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America is bright and shiny and full of new opportunities that almost feel like hope to Toshinori.
He moves away from Japan, leaving behind the only world he has ever known to cross the ocean and find his footing on his own with no one to guide him. Gran Torino insisted that Toshinori put the distance between himself and All For One so he could cultivate his strength in an environment that was untouched by the villain.
Some part of him thinks it is cowardly to run away, but he tells himself he has to see the best in his situation. He has to find his strength and maybe if he forces himself to feel hopeful for long enough, it will stop feeling like he's just lying to himself.
Loss is never easy to deal with, and it doesn't get easier even after he pulls all his strength and channels it into a smile that feels more like armor than anything.
All he thinks of doing is making Nana proud. There are so many things he wishes he could learn directly from his beloved teacher, but now that she is gone, he can only resolve to honor all that she did teach him with every inch of his dedication.
Gran Torino said that Nana must be watching over them because she would be too stubborn to leave them behind. Toshinori doesn't correct him.
He thinks back to the fight between All For One and Nana, remembering the moment his eyes met (Name)'s and the horrible realization that hit him in the moment after because his 'guardian' had been crying as she watched him get carried away.
That had also been the last time he'd seen (Name), and some part of him thinks that might've been for the best. For a very long time, Toshinori had been furious that someone precious to him had been ripped away so cruelly. He had blamed All For One the most, but Fate and the deities had not been spared either. Neither had the specter supposed to follow him around.
Except, Toshinori had known she would probably be around to hear him rage and he had done it precisely in the hopes that he managed to hurt her too.
He isn't proud of that now the rage has subsided. Toshinori doesn't think any hero is worthy of their title if they ever wish to cause hurt, and sure, he has the excuse of being in mourning, but he is still ashamed of the venom he had been harboring at the time.
