The Outside

Mitsuki

Ma always looked so sad in Room. Why? Was it not enough? I liked Room. I liked Room alot, it was good. Room was Room.

It was our Room.

But ma made us leave Room. I had to find a 'somebody' to find Room for ma. She told me that i need to find a somebody to get us to the Outside.

"Zuzu, the truck is going to shake, then it will go up and down, like this. When it goes up and down three times you need to roll out and jump out. Then find somebody and tell them, 'Help! My mom is Midoriya Inko!' Okay?"

Did ma hate Room? She probably did. She probably got tired from Mr. One.

Mr. One. I dont like him. He hurts ma when she does a bad thing.

But ma said there isnt any Mr.One now. She said Mr. One is gone now, that a Real Person, like me and ma took him away. Im happy he's gone. Ma doesn't go Quiet Out anymore. She was so sad looking when she was Quiet Out.

But she still was ma. And I love her, so if i have to leave I will...

But it doesnt mean I want to.

- x -

"Zuzu, please! You need to go to school! If you dont- if you dont... then you cant see the Saturday Treat grandma gave you!" I stop im my tracks.

Saturday treat? Really?

I have a Saturday treat!

"Ma! A Saturday treat! What is it! Is it a fake man! Or a bear- OH! is it another notebo-" Ma cuts me off before i can finish.

"Now, we have to wait till after you go to school to see it now, won't we?" I want to see the Saturday treat but I have to leave. I dont want to. I dont want to leave, leave leave leaveleaveleave-

"Im not GOING!!" I scream in ma's face. I rip my hand from hers.

I hear her sigh and see her pinch her nose. I hear footsteps coming towards us and I immediately lower my eyes and sink into ma's shadow.

Its a Real Person like mom said. Its a pretty Real Lady with hair the color of the Can Corn ma used to give me. She's really tall and has very pointy eyes, pretty, but pointy.

"Inko... Are you okay?" Ma nods to her and I squeak involuntarily. Ma sadly laughs at something and looks at the Real Lady.

" He wants to go...back. He's refused to leave me at all since we left. He just- he just needs time. A-and maybe.... Maybe a friend?"Whats that? Whats a 'friend'?

Ma looks back down at me and all i can see is her sad eyes. Looking up with large eyes and slowly reaching for her hands, I pull her down untill im next to her ear, then whisper.

"Whats a 'friend', ma? Is it a TV person?" She lets out a long sigh and takes me by the shoulders. I cant tell if the pretty Real Lady heard me, but she gasps and brings a hand to her mouth.

There tears in her eyes but I dont know why. Ma looks sad too. Like when we couldnt yell loud enough for the outside to hear us.

Ma brushes some of my stray hair out of my face and behind my ear.

"Honey I..." She started looking over to the Real lady once more, then, she starts crying. Not loud, screams and sobs like mine, no. This is mommy crying. Shes quiet like Mr. Mouse and doesn't move.

"Inko... " The Pretty Real Lady reaches for ma and rest her hand on ma's shoulder, "Inko, I have a son his age...he just got his quirk, but, I think we should let them meet. Let them get to know each other...?" She leads off her sentence and looks ma in the eyes.