Mina Mongoose


 * You may be looking for Mina (MxYL) from the Mobius: X Years Later universe.

Mina Mongoose is a teenage Mobian mongoose living in New Mobotropolis, who was gifted with super speed some time before meeting the Freedom Fighters. She was first discovered by Sonic the Hedgehog when Dr. Eggman captured her mother and roboticized her, leaving Mina mourning and vulnerable to capture by Shadowbots. She fell in love with Sonic after spending more time with him, and tried to win over his heart. When she realized that Sonic loved Sally Acorn, she gave up on pursuing him, instead beginning a singing career, and later becoming part of two bands called the Knothole Knuts and the Forget Me Knots.

Orphan
Mina was discovered outside of Robotropolis, hopeless after her mother was captured and roboticized. During her time in the city, she met the ancient villain Mammoth Mogul, who used his Chaos powers and Ixis Magicks to unlock her super speed while erasing her memory of their encounter, planting a post-hypnotic suggestion as a precaution for the future and leaving her alone. However, Sonic spoke with and rescued her, bringing her to Knothole. As Sonic's parents were also roboticized, Mina felt he was someone she could relate to, but still continued to feel lonely and considered allowing herself to be roboticized to be with her mother. Eventually she found some meaning in babysitting three other young orphans; Sasha, Rory and Snaggle. (StH: #76, #90, #185)
 * Fans pointed out to writer Ian Flynn that Mogul was trapped within the Master Emerald during the time Mina was in Robotropolis, and thus he would have been unable to "mark" her at that time. Ian admitted it was a flub on his part, but hopes to find a way to canonically explain it, rather than leave it a plot hole.

Chasing Sonic
Upon observing Sonic's heroics and the way he interacted with his friends and family, Mina developed a crush on the hedgehog. They became close friends, though some, like Bunnie, didn't seem to appreciate Mina's advances on Sonic. When Mina discovered she had enhanced speed, which she attributed to her being a mongoose (a naturally quick creature), she and Sonic spent even more time together as he tried to improve her control. Mina once attempted to kiss Sonic in thanks and was surprised by his shock and confusion. (StH: #93, #94, #99)

Deciding she'd taken the wrong approach, she asked her mother for advice, which through a slight misunderstanding resulted in her trying to catch Sonic's eye by donning a fancy outfit. While impressed, he soon left afterwards on a mission, frustrating the mongoose. Eventually she decided to become a Freedom Fighter herself, so as to spend more time with Sonic. While her mother was wary of this reasoning, Mina began training in various aspects with the core Freedom Fighters. However, when a giant robot sent by Eggman attacked, Mina attempted to save Sasha, Rory and Snaggle, only to be overwhelmed by panic; she froze in place. Having only been saved by Rotor's timely disabling of the machine, Mina realised that her priorities had been skewed; she had not joined the Freedom Fighters with the intent of defending others, only to impress Sonic. (StH: #120)

Despite this, she still occasionally aids the team in missions, and with her priorities in order has been more efficient. When Sally was kidnapped by Nack the Weasel, Mina followed Sonic in an attempt to help out, and the two entered the weasel's hideout separately. Sonic found Sally first, and the two kissed. Mina walked in at that moment and realised that Sonic loved Sally. Extremely heartbroken, she turned away, only to notice Nack aiming at Sally with a gun. Using her speed, Mina rushed in to intercept the bullet, thinking to save Sally for Sonic's sake. As she collapsed in Sonic's arms, she told him she loved him. When she later awoke in hospital, Sally asked if she'd be okay. Tearfully thinking of her heartbreak, Mina replied that she'd get over it. (StH: #122, #123)

Songoose
Mina displayed singing talent early on, once heard by Sonic through an open window. The two once decided to jam together, with Sonic playing guitar, and amassed quite a crowd. Eventually she formed a band, working with the Knothole Knuts, and her popularity soared. She began to throw concerts to support the troops. During Sonic's year in space, when he was thought to be dead, she became romantically involved with her manager, Ash. (StH: #121, #134)

At the King's request, she launched a worldwide tour, leaving Knothole to support those who opposed Eggman. Her music infuriated Dr. Eggman, who launched at least two assassination attempts against her using first Nack the Weasel and then Heavy and Bomb. Both these attempts were thwarted thanks to the Freedom Fighters and Ash, and afterwards she would be accompanied by other bodyguards, including the Chaotix. (StH: #153, #154, #173)



After Knothole's destruction, Mina would make her first visit to New Mobotropolis, moving in to Freedom HQ to help repair the base after Robotnik's attack. It was then that Mina was caught by a spell unleashed by Mammoth Mogul, who had at last come to collect on the debt she owed him for granting her enhanced speed. Brainwashed along with Tails and Mighty the Armadillo, Mina attacked Sonic but was unable to defeat him. She was then forced to run out on the ocean, where Mogul would have had her stop and drown had Sonic not given in to his demands and delivered to him a Chaos Emerald that allowed him to escape. Freed from Mogul's control, Mina was soon after cleansed of it by Merlin Prower, though she retained her super speed. (StH: #185, #186)

Mina later witnessed the defeat of the Eggman Empire via a live data-stream set up by the Freedom Fighters and watched it in New Mobotropolis with Ash. She then sung at a concert with the Forget Me Knots to celebrate their triumph, but it was cut short when Monkey Khan interrupted and blasted Mina off her feet, but she didn't suffer any injury. (StH: #200, #201)

A "Change In Tune"
After the fall of the Iron Dominion, Mina began to suffer recurring nightmares stemming from the occupation of New Mobotropolis; the way NICOLE had been corrupted into using the city's nanites against the population, as well as the sky being shut out, the swarms of attacking Legionnaires and Yagyu, and the public Legionizing had all left her deeply shaken and traumatized. While she had participated in helping people evacuate via Warp Rings, she also lamented that many had been left behind. Feeling she needed to take a break from the city, she and Ash headed to Freedom HQ; when Sonic passed through on a mission, she acted somewhat short and distracted but claimed to be fine. Sonic told her she could stay at Freedom HQ as long as she needed, adding that while she had decided against becoming a Freedom Fighter, she was still one of the group. She thanked him and, after she continued to insist she was fine despite evidence to the contrary, he left. However, when Ash attempted to comfort her, she burst into tears and, with his encouragement, reiterated her fears of the city and NICOLE herself; she explained that while she wanted to trust NICOLE, she felt that with her being "everywhere" and in control of almost everything within the city, the risk should she lose control again was too great. She also felt frustrated that the Freedom Fighters seemed unaware of the potential danger. As he comforted her, Ash suddenly had an idea; he suggested that Mina could use her music to send a message to the people of New Mobotropolis as a whole. Mina eagerly took to this idea, feeling that she had wanted to try a new direction for a while and that this would be a good opportunity to make a statement. Her tears finally stemming, she lead Ash off, ready to get to work on a new album. (StH: #219)

Romance
During her crush on Sonic, Mina seemed somewhat oblivious of the hedgehog's true feelings for her and for Sally. When she realized that he and Sally loved each other, she suffered tremendous heartbreak. (StH: #123)

When Sonic was thought to be dead, she eventually entered a relationship with Ash, manager to her musical career. However, upon Sonic's return, she became conflicted in her feelings, causing Ash to be hostile towards Sonic. Realising she was causing Ash to be insecure and that her behavior was selfish, she sent a letter to the Ask Aly column in the local paper. Sally (using Aly as her pen name) suggested she still give Ash a chance to see where her true feelings were. (StH: #130, #144)



Mina decided to follow up on this advice, but when the mongoose was targeted for assassination by Eggman, Sonic was assigned as her bodyguard, furthering her conflicted feelings. Ash, hurt, eventually confronted her, claiming that even her songs seemed to be about the hedgehog. He asked her to say that she didn't love Sonic anymore, and when she couldn't bring herself to do so, they decided the relationship was over. However, an attempt on Mina's life was once again made, and Ash selflessly saved her from a bomb, gravely injuring himself. Distraught, Mina stayed by his bedside, and when he awoke, she admitted that while Sonic would always have a place in her heart but the incident made her realize she truly loved Ash. (StH: #153, #154)

Personality
Initially, Mina was depicted as shy and lacking in confidence. She was often somewhat depressed, as she had recently lost her mother to roboticization, and at a time considered letting herself be captured and roboticized so as to at least be with her. Eventually as she settled in Knothole, she became more cheerful, making friends and helping take care of a trio of orphans, and when her mother's free will was restored, Mina's mood improved greatly. As she developed a crush on Sonic, she remained shy but began to expand her abilities and become a bit more outgoing, hoping only to impress him, but eventually realized her methods were misguided. When it comes to love, she's passionate but somewhat conflicted and oblivious. She was unaware of the relationship between Sonic and Sally and, upon realizing their feelings for each other, suffered tremendous heartbreak. Deep down Mina is rather brave, having repeatedly put herself in danger for the sake of others, though she doesn't always handle pressure well. Despite her emotional hardships, Mina's confidence grew as her musical ability became apparent, and she developed into a happy, highly energetic individual with a heroic heart, using her singing talents to inspire hope, confidence and improved morale to the masses.

Abilities
Mina has the gift of super speed, though it pales in comparison to Sonic, she can still be considered a formidable combatant. In addition to her speed she also has some aptitude for piloting aircraft, and was taught defensive swordplay and computer programming during her Freedom Fighter training, though she was not very enthusiastic over the computer programming. But her real talents lie outside of battle--namely, in singing.

Background information

 * The initial name that was proposed for Mina was Chloe. Former writer Karl Bollers opted against it, however, since Chloe had the long "e" sound at the end of the name and made her blend in with the rest of the females already established which he didn't want. (Examples: Amy, Sally, Bunnie, Rosie, Dulcy, Hershey, Julie). So, Bollers decided to dedicate her name to his grandmother, Minerva Ifill (1912-2002), but shortened it to Mina. When Ifill died, Bollers dedicated the main story of StH #123 to her.
 * Mina's design may be based on a female mongoose that only showed up on one of Sally's communication monitors in the second story of Sonic the Hedgehog #52, twenty-four issues prior to her debut.

Appearance
Mina has yellow fur and long, wavy lilac hair. Her eyes are green (though they’ve occasionally been miscoloured blue). Created as a potential love interest for Sonic, she was designed by artist Patrick Spaziante specifically with a more SegaSonic-style in mind. In her basic design, Mina wears a simple black tank top, brown shots, a black (sometimes green) hairband, and large green/teal boots and gauntlets/gloves. Her ears have several piercings and are usually adorned with silver hoops.

For concert performances, she often wears a variation of her usual outfit; while she retains the general idea of the boots and gauntlets, the boots sport a purple stripe. She wears a black and purple tank top with matching pants/leggings; the latter were later replaced by a pleated skirt. She's occasionally been depicted in a more formal outfit designed by artist Jeff Axer; a red qipao patterned with a green dragon, long black gloves, ornamental hair pins and ornate gold jewelry, including gold hoop earrings with green tassels. On a single cover Mina was depicted in a typical Japanese sailor-style school uniform of white and purple with a pale teal backpack and white and pink sneakers. She once had a bright pink rain jacket. She was also shown wearing simple pale teal or yellow pyjamas. Artist Dawn Best added a green star to Mina’s hairband. An unused redesign, also by Jeff Axer, featured capris, hi-top sneakers, puppy-themed socks and an artfully-torn sweatshirt with “Sonic” printed on the front.