Qrow and Ruby didn't linger, she was eager to get back to the castle and start on her own scythe. Taiyang also opted to back up, which turned into a discussion if they really needed a town house anymore. The quick conclusion to that conversation was no, with that in mind they packed up the house, got a wagon and Taiyang put the house up for sale. Taiyang drove as Ruby sat beside him, Qrow lurked up above the trees. He found even short flights entertaining. The castle was much as they left it but it was clear someone had spotted them as Lumière, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts came racing out to meet them.

Qrow landed roughly and swept up to embrace the short plump woman. Her hair was a silvery grey and she looked to be around forty in her blue and white gown. Lumière and Cogsworth were equally visible and they were both almost crushed in a hug. As Qrow clobbered them with a sob of. "You're free!"

Ruby jumped down from the wagon and gave Mrs. Potts a hug. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you dear." Mrs Potts nodded to Taiyang. "Finally moving sir?"

"I was invited and the house is a wasted expense." Taiyang got down and gave Philippe a pet as he went. "I see some of Qrow's curse has been broken."

Qrow pulled back and fluffed his wings. "Yes, though I don't understand why you are all free when I am not."

Ruby chimed in. "The curse was two pronged after all. One part was to love and be loved, the other was to be accepted by one of your own kind."

"But you are my kind!" Qrow growled.

She huffed. "Qrow there is only one of your own kind, yourself."

Qrow blinked sharply. "Wait, are you saying I had the power to break this curse for this whole time?!"

"It's my working theory."

Words utterly failed him and he stormed off into the castle. Ruby sighed and said. "We should unpack, he's going to need some time to himself."

So that is what they did. Lumière called for the servants, all of whom were visible and Ruby opted to let them do their jobs. Ruby wondered how many would leave now that they could. Still her fathers things were added to the castle and he was given a room of his own. Only then did Ruby seek out Qrow. Who was moping in his room as she expected. "It's not your fault you know."

"It's always my fault." Qrow snarled. "I trapped all these people here for a hundred years."

"It was a two part curse, even if you did accept yourself, you still would have needed to find love."

"Which would have been much easier in a human form."

Ruby sat on a cushion by the fire beside him. "Maybe or maybe it would have been harder because people would have recognized you."

Qrow had to give her that one. Even if he fell in love, most women would see his castle and his money, it would be difficult to find one who'd love him truly. "Fine."

"I love you. Your servants love you, yes you've made some mistakes but the curse isn't asking you to love yourself. It's asking you to accept yourself. Feathers and all, which I think are handsome. You could never break this curse and I'd still love you." She reached over and put a hand on his furred one. "Would it be so hard? To let your own self hate go?"

"It is not that simple."

"It's only as complicated as you make it be. It's been a hundred years Qrow, let the pain go."

He opted not to look at her. "I don't know who I am without it."

"I do. You're kind, considerate, you're a wonderful teacher and you are a fantastic huntsman. You are my friend and I will stick by you till you understand just how good you've become."

Qrow had to give her that one, she brought out the best in him and he found that when he was with her. He didn't hate himself so much, she pushed him to fly and he loved that. He could honestly stay in this form forever and he'd be fine with that. He witnessed how she thrived learning from and knew that what she said was true. He was not the same man who had been cursed, he had grown and changed into someone far better. "You're right, I am so much more than I was." He turned his hands and looked at them. "I even like this now, you showed me the joy in it. I am… I have become a person worth accepting."

As it turned out those words were all he ever needed. Qrow hissed and shivered as his body contorted, fur and feathers receded. Wings flowed back into his spine as his legs changed shape, it was smooth and fluid but within a minute his curse was broken.

The body before her was new and yet familiar. It was like she was seeing something new and yet at the same time he remained unchanged in her eyes. Ruby found that she liked him, his skin was pale and marked with the occasional scar. His hair was short and black, his features were smooth and kind but it was the eyes she liked most. For they were that same pale red that she fell in love with and that truly was all that ever mattered.