A story I was inspired to do after Skellington girl got me interested in the old cartoon "Mina And The Count", which is a very cute and funny show from the Cartoon Network series "What A Cartoon!"

Mina And The Count belongs to its respective owners. I own nothing in this story.

Count On Your Friend To Help Always Help You

Mina Parker gathered her books from her desk and put them into her backpack before watching the rest of her class head out and then she joined them. She didn't mind being last in line because then the others couldn't talk so nastily about her behind her back.

Then again, they always were nasty to her and after four years, she was somewhat used to it.

The eleven-year-old sighed before getting on the bus to go home, taking the empty seat in the front that was right behind the driver. No one else liked to sit behind the driver, which she was fine with because the others didn't dare bother her when the driver could see them in his huge rearview mirror.

Thankfully, her stop was the last one on the way to school and the first one on the way from school, so she quickly got off and raced up the sidewalk while the bus pulled away so that the others wouldn't have a chance to call out anything this time.

She sighed and noticed it was almost sunset and smiled. It reminded her of The Count. She hadn't seen him for a bit now as he had mentioned being off to a gathering of vampires about a year ago. She then wished he come by for a visit.

She then got home and set out her homework to do. Her parents were off working late that night, but she was a responsible young girl and could stay at home by herself for a little bit.

She had just finished most of her homework and had some reading to do when she suddenly felt two hands gently grab her sides and give a gentle squeeze, making her give a giggling squeak before she pushed the hands away.

"Now is that any way to say hello to me?" said a familiar voice with a chuckle.

Mina wasted no time jumping up and tackling the Count to the floor, hugging his legs with a huge smile on her face. Even at age eleven, she was still petite and he was very tall.

Count chuckled in amusement. He had gotten used to Mina tackling him to the floor when she greeted him. He then managed to get one of his legs free so he could stand up and walk to the living room with her hanging off his leg before he sat down. "How have you been, Mina?" he asked her.

"Okay," she said, deciding to not tell him about the others talking behind her back.

He chuckled. "Mina, I know about others talking about you behind your back," he said. "I've been watching for a few days now."

She looked up at him before crawling up to sit beside him. "Why didn't you come see me when you first got back?" she asked.

"I wanted to know why you were upset and so did some spying," he said as he leaned back into the couch and felt her lean against his side for comfort. "And to decide on how to cheer you up."

"Your hypnosis doesn't work for more than a day," she said a bit glumly.

He smiled. "I actually had something else in mind," he said as he put on his fierce face and hissed like he was trying to scare her.

She rolled her eyes, but smiled a bit. "You silly vampire," she said.

Just then, two blue hands began tickling her and she giggled and laughed. "This is my plan to make you feel better," said Count with another huge grin.

Mina then surprised him by jumping down off the couch and tackling him again to the floor, but this time, she landed on his stomach and her hands were tickling his underarms before he realized it and he began laughing as his hands began tickling her sides again, making her laughter grow.

Count then stopped the tickle attack after noticing the time and felt Mina collapse on his chest, her eyes blinking in a sleepy manner. "Looks like the dream dust has fallen on you," he said with a chuckle.

Mina smiled as she felt him pick her up with no trouble and carry her to her room. He saw some things had changed as the little girl had gotten older, but he also noticed her art book which had a picture of him on it. "You've become a good artist," he said.

"Thanks," she said. "Count? Promise you won't go away like that again? I missed you."

"I missed you too, Mina," he said. "And I promise."

He began rocking her. "Now, go to sleep," he said gently. "I'll stay for a bit."

She hugged him. "Love you, Count," she said as her eyes closed.

He smiled and rubbed her back. "I love you too, Mina," he said as he placed the eleven year old in her bed and tucked her in. "Sweet dreams."

She was sound asleep by now and the Count waited until her parents got home before he flew out back to his castle. Before he flew out and her folks came in to check on her, Mina woke up a bit. "Count? Will you come by tomorrow?" she asked.

"You can count on it," he said with a smile before heading out and she fell asleep again.

"Yes, you can always count on me, Mina," said the Count to himself as he smiled and headed off to get some shut eye. The meeting had left him quite tired as it had been long, but he'd always go see his little friend even if he was so exhausted he couldn't fly.

And he knew she could always count on it.

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GoldGuardian2418