AN: Alright everyone, serious question time. I've had person after person asking or hoping for Izuku to get One for All in this fic. I don't aim to do that for the simple reason as it would take out any suspense in the story and make every fight TOO easy. With his resistance ability and healing factor, plus existing muscle, he'd have it mastered ridiculously quick and it would evolve his existing quirk to the point that literally nothing would be able to physically hurt him ever. The tension would be gone. It might make for an interesting political story. How people react to someone truly invincible, but that's not what I'm aiming for here. BUT! I'm not opposed to such a power scale for its own story if that's the point. This would be a collection of one shots rather than a full story, unless I get REALLY inspired anyway. But I want to know if you all would like that? A story where Izuku has a quirk that puts him leagues above anything else people thought possible to focus on how HE reacts to never being challenged anymore and how the world reacts to him.

What Doesn't Kill Me

Chapter 36

-Nezu-

"Welcome Rikiya." Nezu smiled politely at the trio from the Meta Liberation army, "I have a meeting room prepared this way." Giving a gesture, Aizawa started walking, Nezu currently riding on the underground Hero's shoulder.

"I must say Principal Nezu, I was surprised to get your call." Re-Destro gave him a bemused smirk, "Let alone an invitation to the prestigious U.A. I'm assuming everyone else is gone at the moment?"

"Yes, the five of us are the only one's here." Nezu nodded, not wanting to let word get out before he was ready. That said, he still had a small army of robots on hand if things went south, and a panic button ready to call every Hero he could.

"Any chance of me scoring an interview with the most elusive Pro Hero in recent Media history?" Curious grinned; her expression somehow both playfully teasing and completely honest as she looked at Aizawa.

"None." Aizawa grit out, thankfully keeping his quirk from triggering threateningly. Honestly Nezu was just glad the man didn't hiss like a cat at water.

"Poo." Curious pouted as the five got to the meeting room, Re-Destro pulling out some sort of device. Probably scanning for bugs or microphones.

"It's clean." The man nodded to his two subordinates who nodded pleased as everyone took their seats.

"Before we begin, I have a question." Trumpet, better known as Koku Hanabata, leader of Hearts and Minds party, leaned forward.

"I'm assuming its why I never did anything if I knew your identities already?" Nezu remained calm as he prepared tea, offering it to both Aizawa and his guests.

"Exactly." Trumpet nodded, the man much more on guard than his boss or colleague.

"Simple, I saw no need to." Nezu smiled as he sipped his tea, noting Re-Destro doing the same.

"N-no need?!" Trumpet was flabbergasted.

"May I be frank?" Nezu looked at the trio politely, waiting for Re-Destro's nod before continuing "I find many of the current government's laws to be stupid. The majority of the quirk based laws were on the books before even your father's aims to have them lifted." He nodded to Re-Destro, "Laws back when the numbers of quirked versus quirkless were far different then they are now. When we were still arguably in the dark ages of Quirks. Those laws were made out of fear and made to be restrictive. As you humans gained more understanding of quirks, the fear turning into pride, those laws stayed though. Do you know why?"

"Control." Re-Destro nodded with calm that concealed rage Nezu knew was smoldering within.

"Exactly." Nezu's scar pulsed in phantom pain as he gave a sadistic smile, "Specifically the control of the Hero Commission and the Politicians in their pocket. The commission would label you a villain as they did your father. But he is only a villain because he lost."

The commander of the Liberation Army's eyes narrowed at that, "And what are you hoping to insinuate through that?" the man's tone showed the whole potential for this meeting would hinge on Nezu's next answer.

"The man sought to fight against a government he thought as oppressive. Against laws he saw as corrupt." Nezu hid any nervousness he felt as he stirred his tea. He knew anyone could realistically destroy him in a straight fight, and Aizawa might not be able to stop all three before they could do so if this went south. "Look at your human history for a moment. The 'American Revolution'. It was people who fought against laws and a government they felt was corrupt. To England they were rebels, criminals, villains. But to their fellows they were freedom fighters, a resistance. They won so they were remembered as such. History is written by those who win and the government in favor of control won when your father sought to bring about change."

"You don't see us as villains…you don't see my father as a villain." Re-Destro set his tea down, the man not even bothering to hide his surprise.

"You've yet to show me otherwise." Nezu pulled out a copy of Destro's book, printed for Nezu's size "Your father's stated goals were about a world where Quirks were not feared. Where people could use the gifts they were born with. It made no mention of 'oppressing those without quirks'. It made no mention of 'only the strong may live while the weak perish'. Simply, 'we have the right to do what we were born with the ability to do'. That any laws related to quirks should simply be in the act they're used for, relating to the crime not the quirk. You've yet to show me your motives are different." Or at least he really hoped they weren't.

"To my Liberation Army, it is one's personal duty to work with their quirk." Re-Destro leaned back in his chair, offering clarification. Was it possible the man was hoping to recruit them as official members? "That it is one's responsibility to work to push their gifts as far as they can go."

"But what about those with weak quirks? Or no quirks?" Nezu raised an eyebrow, curious as to where this would go.

"Even a weak quirk could be trained." Re-Destro's tone was careful. The man was either considering the question carefully and being careful of his words to not send the wrong message, or he was simply bending his ideals in the hopes of a favorable alliance.

"And the quirkless?" Aizawa pushed, the man's quirk having him fight all but quirkless, so it made sense he had at least some strong feelings towards their plight.

"I've not thought that much on them. My focus was on the laws that oppressed those with quirks. Denying freedoms that should be as natural as breathing." Re-Destro shook his head. Nezu hoped the man was being honest.

"But I doubt you called us in to have a political debate." Curious spoke up.

"To stop one actually." Nezu looked over at Trumpet "One I'm sure you're at least vaguely aware of given Parliament is debating on forcing one of my students into early graduation and onto the front lines."

"That Dauntless boy who fought Stain." Re-Destro let a flash of anger shine in his eyes before it vanished. Hmm, interesting.

"Exactly." Nezu nodded, "I don't have anyone in the political field I can call an actual ally. You however-"

"Have Trumpet." Re-Destro nodded, figuring out where this was going, "You want my resources and the Political Party Trumpet heads to stop this debate in parliament."

"Or at the very least do what's possible to mitigate it." Nezu nodded. He'd prefer it be stopped flat out but he knew not only was it potentially too much to ask, but having more 'range' on his wants would make any sort of deal easier to secure.

"It would be foolish to force the boy out so far." Re-Destro frowned, "Especially after he helped remove that bastard Stain." Ooooh, there was animosity there? Most interesting indeed.

"You've yet to saw how this would benefit us though." Trumpet frowned.

"As I said. I agree with the ideals preached by Destro." Nezu kept his statements carefully crafted, "That punishing someone for using their quirk to commit a crime is reasonable, but that using the quirk itself should not be an inherent crime. I would be willing to help promote such ideals so long as it does not turn classist or quirkist. I'd introduce you to young bright minds attending my school and those already graduated. After all, the best way to shape the future-"

"Is to mold the next generation." Re-Destro let out a laugh, holding out his cup, "Why Principal Nezu, I believe we have a deal to hammer out details on. More tea please?"

-Izuku-

"So, any idea what this is about?" Izuku frowned as he looked at Kirishima and Tetsutetsu. The two hardening quirk users were, much like himself, not dressed in their usual styles, "And did your parents force you guys to dress up too?"

"Yeah." Kirishima rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Mom seemed really excited for some reason."

"Yeah, mine too." Tetsutetsu nodded, "It was weird. But nah, I don't know anything except Mina said we'd be meeting here."

"Heya boys." Hearing the voice of said bubbly pinkette, Izuku turned to see Mina, Tokage, and Reiko all waiting for him. Izuku was vaguely aware that Mina and Tokage had dressed up somewhat as well, but he honestly couldn't pull his eyes from Reiko. Even with his nicer clothes on he felt underdressed as he looked at her. She was wearing her usual favorite color of white although this time she'd added more colors to accessorize. Her white skirt had a green belt. Her blouse had green filigree and designs. There was even a clip in her hair. Izuku was so distracted by how beautiful she looked it took him a moment to realize that the green of her accessories, and the makeup he was noticing now, matched his hair. He felt his cheeks growing warm.

"I…uh…hey Tokage." Kirishima spoke up to his side, the crimson bulwark stammering and stuttering, "You look g-great."

"S-so do you M-Mina." Tetsutetsu sounded just as thrown as Kirishima.

"Thank you Izuku." Reiko gave him a shy smile, her own cheeks reddening as he continued to stare dumbstruck, "I…I'm really glad you came." She was wringing her hands, sounding like she'd been practicing this, especially if she wasn't as verbose as she usually was.

"Of course, Reiko." Izuku gave her a warm smile, hoping he could make her relax.

"Why did you ask us all to come?" Kirishima gulped even as Tokage linked her arm with his.

"Simple my red pointy friend." Tokage all but purred as Mina copied her actions with Tetsutetsu, "You three have the privilege of taking the three of us out on a date today." At those words, Izuku's gaze snapped to Reiko's, noting her shy expression as she tucked some hair behind her ear but didn't deny it. He remembered her strange reaction to him first coming out in his new hero costume. The warm feeling that he got in his gut whenever he smiled that couldn't tell what it was…until now at least.

Sweet mercy he felt like an idiot.

"Then I suppose we should get started." Izuku worked to muster up all the courage he could as he smiled at Reiko, taking her hand with his own as she leaned into his side.

AN: So yeah, as you can probably tell I'm fond of the idea of the MLA and less fond of the commission. I've only seen the dubbed anime so far so I'm unsure if things change later but from what I saw it felt like any villainous aspects felt kind of tacked on our forced. The whole 'caste' system or 'weak is worthless' don't match 'we were born with this, so we have the right to use what we were born with damnit!'.