Team OPLL- A RWBY story. Volume 3

Chapter 6: Revelations

I was in my room, cuddling with Velvet and watching a movie with my team, Neon, and Flynt. Ever since their loss in doubles round, Flynt was spending all his time with Lapis. And Neon stuck around because...I have no idea. I was still recovering from the doubles round and was looking forward to spending time with Velvet.

"This movie is great!" Neon said for about the hundredth time. It was a sappy romance film that Lapis had picked. Apparently, it was a "fantastic date movie!" I preferred my dates with a little less movie and a little more being alone with Velvet, but hey. Honestly, I wasn't paying any attention to the movie. I was focused on the beautiful girl snuggled into my side whose hair I was currently stroking.

Then the door knocked. "Ox! Let us in!" Ruby called from the other side.

"It's open!" I called, hitting pause on the movie. Ruby and Yang walked in, followed by an older guy in a gray dress shirt, black pants, and a tattered, red cloak. He reeked of alcohol and...something I couldn't quite name. Sadness? That was close but not quite it. Regret? Yeah, that fit. It was disturbingly familiar. Actually, the guy himself was familiar. Like I'd met him before.

He saw me, and his eyes went wide. He whispered something I barely caught. It sounded like "deacon."

I stood up and walked over to him, extending my hand. "Hey. I'm Ox Cobalt."

He looked at my hand in awe before shaking it. "Qrow Branwen. Ox, huh?" He said, questioningly.

I shrugged. "Can't remember my actual name. Saw a picture of an ox one day and thought I looked like one, so I started calling myself Ox."

Qrow looked shocked and sat on Carli's bed. He still felt familiar to me and my mind formed a picture of the same guy, but younger.

"Do I know you?" I asked. He looked up, still shocked. "You seem so familiar."

He looked at the group behind me. "Can I have a word in private?"

"Suuuuree." I said, confused. They all left except for Velvet. "If you don't mind, I'd like my girlfriend to stay."

He gave me an almost approving look. "Girlfriend huh? Nice going kid." Velvet introduced herself and we sat on my bed across from him.

Qrow took a deep breath, then began. "Yeah kid, you know me. From a long time ago. Feels like a lifetime." He took another breath. "Over ten years ago, I went on a search and rescue mission in the ruins to rescue a couple living out there. Their names were Damian and Della Umbra. They were your parents."

I felt like someone knocked the wind out of me. "what? You knew my parents? What were they like? Were they like me? what..." he held out a hand.

"I didn't know them personally. But to answer one of your questions, yes, they were Mega-Faunus. I got there just in time to see them fall and I avenged them, for all the good it did. Then, with his dying breath, your father told me about you. The son no one knew they had had. Deacon."

Velvet squeezed my hand, but I was too stunned to look at her. "My real name is Deacon Umbra?"

He nodded. "I helped repair and fortify an old bookstore for you to live and I unlocked your aura. I trained you for almost a year. But one day..." He couldn't finish. There were tears in his eyes.

"But what?" I asked, keeping the tears out of my eyes.

"There was an accident one day. It was my fault. You were hurt. Pretty bad. Major head trauma. You...you didn't recognize me...or your own name...you ran away...and...i...I let you go. It was one of the worst mistakes of my life, and I've regretted it for over a decade. But I was so...so full of guilt that I couldn't bear to face you. I'm so sorry Deke."

There were tears running down his eyes and I could hear Velvet crying next to me and felt her holding on to my arm. I felt tears burn in the corners of my eyes. I didn't know what to say. So, I reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay." I said, without malice. He looked up at me. "Qrow, those years I spent alone, while they definitely weren't fun, they taught me how to be strong. But more importantly, while my social skills could still use some work, look around. I have great friends, a hell of a team, and." at this I looked over to Velvet "a woman I love." She squeezed my hand tighter and leaned into my shoulder. "I didn't hate living in those ruins. There were times I enjoyed even, as weird as it sounds. My point is, I wouldn't be the man I am today without that experience. So, thank you Qrow. For everything you did to help me become who I am."

Qrow looked up at me and neither of us could speak. Finally, he said "thank you Deke. Or...should I call you Ox?" he asked, hesitantly.

I chuckled. "Either will work, Uncle." That last part slipped out and I have no idea what I was thinking when I said it, but he looked up at me with in shock.

"That's what you used to call me back then." He said.

"I'm sorry. It just kind of slipped out I guess." I said hurriedly.

He shook his head "It's ok. Uncle is fine if you want."

"That would make us siblings!" I heard from outside, before a loud thump sound. I went over and opened the door to see my team, DMND, RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, Sun, Flynt, and Neon all gathered around scrolls watching the conversation. The thump was from someone, probably Yang, smacking Ruby who was face down on the floor. They all looked at me guiltily.

"Uh. Hi Ox. It's...not what it looks like?" Lapis said, hesitantly. I glared at her and she hid behind Flynt, who also shrunk down a little. Then I did a head count and saw one was missing. I walked over to the bed, grabbed a pillow and chucked at an empty spot on Carli and Lazuli's bed. Or what should have been an empty spot. Instead, Carli flew off the bed, landing with a loud thump.

"owwwww." She said from the other side of the bed. Qrow looked at the group in the hallway.
"You really do have a lot of friends." Qrow said. "You got a good girl there too." he said, motioning at Velvet, who blushed. "Take care of her. And take care of your team. I'm proud of you Deke." With that and a wave at his nieces, he left.

Then everyone charged into the tiny room. "So. Do we call you Ox or Deacon?" Dustin asked.

"Ox. I came here as Ox, I met everyone here as Ox, and I still don't remember anything from before. So, I'm still Ox."

"Besides, if he went by Deacon, he'd screw up our team name." Lapis said.

"You could be team RDRP" (raindrop) Nora said.

"But that would mean either Lapis or Lazuli would have to lead." Ren countered.

Lapis spouted an evil looking grin before Lazuli smacked the back of her head. "Neither of us want to lead." Lazuli said, shooting her sister a look that promised a world of hurt if she wanted to argue.

I sat on my bed, still trying to process the news. Until Ruby jumped on my back. "Congrats big brother! You're official part of the family." I reached back, grabbed her by the hood, and pulled her off my back.

"Brother?"

"Yeah! You call Qrow uncle and since Qrow is our uncle, that makes you our brother!" She said excitedly. I looked over to Yang. "Is she always this exc..." Before I could finish, Yang tackled me in a bearhug that took me off the bed.

"Welcome to the family big brother!" she yelled