Not to be solely obsessed with AUs that I make and then don't post anything about, but *makes another AU*.
Inspired by @lesbianneopolitan's post-ascension Neo design with cat features, I imagined an AU where the Curious Cat did successfully flee back to Remnant, not being stopped by the "not having any ties back to Remnant" gimmick. They travelled around Remnant for a span of months, running from town to town as their whims carried them to whatever seemed most entertaining at the time. The Curious Cat had little care for the feelings or property of others, often destroying and stealing things as they pleased. Eventually, they are caught and arrested in Mistral, and decide to resolve the situation by hopping out of Neo's body and leaving her there to rot.
Having feline features manifested repeatedly onto her body for months leaves a permanent distortion to Neo's features, her human body not having the magic flexibility to return to its original appearance. It isn't until a couple years later that she's eventually discovered by team RWBY again as they help Mistral with further recovery from Salem and Ozma's war, as Neo was never originally recognized as herself due to her bodily changes.