1 PROLOGUE

Two human-like forms were visible inside a dark cavern in Earth-36. There were no other living beings near them, yet they still spoke in hushed tones.

"YAP…" one of the shadows whispered.

"Don't call me that, Karen. You know how I hate my superhero name."

The first shadow shook in fear. The second shadow, who looked smaller than the other, raised a hand to calm her down.

"I don't mean to harm you. We are in peaceful territory, after all," the one referred to as YAP quietly said. "However, I do want to know why you have called me here. You know there are too many wars I have to stop in this time zone."

The shadow named Karen breathed slowly, before finally saying, "I work for the Galaxy Inquirer. The whole universe has long been waiting to hear your life story."

YAP only sighed after hearing her obviously prepared speech. "You know, Karen, most beings would want their story told when they are no longer living. After all, as I continue to draw breath, my story lives on with me. Given that, do I understand you well in that you wish for me to forfeit my life right now?"

Karen visibly shivered and whimpered in terror. "Ab- Absolutely not, great hero! I would never wish upon you such fate! It is only that… It is only that, like many other lowly beings, we only hope to get a glimpse of how the great hero has lived and how she has come to be. We only want to have stories to tell our children as they lay down to sleep. We want your vision of hope to be imprinted into the next generation's lives. Really, my hero, that is all I want."

YAP smiled a gentle smile as she listened to the nervous creature in front of her, for she never wished upon it any suffering or discomfort. She was only wary of everything, for she has gone through too many deception and trickery in her long life that she hardly trusted any person she had just met. After seeing the sincerity in the creature's eyes, YAP then chose to agree to the creature's request.

"Very well, then, my faithful Karen, I will tell you my story."

Karen glowed quite literally as her outer coverings broke out into luminescence; a phenomenon her kind is known for. With the cavern growing brighter with the creature's joy, YAP opened her mouth to start her long story.

"Listen well, and listen kindly, for my story is a story of contradictions; of the dead becoming alive and the weak becoming strong. Likewise, those nominated as the strong are reduced into the weakest of foes. And lovers, those sweet companions, are nothing but crazed psychopaths. This is the type of story I will tell. The story only I can speak of for it is solely mine. And now, as I recount it to you, thence forth it shall belong to all that hear of it. Listen well, then, for I shall begin."