At the beginning of our tale, we open the curtains upon our dear Narrators, our Tragedy and our Comedy. They stand far above the world, in a place unseen by those whose tales they shall be telling. In fact, it is rare for them to be seen by those in the cast of their stories. I, the author, would welcome you in true fashion as one does to those who read their stories, but that is not my place for this, that would be my dear Tragedy.
Ah, here they began to tell this tale of theirs. Let me not keep you here! "Of the end and the beginning, the rhythms and the rhymes, those who seek us out will learn our tales. The stories we tell, and those we don't, all happen in their own way. All of you have gathered here today to watch a tragedy unfold beneath your eyes." Tragedy announces triumphant, only to have Comedy come forth and interrupt.
"A tragedy? You said this would be a happy story this time! One involving heroes and villains, damsels in distress and all the fun stuff." Comedy says this with an adorable pout upon their face, and hands upon their hips. Tragedy simply laughs instead.
Stepping forward, a grin grows on Tragedy's face. "Well, they are here too, almost as if they were straight out of a comic book in fact! But, you must remember, we are here to tell a tragedy." Tragedy spins, pointing at Comedy as they say this.
Hands remove themselves from Comedy's hips. "Why can't we have a happy story? We are the narrators." Comedy asks Tragedy, exasperated.
In return, Tragedy steps towards Comedy, invading their private space. "Exactly! We are the narrators. We do not make the story here, the author does and alas, they have chosen for us to unfold a tragedy for our dear readers." Patting Comedy on their head with a sickening grin on their face, Tragedy turns to watch the events unfolding below.
There, on the stage that our story unfolds, is a young man. He walks alone, carrying a burnt and ruined notebook. The thing is wet and illegible, but the young man carries it anyway.
At this sight, Tragedy turns back to Comedy as to show them this young man. "Ah, yes, here he is. The protagonist of our story, a poor soul by the name Midoriya Izuku." Midoriya Izuku, as it appears, trudges on despite his sorry state. Tragedy continues on, in "A tragic figure himself, an outcast by no means of his own. Children can be quite cruel when confronted with something that is different, outside of the reality they call their own. Humans are societal creatures, and thus bond with each other in the ways they know how." Tragedy slings their arm around Comedy, as if pointing out something so simple, so obvious that Comedy must have already known.
Comedy turns to Tragedy. "But does that mean they must interact in the way they have?" They ask.
Ignoring Comedy, Tragedy continues on. "If the author dictates it, it must be so. We have parameters within to act, a tale to tell. This time we are tasked with the tale of Izuku Midoriya. And thus, our tale must be so. Let it begin!" Tragedy removes their arm from Comedy's shoulders and dances forth to watch those below.
Looking at their back, Comedy sighs, shaking their head. "Time to face the music." Turning their head to the side, staring into the void, they mutter their inner thoughts.
"But why must it be a tragedy? It could be a wonderful Comedy, a classic underdog tale! Alas, it cannot be so, can it?" Staring back at Tragedy, Comedy follows them to watch what is to unfold.
Upon the wind, unheard by anyone other than the two narrators, soft music begins to play. The duo move forth, revealing that Tragedy had led them to the top of a roof that had not seen repair for quite some time. A simple fence that could easily be knocked aside is all that rests itself on the roof other than the figure that is standing there.
Comedy starts forward, to intercept the figure upon the rooftop, but Tragedy pulls them back, shaking their head. Staring at the other, Comedy tries to remove themself from Tragedy's grip before Tragedy moves their finger up to their mouth and motions to just watch. The figure upon the rooftop is none other than the one they are to tell their tale about - Midoriya Izuku.
Standing by the railing, Midoriya Izuku looks out into the horizon, contemplating his decision. Singing the song of that melody that only the narrators can hear, he thinks. "Feel it cutting into me, the doubting painful knife, Feel it deepening the rift, finally hit just right. Couldn't take the love I had, so weak and burning low. But it grew into a weapon only hurting me, this I know" He remembers.
He thinks of his mother, he remembers her comfort, her presence. He thinks of how he loves her, how he remembers she loves him back. And yet - he can't help but wish for more. She wants him to be safe, to have a good life - to life the fullest life that he can. Crying, it's almost as if he sees her here with him. "I'm sorry" she says, her specter right before him. I'm sorry too, he thinks, allowing his image of her in the midday sun to disappear.
Izuku screams into the sun, screams his injustice into the void. "It shouldn't matter if I'm willing to try. It shouldn't matter that I need to put in that bit more of effort. It shouldn't matter when there's more to being a hero than just fighting villains. It shouldn't matter that I'm quirkless!" He screams, tears clouding his vision. Voice giving out, he speaks before more memories flood his vision."But that's all anyone cares about, isn't it? That I'm quirkless." Sung quietly, another verse is made, "...is nonfiction."
Memories flood his vision, spectres of his classmates come to taunt him one more. "What're ya tryin ta do now, Quirkless?" One speaks. "What can a Quirkless even do?" A second kicks him onto his back, jeering. "Idiot." Standing in the back, the third laughs.
Staring through the visions, and into the sun, Izuku continues to sing, trying not to break down completely. "So good with numbers, science, math I like. But I'm terrible with english so I despise. The simple part of me that wants a simple right or wrong, And it feels like anything I choose will always be false!" Looking down, he mutters another line. "I'm one of the best in the class in grades and tests! And yet…"
The specters persist. Once again, they talk, they jeer, they speak what he knows they think to be true. "Quirkless idiot. Can't understand, can he?" What he knows society believes to be true. "Keeps trying and trying like he can actually achieve anything. Like being smart means anything when you're Quirkless."
Closing his eyes to the world as he speaks, the specters disappear - he knows that it doesn't matter, their purpose has been served. "All that matters is that I'm Quirkless." Pulling a folded piece of paper out of his pocket, Izuku stares at it for a moment before unfolding it. His carrer sheet stares back up at him, blank. Shaking his shoulders, he laughs quietly before continuing the song, trying to ground himself to the rooftop. "And today, This homework, About me, A blank sheet, Accomplished , Content with, This life I will now lead." Pacing back and forth across the roof, Izuku thinks. He remembers. He paces. Questions pop up in his mind, questions he desperately wants answers to. Is this all they want from me? A blank, empty life where I simply coast from day to day, unable to accomplish what I desperately want?
Unbidden, they come to him. A third specter appears, form taking the shape of the person he had seen not just a little time ago. Appearing before him this time, the specter of All Might, the specter of the person he thought would give him some hope appears.
It tells him his answer, an answer he knows, even if he hates it. "A pro should always be ready to risk his life. Without power, can one become a Hero? No I should think not. If you desire to help people, becoming a police officer is always an option. Those Villain Custody Officers are often mocked, but that too is admirable work!" He wishes that it is not true, that he still has hope. He wants to deny it.
Spilling from his mouth, quiet anger fills his voice. "Villain Custody Officer? A fancy title for taking the Villains off the pros hands after everything is over and done with before giving them to a Prison Guard? How will that allow me to help people, stop them from feeling this frustration of a luckless life!" Taking a few shuttering breaths, he once more tries to sing to calm himself. "'Til I think why are we, Just sometimes, no always, Saying how we're sad and, Saying how we're lonely?" Even as he sings, he knows that it's not working, but he has to try anyways.
Watching this, Comedy turns to Tragedy, hope in their eyes and a smile on their face. "See, perfect underdog story!" They say, facing their companion. Tragedy shakes their head and sings the next line of the song Izuku sings. "Can you even read the blackboard written clear as can be? " Laughing, the smirk refuses to leave their face as they speak. "He wants to be a proper Hero, but we both know he cannot."
Furrowing their brow, Comedy sings along. "Can you even read his mind? See that kid's lost fantasy?" Smile staying on Comedy's face, they motion to where Izuku is standing. "He wants to help people! What part of that means he has to be a hero?"
Raising a brow, Tragedy moves forward into Comedy's space, dancing around them as they sing."Can you even find the one who dyed his red heart to black? Hey, who could it be? Hey, someone tell me!" They laugh, and Comedy's smile leaves their face.
Comedy speaks, looking away. "His Idol, the one he looked up to. The one who could've reaffirmed his hopes and dreams."
Tragedy, at this affirmation, laughs."Exactly." Turning back, they watch Izuku as he speaks.
"Why can't I help them, someone who knows just as well that they know what that life is like? Someone who can say, it gets better than this! It gets better, I know! I can't though, can I? I'm not allowed to be any better, get any better than being Quirkless? Does it get any better?" Sitting on the ground, he questions himself, more harried.
Interrupting, Comedy speaks, trying to convince Tragedy. "So why can't I interfere, make this a comedy? Right here would be a perfect point to lift his spirits, give him the energy to push through this and not stop trying, take his life by the reins and realize that being a Hero really isn't the only way to help someone! Come on, the author hasn't dictated that this must be a tragedy!" They speak, angered by Tragedy's non-affirmance.
Instead, Tragedy sings along, taunting Comedy. "Can you even solve the question with your abacus yet?" Walking away from Comedy, Tragedy moves forth to watch Izuku closer.
Trying to convince Tragedy, Comedy speaks on, trying once more. "I can do this, I know I can!"
Looking back, Tragedy continues to taunt Comedy, singing another line. "Can you even stop the rope from hanging him by his neck?"
Anger filling their voice, Comedy sings back. "Did we choose it right saying we're okay this way?" Their mouth curls into a snarl as they stare at Tragedy.
Tragedy simply looks down, laughs and looks right back up to stare back at Comedy, holding their gaze. "He's doomed you know. He doesn't have a quirk and there's no practical way to get him one. This society, this world the author has dictated says that Quirkless do not survive. The fact he has gotten this far with his hopes means he won't stop his dream of being a hero. He won't stop and that will get him killed one day, either by his own hand or anothers, and the farther he gets the worse it will be." Turning away, they move to walk off.
Clenching their jaw, Comedy sings again. "Hey just tell me how, It's not like I care now!" They sing, they plead at Tragedy's back. "Please, just help me. Let me give him some happiness?"
Stopping, Tragedy responds without looking back. "You'll give him triumphs and victories but the world will still cry out "You're Quirkless" and discount them. In the end, it could only be a tragedy." Walking off, they leave Comedy to watch Izuku.
In tears, Izuku softly sings, still trying to calm down. "Counting days like numbers, they all pass their prime, And again hypnotically swimming through time. Behind the power and guards I put up, I hide, Knowing they had long died ." Laughing shakily, he stands up to walk to the fence, muttering to himself along the way. "What's the point? The best bits of my life were when I was younger than four. Four! And it's only ever going to get worse. I know that being a hero's a pipe dream, that UA only accepts fourty students in their Hero Course! I wanted to try!" Looking down, he leans against the railing and shakily tries to put out a few more lyrics to calm himself. "From problems, My resolve, Just can't solve, That homework. Accomplished, Content with, This life I will now live." Laughing he looks up, laughing at himself. "But who's to say that trying for anything else will be any better? That being Quirkless will only ever get me rejection? Why does the world have to be like this? Why aren't we allowed to try despite our faults, the parts of us that the world can't accept? Will never accept! Why aren't we allowed to be more than what the world has given us?" Laughter dissolves into crying, as he silently screams down at the world.
At this, Comedy buries their face in their hands. At this, Tragedy walks back next to Comedy. At this, the specter of Katsuki appears before Izuku.
More anger than sadness in his voice, Izuku sings as if he's trying to not give up. "'Til I think and he speaks, That demon inside us. Saying "let me just leave". Saying "someone kill me!"" Yet Izuku knows that he is close. Shaking with anger, Izuku mutters to himself. "Or is that the answer? That we cannot become more than the world has given us? That we are doomed to only be as good as what the world accepts of us? To simply…" In sync, or simply knowing what comes next, the specter of Katsuki speaks in sync with Izuku. "Take a swan dive off the roof and hope for a quirk in the next life." Standing up, Izuku looks back at the specter of Katsuki before it disappears.
Launching themself at Tragedy, Comedy screams the line Tragedy had been about to speak. "Can you even read the blackboard written clear as can be?" Clawing, grabbing at them, Comedy hits Tragedy as if it would convince them. "He shouldn't die here! He's not meant to die here! He's not meant to give up like this, you said it yourself! He's too stubborn to give up his dream of being a Hero!" Screaming, they kick Tragedy onto the floor.
Smirking back up at Comedy, Tragedy simply sings, unfazed by what Comedy is doing. "Can you even read his mind? See that kid's lost fantasy?" They smirk, silently laughing at Comedy. "And yet, he has. In a twisted way, this might just be nicer. You know, instead of a long, drawn out, self-inflicted torture that ends up killing him anyways, devastating."
At this, Comedy continues to scream at Tragedy, trying to make Tragedy just as mad as they currently are. "Can you even find the one who dyed his red heart to black? Hey, who could it be? Hey, someone tell me!" Instead, this makes Tragedy just stare back up at them.
Tragedy looks to where Izuku is, and speaks. "No matter what I say, you're going to blame me, aren't you?" They ask, already knowing the answer.
Ignoring them, Comedy continues on. "Can you even solve the question with your abacus yet? Can you even stop the rope from hanging him by his neck?" They scream and scream and scream, even as it continues to get no reaction from Tragedy. "How can you say you're not to blame? You're the one who caused this chain of events, wrote them into existence! You're the one that has caused this story to unfold!"
At that, Tragedy's face contorts into anger. "Did we really choose it right saying we're okay this way?" They yell back at Comedy as Comedy continues their one-sided fight. "It's not like you didn't go along with this!"
In sync, the two scream at each other, wanting an answer to what has happened. "Hey just tell me how, Hey just tell me how!"
Standing up, Tragedy continues to yell at Comedy as Comedy tries to get them to shut up. "Can you even say the formula of area now?" Mad, Tragedy kicks Comedy aside, and stares at Comedy where they've fallen, "Do you even know what a tragedy is? It's a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character." They speak, they yell. "Can you even scream the dreams you swore would never go out?" They scream. "You didn't even try to stop me! You didn't even try to give him any hope! You just went along, feebly trying to stop things set in motion with words that could not be heard! You are at just as much fault here, you know!" They laugh, staring up at where Izuku is.
Laughing, Izuku tries to stop himself. "Who was the one who let my hopes just curl up die?"
Staring back at each other, the two accuse each other at the same time. "Hey, who could it be? No, it's gotta be…"
Pointing at Comedy, Tragedy yells at them, trying to get them to understand. "Just open up your eyes, why don't you grow up and see?" Anger in their voice, Tragedy spreads their arms to motion to their surroundings. "People don't get happy endings! Nobody truly gets a happy ending!" Stopping, they look away from Comedy for a second and then gets quiet. "All they get are tragedies!" They speak, turning away from Comedy.
Scrambling to their feet, Comedy yells back at Tragedy. "But what the hell is "growing up" and tell me when will I be?" They scream, trying to remind Tragedy of what exactly is going on. "That's only because you are the one that's making them! All you make are tragedies, that's why there are no happy endings!" Looking up for a moment, they watch as Izuku climbs over the fence.
The two scream, saying the same thing as if linked, Comedy staring at Tragedy. "Can a single person out there just explain it to me? Hey, just tell me how, It's not like I care now!"
Tragedy looks up as well and laughs. They laugh and laugh and laugh. Bending over, Tragedy throws their whole body into the laugh as if the situation called for it. Getting louder and louder, they spin around, facing Comedy, they point at them, projecting their voice into the depths, dragging the world into their own void. "Tragedies are stories where when the character falls, they can't get back up! This is a tragedy! Izuku Midoriya can't get back up! And thus, he shall fall." As they finish, Tragedy points upwards toward Izuku. As Tragedy points, Izuku lets go. As Tragedy points, Izuku falls.
Midoriya Izuku does not get back up.