joanhello2:

setepenre-set:

displacerghost:

setepenre-set:

Concerning the M’ega and the Mnyn (edited version with additional information)

( “Mnyn” is pronounced as “minion” with the initial “i” swallowed and the “io” spoken as a kind of sliding “y” sound, as in “syx” )

The M’ega and the Mnyn have a close symbiotic relationship; in prehistoric and early historic times, this involves them working together with hunting, school/pod protection from predators, and child rearing.

M’ega, as a global language, is spoken by both the M’ega and the Mnyn. There are, however, many geographical dialects and accents, and the dialect/accent of the Mnyn often differs from the accent of the M’ega found in the same geographical area.

Although their societies are intertwined, they are still distinct; the Mnyn have an oral history, and they also supplement their use of oral language with gestural language—the gesture language of the Mnyn can also be used without spoken language, so that communication may be silent.

The M’ega choose their own names; the names of the Mnyn are given to them by their social group. These names develop organically, like nicknames. And, as with nicknames, different members of the group may call the same person different things, depending on their relationship.

Megamind calls Minion “Minion” in canon / main Set-canon for the same reason he calls himself “Megamind”—he thinks that remembering their world and people is important. Even then, though, “Minion-you-fantastic-fish” is something like the long form of Minion’s name, with Megamind. (Not with other people, though; because Minion doesn’t have the same relationship with them.)

The “true and final” form of a Mnyn’s name is only given to them after death, when they are added to the oral history song. This is why the Mnyn in general—and Minion, specifically—are so reluctant to use the true names of M’ega and humans. They find it not just inappropriate but morbid and creepy. Roxanne is “Miss Ritchi” (or, in Safe If We Stand, “Miss Roxanne”) until she is “Ma’am”, and Megamind is “Sir”. Metro Man mighy convince Minion to call him “Wayne” only by asserting that it’s not his *full* name, and after much argument.

As the M’ega come to spend more time on land, their relationship with the Mnyn changes; the Mnyn stay in pools and rivers near the M’ega, and spent much of their time assisting and looking after children and other vulnerable members of society, with some of the Mnyn still joining the M’ega during hunting. Even when the M’ega hunt land animals, the Myn still work with them: the M’ega drive large prey or herd animals into the sea, pools, or rivers where the waiting Myn attack from the water while the M’ega attack from the land with spears and arrows.

As agriculture and technology develop among the M’ega, hunting is de-emphasized as a way of obtaining food. The M’ega share their technology and food with the Mnyn, and the Mnyn keep the M’ega’s beaches and swimming areas safe from predators, and help to look after groups of M’ega children.

@nigaiamaiyume​ mentioned thinking that the M’ega bonded to Mnyn would include those of high status in need of assistance in their work, and the more I think about it, the more I think this idea is right. (I knew there had to be some social tension around bonded pairs, and I think this gives that tension nuance.)

Some Mnyn obtain robotic suits from the M’ega; these are usually the Mnyn who look after groups of children, individuals, or the Mnyn who choose to bond with one of the M’ega. 

Bonds mostly happen when both the M’ega and the Mnyn are young. The bond is chemical / has a pheremonal component; a bond will not happen unless both the M’ega and the Mnyn involved wish for it. A bond can later be broken, if either (/both) party should desire it, but this is difficult and unpleasant.M’ega bonded with Mnyn in their early life will sometimes use a system of gesture language based on the Mnyn gesture language. This can be supplemental to verbal communication, or used instead of verbal communication.

Individual M’ega that are helped / cared for by a personal Mnyn include those of high status or exceptional gifts who require assistance with their work, the disabled, the elderly, and the neuroatypical. The elderly do not always bond with their personal Mnyn. High status M’ega and exceptionally gifted M’ega, as well as the disabled and neuroatypical, usually bond with their personal Mnyn; 

Megamind is neuroatypical for his species–the M’ega equivalent of autistic and ADHD, but he also still struggles with depression. In canon, his depression is greatly worsened due to trauma, but even in a universe where the Black Hole Event does not occur, the depression is still there. 

Some aspects of autism and ADHD would be seen as desirable as the M’ega: the ability to hyperfocus, special interests–even impulsivity, to a certain extent, and hyperactivity, if channeled into productivity. Some of the differences in social interaction and communication and difficulties paying attention that come along with autism and ADHD would be seen as less desirable. Though, since they are understood to be connected to the desirable aspects, they are more accepted on M’ega than on Earth. Autistic and ADHD (equivalent) M’ega are also more common than autistic and ADHD humans, and much more likely to occupy places of high status, authority, and power.

Megamind is exceptionally gifted for his species (It’s also possible that is family may be high status.) Even in a universe where the Black Hole Event does not occur, Megamind is still bonded with Minion. (Minion is both a work-assistance Mnyn and a medical-assistance Mnyn to Megamind.) And, even in that universe, Megamind’s way of speaking and gesturing is noticeably different from the communication norms of his species.

The relationship of a bonded M’ega and Mnyn is a unique one, having aspects similar to a familial relationship, a friendship, a caretaker and ward, and an personal assistant. The Mnyn is never considered a servant or lesser than the M’ega. A bonded M’ega is generally perceived as lucky. 

Unpleasant people may suggest that certain M’ega don’t ‘deserve’ their Mnyns for various reasons–that someone has no exceptional gifts (and that they were bonded only because of their high status, or because it was erroneously believed that they did have exceptional gifts)–or that they are not ‘really disabled’–or simply that disabled people should not be bonded. 

How does it work when M’ega with Mnyns get married? Do the Mnyns get a say in their partner’s partner? What if they both have Mnyns? And if only one does, does the Mnyn do any caring for the partner, too? And along those lines also–what about offspring? Just wondering what the family dynamics would look like. Are the Mnyn considered family, if they’re bonded?

A bonded Mnyn wouldn’t be able to forbid their M’ega partner from marrying a certain person, but marrying someone your bonded Mnyn disapproved of or disliked would be extremely rare and shocking, much more shocking than simply marrying someone that your family disapproved of. And it would likely lead to the bond between that M’ega and Mnyn being broken, which would also be very rare, and extremely unpleasant for both of them.

If both M’ega in a relationship have bonded Mnyns, it becomes even more complex–both Mnyns must approve of and get along with not only their bonded M’ega’s prospective partner, but also that partner’s Mnyn. Again, it’s possible that the M’ega partners might still pursue a romantic relationship if their Mnyns dislike each other, but it would be very rare, lead to much friction, and possibly lead to broken bonds.

Usually, though, if a M’ega and a Mnyn are bonded, it is because they have complementary personalities; if the M’ega in a bond likes someone, that person is likely to have a personality that will appeal to their bonded Mnyn.

Mnyn are considered family, yes! When a bonded M’ega marries, their romantic partner would consider their spouse’s Mnyn to be their family, too. The bonded Mnyn may do some caring for their M’ega’s partner, too, or they may not; it depends on what the partner needs. Sometimes a M’ega’s romantic partner will take over some of the responsibilities that formerly belonged only to the M’ega’s Mnyn.

This may lead to friction, but it is more likely to be seen as a positive change by everyone involved. Bonded Mnyn want their M’egas to develop healthy personal relationships with people other than just them. And in a healthy M’ega and Mnyn bond, the bonded Mnyn feels able to form personal relationships of their own.

In canon, when Minion tells Megamind, “my sole purpose in life is to look after you!”, that is not what a healthy bond should be. When Megamind says “some days it felt like it was just me and Minion against the world”, that is also not what a healthy bond should be. Their bond has grown like this because of their unfortunate circumstances; in a better world, Megamind and Minion would each have friends of their own as well as shared friends, and Minion would feel free to pursue other interests in addition to caring for Megamind.

Part of the reason, I think, that Megamind pretends so hard to be mentally and emotionally okay is because he does know Minion feels like the only thing his life has room for is looking after Megamind, and Megamind feels terribly guilty about that. Megamind says to Roxanne in Code: Safeword that, when he thought about committing suicide, he knew that Minion would be sad, but he also knew that Minion would be free. Megamind sees himself as a burden, something Minion has been shackled to by their bond.

“My sole purpose in life is to look after you,” is a terrible thing to be told. On the same level of terrible, I think, as “I’ve failed as a parent.”

It’s no wonder that, when Minion tells Megamind that his sole purpose in life is to look after him, Megamind insists so wildly that he doesn’t need Minion to look after him. The feeling of being a burden to someone you love, the idea that they only stay with you because you need them and they feel obligated–those are absolutely awful things to feel. 

In canon, I think, as in all of my stories, Megamind and Minion’s bond becomes much healthier after Megamind and Roxanne get together.

An example of this is in the Kiss Me universe; Minion is pleased when Megamind starts spending time alone with Roxanne, and when Megamind has one of his bad depression days, Minion feels comfortable leaving him and going to spend time with Wayne because he knows that Roxanne, as Megamind’s romantic partner, will care for Megamind.

Another example of a healthier bond between them is in the Safe If We Stand Close Together series; their bond in that universe will likely never be as unhealthy and codependent as in other universes because Roxanne befriends them at a young age. In Terms of Endearment, Minion leaves the room to let Roxanne talk to Syx about Syx’s pattern of using Halloween costumes to hide. Minion trusts her to help care for Syx. And Minion knows that the three of them have a friendship together, but Syx and Roxanne also have a deep and unique friendship that exists specifically between the two of them. 

A bonded Mnyn will sometimes form a kind of secondary bond with their M’ega’s spouse, sometimes not; and the strength of this bond varies. And the bonded Mnyn may form a tertiary bond with their M’ega’s children, or they may not, and the strength of this bond varies. The presence or absence of these secondary and tertiary bonds isn’t necessarily indicative of the Mnyn’s affection for the spouse or children of the bonded M’ega. A Mnyn may like their M’ega’s spouse and children very much and still not form a bond with them–sometimes because the spouse and/or children don’t need a bond, and sometimes because there just isn’t that ‘click’.

I’d say Minion definitely forms a secondary bond with Roxanne when Megamind and Roxanne get together, and that he does do some caring for Roxanne. She seems, on first glance, to be perfectly put-together and entirely functional, but when you look closer, she’s the kind of person who talks to statues and hyperfocuses on big projects and ends up fighting evil in a pair of fuzzy pink house slippers because she forgot to put on real shoes when she left her apartment in a moment of excitement.

If Roxanne were M’ega, she would probably have been bonded with a Mnyn. Unless her intellectual brilliance and social difficulties were as overlooked on M’ega as they were on Earth, which is possible, but unlikely.

I would theorize that Minion, in the canon timeline, might form a slight secondary bond with Roxanne even before she and Megamind actually start dating–because as far as Minion’s instincts are concerned, Roxanne and Megamind are already together.

(This is why Minion can’t seem to stop himself from answering Roxanne’s question about the tesla coils and blinky dials even when Megamind orders him not to, and why Minion says “yeah, good luck with that one” and sides with Roxanne when she tells Megamind that his plan is failing.)

Megamind and Roxanne repeatedly go through the M’ega courtship ritual in front of Minion, and they give off such strong ‘these people are together’ vibes that Minion’s instincts just sort of…subconsciously decide that Roxanne and Megamind are already married.

(This is all definitely subconscious, though, which is why Minion still freaks out when he realizes that Megamind is in love with Roxanne. It doesn’t help that Megamind is, at this point, lying to her and going about dating her in completely the wrong way, and declaring that, because of her, he means to abandon what he’s always told Minion is his life’s work. Any bonded Mnyn would be inclined to panic if their bonded M’ega said something like that.)

So about the Mnyn only using a person’s full name after their death: would Minion consider “Metro Man” to be part of Wayne Scott’s name? How would he refer to Wayne after his “death”?

OOOH THOSE ARE INTERESTING QUESTIONS!

Okay, so the answers will be different depending on which universe we’re talking about, because it depends on how well Minion knows Wayne, and how much he likes Wayne.

I don’t think Minion likes Wayne very much in canon. Like–I don’t think he actually wants to kill Metro Man (he’s relieved when he sees Metro Man flying out of the explosion, apparently unharmed). But once he is dead–well. 

At least Sir is safe, now! So much less likely to get himself killed fighting!

So–I think canon!Minion, and Minion in fics where Minion dislikes/doesn’t know Wayne very well–I think Minion in those universes considers Metro Man to be Wayne’s name–because it’s the name Wayne chose for himself. He’s Metro Man and not Wayne Scott to Minion in the same way that Megamind’s name is Megamind and not Syx to Minion.

So Minion calling Wayne ‘Metro Man’ before his death is a mark of dislike–he’s basically cursing every time he calls Wayne that, and nobody knows but Minion and Megamind (who probably thinks it’s hilarious, let’s be real).

(Minion is all about throwing that subtle passive-aggressive shade.)

But I don’t think Minion truly hates Wayne, even in canon. If he did, Minion would refuse to use his name after his death. The M’ega and the Mnyn have a shared cultural tradition of damnatio memoriae for people they truly hate. (sometimes the whole society will do this for a really evil person; sometimes a single person or a family will do it for more personal enemies.) In the M’ega and Mnyn tradition of damnatio memoriae, you either avoid saying the hated person’s name, possibly giving them a disparaging nickname, or you use their name but say something like ‘may they be swiftly forgotten’ after their name. (A person doesn’t have to be deceased for this damnatio memoriae to occur, either.)

Minion uses Metro Man’s name in canon after his ‘death’, which is why I think that he didn’t really hate him. If he really hated him, then after Wayne’s ‘death’ Minion would probably be more likely to refer to him as Wayne or Wayne Scott.

In a world where Minion knows that Wayne doesn’t want to be Metro Man (like–in a post-canon fic, after he finds out that Wayne faked his death) Minion would understand Wayne Scott (or Music Man, if Wayne’s really serious about that) to be his name. 

If Minion wanted to be really blatantly impolite in these circumstances, he’d call him Metro Man–using someone’s explicitly rejected name is a piece of rudeness that translates over all the cultures. If he wanted to be more subtle, he might call him Wayne–although Wayne would probably read this as friendliness, which would annoy Minion. So Minion would probably call him Wayne Scott instead, which Wayne would read as over-formality, and be uncomfortable with.

If, as I suspect, Wayne drops the whole Music Man idea pretty quickly, Minion could be really rude by continuing to call him Music Man afterwards.

If Minion actually likes Wayne, he’d be more likely to call him Mr. Scott. Ironically, in the universes where the two of them get along, this is something that Wayne dislikes. It makes him feel like Minion’s holding him at a distance or trying to imply that Wayne is somehow above him.

If Wayne really insisted, and Minion liked him, he could convince Minion to call him Wayne–because, for a Mnyn, making sure a person you like is comfortable/happy is more important than all other social norms. 

And I do think Wayne is the type to insist. Especially in universes where Wayne and Minion are dating! One of the arguments Wayne uses is that his real name is his full name–so Minion calling him just Wayne is like using a nickname, really!

If Roxanne really insisted, she could convince Minion to call her Roxanne, too, but Roxanne doesn’t insist. (…human Roxanne finds it easier to accept nonhuman social norms than actual-alien-Wayne.)

The real-name thing is why Minion uses Roxanne’s name to Megamind in canon when he says “what happens when Roxanne finds out who you really are?” She’s Miss Ritchi in Minion’s previous line; he switches to her real name there because he’s essentially cursing for emphasis. There’s a strong undercurrent of ‘what the fuck, Sir’ to that line, with the strong additional implication that this is going to be a possibly fatal disaster.