LJNT

Year of the Vytal Festival

Their first school year had come to a close cleanly.

Despite their troubles and initial misgivings, they had learned to become a team, one that accepted each other. So when they all split up for the momentary summer, the four had forgotten what it was like to be without each other. Even though each teammate had varying degrees of fun, they still remembered their missing friends.

So when school started back up again, there was no complaint from Team LJNT.

Nico boarded the plane, in a rush to get away from General Ironwood. She sighed a breath of relief; finally, she was away from that man. Her eyes couldn't help but narrow once she spotted the teammate who had turned on her so quickly. Just because Lyra and Tanya had forgiven Janelle didn't mean Nico did so easily.

Janelle, however, had completely different ideas.

She turned around, and once she did, a smile broke out onto her face as she spotted Nico.

"Hello Nico! It is very nice to see you!" Janelle was unusually peppy and energetic, a wild look in her normally restrained eyes. Stunned, Nico just watched in shock as Janelle awkwardly continued to rave. "That was the longest summer ever. I have missed you all so, so very much. Where are the others?"

Already confused by this change in her teammate, Nico couldn't even find the words or strength to answer. Janelle waved her hand in front of Nico.

"Nico? Did you hear me? Are you alive? Is something wrong? Do I need to fetch a doctor?"

"U-Uh, no..." Nico finally recovered, blinking her eyes rapidly to make sure she was actually seeing reality. Nope, she wasn't in a dream. Honestly, what was wrong with Janelle? Was she mentally ill? "A-Are you alright...?"

"What? Yes, of course. Why?"

"I-I was j-just surprised t-to see you s-so...u-uh...happy to see me, I-I guess."

"Well, you are my teammate. My friend. At least, I think so," Janelle paused awkwardly as she began to fidget with her dress. "If you do not think we are friends anymore, I completely understand. Are you still...angry?"

"A-About what?"

"Y-You do not remember? Remember, I was...awful to you?" Janelle's smile dropped as she diverted her eyes down to her fidgeting fingers. "...I was terrible, and called you so many terrible things...I was an awful person! I am so, so sorry..."

"O-Oh yeah...I f-forgive you," Nico said awkwardly. "Y-You sound like y-you mean i-it...so a-as long as you d-do, it's fine. B-But if you g-go back on y-your word..."

"I will not! Thank you oh so very much!" Janelle gave Nico the most awkward hug ever. "I will not make the same mistake twice, I promise you that. Over the summer, I realized quite a few things were wrong with my family..."

Someone barreled into both of them before pulling them in for a bone crushing hug, effectively cutting Janelle off.

"Janelle, Nico!!! It's the best thing ever to see you all!" Tanya exclaimed loudly. "I missed you all so, so much! You have to tell me about everything you did, how you were all feeling, who you were with-gah, just tell me everything! I cant wait to hear it!!"

"C-C-Could you-let g-go first?" Nico choked out, struggling to breathe. Tanya finally let them go, a wide smile on her face.

"So!? Tell me all about your summer!!!"

"Okay, will do! It feels like it's been forever since I've seen you all!!" Lyra interjected as she jumped right into the middle of the circle they were standing in. Pyrrha just stepped to form a bigger circle with a smile. Lyra grinned. "I missed you guys!! Guess what, guess what, guess what!? I...Went on an awesome trip to Mistral as a late birthday present, and they had me perform for a show and everything! Isn't that so cool!??"

The atmosphere couldn't help but change in just the slightest. Smiles faded as Lyra joined, and the air grew more tense.

"That does not sound like a trip for vacation, it sounds like work," Janelle pointed out to try and alleviate the awkward air, but Pyrrha just shook her head.

"She can't get enough of performing. That's part of the treat for her," Pyrrha just said with a smile. "Besides, she's good at it, she might as well share it."

"Damn right! Speaking of sharing, what have you guys been up to?"

"Well, I tried asking the others, but got kinda interrupted..." Tanya shrugged, her lips pressed together before she tried to change her tone. "Well, I went home to Grandpapa's, and just kinda hung out there! Doesn't sound as interesting as yours, I guess...But I had so much fun because Grandpapa taught me some stuff about bombs and explosives and dust and woohoo-! I missed you all, though. Well, enough about me! Janelle, Nico?"

"Unfortunately, I did not have as wonderful of a time as you two," Janelle sighed heavily. "My family was not very happy to know that I would be continuing to stay here, nor were they pleased to know I had accepted you all as my team. I locked myself into a room to stop hearing their scoldings."

"That sounds awful. Good thing you're here now!" Tanya grinned. "How about you, Nico?"

"...I-Ironwood s-studied me all summer like u-usual and t-treated m-m-me like a-an object, s-so that w-was fun," Nico grumbled under her breath as she pulled her hood further over her ears. "A-At least I had P-Penny..."

"Yeah, but now you have us, so everything is going to be perfect!" Lyra threw her arm around Nico's shoulder. Nico had forgotten just how affectionate Lyra was, and Nico flinched as her face began to grow red. Lyra grinned. "Right?"

"U-Uh...Yeah.."

"We are looking at another perfect year at Beacon," Janelle sighed in contentment. "I simply cannot wait."

"Right!? We have the Vytal Festival this year, I cant wait!"

"You're right. What could possibly go wrong?"