United We Stand, Together We Fall

11 | To No Longer Just Exist

She had tried. God, she had tried.

Nana Shimura. The seventh wielder of One For All.

The seventh to lose against All For One's ploys.

And now, Toshi had been forced to carry the burden, all because she had failed . She's left so many people behind. Her successor. Her friends. Her family. Her- She's left too many people behind. But how's that new? When she had-

"Yo, we all have our stories, Nana." Isamu hung his arm around his successor, interrupting her inner turmoil.

Nana sometimes wondered what the young man could have aged to look like. "Do you-" She sighed, "Do you ever miss life before this?" She had only joined the rest of the users a few months ago and since then, that question had replayed in her mind constantly, because truly, how were the rest of the users able to just watch and not do ?

The younger man continued to stare ahead, at their Eighth wielder having a hearty chat with his new friend, David Shield. "...I try not to think about it. What's the point in missing something that can never be reality again?" His voice was layered over a thick mellowness.

Emi overheard their conversation and turned towards her companions, her hand still holding Aki's. "Dear, it will be hard to move on. But we've all been through it."

Kenji whispered from his position on the floor, "Trying to communicate with the real world before realising we don't belong there anymore..."

"It's hard." Riku shifted his eyes to his shoes.

Yasushi murmured, also laying on the hard floor, "Cry, yell, let it all out. And then mo ve on ."

"We can still support Yagi. Still have people to talk to. Still have a family to walk with." Aki placed his free hand on Nana's shoulder in unison with Emi's own.

She let out a watery smile, ignoring the tears drowning her vision; she whispered, "Thank you."

Despite all her years spent alive, it was only after death that Nana learned just how much a hug could help.

Even if that hug came from six spirits.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

(It turned out Nana had been clinging to far more pain than she had thought possible. Even getting to watch Toshi live didn't stop the hurt, but it did make things just a little more bearable)

Toshinori had recently come back to Japan, and all of the past users enjoyed the scenery they had grown up with as the eight of them walked to Sorahiko's household. Don't get them wrong! America was great! Especially for Toshinori's growth! But Japan held a special place in the spirits' hearts. After all, it was where they had taken their final stands.

"Yo, can't wait to see Gran Torino! I wonder how much he shrunk!" Isamu chirped. Nana smiled as she noticed the rest of the wielders' eagerness to see her old friend again.

Emi chided, "Probably no more than an inch, dear."

Riku nodded in agreement, "Probably," he said as he gazed at the lovely scenery.

"The kid better get the old man some of those taiyaki," Kenji stated as he noticed a bakery shop come into view.

On the opposite side of the road, just a little way from the bakery was a rather large house. Yasushi squinted, noticing a family nameplate, "Oi, Nana? I don't remember you living over here?"