Prologue
Hijinx's Planet, 22 Years Ago

A young scientist, today being his first day on the job, hurried down the hallway. His superior had ordered him to his office and the scientist didn't want to upset his boss on the first day. He opened the door to the office and stood attentively in front of his bosses desk. His boss wasn't of the scientists people, a species that had run this planet for millennia, he was Shi'ar, come to help build an empire.

"My dear boy." The Shi'ar greeted him. "I am aware that today is your first day here at my great lab." The scientist nodded in agreement. "I see a spark in you kid, a knowledge that will fill this place with more power sources than my men can imagine." The scientist smiled with pride at the compliment. The Shi'ar motioned for him to follow as they went through a heavily vaulted door behind his desk. "The places and things you about to see may shock you." The Shi'ar warned as the door opened. "I trust you to hold it together." The scientist steeled himself for what he might see as the bright rooms behind the door were in view.

The two wandered down the hall past cages of aliens from all races and corners of the universe. Some were young, others old, others in between. They were differently sized, with different colors for hair, eyes, and skin. Some shouted in languages that the scientist couldn't comprehend but some he understood thanks to schooling he had taken for other worldly ways of speech. "Let us out! Why are you doing this? Monsters! Are we being arrested? What did we do! I will sue for this! Where's my daughter? What did you do with my daughter? I want my Mom! Where are you taking us? Are we being killed? What are you doing? This is illegal and immoral!" Those were just some of the curses that the scientist heard spit in his direction as him and the Shi'ar made it down the hall to a glass room with the title Lab A.5 over the entrance.

The door opened and the scientist was greeted with the sight of other scientists who were poised over a glass container, multiple glass containers to be exact. Inside each one was an element. One was filled with water, splashing violently against the sides. Another was clear, but it shook with the force of a powerful wind storm. Another one held a scorching fire that burned violently. The final one was a pile of dirt with small vines reaching out of it and crawling along the sides.

"What is this?" The scientist asked.

"This is the future." His boss answered. "These are the four elements of life, and those people out there are our test subjects. We are attempting to turn these elements into full fledged creatures with thoughts and feelings, then insert them into a race that can control them. We will create creatures that are held captive by the power of their element and have an unstoppable army of elemental warriors to take over whatever planet we please." The Shi'ar motioned to the fuming elements. "Right now they are moody because we haven't fit them with the proper personality."

"Elements can have personalities?" The scientist asked.

"The Shi'ar laughed. "Oh course! Anything can have a personality if you let it!" He explained. First he motioned to water. "This one will be calm, gentle, and quiet." Next he pointed at wind. "This one will be witty, sassy, and quick on the draw." Then to land. "This one will be sweet, kind, and a natural at showing love." Finally he pointed at fire. "And this one, oh this one will be special. This one will be the terror that keeps you up at night. The one that haunts your every thought. Evil, cruel, disobedient, and angry." The Shi'ar smiled at the scientist. "Who isn't scared of fire my boy, tell me."

The scientist shook his head in disbelief. This was crazy! Elements being infused into other people just to create an army? It was so genius why hadn't he thought of it? "What do you want me to do with this information you have given me sir?" He asked politely.

"I want you to lead the project. Tell no one, and create my army to rule the galaxy." The scientist nodded, amazed by the opportunity before him. "Do you accept the offer?" The Shi'ar inquired.

"Yes sir!" The scientist exclaimed. "I do accept!" The Shi'ar clapped his hands with glee.

"Excellent!" He motioned to another scientist to grab him something. Then the Shi'ar presented the scientist with his own pin, his name carved on a small silver plate to be pinned to his lab coat. It would represent his standing as head of the project.

"Thank you sir." The scientist breathed as he removed the bronze pin he currently wore and replaced it with the silver one. The Shi'ar shook his hand and then departed, leaving the scientists with his new team and four elements.

"What is your first order of business?" One of the other scientists asked him expectantly.

"First we get these elements their personalities. Then we figure out how to control them." The scientists scurried around getting to work on his orders. "Today is a great day." The scientist smiled. "Today is the day the I became great!"

As the scientists commenced their work long into the night not a single one tired. Everyone was obsessed with making this project work, the sounds of the lab rats their background noise, and the fluorescent lighting only slightly hurting their eyes. It mostly hurt when it reflected off the silver surface of their scientist in command's name tag. The bright silver momentarily blinded the young scientist but he knew he would get used to it eventually.

It'll all be worth it. He thought giddily. Worth so much when my elements take over the galaxy, and all the people cheer my name. Oh how I can hear them now just roaring with joy. The scientist smiled. You were born for this Hijinx. You were born for this.