Neopets, A Lenny Fashion Conundrum

Title: A Lenny Fashion Conundrum
Rating/Warnings: G. It’s freaking neopets, man.
Summary: Nostradmys is having a crisis of cute.
A/N: This is more or less exactly how it happened, up to and including the pink Bluna. Nostradmys remains thankful I didn’t turn him into a Krawk.

A Lenny Fashion Conundrum

It was springtime in Neopia, and everything was fresh and green. Everything, that is, except for my green Lenny, Nostradmys. He was completely blue. Sitting on the Kauvara couch of our neohome, he let out a big sigh. Exiesenos, my red Blumaroo, bopped over on her tail and peered at him.

“What’s wrong?” she asked with concern.

“Nothing,” Nostradmys sighed louder. Puzzled as to why anybody could be sad on such a beautiful spring day, Exies immediately got me.

“Mousapelli,” Exies tugged on my arm as I tried to finish my Latin homework, “something’s wrong with Nostradmys!”

“Is he sick?” I asked, looking up.

“Come see for yourself!” Exies pulled me out of my chair and I had no choice but to follow. Nostradmys was still moping on the couch, puffing up his feathers miserably.

“Hmm, this does look serious,” I said thoughtfully. I sat down on the couch next to my Lenny and asked him what was wrong. After some coaxing, he finally told us what the problem was.

“I hate being a Lenny!” he exclaimed.

“Why?” I asked, taken aback. Nostradmys had never seemed to have a problem with his species before.

“All the other neopets make fun of me because I look so geeky!” Now tears were starting to pool in Nostradmys’s eyes and roll down his beak.

“People only tease you because they’re jealous,” I said comfortingly, but Nostradmys was having none of it.

“Why would they be jealous of me?” he demanded. “There’s a reason that Lennies are the least popular neopets in all of Neopia!”

“People just don’t understand the subtle complexity of the Lenny,” I argued. “And anyways, they aren’t the least popular!”

“Only because we aren’t limited edition,” Nostradmys sniffled.

“You know what you need?” I announced, having had an idea. “A makeover!”

“Great, a Lenny with makeup on, that’ll draw an even bigger crowd,” Nostradmys grumbled.

“Not that sort of makeover,” I corrected, standing up in excitement. “A FASHION makeover! Come on, we’re going to go to the shops and get you a new look!”

Twenty minutes later found me standing in front of the Grooming Parlor with a very reluctant Lenny.

“You’ll feel much better after a new haircut,” I assured him, pushing him into the shop ahead of me. As the bells attached to the door tinkled, the red Usul in charge of the shop sprang up in front of us.

“Oh, what a super wonderful day!” she chirruped. “Would you like to try some of our new fragrance?” Without waiting for an answer she spritzed us liberally with perfume that made us both sneeze violently.

“Thanks,” I coughed, waving my hand in front of my face to clear the air. “But what my Lenny needs is a new haircut.”

“Really? That’s my specialty!” the Usul squealed. “You just have a seat right here and I’ll take this lucky pet back and get started!” She scurried away, dragging Nostradmys along. I plopped down in a chair and picked up one of the ancient magazines.

After what seemed like ages, finally the Usul bounced back into the room.

“Finished!” she crowed. “We bathed him in milk, then blow-dried his feathers and buffed his beak! Viola!”

She stepped aside with a grand gesture to reveal a supremely un-amused Nostradmys with no discernable difference, other than beak glare.

“Well,” I offered, “You’re very glossy.”

“I look exactly the same as before!” he wailed in reply. Sighing, we went back outside to try something different. Uni’s Clothing caught my eye.

“How about some stylish clothes?” I cried, starting towards the door. “That’ll do it for sure!”

After spending a half hour looking through rack after rack of fashion, we emerged with what I felt was an ensemble sure to knock the other neopets’ socks off.

“I feel silly,” Nostradmys complained, pushing up the sleeves up his new sweater, “and this scarf itches.”

“You look great!” I encouraged. “Now nobody will make fun of…”

I was interrupted by the shout of a young Mynci behind me.

“Mommy, look at that funny green clown!”

“…you,” I finished sourly, turning to give the Mynci the Evil Eye.

We decided to take a break, and stopped into our own shop, Sprunkers’ Emporium, to visit Messalyna, my yellow Aisha who watches the store.

“What’s the matter with him?” Messalyna asked as Nostradmys began leafing sullenly through one of our used books that was on sale.

“He thinks Lennies look too geeky,” I sighed.

“It’s funny you say that,” Messalyna’s second set of ears perked up. “A customer just told me that now you can paint Lennies psmelf!”

I quickly covered Messalyna’s mouth with my hand, muffling her last word, and glanced over my shoulder to make sure Nostradmys hadn’t overheard. I put a finger to my lips before removing my hand, and we had a whispered conference.

“That’s perfect!” I whispered. “How much is in the shop till?”
“Around 110k NP,” the Aisha whispered back. “We finally sold that stupid pink Bluna.”

“Perfect,” I said again, withdrawing what was in the till box. “I’ll be right back, you keep an eye on Nostradmys for a few minutes.”

I ran out of the shop and looked around, searching the shop signs in the marketplace for what I needed. Finally I caught sight of the appropriate vendor: Discount Paint Brushes. Dashing back to the shop, I retrieved the despondent Lenny, flashing Messalyna a quick thumbs-up, and then it was off to the Rainbow Pool.

“What are we doing here?” Nostradmys asked, looking interested despite himself.

“I have a present for you,” I announced, handing him a gift-wrapped box. Eyes full of curiosity, he ripped off the paper.

“A pink paint brush?” he asked me. “But Lennies can’t be painted pink.”

“They can now!” I exclaimed, pushing him towards the fountain. “Go on, give it a try!”

Moments later, my transformed neopet emerged from the fountain, grinning proudly.

Bright pink plumage, a fuller beak, and chic black wingtips made Nostradmys a sight to behold.

“Wow!” he laughed. “Who knew Lennies could look so good?”

“Now you’re the best-looking neopet in Neopia Central!” I exclaimed, giving him a big hug. Nostradmys shuffled his feet and blushed. Or at least I think he did, underneath all that sparkly new pink.