"Ughahha" Megamind gave a groan as he sat up. He banged on his chest and expelled a cloud of soot. Using his arm, he rubbed his face to clear his eyes. He blinked, the drab exterior of a familiar yet unfamiliar dilapidated warehouse stared back at him. The cold hit him immediately and he grasped his sides shivering.

"Minion!" He shot to his feet, twirling around and disregarding the cold. The remains of his cape followed in his wake, hanging by a thread. He spotted the prone form of his friend. "There you are. What are you doing you lazy lug? Get up! Metroman may be here any moment! We need to make ourselves scarce before he catches us!"

He was ready to continue his escape when he noticed the absence of Minion's footsteps.

"Minion?" He asked while looking over his shoulder.

"Uhh, sir. There may be a problem."

"What?" He raced over tripping over himself a few times and kneeling beside him. "Speak to me! What's wrong?"

"I-I can't feel my legs." Minion stuttered, struggling to speak.

A slap resounded, Megamind dragged his hand down his face.

"Minion, you don't HAVE legs. Now stop being a drama queen. Or do you want me to go back to prison? You know orange isn't my color!"

He got into a squat and pulled on the hulking mechanical arm. "Now. Lets." He grunted while trying to drag Minion up. "Go" There was a pop and he fell onto his rear some distance back.

"Ah!" He fumbled with the hand in his, well hands. "Minion! Stop playing around! I didn't even ask for a hand this time!"

Truly, give a Minion an extendable hand and his joke library dwindles to one volume.

He got himself up, dusting off more debris.

"I'm not trying to sir!" The pleas of his Minion caused a pause in his actions.

Minion knew when to stop joking. He approached and leaned by his friend's side once more. His hands ran over the singed fur. He fiddled with the breastplate and it came off disturbingly easy.

"Oh, good heavens! Minion! What did you do to yourself!"

The internal components were a molten mess. With this type of damage, anyone would have to break down the suit for scraps. He was not anyone. He was Megamind.

"Don't you worry Minion. I'll just get my tools-" His voice died down as he realized his tools were in the lair they'd just escaped from. "New plan Minion. You stay here and I'll break you out later."

"But sir!"

"Atatatata" He raised a finger against the container. "Not buts. You'll be out of there in no time. Think of it as a vacation. You did request one a couple of years ago didn't you?"

"But you said evil doesn't take vacations?"

"And now I'm saying it does. Evil changes its mind all the time Minion. That's why it's evil."

"If you say so sir…"

"I do." He patted Minion's mechanical body one last time for good measure and got up. "Stay strong!"

He ran towards what looked like the exit, his steps slowing as he neared it. Eventually, he came to a complete stop.

He clenched his eyes shut, his fist joined soon after. Would a true super villain leave behind their Minion?

No

He turned without comment and marched back to Minion.

"Sir?"

Megamind didn't answer the question directly. Instead, working on the latch that connected Minion's container to the rest of the suit. It gave a hiss as it was released and he hurriedly shifted the glass dome so that the water didn't all pour out.

He took some wobbly steps backward, balancing the bowl to the best of his ability. It was heavy! If only he had a brain bot or two to carry it.

"Let's get out of here Minion."

"Right behind you sir. Oh, well actually if you hold me like that I'm in front of you."

"They'll be time for verbal play later." Megamind grunted as he made his way to the door.

He lifted a leg and kicked the door. Hopping back on one foot and almost falling. He gave it another kick and it caved.

No more time was wasted as he clambered through the opening and came out onto the street.

"M-minion, I could have sworn it was still daytime. Around lunch time?" His teeth chattered while he asked. The protection the warehouse had offered from the weather was evident.

"It should be sir…"

And yet, the sun looked to have recently set.

"S-strange, it couldn't have shifted us through time so the teleporter must have been more powerful than we thought. Maybe we won't have to worry about Metroman tracking us down then."

"Sir that's what you said the last time."

"Minion! We promised never to speak of that."

"Sorry sir."

"Apology potential accepted. Now let's find out where we are."

He set out at a brisk pace. Allowing the movement to warm him up. His suit did wonders as an insulator but didn't protect his precious noggin so his ears felt frozen.

Even so, he allowed himself to relax a little. He wasn't sure where he ended up but Metroman was the only one able to match him. His one and only rival. Others were merely witnesses to their battles of legend!

The street was dimly lit. The few street lamps available flickered, creating an ominous atmosphere. He traveled without direction, head on a swivel taking in all the information available.

Wherever they ended up must have been a commercial district, the type that'd seen its heyday pass. He passed rows and rows of seemingly abandoned or sparsely used warehouses. Their exteriors were littered with trash and markings were drawn on some of them. It appears the one they'd ended up in was one of the nicer ones as he spotted more than one collapsed roof.

In short, it was perfect.

"This city must not have any real villains around with all this great real estate available."

"Too true Minion. Too true. We're not on a sightseeing tour though. We must make haste back to Metrocity and enact my next plan."

For evil's sake, he hoped the amateurs that tagged these places had improved since. He wasn't a charity so he'd not be giving them any pointers.

"Oh oh, What will it be this time?"

He could feel Minion's excitement from the way the bowl shifted.

"I've been thinking….we need to go BIG. I just can't decide whether to go with a giant robot or a giant space laser."

"Why do you have to choose sir?"

It was times like these he remembered why he kept Minion around.

"Minion, remind me to give you a raise."

"But you don't pay me sir?"

"Evil is its own reward! I've told you this."

"Yes sir!"

He felt the bowl shift again as Minion did twirls indicating his happiness. As he went further down the street, his arms became increasingly strained. He didn't like wandering around blind like this.

If only he had his holo watch. It had gps and would be able to tell him exactly where he was. Sadly it had been sacrificed for the greater evil. Given to a brain bot to serve as a distraction for him. Rest in pieces Brain Bot 272. May mechanical heaven be all it's hyped up to be.

He was close to taking a break when he spotted a promising lead.

Dashing as best he could, he carefully set Minion on the ground and reached for his belt. Finding his trusty De-Anything gun he leveled it against his target and squeezed the trigger. A small spark was released. Not his intended result. He banged it on the side a few times in a very scientific manner. Squeezing it again, this time no sparks were released.

"Is something wrong sir?" Minion asked after observing from the floor.

"No, of course not. Well maybe." He flipped open the case, finding the components similarly fried. Curses. This was going to be far harder to fix than Minion's exo suit.

He looked around and located a sturdy-looking piece of wood. He gripped it, thankful his delicate hands were protected from both the cold and splinters by his custom-made gloves. Megamind shoved it into the newspaper stand and pushed. He'd been expecting resistance when none was met he fell forward and into the street.

He ignored the started 'Sir!' from Minion and dusted himself. Inspecting the burglarized newsstand, he slumped. It was empty. There goes an easy way to find out where they were.

"Ur wastin ur time. Paper hasn't been round these parts since o'five." A voice delivered in a slurred manner.

Anyone who said that he jumped at its presence is a liar and would be prosecuted to the full extent his future evil empire would allow. Which would be a lot.

His gun aimed down the alleyway. Searching for the speaker.

"Come out, I have a De-anything gun and I'm not afraid to use it."

The gun may be broken but they didn't know that. Or he hoped they didn't know that. If not he may have to abandon Minion after all. There was a reason he was always picked last in gym class.

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A hacking cough responded to him. He moved slightly closer. Seated on the floor of the alley and leaning against a rusted barrel was a greying man. He lifted a bottle wrapped in a paper bag to his lips and took large gulps. Sunken eyes met Megamind's own.

"Ur blue."

"Thank you, I hadn't noticed." he responded dryly before aiming his nonfunctioning gun and saying with great authority. "You there I demand you reveal to me the city in which we reside."

"Is Brokenbay."The man said after taking another swig of the bottle. "Weird, most blue men I see can't speak"

"Wait? You've seen other people like me?" An unknown feeling kindled in his chest. "Where!"

"Not like you." The feeling passed as quickly as it came. "But blue all the same. City's full of them this time of year. If you know where to look." He took another drink and muttered. "I might be one soon."

He disregarded the man's ramblings, focusing in on what else he'd said.

"Brokenbay is it?" Megamind kept his eyes on the man while calling over his shoulder to Minion who he left by the newsstand. "Minion, do you know where Brokenbay is?"

"No Sir." He unhelpfully came back with.

"No. I said, eh whatever. Sounds better that way." The man gave a bark of a laugh that ended in another coughing fit.

Megamind decided to change tactics.

"Which way is Metrocity?"

"Metro wha?" The man replied after recovering.

"He means Metro City." Minion carefully enunciated behind him.

"No, I don't Minion."

"I dunno what the hell you talking about"

"What? You know. Metrocity." It was his turn to be confused. And Megamind was never confused. "The greatest city in the world." He elaborated after seeing the man still didn't know what he was talking about. "Home to me. Megamind. Greatest Super Villain in the world." He swung back the remains of his cap and posed. The man showed no signs of recognition and Megamind deflated. "Oh, and my nemesis Metroman.

"Never heard of either of you."

"Really?" He perked back up. Not knowing him was unacceptable, he'd worked hard for his reputation. Not knowing Metroman meant the man must live under a rock. Actually, with the state of him, that may be an improvement.

"How much of that have you been drinking?" He pointed to the bottle the man was about to take another swig of.

"Enough to see a fish talking. Little extra to keep warm."

Clearly, this man was too inebriated to be of any help.

He retrieved Minion, ready to leave the useless man.

"Minion, remind me to put you on a diet." He complained. He wasn't built for physical labor, that is what inventions and Minion were for.

"Hey wait." The man called out, Megamind didn't bother acknowledging him. "Do you want an easier way to carry the lil guy?"

That did earn a reaction. Transportation was high on his list right now. Both to get the materials needed to fix Minion and for their eventual return to Metrocity.

"What are you referring to." He asked dubiously.

"Tell you what. I can tell you where to find some wheels if you do something for me."

Megamind waved him on, curious as to what his request was.

"Saw that sparkly shit you did before. Do it on this ere barrel" He knocked on the one he'd been leaning on, earning a dull thud. "And we'll call it square."

"Deal." Megamind decidedly instantly, he usually took what he wanted but exceptions could be made. "You first"

"Just one block down. You'll find a red, well it used to be, brick building. Has a sign laid out in front of it. Mac n Sons or something. You can get in through the side, part of the wall collapsed a while back. Inside used to be some repair shop or the like. Tweakers took their tax but someone like you might be able to get use out of what's left. I know there's an old cart laid around there somewhere."

The man said that with a smile that Megamind matched. Albeit with more and whiter teeth. The prison dental plan was surprisingly progressive.

He set Minion down, happy with the information. He approached the barrel and the man scooted to the side. Megamind's nose wrinkled; the man stunk.

Having one hand hold his nose shut, he used the other to retrieve his gun again. It couldn't work as intended but the power cell was still functional. A slight tweak and it expelled a spark.

The contents lit up in a ball of flame and Megamind jumped back, protecting what was left of his eyebrows. He had enough explosions today.

The man laboriously got up, using the wall to assist himself. He rubbed his hands together and leaned into the fire with relief on his face.

Deal complete, Megamind took Minion and hoped it would be the last time he'd have to carry him.

The man muttered something else before he left but Megamind wasn't sure what he heard was right. It must have been the wind playing tricks.

As they made their way to the described location, Minion complained.

"Sir, I'm only saying. If he doesn't know where Metro City is how do you know he isn't lying about this place? We should have checked it out first before doing our part of the deal."

Megamind rolled his eyes, it wasn't like Minion was the one doing the walking.

"Oh Minion. So distrusting-" He was about to lecture when he spotted a sign with a large M.

His steps quickened, diving into the adjacent alley. There, as told, part of the wall had crumbled. He carefully stepped over glass and brick, entering the building.

Despite the state of the walls, it did a good job of providing a respite from the chilly wind.

He took a few steps and placed Minion's container on a rickety table. It was dark and he held up his power cell as a makeshift light source. His eyes roved the room, taking it all in.

There were some more tables, an assortment of odd items cluttering them. The ground was also littered with piles of things. In the corner, he found the cart he'd been told about. Its wheels had long deflated. Opening the hood, he found the charger had been ripped out. Some other components were missing as well.

The hood was left open as he surveyed the rest. No stone was left unturned. From the lawnmower missing its blades to the pogo stick with a broken spring, he inspected it all.

"This, This, is so much potential!" He shouted to the world, unable to contain himself.

He felt the beat in his chest. His heart rate accelerated with anticipation. The blood flowed through him, heating his body. The cold became a distant memory.

Battles between good and evil. He lived for those. Inventing? Taking bits and pieces of things. Making them into something more. It was a close second.

"It kinda looks like junk sir." Minion felt the need to try and douse the flame burning within him.

"Maybe to your eyes Minion. To me, I see limitless possibilities!" He picked up a toy car, only to have it fall to pieces. "Hmm, maybe some limitations. Just watch though. It'll get us started.

He became lost in a flurry of activity. Going from pile. There were no tools left so he'd use the ones he was born with. That was fine, he faced the same limitations when he was only a boy.

Now he was a Super Villain.

What he had here wouldn't be enough to repair Minion. He could tell that easily. It was enough to get that cart going and get some form of self-defense. Maybe even a useful gadget. He wasn't sure but he couldn't wait to find out!

This went there and that went here. Hmm, there was a lack of copper that was becoming increasingly apparent.

No matter!

There wasn't a problem his genius couldn't solve. Just substitute it with a bit of that and reconfigure this to accommodate for the change. Presto.

He closed the hood of the cart and jumped into the driver's seat. He slowly rubbed the worn leather wheel. It spoke of age and neglect.

"Minion." He spoke to his friend who had let him work in peace. "Just because something has been picked over, that doesn't make whatever's leftover useless. Far from it, sometimes." He pressed the ignition. The hum of the motor heralded its return to life. "Sometimes they have more potential than anyone could have dreamed of."

He tapped the accelerator and the cart shot forward. It rammed into a shelf and made the contents collapse on him.

"Sir!" The panicked voice of Minion rang out. "Are you okay?"

His victorious laughter responded.

"I'm more than okay Minion."

He extracted himself from the cart and strolled back to Minion with his arms held wide.

"I am Megamind."