If you wanted it, then you have it- Episode 2 of "The Count's World." I have a lot of stuff to put in this series, so as long as people respond favorable, or at least give me ways to make it more enjoyable, it's going to be coming up.

Plus, I mostly write fanfiction when I'm in the middle of a depressive episode, and since I slept for 12 hours last night, it's pretty safe to say you'll be seeing a lot of updates. I hope they won't be depressing, though- actually, I'm going to shoot for "comedy." Last night I actually DREAMED an episode (well, why not? I was asleep for twelve hours!)

But enough from me… presenting:

EPISODE 2-1

As was their custom, the minions of Count Bleck were gathered in the meeting room, ready for their next assignment. Mr. L was still among their ranks, mostly because no one had gotten around to sending him home yet. Nastasia was standing on her usual platform that was normally right next to the Count, but the Count was not there at that moment.

O'Chunks was the first one to comment on Count Bleck's absence. "Hang on a minute," he said. "I was all set ta say Hail Bleck, but it doen't make any sense if the Count in't 'ere, then. What's goin' on?"

"Yeah," said Mimi. "Where's Count Bleck?"

Nastasia straightened her glasses and announced, "Yeah, um, the Count is going to take one of his sick days today, so he left me to dispense the next project. I have it right—"

"What? Somethin' wrong with the Count? Yeh gotta give us more to go on than that, lass—if there's somethin' wrong wit' 'im, we gotta know."

"It's nothing," Nastasia explained. "Probably just a little something he picked up while he was away." She held up the clipboard she always carried. "Now, I have the notes he left for me right here, so let's just take a look at them and get started, 'K?"

"Is there anything we can do to make him feel better?" asked Mimi? Her face was expressing the concern she felt.

"Uh, not really," Nastasia answered. "You've never been sick before? It really isn't a big deal. Like I was saying, I have all the notes he left me, so we can get started. I've got you guys scheduled to leave for Rogueport at 10 this morning—"

"Goodness," said Dimentio. "If he picked it up in Rogueport, it doesn't sound like a very good idea to send the rest of us there, does it?"

"Look, just wash your hands and you should be fine, 'K? Now, like I was saying, the Count says he wants you to go to Rogueport, because of a disturbance between two of the criminal organizations they have in the town—"

"Oh, I see," O'Chunks said with a gruff laugh. "Someone in Rogueport needs a good taste o' O'Chunks's Chunks, issat it?" He shook his fists up in the air. "I'll drop a mess o' damage on 'em!"

Nastasia sucked her breath in through her teeth and looked up at the minions. "You know," she said, "It's really difficult to get through these meetings when you keep interrupting me. How about you all settle down for a few minutes so we can get through this… 'K?"

"Sorry," they mumbled.

"Great." Nastasia looked over the clipboard. "Now… in Rogueport, there are two conflicting gangs- the Robbos, who work on the east side of town, and the Pianta Syndicate who control the west. Both of them have been fighting for complete control as long as they've been around, but recently tensions have been seriously brimming in the central plaza. The Count would like to test the waters of our new organization by sending you there and having you prevent an all-out gang war on them. Understand?"

"I'm sorry, did you say gang war?" Dimentio was incredulous.

Nastasia checked over her notes. "Yeah, I did," she confirmed. "Do you think you can resolve the situation?"

"Yeh kin count on us!" O'Chunks said. "If we can't reason with 'em… we'll chunk 'em!"

"I shall leave the chunking to him," said Dimentio. "Although my mind is hatching up several scenarios that could play out once we arrive." He glanced up at Mr. L. "Most of them don't end up well for you."

"I've been to Rogueport before," said Mr. L. "I used to hang out there between adventures back when I had one of my own. I wonder if any of my old buddies are still there…" he added as an afterthought.

"If Rogueport is anything like I've hard it is," said Mimi, "we'll need all the buddies we can get. What should I wear to a place like that, anyway?"

"Want my advice?" said Nastasia. "Don't wear anything too nice."

"So, anything in your closet then," Dimentio added.

Mimi shot an angry glare at Dimentio. "Don't even start! I'm still mad at you for the other day; that was a cheap shot!" Mimi was, of course, referring to the time when Dimentio had given her the advice to resolve her situation with Nastasia, but had then used it to take a dig at her and remind her that she had not gotten any work done. Dimentio was nothing if not consistent, especially in his treatment of the others.

Count Bleck was relaxing in his room, laying down on his bed. He was tired, the kind of tired where you aren't sure if you're just waking up or just falling asleep. What Nastasia had said about him being sick was true, and although he hated to miss being available to his minions on their first serious mission with the new goal, there was no way he could delay it any further. Tensions in Rogueport were just too high, and it was an opportunity they just could not miss. So here he was, sick enough to be annoying but not sick enough for any concern. He had Tippi for company, and for that he was grateful.

"I'm just not sure I trust them, entirely," Count Bleck was saying. "When I hired them, it was with the goal of destroying the world. If you don't want anything beaten into submission, O'Chunks is certainly not the man for the job…Mimi couldn't work out the solution on her own… and Dimentio, well, I'm not really sure why he's here in the first place, I just can't seem to get rid of him."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Tippi said in a comforting voice. "You gave them all pages and pages of information and an action plan. It's not like they'll be flying blind or anything. And they're more capable than you think. They were really good at slowing Mario down."

"You're right," said Count Bleck. "It's just a very frustrating situation for me to be in. I wrote those pages with the full intention of being on call. It may throw a wrench into the gears, as the expression goes."

"So now Nastasia is on call," said Tippi. "She's just as capable as anyone, and much more capable than the others. Now why don't you stop talking? You sound like a strangled cat."

Count Bleck coughed and cleared his throat. "It's not that bad, now, is it?"

"Yeah. It is." Tippi was teasing, and it made him smile.

Count Bleck closed his eyes as he turned a thought over in his head until it became an idea. After working on it for a few minutes, he said, "Timpani, I would feel much better if you were with them."

"What?" Tippi was surprised.

"I want you to follow my minions and keep an eye on them and tell them what to do," Count Bleck said. "Right now you're a pixl designed for that very purpose… and since it is my hope you will not remain a pixl for long, we should take advantage of that while we can."

"But… but I want to stay here with you." Tippi was confused by the request.

"Timpani, we'll be together for the rest of time, I've promised you that." Count Bleck held up his finger for her to land on. "And there's no sense in both of us being stuck here. A few days, at the most."

"I want to keep you company."

"But you could do so much more for me by assuring me that my minions have the best help they can."

Tippi didn't know what to say. It was a very unusual request, and she certainly didn't want to leave her true love shut up and miserable in his room all day. But at the same time, what he was saying was true- if she left, she would both be useful and give him some peace of mind.

It was quite a conundrum.

"All right," said Tippi. "If it makes you feel better, I'll go with them."

Count Bleck smiled at her. "Thank you," he said. "It means a lot to me that you would agree to this."

"I love you," she said.

"I love you, too." He held out his hand and let her go. "Come back soon, all right?"

"Silly Mimikins," Dimentio was saying. "The true future rests in the hands of those with the foresight to provide a sack lunch for themselves." He held up his paper bag for emphasis. "Where's your sack lunch, hmm?"

"Leave me alone," said Mimi flatly.

"You're just jealous of my sack lunch," Dimentio said. "Would you like to know what I had the foresight to pack in it?"

Tippi entered the room and looked around. They were in the front foyer, Mimi, Dimentio, Mr. L, and O'Chunks. It looked like she caught them just in time, because there was nothing left for them to do before they left.

"Oh, hi, Tippi," Mr. L waved. "Did we forget something?"

"Um, no," said Tippi. "Not really… Blumiere said he wanted me to come with you."

They all looked at her in surprise.

"I know," said Tippi. "I didn't think he would, either, but he talked me into it. I think he wants me to make sure you don't do anything stupid."

"Are you sure you're up to it?" asked Dimentio. "That's a full-time job, you know."

"Be nice," she warned him. "Now let's get going, to Rogueport." Before I change my mind, she added to herself.