Ego

Origin:

Loneliness… It was a word all too familiar to Ronald. He was always alone. He was always an outsider… an outcast. People, for whatever reason they could have, just didn’t seem to like him, or like to be around him. Even his parents kept their distance! So, doing what all lonely children do, Little Ronnie created “imaginary” friends of his own.

As he grew older, Ron left reality more and more. His new friends became more and more prevalent as he ignored the world around him. They started trying new things. Sometimes, they would even take control and do as THEY pleased!

Ronald was sixteen before anyone took notice or felt concern. He had started causing mischief in school: pulling pranks, starting fights, one time he tried to set the school on fire! It just wasn’t like him.

His guidance counselor didn’t know what to do. Ronnie’s only response was “Ramos made me do it!” or “Kyle was just havin’ some fun!” It was disturbing to say the least! His parents, being the sorry folk that they were, had him committed to the Paragon City Sanitarium.

A year flew by and Ronald still had problems. Psychologists obviously couldn’t help him. It appeared as though he’d be a permanent resident, if not for another young patient by the name of Sara.

She was young. She was beautiful! She was mentally unstable… The girl of Ronnie’s dreams! It was love at first sight, and, for a change, the feeling was mutual.

The two of them did all they could together. At last, Ron had someone real, someone outside his head, to talk to. She was great, such a sweet girl, and smart too! She had it all.

Though jealous of her, even Ron’s “inner” friends fell in love with her. Whenever she was around, they kept quiet and just took her in. They listened to her ideology about the way things should be and longed to become better themselves. All were completely enamored.

But if two’s company, and three’s a crowd… what’s four, or five, or six? Strange as it may seem, Ronald’s personas became jealous of each other. Each one wanted to be with her. An argument raged on inside his head.

As time passed, the feud grew bigger and bigger until one day, it spilt over to the world beyond Ronnie’s mind! Ronald was beside himself… literally! An assortment of men now stood where one was before. They stared at each other for a while, in silence.

Ramos, the angry one, as Ron often referred to him, was the first to speak. “What the hell is this?” He grunted as he looked over his new body.

“Look around you, Jack***!” Kyle answered. “Look at us… We’re free!”

“What do you mean, FREE?” Ronald asked. Suddenly he felt alone again, and hurt.

“Hey, sorry kid… It’s been real!” Kyle smiled. “But you’ve been holdin’ me back for years! Now, if you’d excuse me… I’ve got a date with an angel!”

Just then, a large, muscular arm reached out, grabbed Kyle, and flung him across the room! “You Goin’ Nowhere!” It was Brian, the slow, strong one. “We stay here an figger things out… sides’… Sara like me!”

“Back off, Big Man!” Ramos raged.

Then, as things were about to get really ugly, the entities just vanished! Ronald blinked, and they were gone! For a while, he struggled to regain his composure.

Life went on, for a time, without further incident. Sara and Ron grew even closer as the man drifted apart from his other selves. They still had the occasional argument, but he was learning to shut them out.

Then came the day of the great riot. A patient, aptly named Crag, led a revolt against the staff. He was no ordinary man. He was massive, having the strength of fifty, with the attitude to match. He was the biggest, baddest, meanest creature anyone in the facility had ever seen!

When he decided he didn’t like it there anymore, others fell in line behind him. They murdered anyone in their way without mercy, doctors and patients alike! No one was safe.

Ronald and Sara were walking hand-in-hand in the courtyard when the frenzied mob erupted upon them. They were instantly separated, though they screamed for each other. The insane crowd only screamed back.

Crag was amused. “Well… look at the little lovebirds…” He chuckled evilly. Then he got an idea that amused him more and he ordered the girl to be brought before him. Ronald was held in the front to have the best view. “You know what I do to birds… huh?”

Ronald watched in terror as the beast grabbed hold of Sara’s neck, and squeezed. “Stop it!” He/They screamed. “You’re killing her!”

“Oh… am I?” Crag rumbled a sinister laugh then…

POP! Sara’s corpse fell to the ground.

“Oops!”

“NOOOOOOOOOO!” Seven men shouted. It was Ramos, and Kyle, and Brian, Andy, Jordan, Cord, and of course, Ronald. Once Ron’s egos were free of each other, if only, a little too late! The crowd, stunned by the sudden appearance of six more angry men, turned and ran.

“What’s wrong with you sissies?” Crag bellowed. “I thought you were all a bunch of crazed lunatics! You’re gonna let sumthin like that spook ya?”

The seven egos looked at Crag with murder in their hearts. Each of them made their way around the behemoth and within moments they had him encircled.

“Aw right. Bring it on then!”

The personas no longer had separate agendas. Now they were unison. Now they were one. They had one purpose and one thought… to avenge their beloved.

“Murderer…” Ramos started as he advanced upon his enemy. Crag sneered at him.

“You will pay…” Jordan continued. The monster turned to see him sneaking up from behind.

“For what you have done…” Kyle went on. The mountainess man began to grow cold and tremble.

“To my beloved…” Andy added. “You don scare me!” Crag grumbled unconvincingly.

He glanced over to see another move in. It was Brian. “I swear to her memory…”

“And to myself…and to you…” Cord stood right at the titan’s chest. Crag looked down at the fearless man.

“That I will avenge her…” Ronald concluded. “Prepare to die!”

Ron jumped at the towering man with the fury of a wild animal. His other selves were right behind him.

The man known as Crag swung wildly as a man in the grip of terror. He was right to be afraid! Even with his strength, he was no match for seven deranged men with no thought of self-preservation.

They fought crazy and unhindered! They were savages! Crag even managed to land a few blows, but they just kept coming! As blood poured from his body, the evil man cried out in anguish. “No… Please stop… I… I’m Sorry!…..” His cries were meaningless. When the battle ended, Crag lay beaten, bruised, and dead in the same courtyard where Ronald had fallen in love.

Ronald left the sanitarium before authorities could arrive. In his twisted thoughts, evil had come looking for him and ruined his life, his one chance at happiness! He wanted revenge. Killing Crag hadn’t satisfied that! So, he looked to the city to seek out evil wherever it may hide.

Ronald, and his alternates, roams the streets now looking to take his/their pain out on any evil that crosses his path. He has taken the name, Ego, in reference to his powers. Crime has a new enemy, a crazy one! Villains…. BEWARE!!