Niles/History

This article presents an accurate history of the character Niles Styne.

Pre-Story
Note: This entire segment is revealed later in Short Histories.

Niles' mother Elsa was first made a Wererat by accident as a result of a botched execution performed by the Wellen Institute: Niles hypothesizes that the wrong serum was poured into the syringe and that it was RB-32 injected into Elsa instead. As a result, she shifted and killed everyone there, leaving the Institute abandoned and destroyed.

Fearing discovery and death for her sudden, terrifying ability, Elsa fled to Hamelin and met Niles' father. Together, they had Niles, and another child in secret.

Niles's parents ultimately disappear after a "man in colored smocks" appears in the town, ridding them of all Rats. Realizing this, Niles shifted for the first time and ran into the woods. He was later hit accidentally by a hunter's silver bullet and shifted back from the pain: much to his horror, twelve years or more had passed. He managed to stow away on a ship headed towards Magnolia and get treated for his injuries, where he began to fall for a slightly younger boy. However, the relationship didn't last.

Soon after this, Niles' shifts were becoming more unstable, harder to control, and harder to revert from. He was also developing a mysterious "voice" that seemed to know everything about him, and spoke to him during odd moments.

By the time Niles was twenty-two, the instability was at its worst, to the point of where he feared he wouldn't become human again after his next shift. He had only managed to secure small jobs to afford a room in a flophouse.

Yet another time after, Niles discovered he had bloodied teeth and shards of flesh in his mouth, in addition to being splattered in it. Realizing he had killed someone, Niles has a nervous breakdown. After the moment, he deduced he would only become more and more unstable and dangerous to others and fled to a nearby river to kill himself by drowning (Hamelin Rats can't swim).

Niles and Fiona
Niles is seen by Fiona sitting sadly by the riverbank, but recognizes her and warns her to stay away. Fiona asks him why, but Niles simply claims "she can't know" and leaps into the water to drown himself. Fiona's caring instincts kick in, and she winds up saving him. Niles has a panic attack again and for the first time, shifts of his own will as a means to turn Fiona away. This doesn't work, and Fiona instead feels great empathy for him, calmly taking his hand and saying "I'm sorry." Much to his confusion, Fiona forces him back to human form.

Upon further questioning, Niles discovers Fiona has had her own strange power: Rat Charm. It only works on regular houserats, and for the first time, Wererats. Realizing Fiona could potentially stop the instability, Niles asks her for help, which she agrees to give: if Niles promises he will not attempt to end his life. He agrees, and in a sense, Fiona becomes his live-in therapist. With her Charm, she somewhat hypnotizes Niles into believing she is making a difference, when in reality, Niles is obtaining more self control. Eventually, the instability stops completely, with Fiona technically not having done anything.

During a span of a month, the two are hinted to have married: Fiona has withdrawn a rich amount from her mother's bank accounts and built an estate for she and Niles to live in. In addition, Fiona is now addressed as "Fiona Styne" and "Mrs. Styne," and is now sexual with Niles. However, not a thing is confirmed. Sometime during this period, Fiona and Niles decide to have intercourse while Niles is shifted.

Three to four months after that, Fiona begins to realize she is pregnant: she hasn't had to "change a rag" in nearly eight weeks, and her dresses are growing uncomfortable near her stomach. Niles is enraged with this possibility but also concerned that Rathood could potentially pass unto their child/children in a worse form than his own. Fiona attempts to convince him otherwise, but is not certain herself.

By the time Fiona is eight months pregnant, Niles is conned by a business partner and becomes so entangled with rage and the thought of Rat babies that he shifts involuntarily for the first time in weeks. Fiona's Charm suddenly doesn't work either, and Niles viciously attacks Fiona's stomach, which causes her to cry out in pain. Niles is brought back and turns hysterical again, now claiming "he can't be fixed." Fiona manages to convince him otherwise again before falling unconscious from the injuries. Desperate, Niles is forced to perform a home c-section, where he is able to save Vexen Varian, but not a third.

Fiona names the children Vexen and Varian, but decides not to tell them in the future of their deceased triplet sister, out of fear they would turn against Niles for it.