Disclaimer: I do not own Loud House.
"Okay Lucy you can do this." Lucy said walking around her room. "It's just a simple question."
Lucy headed downstairs and noticed her parents sitting on the couch.
"Mom, Dad." She said as she walked into the room. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course sweetheart." Rita said putting her book down. "What is it?"
"So in three weeks there's a convention in town and I want to know if I can go?" Lucy explained playing with her hands.
The two parents whispered to each other before Rita spoke up. "Of course you can go."
"Really!" Lucy perked up.
"But with one condition." Lynn Sr began. "At least one of your older sisters must come with you. We don't want you walking around that big hall by yourself."
"I think I can do that." Lucy ran up and hugged her parents. "Thank you so much."
"I'll have to see." Leni said while on her cellphone before whispering. "Meeting the Princess Pony cast would be so cool."
"Leni." Lucy poked her head around the corner.
"I'll call you back!" Leni said into the phone before hanging up the phone. "What is it Lucy?"
"Well in three weeks there's a convention going on called Anicon and I really want to go but Mom and Dad said I only go if an older sister went with me. And I want to know if you would like to come with me?" Lucy stopped for a moment. "Can you keep this a secret?"
"Oh of course Lucy." Leni pretended to zip her lips up.
"The cast of Princess Pony is going to be there and I want to meet them." Lucy whispered to her.
"You like Princess Pony." Leni held in screaming.
"Yes please don't laugh."
"I like it too." Leni beamed. "I would love to go with you."
To the surprise of the older Loud the eight year old smiled.
"Oh is it alright if a friend of mine join us?" Leni asked a bit nervous. "She watches Princess Pony too."
"I think it will be alright." Lucy said still smiling.
"Lucy you didn't tell me this was a costume party." Leni said looking at her younger sister. Leni was wearing a T-shirt with a smiling young girl with what looked like a nunchucks. "Now I'm under dressed."
"It's not Leni. Some people only choose to wear costumes." Lucy explained. Despite wanting to see Princess Pony Lucy couldn't help but wear her Griselda costume.
"Well I'm still excited!" Leni clapped her hands as they walk into the train station. Leni looked around and then smiled. "Oh there she is."
Lucy looked over and noticed a girl about Leni's age. She had brown hair that was braided and was wearing a Princess Pony shirt. On her head she wore a fuzzy pink headband with stars attached to springs. The girl was on her phone and Lucy could see what appeared to be Rosy Cake on it.
"Helen over here!" Leni called happily and the girl smiled as she walked over. "Helen this is my sister Lucy. Lucy you remember Helen right?"
"Isn't she the one Luna went to the Mick Swagger concert with?" Lucy asked recognizing the girl.
"Yes she is." Leni wrapped her arm around Helen who smiled as she looked down.
After some time the train pulled up into the station. The three girls walked on and sat in the back at the red leather seats that faced each other. Leni sat next to her sister while Helen sat on the other side. Once they sat down Leni reached into her purse and pulled out four tickets.
"Lucy did you invite someone to join us?" Leni scratched her head at the four tickets.
Lucy pulled out two of the tickets that had a blue line. "These are to enter the convention. The ones in your hand are for the train."
"Oh that makes sense." She looked over and saw Helen had a train out.
For a moment the three were silent. Lucy looked out the window and watched the town past by them quickly. Despite normally being a fan of the quiet she couldn't help but feel awkward. Looking around she saw Helen had a bag with what looked like a pair of twins on it.
"So Helen what is that bag from?" Lucy asked hoping to strike up a conversation.
"It's from a show called Mystery Woods." Helen beamed moving the bag to her lap allowing Lucy to get a better look at this bag. "It's about a family traveling the Canadian wilderness with each week bringing a new supernatural force."
"My shirt has the character Ariel on it" Leni pointed to her shirt more specifically the girl with nunchucks. "She's my favorite."
"Is it a good show?" Lucy tilted her head now very interested.
"It sadly ended last year." Helen looked down a little but still had a smile on her face. "But I still watch reruns of it."
"Were there any vampires in it?" If Lucy's eyes could be seen they would be wide and in awe.
"There was one who was a recurring character." Helen pointed to the boy. "His name is Alex and he did not like the vampire Tommy at all."
"I still have no idea how he keeps appearing in every episode." Leni rubbed the back of her head.
"I hope there is a panel on it." Helen hugged her bag tightly. "I love seeing people who still love the show even after all of this time."
The rest of the train ride went well. Lucy listened intently to Helen taking about Mystery Woods. She even learned the headband Helen was wearing was from the show. When the train reached the area near the convention hall Lucy couldn't hold in a smile. At the moment she heard a snap from Leni's phone.
"What was that for?" Lucy asked turning towards her sister slightly annoyed. Helen raised a eyebrow at the action.
"You hardly ever smile." Leni looked at the recently taken picture. "I wanted to savior this moment."
"Oh." Helen said quietly as the trained stopped and the three girls got off.
"Hmm I wonder which line we go do?" Leni asked as the they walked over to the center. There was a few lines many of the people were standing in. The people stood their and very seemed very annoyed. The other line seemed to be moving much quicker. Lucy walked up to the signs and tugged on Leni's sleeve.
"I think we go over there." Lucy pointed to the green sign that read Ticket Holders This Way. Leni laughed a little before they walked over. The line went by much faster as they gave their tickets to the officers and Helen opened her bag so it could be checked. The three than walked to the schedule and looked over it.
"Looks like we have about half an hour until the Meet the Princess Pony Cast." Helen said as she looked at the event listings. "I'm sad that there's no Mystery Woods panels but seeing the cast will work."
The three girls started heading to Room 37. They convention hall was very crowded with many people in various costumes from countless TV shows and movies. Lucy shook a little bit out of fear and tugged on Leni's sleeve.
"What's wrong Lucy?" Leni asked as they kept walking.
"Could you hold my hand?" Lucy asked a little awkwardly. "I'm a little scared about getting lost."
"It's alright Lucy." Leni took the eight year old's hand and they kept walking.
Walking around Lucy saw plenty of people in Princess Pony cosplays or just simple t-shirts. Some people were even wearing the popular ear and horn headbands in the fandom. Lucy couldn't help but feel sort of jealous of these people. They seemed to have a sense of freedom that Lucy simply couldn't have with her own family. With the whole toilet clogging incident and Lincoln taking the blame Lucy saw how her siblings were making fun of Lincoln when he took the blame for her. Sometimes she wished that she could express her love for the show with someone else but she didn't want to be made fun of like Lincoln. Maybe someday she hoped that she could express her love for the show as much as these people did but she couldn't. Once they were inside Room 37 Helen found three seats next to each other that were empty. The three walked over and took their seat. They sat patiently until the Princess Pony cast appeared in the panel.
"Hi everyone Welcome to Anicom 2018." A voice actress said standing up. "I am Clara Wong and I play Twily."
"Hi everyone I'm Candy Bidman it's me Rosy Cake." A second women said waving to everyone. Lucy looked at Leni and Helen who were smiling widely. "And me Snuttersneeze."
"Woah they're the same person!" Leni said in awe.
The other voice actors introduced themselves and their characters, there was Tammi St. Helena who voiced Jewel, Veronica Cooper who voiced Pearsol and Flying Colors, Olive Nickler who voiced Princess Oriana, and Kelly Bindman who voiced Starry. The cast started to asked questions and Lucy sat their hoping to think of the perfect one to ask.
"How about we start with you in front." At the moment a man with a plushie of Twily stood up.
"Kelly how do you feel about joining the Princess Pony cast?" The man excitingly.
"I'm really excited about it. When I auditioned I honestly thought Starry was going to be a one off now here I am in the main cast." Kelly looked around and pointed to another person.
"Is it true we're getting dragons next season?" The person asked with wide eyes.
"Well it's a possibility." Olive said with a slight wink.
The questions went like it for a while. Each question Lucy paid attention as much as she could. A couple of times Leni took some pictures both of the cast and a few people in cosplayers.
"Yes you with the star headband." Clara pointed to Helen as Leni gasped. Helen stood up and smiled. Leni took a picture and and waved.
"Um, Tammi what inspired you to create the voice for Jewel?" Helen asked. "I always liked the voice for her."
"Well my voice is a posh British accent." Tammi answered in her Jewel voice. "It always made sense for a high class character like me to have this sort of voice and it always felt right to be British."
"Thank you." Helen gave a small wave before sitting down. Helen sat back down and Lucy sat quietly until she had an idea. The questionnaire went on. At one point Lucy checked the time and saw it was almost over.
"Okay I think we have time for one more question." Clara said looking around. Not wanting to miss this opportunity Lucy lifted her hand. "Let's see how about how the one in the The Vampires of Melancholia cosplay."
"Lucy you get to ask a question." Leni said excitingly before taking a picture.
Lucy stood up and looked at the cast. "What would you say is the most important lesson people can take from the show?"
Clara smiled at her before saying. "I believe that the most important lesson would be, never stop anyone from doing what you love from the episode Books and Adventures where Flying Colors was worried she would be made fun for liking the Climbing Height books when in reality she had nothing to be afraid of. I feel that it is an universal message we can all learn from."
"Wow thank you." Lucy said and if her eyes could be shown they would have been teary.
"Well that's all the time we have for now. We hope you enjoy the rest of your day here at Anicon." The rest of the cast waved as Lucy still sat there in awe.
"So since it's almost noon we could get some lunch." Helen said checking her watch. "Hopefully the convention hall dining area won't be too crowded."
"I like that idea." Leni smiled before looking at Lucy. "What do you think Lucy?"
"I can't believe I got to ask them a question." Lucy whispered to her self as Leni giggled at how in awe Lucy was
" OMG Lucy look it's the guys from MOV!" Leni said excitingly pointing to an Edmund and Griselda cosplayer.
"Leni that's just someone dressed as Edmund and Griselda." Lucy tried to explained.
"Excuse me sir." Leni called out to the cosplayers. "I love your costumes and the show."
"Why thank you young lady." The Edmund cosplayer said before looking at Lucy. "I must say young lady you do look very similar to my beloved Griselda."
"Thank you." Lucy said a little shily.
"How about we a get picture with you, if you don't mind." The Griselda offered.
"I wouldn't mind." Lucy said before walking over to them. The Griselda handed Helen her phone as Leni pulled out her own.
"Okay say Blood." Leni said holding her phone up. The three responded holding up their arms and posing like vampires. When they were done Helen handed the Griselda her phone back.
"These are wonderful pictures thank you." The Griselda curtsied before the two walked off with a wave. The three girls continued their walk to the dining area. When they got there many people standing in line.
"How about you guys get food and I'll find a place to sit?" Leni suggested as he walked off.
"Don't you want to stay with Lucy?" Helen said with a shrug.
"It's alright Helen." Leni turned to her sister. "Can you just get me a sandwich and a smoothie? And if they don't have smoothies a lemonade?"
"Got it." Lucy said as she and Helen walked into the line. They were silent for a moment before Lucy spoke. "So Helen do you watch the Vampires of Melancholia?"
"I tried it once after Leni got into it." Helen paused for a moment. "I don't know I just didn't really like it."
"That's fine it always has a sort of charm to me."
"Oh." Helen said quietly.
The two girls got the meals and proceeded to look for the second eldest Loud sister. Eventually the found taking to a girl with what appeared a green wig and crescent moons painted on her cheeks.
"Leni what are you doing?" Helen asked with her head titled.
"Oh you guys are back." Leni turned to them revealing she had pink stars painted on her cheeks.
"Leni you have stars on your cheeks." Lucy sat down and passed Leni her lunch. The girl smiled and waved at the before turning back to her table, where a few other people had sat down.
"That nice lady painted them on for me." She put her hands along side the stars. "She's from a show called Amora and the Infinite Dimensions and turns out she thinks I look just like Amora."
"I've heard of that show but I never watched it." Helen took a sip of her soda.
"Oh you would totes like it. It's about a princess named Amora from a kingdom called Bluey. After her parents get kidnapped she travels through the other dimensions to find them while teaming up with a boy from Earth named Sol. That character is Nebula, Amora's great something Aunt who she has to free from prison to save her mother."
"I see but why do you have stars on your cheeks?" Lucy asked.
"Oh, it's just a thing people in Bluey have or Bluans as their called."
"That really does sound interesting I'll have to check it out."
"Oh Lucy there's alot of monsters in the show so you might like it."
"I guess I could try it out. Maybe I watch it Lola." Lucy looked at Leni.
"I'm sure your sisters wouldn't mind you watching that show Lucy." Helen explained.
"Well when my brother took the blame for me with a Princess Pony comic. All the other sisters laughed at him and I knew I couldn't tell them I liked the show. I'd be a laughing stock."
"Do you know what you do Lucy." Lucy turned to the older girl. "You tell them so what. I'm sure there's jocks who love to read and nerds who love to play baseball or something similar to that. And if your sister make of you for it ignore them."
"But Lynn is the worse of them and I share a room with her." Lucy shuttered at the thought of having to deal with the endless torture of Lynn."
"You know from slamming you into the wall and convincing everyone your brother was bad luck your sister Lynn doesn't seem like a nice person."
"She has her moments." Leni said with a smile.
"Of niceness or meanness."
"Both." Leni said quietly.
"Oh." Helen sounded a bit awkward.
"But I agree Lucy, if you love the show you shouldn't be afraid too love it."
"But you're afraid too." Lucy said to her older sister.
"To be honest with you Lucy I wish I wasn't. You are so much braver than me. You are able to express yourself with your darky stuff. Sure I have my fashion but I still believe I have to hide almost everything about me. Meanwhile you're out there with your poetry, even going out on stage. I haven't done much with my passions. So what if you have one like that goes against your norm. That just makes you special and most importantly makes you, you."
Lucy smiled again she looked at Helen who smiled back and nodded to agree with Leni. "You don't have to hide Leni. In fact we shouldn't hide anything."
Once they were finished with lunch the girls decided to head to the shopping area of the convention. There they saw many people selling official and homemade merchandise of many shows.
"Wow this looks just like the headband Ariel wore in the series finale!" Helen beamed picking up the fuzzy headband. Leni smiled at her friend's excitement as Lucy walked over to the table across from them. There she saw a Twily plushie wearing her Spooky Night's costume for the episode of the same name. She remember how Pearsol and Flying Colors had laughed at her costume and confused it for something else but it didn't stop Twily from wearing it. Taking notice of the price tag she took out some of the money given to her from her parents and bought it.
"Hey Lucy what are you doing?" Leni asked before noticing the plushies.
Lucy turned around and showed her the Twily plushie she bought. "I don't want to be afraid anymore. I don't care what the other the other's say I like Princess Pony and I don't want to hide it anymore."
Leni wiped a tear from her eye before opening her arms for a hug. Lucy choose to accept it and hugged her back. "Lucy I am so proud of you."
"I'm so excited you get to sleep over." Leni said as the three girls walked up to the Loud house..
"I am too." Helen said hugging her new Rosy Cake plushie.
"Well it seems like you girls had fun." Rita said as she opened the door. "Lucy, I haven't seen you this happy since last Halloween."
Leni laughed a bit as the three girls walked in. Lucy looked at her Twily plushie a little tighter. She couldn't be afraid and hide. This is what she wanted. When they walked in the other nine Loud siblings, except for Lily, were sitting on the couch watching TV.
"Hey guys were back." Leni waved to them with a smile. "Lori, Helen and I will be in our room okay."
"Wait Lucy is that a Princess Pony toy?" Lynn Jr. asked with a laugh. "Did Lincoln get you into it?"
"Yes it is a Princess Pony plushie but no Lincoln didn't force me into. I've liked it for a awhile now." She started to walk upstairs as she heard a few chuckles from Lynn and few other sister. Though she was pretty sure Rita and maybe Luna scowled at one of them as it stopped. "If you have a problem with it I don't care."
"Yeah and I like the show too." Leni admitted. "So if you make fun of Lucy you also make fun of me."
The three girls walked upstairs without another word. Leni and Helen were about to go to Leni's room when Lucy decided to stop her.
"You didn't have to say anything you know. I would have been fine."
"I got inspired by you Lucy. I shouldn't be hiding either." She turned to Helen. "We were thinking of watching a few episodes would you like to join us."
"I have some candy from the stall selling it." Helen held out the bag while standing in the doorway to Leni's room.
"I would love too." Lucy walked in the room glad to no longer having to hide what she loved.
AN: Happy Birthday Bestie! I still have one thing to give to you a shout out! If any of you want a good Leni story I recommend My Sister Leni by my friend Gumball2. They honestly helped me write Leni in all of my Loud House stories. They have other Loud House stories if you're interested in them. I hope have a good birthday buddy!