LJNT

A Team's Responsibility

"You guys did WHAT!?"

Janelle just stood, her hands on her hips, dumbfounded as Tanya relayed what happened to her and Yang with a guilty look. Janelle was just left speechless, while Lyra ran a hand through her blonde hair, irritated.

"You and Yang secretly snuck out to the Emerald Forest to kill Grimm..." Lyra's frown grew deeper. "And you didn't take me!? Honestly, what is wrong with you!?"

"Lyra! Why are you encouraging this? That was stupid!" Janelle scolded, her voice stern and laced with cold anger. "Fighting Grimm without a Huntress license is illegal if you are not under professional supervision! Do you hear me? Illegal! You guys are so lucky Professor Goodwitch did not expel you both!"

"If Ozpin had found them, they would have escaped without any consequences," Lyra muttered under her breath, thinking back to when both her and Nico had tried to kill someone under miscommunications. "No doubt about that. But seriously! You guys were doing something illegal. You couldn't have been more careful!?"

"I feel like you are not exactly grasping the concept of what they have done wrong, Lyra..." Janelle pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt to try and keep her composure. "Illegal. That means they could have been imprisoned for their wrongdoings!"

"Yeah, I know what illegal means."

"I-I-Illegal..." Nico repeated the word under her breath, her ears perked slightly. It was a new word to her. Quite honestly, she wasn't really paying attention to the conversation because she wasn't the one in trouble. "T-T-That sounds weird-"

"Nico!" Janelle snapped, and Nico fumbled with her fingers to try and pretend like she was on Janelle's side.

"O-Oh! T-Tanya, not good," Nico immediately blurred out, but then she thought about the situation they were discussing. Sure, it was illegal, but that was only to protect kids from doing anything dumb. They had been saved by Glynda anyway, so what was the harm? "B-But...T-They w-were just k-killing Grimm...t-they were helping u-us out i-in the long run-"

"Okay, you two just do not get it," Janelle sighed. Noticing Tanya hadn't said anything, Janelle crossed her arms. "Well? What do you have to say?"

Tanya, for once, was quiet. She couldn't meet Janelle's stern eyes, she could only fiddle with her fingers. As Janelle was about to speak once more, Tanya cut her off to avoid hearing more yelling.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Tanya replied quietly. It was the softest anyone had ever heard the energetic girl. "I didn't know it was illegal. My grandpa had me training with Grimm for awhile. I shouldn't have snuck into the Emerald Forest, but...I wanted to prove myself to you guys, okay? None of you were paying me any attention, and all of you were missing...so I was hoping that when I came back from this, you'd all cheer me on and embrace me...I'm sorry. You can kick me off the team now, I probably deserve it. I know you all want to kick me off, anyway. I mean..."

"Come on, Tanya. Nico and I have done way worse!" Lyra laughed it off. "Don't worry about it. We're not gonna kick you off. Mistakes happen, it's alright."

Tanya was still quiet at this. Nico just stared uncomfortably. She wasn't one to comfort or confront, but she was upset that Tanya seemed despondent. However, Nico didn't know what to do. This was not a situation she wanted to be in, so she stayed quiet in hopes that it would make everything better.

Janelle was quiet for an entirely different reason.

She was irritated that Lyra would let Tanya slide with such a huge mistake while Janelle herself had gotten punished by her family for speaking out of turn. Janelle simply turned away from her partner, and Tanya sniffled. Lyra sighed, walking forward to place her hand on Tanya's shoulder.

"It's okay. Everyone makes mistakes," Lyra said gently. "We're not going to kick you off for it. I like having you here, Tanya...even though I thought you were a little annoying at the start, I like you now."

"A little annoying...? B-But wait...you're not going to kick me off? You don't hate me?" Tanya mumbled, confused. "B-But.."

"I don't know why you'd think that we hate you, but I don't," Lyra responded, her golden eyes flashing with white specks. "As our team, it's our responsibility to accept each other, no matter what. Don't worry, Tanya. You're not going anywhere."

"O-Oh..."

"Y-Y-Y-Yeah...I-l d-don't w-want you to g-go either," Nico mumbled, her cheeks turning slightly red as she spoke.

Tanya was glad to hear that, but she knew her partner was less than forgiving. Plus, hearing that she had first been 'a little annoying' wasn't really making her feel as if she was wanted by her teammates. She raised her eyes to Janelle's glare, instantly deflecting her gaze.

"You fool. You are utterly beyond help," Janelle huffed. Tanya kept her eyes on the ground. This was not a scolding Tanya needed to hear...Before Lyra could intervene, Janelle continued on. "None of us want to kick you off. Surprisingly, we like having you around, which means you are not allowed to just go missing all of a sudden. I am sorry you felt you needed our attention, but I did not think you would want to intensively study with me. We cannot be by your side all of the time, but that does not mean we want you off the team."

"B-But...Isn't that what that means? If you aren't by me all of the time...then doesn't that mean you wanna get rid of me?"

"No. While you make far too many mistakes for my liking..." Janelle sighed. "You are my partner. A foolish partner...but my partner nonetheless. There is no changing that, as Headmaster Ozpin has decreed this, and Lyra leads us all. But. You must not commit such a mistake ever again! Do you understand?"

Tanya nodded, before springing up and embracing Janelle in a tight hug. Tanya jumped up and down, a smile on her face. Janelle just stood there awkwardly before prying Tanya off of her.

"Enough, enough. Cease your actions," Janelle smoothed out her dress, an uncomfortable look on her face. "Promise me you will not mess up again."

"Yes! Yes, I promise!"

"Good," Janelle sighed. "On that note...would you like to come study? I figure you will say no, but-"

"Sure, I'll come!" Tanya interrupted, even though she didn't look super excited by that prospect. Lyra just shrugged, gesturing for Nico to come with her.

"Have fun! Nico and I are going to...pass. See ya!"

The two disappeared, and Janelle glanced at Tanya.

"Are you ready? I expect extreme focus."

Tanya nodded, determined to make it up to her partner.

"Yes! I'm ready."