Changed

Part 12

Sitting up, I rub my eyes and move to stand. I look around in momentary confusion.
Alex must've brought me home.
I walk to the bathroom, realizing just how gross I feel. Looking in the mirror, I inspect myself. Blood dried is splotched all over my skin, swelling and bruising built up from the burns. My cuticles are a little sore, repercussions from the former talons.
I strip and step into the shower, letting cold water heat up while streaming down my body. While scrubbing myself clean, I try to summarize yesterday's events. And then my entire life.
Holy hell, my life has been pretty shit.

Here's what I came up with:
• Deemed quirkless.
• Bullied and ignored by everyone around me.
• Dreams shattered and bullied more.
• Betrayed by my friends and abandoned by my idol.
• My mother died.
• And now, my father finally introduced himself. As a villain, of course. Then he tried to kill me, so I killed him first.

Yeah, pretty shit.

Well, on the up side...
• Great friends.
• Loving boyfriend.
• Supporting teachers.
• A new quirk.
• On my way to finally becoming a hero.

So... not totally bad.

I turn off the shower when I'm satisfied with my cleanliness, stepping out and drying myself. I dress in simple ripped blue jeans and a grey long sleeve shirt.
I follow the smell of waffles and coffee, making my way to the dining room. The crows, Aizawa, Midnight, Nezu, and Mic are all seated, and I creep up behind Tessa.
I yell "Boo!" as I shake her on the shoulders. She yelps and almost stabs me with her fork before hearing my laughter. Aizawa chokes on his coffee, and Midnight jumps in her chair.
I walk over to the seat beside her, laughing more when she takes a deep breath and clutches her shirt. Mic has to comfort a brooding Aizawa when he pouts over his spilt coffee.
"God dammit, Zuzu! You're going to give me a heart attack."
"Yeah, it's too early for this shit." Aizawa sends a glare my way, but I turn to Nezu to avoid it.
"How are you feeling, Izuku? I understand you had quite the hectic day yesterday." Nezu says, taking a sip of his never- ending supply of tea.
"I'm doing just fine. I'm really glad we don't have to deal with the league anymore. Only All For One."
"Hm. We'll get him soon."
"Indeed! Anyway, Izuku, I'm giving you and class 1A a few days off, so please rest."
I pause for a moment, deciding on my reply. I glance at each of my friends. Tessa and Jake have large shadows under their eyes, and Alex looks exhausted too. Kira's movements are stiff, and we all have minor injuries.
"Honestly, I think we could all really use a break. Thanks, Nezu. By the way, are the brats doing ok?"
"They're doing fine, Recovery Girl sent them to the dorms for rest. Why the sudden Interest...?" Aizawa says.
"Well, as much as I hate it, they're our responsibility. Can we eat now?"
Jake yells, "Yes! Finally!" We laugh at his enthusiasm, and we all dig in.
When we're finished, I call for a more serious conversation.
"Nezu. I think I can find All For One's location."
Everyone tenses up a little, but Nezu looks intrigued. As he should, of course it would be out of character for him to be uninterested.
"Go on, Izuku."
"Well, over the years, I've picked up quite the computer skills. I could find him with a little investigation, I'm sure. Besides, a few of my forms have quite the noses."
Nezu grins menacingly, taking another sip of tea. "Interesting... I would very much like to see you in action."
I shudder a little under his stare, but continue my proposal.
"Once the crows and I are fully recovered, I think we could manage to take him down. With your help, of course. So, I offer our support."
"Wait, kid! You can- "
"Hold on, Aizawa. I understand your concern, but... Well, you heard the report. Izuku himself took down the league in seconds, and his friends were just as amazing. I think with enough help, the Five Crows could take down All For One by a landslide."
Midnight and Mic remain silent, but I notice their grim expressions and the intense energy of the room.
"Fine. But if you get hurt, I'll kill you all!" Aizawa growls, and we quickly nod our understanding.
"Very well then." Nezu chuckles into his tea, his body shaking and tea spilling all over. "Let's finish the League off, once and for all!"