Accepting Failure

"Ok… about, everything in my body is in pain right now," Ryuma groaned.

He was currently in his bed; a day having passed since the incident of the exams. Ryuma spent the whole time healing his injuries off. If not for the abuse suffered by the High Edict, the ones he sustained from fighting his fellow classmates had way more unrestrained attacks on it.

"Well deal with it. It's your own fault," His mother replied. She sat down in a chair next to his bed. She took a deep breath and released a big sigh. "Why'd you have to go and piss off one of the Edicts?"

"I wasn't trying to. You'd think getting on your hands and knees would be enough to placate them," Ryuma mumbled.

"Not giving them an unequivocal yes is enough to enrage them. We've been over this Ryuma. At all costs, you should never do anything to gain the attention of the Edict,"

Ryuma repositioned himself to sitting upwards. "I know… I just… I don't see the point in having the most gifted priest up here protecting the edicts. They're sheltered enough to the point they can do anything they want, and they're the most powerful people in existence," He thought back to that night with Eren Frost.

Shoko stared downwards. "I see… you're still haunted by that boy, Eren,"

Ryuma didn't say anything. His mom could read him like an open book. That was one of the more annoying things about her.

She went up and hugged him against her chest. "Ryuma. That night wasn't your fault. You were only a boy. What could you have done if we adults just stood there and watched?"

What bothered him most about that night were all the questions none of the adults would ever answer. What did that kid do to deserve that? Why is the edict aloud to do what they want? What was the difference between his position, and Eren's?

No matter where he asked and what he turned to, the same silence always followed behind.

"Yeah, well just be lucky the edict you ran into happens to be the oddball amongst them. Any other edict would have killed you on the spot. Unfortunately, our troubles won't end there. Your defiance set a precedent, and they'll be delegating your fate on the central island of Eden,"

Ryuma's hand twitched. Just the mere thought of Gen Ichizo sent him into a silent anger. If not himself, then he was sure that this man has never shown mercy to anybody else. It was then that a thought dawned on him.

"Hey mom… has there ever been a white dragon that has been a bond guard to the edicts?"

"Huhh? Why are you asking that now?"

"That bond guard that Edict Ichizo was with… he used wind Artes on me,"

"… Well, no actually. At least not in this age. The white dragons were known to be the least loyal to the central island. Edicts don't favor taking them as personal bond guards, but the Ichizo's are called the oddball of the edict for a reason. It wouldn't surprise me if he's doing it as a power display,"

That made sense. That bond guard didn't even hesitate to damn near kill him. His arms felt a bit stiff as he forced his legs off the bed and on to the floor. He slid a shirt on.

"And where are you going?" Shoko asked.

"What do you mean where am I going? The graduation festival is tonight,"

"You didn't pass, so what does it matter?"

"So I can't show up to a festival?"

Shoko stood in front of him with her arms crossed. They both gave each other the same dead panned glare one inherited from the other with. Shoko sighed. "Fine. If you really want to go that badly…"

"C'mon mom. How salty would I look if I didn't go? People expect me to at least show up to the festival,"

"Fine. Just go. Make sure you're back before the actual ceremony. I don't want you running into another edict,"

Ryuma got finished dressing. He put his priest garb on. "So now that you failed, what's the plan?" Shoko asked.

"Haven't thought about that yet. Haven't thought about failing," Ryuma said.

"But you failed, so shouldn't you start thinking about it now?"

Ryuma grunted. Was she going to keep reminding him constantly now? "I don't know. I'll stop by Toga's, see if he's ready,"

Shoko rolled her eyes and got up. She started leaving, which was fine by Ryuma's standard. He knew bringing up Toga's name had a repellant effect on her. Any more prodding, and he had to consider dressing like him.

"Fine, I get you. You need some time to process this. Be my guest, but that kid really will be the end of you,"

Ryuma rolled his eyes. "You've been saying that for the past four years. I'm still kicking,"

"You're still kicking… so far,"

He decided arguing with her any further was pointless. He left out the front door. With his hands casually in his pockets, Ryuma walked to a cliff at the edge of the Eastern Skylands.

He let his feet dangle over the edge. He stared out into the distance. It was hard to believe, that there was an entire world below these clouds. They were so thick; he couldn't see the ground from this high up. How far below was the ground? Did the sky look the same as the people in the Skylands? What did the world of Streisand really look like?

It was questions like these that would often permeate his mind. He couldn't help but be curious. He had an image in mind, but at the end of the day, he'd never be able to confirm it unless he went there and saw it with his own eyes.

After a moment of silence and self-reflection Ryuma moved on.

He finished his journey towards Toga's humble little house. It might have not been a mansion like the families with the more prestigious names, but it was a nice sizeable house. If it was one thing about the Skylands, it was that everybody here lived well with minor problem.

Shelter, clothing, and sustenance. The main things needed to live in a successful society, were never things he or anybody who lived here ever had a problem with.

The only thing that needed to change, were those damn edicts.

"I can't take you Nylo! Don't you see I gotta get ready for the ceremony!" He heard Toga's voice before he even opened the door.

The shout managed to knock him out of his stupor. They must be arguing over Toga not watching him again.

"Then why can't I go by myself!?" Nylo shouted back.

"Are you kidding me!? You know you have a bad sense of direction. You're too young to be going to the festival by yourself,"

"I'm already ten! I don't need you!"

Before Ryuma knocked on the door, it flew open with Nylo being the primary instigator in having opened it.

The two locked eyes for an instant, before a bright smile plastered its's way onto Nylo's face. "Toga look! Ryuma's here,"

"Hey champ," Ryuma said ruffling the kid's head.

"Ryuma!?"

Toga popped out of the corner of his hallway. The color scheme on his priest garb changed. Now that he was a full-fledged priest, of course it would change to match the professionals.

"Ryuma. I'm so glad you're here. Could you do me a favor? Nylo here wants to attend the pre-festival preparations. There should be some stalls open. Would it be all right if you take him with you? Maybe look out for him for a bit until we're all ready?

Ryuma chuckled. "No problem. I was heading over there anyway,"

"Yes!!!" Nylo cheered.

"While you're with him, you better listen to everything he says. Don't give him a tough time out there," Toga said.

'I won't. Promise," Nylo saluted.

"I won't… promise, or I won't promise," Toga asked.

Nylo hid his hands behind his back. Ryuma could only chuckle at Nylo's mischievous display.

"Don't worry. I may not be able to handle a whole class, but I'm sure I can manage one kid," Ryuma said. "By the way. Congratulations on your…"

"Thanks Ryuma, you're a lifesaver. Have fun out there. I gotta get prepared for the graduation," Toga cut him off and retreated into the house.

Ryuma raised an eyebrow of his. If he didn't know better, he'd say Toga just tried to avoid him just now. For the life of him, he couldn't think of a reason he'd want to do that. It's not as if Ryuma held any ill will for having lost to him. He was quite happy for him.

If he knew Toga, his friend was suffering from a guilty conscious of having him displaced out the order. It was whatever, he figured he should give him some time to come to terms with it.

"C'mon Ryuma! Let's hurry on over to the festival. The lines will start getting long before we get there," Nylo urged.

"Sure thing champ," Ryuma said. He looked back towards Toga's direction one last time before leaving. Well, it was better to enjoy oneself before anything else. After all… what else was he going to do today?