The following is the beginning of my entry in a Fanfiction contest created by Alex-Kellar. If you like Fate related artwork, be sure to check him out.

The contest is to write a crossover between Fate and another fandom with Shirou as the main character. Of the options provided I chose RWBY specifically with Velvet Scarlatina as the focus. The story must be no fewer than 20k words when finished and focuses on a particular theme. Of the options given for the contest I chose obsession. I hope you all enjoy it. :)

Shirou Emiya knelt on the ground, his mana utterly spent. He had come so close to victory only for it to slip away...he had been so close!

Across the obliterated courtyard stood his opponent Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes though his current condition far underplayed his lofty title. His black jacket and white undershirt were both stained red with blood from a slash wound reaching from shoulder to hip, his right arm severed just above the elbow. Their fight had brought him to his lowest point…yet unlike the redheaded magus, he was still standing.

"Running out of mana is such a pathetic end," he muttered, even in his beaten state he still considered himself above the rest though the utter shame at his near death could be felt in his voice. "Victory is yours…but that won't save your life…faker."

Behind him a golden portal appeared the size of a standard mirror, the last Gate of Babylon he had the strength to muster. From within its depths a single sword appeared, prepared to end Shirou's life in an instant.

Before the legendary spirit could issue the command, an orb of swirling black and blue energy exploded to life from his decapitated arm, swallowing his final sword.

"What are you doing?" He yelled at the phenomenon. "How dare you drag me in you wretch? WAIT!"

Shirou found the strength to look up, gazing into the miniature black hole that had been summoned. His eyes widened as he realized its source.

"A hole left behind by the Grail?" He whispered to no one in particular.

Before his mind could process more, a gold chain erupted from the fissure wrapping totally around his right wrist, binding him tight. Shirou stumbled to his feet, planting them firmly in the ground in a vain attempt to delay the pull that had ensnared him.

"This pathetic abomination!" Gilgamesh roared as he barely held on at the event horizon having tethered himself to Shirou. "It tore open reality itself to claim me? Does it not know that a servant cannot be made its core?!"

"So you want to take me in with you?" Shirou gritted his teeth, rage coursing through his veins. The image of Gilgamesh mercilessly cutting down Ilya…a little girl, nearly killing Rin and Saber flashed in his mind. If he did not stop him here Gilgamesh would attempt his wish to eradicate humanity again and again.

"Fool!" Gilgamesh cried out. "I have no intention of dying here! Stay where you are you faker until I can climb my way back!"

"As if I will allow that!" Shirou roared back. Not only had Gilgamesh committed such crimes, but now believed Shirou would allow his own body to be used to assure his survival? The King of Heroes greatly underestimated the fury coursing through the young man's veins. "I'll rip my own arm off if that's what it takes to end you here! Even if you climbed back, I will hunt you down until you are no longer a threat to anyone…you can COUNT on that!"

"Do so if you wish," came a familiar voice from behind. "But do step to the right first."

"Wha…?" Shirou stepped to the right more out of instinct to see if his ears were not deceiving him than to actually obey the request. As he did a great arrow sped past his cheek missing him by the smallest of margins.

"Archer…" Gilgamesh muttered before the arrow struck him in the center of his chest, missing the intended mark of his skull, the swirling torrents of the fissure throwing off its aim.

The force of the arrow blasted the demigod backwards into the vortex…dragging his golden chain in with him. Shirou began to slide inside with it, unable to extricate himself from the enchanted chain.

"Trace…on!" He shouted, but to no avail, he had no mana left to construct even the simplest of blades. Despite his best efforts he was unable to tear his arm off before he too was dragged inside, disappearing within its endless depths.

Archer rushed ahead to help, being just too slow before the hole left behind by the Grail collapsed upon itself, leaving naught but debris and memories behind. As far as he could tell the Grail had not succeeded in making either of them its new core…so where had Shirou and Gilgamesh disappeared to? In that moment, an old memory returned to Archer, he smiled somewhat at the realization that he knew precisely where they had gone…

Another Place and Time…

Shirou fell…he fell so far, the swirling dark energies of the vortex all around him. Had he been made into the core? It did not feel like it, and he was doubtful he would have felt anything at all if he had. He shielded his eyes from the lightning-like flashes and nauseating torrents assailing his body. Just ahead of him he could spot Gilgamesh's form falling like a rock barely out of reach.

Shirou straightened his body like a javelin to fall faster, catching up with his enemy.

I will not stop…until he is dead! Shirou could focus on naught else…not until the famed King of Heroes was gone.

They tumbled further and further, Shirou nearing his dead-weight target, reaching out with his hand he could nearly reach him. Impossibly, Gilgamesh's body vanished before him, robbing Shirou of his goal, though he did not have time to take in the soul-tearing frustration.

Somehow daylight struck his eyes, blinding him from the sudden change as his pupils had adjusted to the dark. He continued his fall, crashing into what felt like branches smacking his chest and leaves getting caught in his face. He had to spit repeatedly to remove them all from his mouth. Finally he smashed into the ground though something soft broke his fall.

"Ooof!" A quiet, gentle voice grunted as he landed on top of them. "Please…watch the ears…"

"S-sorry," Shirou stuttered as he strained to open his sensitive eyes, finally taking in the sights around him.

He was in a forest…a normal forest from the look of it. The trees were tall and covered with green leaves; upon closer inspection it seemed green was the cast of the world here. He could not look in any direction without seeing a bush, tree, fern or flower that was not some variation of the primary color. It was a far cry from the destroyed temple he had just been fighting at.

To his horror he realized he had landed atop a young girl, flattening her into the ground. She was about the same height as him as far as he could tell. She had long brown hair matching her eyes; Shirou had to admit she was rather cute. His gaze was drawn mostly to the strange attire she was wearing.

Her top consisted of a brow jacket that seemed a tad too short, ending just above her midriff which was covered with a black undershirt. She must have been some sort of fighter as she wore gold pauldrons and matching bracers. Similar to her top her leggings were in two sections, wearing brown shorts matching her jacket's color scheme that as before would have been quite revealing were it not for what looked like black tights covering each leg down to her shoes.

Strapped to her back just above her waist was a strange box with a handle. Shirou could not even start to guess what could be inside…with how exhausted he was he was certain he'd be unable to read its structure yet.

"I am…so sorry," Shirou apologized again, his vendetta against Gilgamesh briefly forgotten. "Are you alright?"

"Better…I guess," the girl replied, staggering to her feet with a little help from him. "How were you still airborne this far into the forest? I landed almost a mile back."

"Um…landed?" Shirou asked, uncertain why a man falling from the sky would seem so normal to her.

"It doesn't matter…I guess you are my partner then," she smiled cheerily, holding out her hand in greetings. "I don't think I saw you at the Opening Ceremonies last night, my name is Velvet, Velvet Scarlatina at your service!"

Shirou was terribly confused but saw no reason to ruin a good first impression, she seemed friendly enough. He gripped her hand firmly with a welcoming handshake.

"I-it's nice to meet you; my name is Shirou, Shirou Emi….ya…."

Shirou stared on in awe as the top of Velvet's head twitched awkwardly then started to move, a portion of her hair rising straight up into the sky. As he stared slack-jawed he realized what he had mistaken for a portion of her hair was in fact a large pair of ears…but no normal human ears.

As Velvet continued to smile she flexed the large rabbit ears atop her head to work out the soreness. They bobbed cheerily forward and back as if they had minds of their own though always stayed on the same wavelength as their owner.

"Sorry about that," she explained. "You hit them pretty hard when you landed and I just…"

Only then did she notice Shirou's blank stare at the ears perched atop her head, his mouth bobbed open and closed without a sound like a fish. He was utterly perplexed as to how to react. The young man had fought with other magus, legendary spirits and more…yet not once had he ever laid eyes on a genuine bunny girl.

"Do…you not like Faunus?" She asked, her ears shirking back hesitantly in fear mixed with trepidation.

"I…don't know what a Faunus is," Shirou admitted at length, finally shaking his gaze from the perplexing ears. "I've just…never seen a girl with rabbit ears before…I didn't mean to stare."

"Don't know what a…" Velvet looked beside herself with confusion before shaking her head. "I'm sorry but we don't have time, if we don't get to the temple soon the relics may already be gone."

Relics? Temple? Shirou could already tell he was not in Japan anymore…just where had he been spit out? If Gilgamesh had fallen nearby as well then everyone here could be in danger. That was his sole consolation, that as long as Gilgamesh was here…he couldn't hurt the others back home. This…temple could be a good place to find more information.

Saber…Rin…sorry but you'll likely have to wait for me a bit longer…

"Okay, lead the way," he motioned with a smile.

"So you don't know the way either?" Velvet sighed; having hoped the newcomer had more information. "If we keep moving north like the Professor advised we should come across it in no time!"

Shirou looked up at the sky; based on the time of day he started estimating the general direction of north…though his efforts proved ultimately unnecessary as the rabbit-girl produced a compass from her pocket. With another contagious smile she motioned forward through the brush.

I need to get information…but letting on that I have no idea what is happening would be too obvious, Shirou mused as he followed her through the forest. Her first thought would probably be that I'm insane. He could tell that Velvet was quite on edge as if expecting an attack at any moment. Subtlety is key. His mind was racing on what to say…

"So…" Shirou started, acting like he was just trying to start up a conversation. "These…relics, they sure sound important."

"It's anyone's guess," Velvet replied, continuing forward without even looking back at him. "The Professor and Ms. Goodwitch seemed to imply they were important…but if they were fragile I can't imagine them being left in the Emerald Forest just for us to retrieve."

Shirou smiled as he now had a name, the Emerald Forest…the title was certainly fitting though he still had no idea where he could be.

Velvet froze ahead, holding her hand back commanding him to do the same. Shirou complied; glancing around them as a sudden sense of danger bubbled in his chest…they were being watched no doubt about it. He crouched down slowly; worried that he had not regenerated enough mana to fight yet.

Velvet's ears twitched sharply atop her head.

"Move!" She cried, grabbing Shirou and throwing him to the side.

As the pair crumpled into the soft grass, a pair of razor sharp claws passed just over their heads barely missing them. The moment they struck the ground Velvet bounded back, settling on a strong stance, she clearly had martial arts training. Shirou similarly scrambled to his feet, preparing for battle.

Before them stood what could only be described as a monster with features resembling a wolf…though the term werewolf was the first thought to enter Shirou's mind. The beast was covered with black fur, the only deviations being strange white bone-like protrusions all over its body matching the talons at the point of each finger. He could not tell if the creature was wearing a mask made of the same boney substance or if that was its head, piercing red and yellow eyes burned hungrily at the two who had wandered into its territory.

"What is that thing?" Shirou shouted.

"A Beowolf!" Velvet educated him as if reading from a text book. "One of the more common species of the creatures of Grimm native to the Emerald Forest, where is your weapon?" She only just then looked the young man up and down, realizing he had nothing but the tattered and torn clothes on his back.

She doesn't have a weapon either! Shirou screamed in his head, unless she had something concealed within the container on her back. The two bunched closer as the Beowolf encircled them. If I just had some od," he knew full well he was out after his struggle with Gilgamesh and there was no point even attempting to trace a weapon. I could create something simple, nothing too flashy that might draw attention to…

Shirou laid a steadying hand on Velvet's shoulder…suddenly a surge of warmth shot through his body. He knew full well he didn't have a drop of mana left in his body after the exhausting battle against Gilgamesh yet despite this a renewed feeling of strength rose within him. It felt like a new reserve deep inside him had been tapped, it wasn't mana…but felt…familiar. Resolving to stay alive and protect his new friend he held out his hands, blue-white energy crackling at his fingers tips as he cried to the heavens.

"Trace…ON!"

On the Cliffs Overlooking the Forest…

"The teams are progressing through the forest at an acceptable pace." The blonde teacher reported, adjusting her glasses as she looked over the electronic device in her hand monitoring the Emerald Forest.

"Any teams in particular standing out Ms. Goodwitch?" The older gentleman asked, swirling the contents of his mug contentedly as he looked over the large swathe of forest before him.

"Only Ms. Adel and Mr. Daichi. The two are quite formidable together; their fighting styles are perfect for complimenting one another. I do not foresee any difficulties in them reaching the temple."

As she answered, the woman known as Ms. Goodwitch wrinkled her nose, drawing the attention of the older man.

"Yes?"

"That student…he was not at the opening ceremonies." She turned her device towards him.

The white-haired man, known as Professor Ozpin squinted his eyes behind glasses of his own as he looked at the viewer. Velvet Scarlatina was cautiously moving through the forest, he saw high hopes in her…her semblance was quite unique if a bit misunderstood. It was the red-haired man behind her that Ms. Goodwitch had been referring to. The two were rotating around a Beowolf that had intercepted them; a battle was inescapable at this point.

"No…he was not," he agreed, priding himself on knowing the faces of every student he had graced in the auditorium only the previous night. "Nor was he present when I addressed them this morning on the importance of their landing strategies."

"How did he enter the forest? Should we intervene…he should not be here."

"Please review the footage at your next chance to determine his source of entry," Ozpin decided at once. "For now…let us see what he can do."

The professor took a single sip of his tea, eyes glued to the screen as crackling energy swirled around the stranger's hands…taking the shape of twin blades of seemingly excellent craft and quality.

The Emerald Forest…

Velvet's jaw dropped as the twin blades appeared in Shirou's hands. They were curved shortswords clearly, one bore a white blade with a black point near the hilt while the other had the exact opposite color scheme. Where before the boy who didn't even know what a Faunus was had appeared hesitant to take action…now held such determination and ferocity in his eyes.

Velvet's hands slipped to the case on her back, pulling out the camera she held there. Without a word she let the shutter go off again and again, taking as many as she felt were needed.

Sensing the threat, the Beowolf leapt forward, claws slashing towards Shirou's throat. It was too slow, in that instant the young man leapt high, allowing the claws to sink into the dirt where he had been standing. Bouncing off its outstretched arm Shirou slashed downward, decapitating the limb just below the shoulder.

The Beowolf howled in pain as it stumbled backwards, giving Shirou some breathing room to assess the situation.

It worked! But Kanshou and Bakuya aren't as strong as before, he analyzed. The blow had been clean but had taken a bit more effort than he had anticipated. It must be the new energy source whatever it is. It is more difficult to mold than mana…it's so different.

"Behind you!" Velvet called out as the first Beowolf retreated to lick its wounds; three more pounced from the brush towards him and two more from the other side.

Shirou ducked and weaved between them, narrowly avoiding their claws at the expense of his shirt. His clothes had already been tattered from the battle with Gilgamesh; the talons of the Grimm being all that was required to finish them off, ripping it away and exposing his chest to the cool air. Despite this, confidence swelled within him as strength returned even with the five on one odds.

Ignoring the others for the time being Shirou dodged another powerful but predictable animalistic swing. Sliding under the beast's appendage he sliced in an "x" fashion towards its chest, causing the Grimm to literal crumble before him. To his astonishment as soon as the furred remains fell they immediately began to smolder and disappear…soon not a single clue remained that the creature had ever existed.

In a flash the two additional oncoming attackers collapsed to the ground, drawing Shirou's attention along with the remaining three who whimpered in confusion at the sudden defeat of their packmates. Velvet completed her majestic flip, landing lightly on the ground though it was her chosen weapons that caused the most bewilderment.

In each hand she bore weapons nigh identical to Shirou's, however quite perplexingly they were see-through and glowing light-blue as if forged from moonlight itself. Without a hint of hesitation Velvet bounded towards him, her style unmistakably identical to his own…how could she know how to wield blades like them with such expertise so quickly? Shirou turned left as Velvet flanked right, with a single swing apiece the remaining Beowolves collapsed to the ground without a moment to react.

As the rabbit-girl completed her movements the weapons in her hands shimmered and flickered out of existence, though Shirou caught a glimpse of the light receding into the case on her back. Tapping into the newfound energy within him Shirou focused on its contents.

A hard-light projector, not a weapon per se but he added the information on it to his repertoire. Shirou could not help but smile as he understood its purpose…replicating the basic structure of weapons analyzed by the camera built into it. There was no information on duplicating the combat prowess of others however; he theorized she must have some other means for imitating his style so flawlessly. Shirou Emiya could not help but smile at the Faunus girl as the realization reached his mind.

She's…just like me…

Just the first chapter of my entry, the full story will be completed before the 8/22 cutoff date for the contest. As always, Read and Review…but most of all Enjoy! :)