RWBY: Remnant's Blond Bard

Chapter 33

They called him the urchin prince.

It was a fancy title that Sun never really liked as much as all his friends and fellow street rats did, but it kept them happy and it kept people off their backs so he put up with it. Sun knew he was better than most of his friends at fighting, good enough that he'd even managed to pass some local tests and earn the chance to apply to Haven Academy in Mistral. The locals had expected him to pick Shade, but after a lifetime living on the streets and roaming the desert for old junk to sell, he'd wanted away from this accursed place.

So, yeah, he was good at fighting – better than an urchin like him should be, and that was usually enough to make sure their little gang stayed safe. It was enough that Sun hadn't worried too much when he attacked their latest muscle brought in by a rival gang, expecting the man to be just another muscled showboat ex-mercenary looking to earn some quick lien by roughing up a defenceless kid.

They always did say overconfidence came before a fall.

The bastard had aura – and worse yet, he knew how to use it. Sun did too, but that didn't matter much when he was only sixteen and not yet in an academy. If this guy had aura, he had some limited amount of training. Not huntsman, or he'd be screwed already, but probably plenty of experience as a bodyguard, merc, or roaming bandit. Enough to put Sun on the backfoot and threaten a few close calls.

Enough to make it clear he was on the losing edge of this engagement.

Damn it. Where did they find this guy? I can't lose here when I finally have a chance to escape Vacuo and make it to Haven!

Finally, he had a chance to make something of his life, to be something more than a forgotten rat born of parents who hadn't cared to keep him. All his life, all those struggles, to fail at the very last moment? That was bullshit. Sun skidded back, slamming his staff down to stop his retreat and buy him a quick second. His opponent granted it, making a show of flourishing his sword from one hand to the other to show off and mock Sun. He could afford to, being the stronger fighter here.

And Sun was on his own.

That was when he heard it.

The music.

Obviously, everyone in the alleyway heard when she began to play but it struck him harder than anyone else. Guitar Cutie's fingers struck each string and released a chord that vibrated in his very soul. Or so it felt. He'd watched her videos before – who on Remnant hadn't? – and always felt like she was playing solely to him, but to hear it here and now brought a tear to his eye. His hands shook.

His soul hummed.

Sun drew in a deep breath through his nostrils and faced his foe once more. He wasn't sure why he'd been so defeatist, why he'd been so sure of loss. A wild and reckless smile appeared on his face as he looked the man up and down, suddenly less afraid. He wasn't alone. He had his boys with him, and he had someone to protect as well. Someone that was relying on him to keep them safe from this damned brute.

"Like hell I can fail here!" he declared, grinning cockily and pointing his staff at the man. "Who do you think you're dealing with, eh? I'm the Urchin Prince!"

With a wild laugh, Sun lunged right into the sword's swing, watching the man's cruel smile spread across his face. At the last second when it looked as though his throat might be slit, Sun disconnected his staff into nunchakus, flipped one up and struck the man's wrist, deflecting the sword by mere inches. Sliding past the shocked man, Sun twisted and drove the other into the back of the man's knee, driving him down, then brought them back over and onto his skull with a meaty smack.