The campsite was alive with activity under a setting sun. Yang sat cross-legged near the fire, aggressively combing dirt and twigs from her hair with her fingers. "This river crossing officially goes on my list of least favorite things ever," she muttered, pulling out a stubborn clump of mud.

"Are you sure it's the river's fault?" Blake teased from her perch on a fallen log. She leaned back casually, arms folded, her amber eyes glinting with amusement.

Yang tossed a twig in Blake's direction. "Laugh it up, cat ears. You're next if I find any more."

Blake smirked but didn't retaliate. "I'm just saying, maybe don't fight nature next time. You're losing."

At a nearby makeshift table, Weiss hunched over her device, muttering to herself. The delicate whirring of its mechanisms provided a soft backdrop to her focus. "One adjustment here… a recalibration there… and voilà," she said, her tone a mix of triumph and nerves. She glanced at the others. "This time, it will work. No hiccups. No catastrophic malfunctions. Perfect precision."

By the ocean, Ruby and Saphron sat on the cool sand, the waves lapping gently at the shore. The distant cries of gulls punctuated the rhythm of the sea.

"Do you think Jaune's still in Mistral?" Ruby asked quietly, her voice carrying a weight of uncertainty. "Or what if he left for Vale? Or even Vacuo?"

Saphron sighed, brushing her hair from her face as she stared out at the horizon. "I don't know, Ruby. I wish I did. But going to the last place we know he was? It's the best chance we've got. Maybe we'll find him, or maybe… just another clue to follow."

Ruby clenched her fists, her silver eyes firm. "No matter what, we're not giving up. My team and I—we'll be with you every step of the way."

A faint smile touched Saphron's lips, but it quickly faded. She glanced down at the sand, her fingers drawing faint lines. "Do you remember the funeral?"

Ruby hesitated, the question drawing her gaze to the waves. "Yeah," she said softly. "It was… awful. Burying a coffin with no body in it. That day… it broke everyone."

"My parents," Saphron continued, her voice thick with emotion, "they were devastated. They've moved forward now, but it took time. My sisters struggled too. But they're okay now."

Ruby tilted her head. "What about you?"

Saphron exhaled slowly. "It hit me harder than I expected. Jaune and I were so close. I used to help him stand up to bullies, and he… well, he helped me get the courage to talk to Terra. When we lost him, I felt like I'd lost part of myself. Some days, it still feels that way."

Ruby reached out and rested a hand on Saphron's shoulder. "We'll find him. And when we do, it'll be worth everything."

Saphron's faint smile returned. "Yeah… I just want to see my little brother again."

Before they could say more, Weiss's voice cut through the moment. "I've got it!"

The two turned to see Weiss approaching with her device, a mixture of pride and caution on her face.

"Is it finally fixed?" Ruby asked, standing up and brushing off her cloak.

Weiss gave her an indignant look. "Of course it is! This is Schnee engineering, not some… hack job." She held out the device. "It's ready for a proper test."

Ruby's grin was almost mischievous. "Can I try it?"

"Absolutely not!" Weiss snapped, pulling the device back protectively. "It requires a controlled—"

Ruby grabbed it with a flourish. "Thanks, Weiss! You're the best!"

"Ruby, no!" Weiss cried, but it was too late. Ruby placed the device on her head, and it clicked into place.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, Ruby gasped, her eyes widening as a wave of energy surged through her. It wasn't just in her body—it felt like the very air around her was vibrating, crackling with raw potential.

"Ruby?" Weiss asked cautiously, monitoring the device through her Scroll. "What are you feeling?"

Ruby's voice was distant, almost awestruck. "It's like… I can feel everything. The air. The ground. The energy in the space around me." Her hands trembled as she flexed her fingers. "It's… incredible."

Yang and Blake had approached by now, drawn by the commotion.

"Should she look like that?" Yang asked, pointing at Ruby's glowing silver eyes.

Weiss frowned, studying her readings. "The energy output is stable, but Ruby, please—"

Ruby vanished in a massive burst of petals, leaving a whirlwind of roses in her wake.

"Take it slow," Weiss finished weakly.

Ruby shot through the air like a crimson comet, her laughter echoing across the camp. "This is amazing!" she yelled, her voice carrying over the wind.

Weiss frantically monitored the device. "She's moving… far faster than anticipated. The output isn't just stable—it's amplifying!"

Blake shielded her face from the gusts of wind whipping around the campsite. "At least she's enjoying herself."

Ruby soared higher, spinning midair as trails of petals followed her. Her speed increased with every motion, the roses forming a vortex around her.

"WOOOOHOOO!" Ruby cried, shooting past the group in a crimson blur that sent Yang stumbling back.

"RUBY!" Weiss shouted. "Slow down! You'll—"

Ruby's attempt to bank left sent her careening toward a tree. Her eyes widened in panic. "Oh no—!"

She crashed through the tree with a loud CRACK, splitting it cleanly in half before plummeting to the ground in a heap of petals and dirt.

Yang was the first to reach her, panic in her voice. "Ruby! Are you okay?"

Ruby sat up slowly, a massive grin plastered on her face. "Did you see that? That was AWESOME!"

Yang groaned. "You're impossible." She pulled the device from Ruby's head and inspected it. "You're grounded from testing this again until your Aura's back up."

Ruby pouted. "Fine… but it was worth it."

Later, as the van rolled down a quiet road, Ruby sat in the back, enduring Yang's lecture.

"Next time, maybe warn us before you put on Weiss's science experiment," Yang said, picking a twig from Ruby's cloak.

Ruby sighed dramatically. "Okay, okay. No need to sound like Dad."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the landscape, Blake slowed the van, her sharp gaze catching something in the distance. "There's something up ahead," she announced, her voice steady.

Yang leaned forward from the passenger seat, squinting to get a better look. "Looks like… an abandoned carnival."

Ruby's head snapped up at the word. "Carnival?" she repeated softly, a flicker of recognition in her voice. Memories surged forward, vivid and bittersweet. "Wait… I remember this place."

The van rolled to a stop, and the group stepped out cautiously, weapons in hand. Before them loomed the shattered remnants of what was once a lively fairground. Torn banners fluttered weakly in the evening breeze, their vibrant colors faded to muted grays. Rusted roller coaster tracks twisted into the air like skeletal fingers, and a broken Ferris wheel tilted dangerously to one side, its metal groaning softly in the wind. The carousel, its painted horses chipped and splintered, sat eerily still, half-buried in sand and debris.

Ruby took a hesitant step forward, her silver eyes scanning the desolation. "We came here… before the war started," she said quietly, her voice carrying a mix of awe and sorrow. "It was the last time we all had fun together. Me, Yang, Weiss… even Jaune."

Yang's expression softened, her usual bravado replaced with a rare tenderness. "Yeah. I remember you dragging us to that dumb cotton candy stand and then getting a sugar rush."

Ruby smiled faintly. "And Weiss got motion sick on the teacup ride."

"I did not!" Weiss huffed, but her indignant tone lacked its usual bite.

Blake walked ahead, her ears twitching as she scanned the shadows for any signs of movement. "The place must've been hit during the war," she observed. "Probably when everything went south in this region."

Saphron stayed near the van, her face tight with unease. "You really think we should be here?"

Ruby stepped forward, her resolve hardening. "It's not just about memories. If we're going to find Jaune, maybe this place can remind us of what we're fighting for."

The group moved deeper into the carnival, their footsteps crunching over broken glass and scattered debris. Faded posters clung to crumbling walls, advertising long-forgotten acts: The Great Silvano's Magic Show! and Laugh Until You Drop with Jolly the Clown!

Yang nudged a toppled popcorn cart with her foot. "Hard to believe this was a place for fun," she said. "Now it just feels… haunted."

Blake paused near the carousel, her hand trailing over the chipped paint of a horse's mane. "Sometimes the past isn't as far away as it seems," she murmured.

Ruby knelt beside a pile of rubble, picking up a small, cracked mirror. Her reflection stared back at her, distorted but familiar. "We were so happy here," she said, her voice barely audible. "Even with everything going on… this was a moment when we forgot about the bad stuff."

Weiss approached, her gaze lingering on the broken Ferris wheel. "It's strange," she admitted. "I never thought I'd miss something as simple as a carnival."

Yang crossed her arms, a determined glint in her eyes. "Then let's make sure we don't lose the people who made it worth remembering."

As the group gathered around, the last rays of sunlight disappeared, leaving the carnival shrouded in shadow. The air grew colder, and a faint creaking sound echoed through the grounds. Ruby stood, her silver eyes reflecting the moonlight.

"Let's see if this place still has something left to offer," she said, her voice steady.

The group pressed onward, their weapons at the ready, as the forgotten carnival whispered secrets of the past.

The wind had picked up again as the group continued through the eerie carnival grounds. The darkness was now complete, and the atmosphere felt oppressive—like the carnival was holding its breath, waiting. Yang's gaze wandered across the debris, her boots crunching over the shattered remnants of what was once a vibrant, joyful place.

Then, something caught her eye. Beneath a collapsed booth, half-buried in sand and rubble, was a familiar shape—a Scroll. It was pristine, untouched by time, and shockingly, still powered on. Yang knelt down to pick it up, wiping the dirt off its screen. It looked brand new, not a scratch on it.

"Hey, guys, look at this," Yang called to the group, her voice soft in the still air. The screen lit up as she tapped it, displaying a few pictures and messages she couldn't make out.

She was about to turn it over when she heard something— a faint rustling behind her, followed by a heavy, mechanical stomp. Her instincts flared. She spun around just in time to see a towering figure loom above her—a hulking Atlesian Knight 200, its glowing red eyes fixed on her.

Before Yang could react, a massive, gloved hand shot out and seized her by the throat. She gasped, her feet lifting off the ground as the Atlesian Knight effortlessly hoisted her into the air. Her legs kicked uselessly, her hands scrabbling at the hand around her neck. The mechanical beast held her with terrifying ease, its metal joints creaking as it raised its other hand, the barrel of a massive weapon pointing directly at her. Then with some force, Yang is thrown 10 feet away.

"Yang!" Ruby shouted, rushing forward as Blake drew her weapon, her muscles tensing.

Ruby didn't hesitate. Her mind raced as she stormed ahead, her face set in determination. She reached her sister's side, staring up at the towering machine, knowing what needed to be done.

Weiss steps in front. Her eyes flicked to the scroll in Yang's hand—she had seen those before, in Atlas.

"Get back!" Weiss snapped at the group, her voice filled with urgency. With a practiced motion, she pulled her Scroll out and quickly began typing. The shutdown code for the Atlesian Knights had been drilled into her during her time in Atlas; it was something she'd memorized during her training. Her fingers moved rapidly across the screen, entering the sequence.

However, before Weiss could finish, the Atlesian Knight raised its weapon, its gears grinding in a threatening manner. It was preparing to fire.

"Move!" Weiss ordered, pushing the group to go.

Then, a cold, sharp voice echoed through the silent carnival grounds.

"You shouldn't have come here," it said, the voice chilling and full of dark authority. "And now you're all in danger."

The Atlesian Knight suddenly froze in place, its weapon lowering. The group tensed, realizing the voice wasn't coming from the machine. It was coming from somewhere else—someone else.

Weiss turned around slowly, her heart stopping in her chest as she recognized the voice. A shiver ran down her spine as the figure stepped out of the shadows. Slowly, deliberately, the person emerged into the moonlight.

There, standing before them, was Winter Schnee.

She looked different—marked by scars that marred her face and a cold, mechanical gleam in her left eye. The prosthetic eye glowed faintly in the dark, its eerie light casting shadows across her features. Her once-pristine uniform was now tattered and worn, the unmistakable insignia of Atlas still visible on the chest. But it wasn't the uniform or the scars that shocked them most. It was her eyes—the eyes that held sorrow, pain, and something darker, something more familiar.

Weiss froze, her heart in her throat. Her hands trembled, the cold realization sinking in. She wanted to say something, anything, but the words caught in her throat. A single tear slipped from her eye, unnoticed by the others.

"Winter?" she whispered, her voice breaking.

Winter's gaze softened, though it was tinged with sadness. She stepped forward, the weight of years of hardship pressing down on her. "I didn't want you to see me like this," Winter said softly, her voice tinged with sorrow. "But I had no choice. You were always going to find me."

Weiss took a step back, her mind reeling. "You… you're alive." It wasn't a question. It was a desperate plea for something she couldn't even comprehend.

Winter nodded slowly, her expression unreadable, save for the flicker of sadness that passed through her eyes. "Alive, yes. But not the same. I've been… changed."

The group stood there in stunned silence, each trying to come to terms with the impossible reunion that had just unfolded before them.