten year old's driving this thing?!" said Raven in disbelief. "Don't worry." explained Heatstrike. "He always drives." "When I built this thing, I made the controls so simple, that even Greenie could drive it safely." said Nightstalker. "Hey!" yelled Beast Boy. "You know, maybe you explain to the guys how you did that." said Neuron suddenly. "We did promise them an explanation and all." "Good point." Agreed his armored companion. Turning to the Titans, he said, "So which story would you like first- the info we have, or the exciting origin of the WILDB.R.A.T.S?" Robin opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Star answered, "I would be most interested in your origin, since it would the polite answer to your question." "Okay then." said Nightstalker

"Before I met the guys, I was mostly on the road. I've never really had the traditional family. Maybe its because of all the stuff I've managed to get over the years. Anyway, one piece of my collection was something I got from a weird old dude in a little shop in Chinatown. I thought it was just a book, but it was more. It was a tome of hundreds of ancient spells. The first one I figured out turned out to be a time-travel spell, that sent the user 1000 years in the future." "So that's how you got to the thirtieth century." said Robin. "Yep. Anyway, after I figured out where I was, and a return spell, I decided to use the resources at my disposal. I spent months learning about the technology and devices of that time, eventually returning to the exact moment that I had left in this time. I kept traveling though, and that brought me to Springfield."

Nightstalker paused then, and shook his head in brief amusement. "I tell you man, Springfield is unlike any other town on the planet. The populace are the laziest people in the world, and with respect to the guys, possibly the dumbest. But I liked it anyway. It has its charms if you're willing to dig. Anyway, that's where I met Bart and the guys. After some time, Bart tried to get family to let me stay with them. His mom took some time to think about it, but once I brought his dad a six-pack, he thought I was the son he'd never had. A few weeks passed, and then one day things got interesting. The nuclear plant was going through meltdown for the 60th time in history, but this time, they didn't know if they could stop it. Thanks to my trip through time, I knew enough to repair any kind of damage but there was one other problem. The news eventually said that a rat had been infected by the radiation and became a monster. I knew I couldn't take him down myself, so I told the guys everything. Having been through the hard world of fourth grade, they believed every word. Then of course there was the question of what to do. Then I remembered that I had taken some special morphing technology for the future. It allowed the user to acquire powers that best fit his personality and attributes. I quickly adapted them into six Crackerjax rings (I always thought that the whole Green Lantern thing was cool) and with that we became the kick-ass heroes you see now. We went out, beat the crap of the rat and fixed the plant. After that, Milhouse came up with a name for us- WILD Bullying Rowdy Adolescent Team. And that is how it all happened."

Nightstalker finished and looked at the Titans, waiting for their reaction. Starfire was the first to speak. "A most impressive story, but tell me, why did you not return to your journey of pointless wandering?" "Simple. I'd just given five kids technology from the far-flung future. No way in hell I was gonna leave them alone with it." "They couldn't have been that bad, if you gave it to them in the first place." said Beast Boy. "Dude, I had to boost Ralph's intelligence because the first thing he ever said to me was 'My nose makes it's own bubble-gum.' and then he showed me." The Titans grimaced and Polar yelled, "Oh can't you ever tell another story?!" Before Nightstalker could answer, the car suddenly came to halt. "This the right spot?" asked Bartman. "I told the it was the docks." said Robin. "Why did you go to the cliffs?" "Well, that is your Tower out there isn't it?" replied Bartman. "No offense, but do you see any other giant Ts in the water?" said Raven. "Then we're fine." said Bartman, and with that, he began to back the car up. Then, when he was far enough, Bartman began to rev the car's engine. Suddenly, it dawned on the Titans what seemed to be going on. "Are you crazy?!" yelled Cyborg. "There's no way you can make the jump!" "Don't worry, we've done this before." said Nightstalker. Then, noticing that Raven's eyes had started to glow, he said, "I wouldn't do that Rae. If any outside force tampers with the car, it explodes in five seconds. The same happens if you break the windows." The empath's eyes quickly went back to normal, just as Bartman let go of the brake and sent the car over the edge, with five Titans screaming in the back.........

"You can open your eyes now." Heatstrike said a few minutes later. "And if you'd get off my lap, that be appreciated." Slowly, Beast Boy opened his eyes, expecting to see whatever is beyond this world. Instead, he saw the inside of the car, with the BRATS sitting calmly in their seats, while the other Titans had assumed various crash positions. "Why aren't we dead?" he asked. "Oh forgot to tell you." said Nightstalker. "I gave the car a hover conversion about a week after I built it." Beast Boy stuck his head out the window to see what he was talking about. Outside, he saw the car had sprouted wings, and the hood had streamlined to allow better flight. The tires had retracted to underneath the car, and were glowing white. "Was there a reason you didn't tell us the car could fly?!" snapped Cyborg as Beast Boy climbed back in. "It was more fun this way." replied Whimpernel, as the car soared on to Titans Tower and landed on the roof. The doors opened and the BRATS walked out, then watched as the Titans stumbled out. "So," asked Whimpernel after the Titans had gotten their legs back, "you guys have anything to eat?"

Minutes later, the BRATS were romping through the main room of Titans Tower, looking as thought they had finally made it to the big time. Still, they were kids, and as such were causing as much destruction as anything else. "No, not the Gamestation!" yelled Beast Boy in horror. "I wasn't gonna do anything to it." said Heatstrike as he put it down. The others headed for the fridge, only to reel back in horror at the blue, moldy food inside. "Dear God, do you people ever clean this thing?" yelled Neuron as he slammed it shut. "Tell me again how these guys saved us?" Robin said to Raven as the two of them watched from afar. Raven however, only gave them a glance, then said to Robin, "I still say this was a bad idea." Sighing Robin said, "Raven, you've got to trust somebody. And they did save us after all." "That could've been a trick. Look, maybe I am being paranoid, but I just get a really bad vibe off of Nightstalker. Besides don't you think that a kid stumbling onto all that stuff is little much?" Before Robin could respond, Bartman said, "Hey guys, we'd better shut down." "Huh?" asked Starfire. "Oh, sometimes the rings short if we stay in one gear too long." He explained. With that, he reversed the motion that had initiated his change. With a flash of purple, Bartman disappeared and Bart Simpson remained. One by one, the others reversed their changes, returning to normal. All that is, except Nighstalker. Fingering the ring on his hand, there seemed to be an air of weariness about him, as though he was about to start another age-old torment, that had somehow become a way of life. "Come on dude." Nelson urged. "They've seen weirder then you." The armored hero nodded and slowly re-did his process, the blue-black flame covering him again. "Ok now what was so... HOLY CRAP!" yelled Beats Boy as the flames parted.

The black haired ten year old boy was gone. In his place, stood a figure covered in black fur. His hands were tipped with black nails. Two fox-like ears stood form the tops of his head and his mouth jutted out slightly, revealing his pointed teeth. His shirtsleeves bulged, as though something was folded up there. He was even a foot taller. The sunglasses were still there, but he removed them, revealing red eyes with dark black pupils. This man-bat waited about three minutes, before saying in a deep melodic voice, "I'm not human. Get over it." "Uh sorry," said Robin, "but you kinda freaked us out there..." At this, the figure threw his head back and laughed in a warm and very human tone that calmed the others down a bit. "Dude, come on!" he said. "Aside from being the inspiration for the guy who trained you, you live with an alien, a cyborg, a green shape-shifter, and a half-demon and I freak you out?" "True but... half-demon?" Smiling, the figure pointed at Raven. "Doesn't make her evil or anything, but trust me, when you've dealt with demons for as long as I have, you never forget the stink. Most people don't even notice it, but if you know there to smell, its there." "Gee thanks Blaine." snapped Raven. "Not my name kid." "Then what is it?" asked Starfire, immensely curious. "I don't really have a name. But the guys call me Brett, so that'll work." "OK then Brett, the just tell me something." said Raven angrily. "How many years of demon experience do you have?" "Hmm. Let's see, carry the one, divided by half, times six.... 500 years next April." he answered. "But... how is that possible?" "Hey, you're the one who comes from Azarath. You tell me." "Wait a minute." said Cyborg. "You mean Azarath is a place? I always thought it was just some magic word you said." "It's both actually." replied Brett. "Azarath is a pocket dimension where great scholars escaped to hundreds of years ago after they became disillusioned with the violence on Earth." "How do you know that?" asked Raven. "Oh, I know a bit about all you guys. I always like to brush up on the people I'll be working with." "Wait, what do you mean brush up?" asked Robin.

"Time me." Brett said to Milhouse. Turning back to Robin, he began talking. "You were born in a traveling circus. Your parents were acrobats and when you were old enough, they trained you on the trapeze. You became a complete act and performed with them till you were 12. Then when the circus manager wouldn't pay off a underworld criminal, the crook cut the trapeze ropes, which snapped just as your parents were swinging each other to the platform. Very sorry to read that. Anyway, Batman took you in, trained you and eventually, you broke away to lead the Titans." Turning to Starfire, Brett continued. "You were born on Tammaran as the eldest princess, and as such heir to the throne. But when you were 14 you and sister were captured by space pirates, who sold you to genetic scientists. There, they managed to alter your natural ability to convert solar energy into flight into the power to fire starbolts. You and your sister kept your flight abilities and eventually escaped. Then you came to Earth. Cyborg, your father was a scientist who wanted to breach dimensional boundaries, but he went too far and created an explosion that destroyed most of your body. He rebuilt you with cybernetics. Beast Boy, your parents were scientists working in Africa trying to cure a rare disease. One day you were bitten by a green monkey and contracted the disease yourself. To save your parents tried an experimental formula made out of animal DNA. It worked, but you turned green and gained your powers. Raven.... I think I've told enough about you for now."

"Two and a half minutes." said Milhouse. "So did I miss anything?" asked Brett. But the Titans just stared. "What the hell gives you the right to look around in our past?" said Robin angrily. "Hey man, its common knowledge if you know where to look. Besides, all I looked up was how you got your powers, nothing else. Is that really so bad? I mean hell, they make whole comic books dedicated just to origins." Robin swallowed this for a minute, then said, "OK, but don't ever do it again." "Deal." agreed Brett. "Now, how about some info on a certain master criminal?"

And that's that! Hopefully, longtime Titans fans see the joke about origins in there.