Side Chapter Metous 6: Troubles

“Thanks for coming along, Mella,” Lila said gratefully. No matter how many times she met Nina, she was always nervous. 

Mella smiled. “All good; I’m just happy you asked.” 

Nina was in the area again, or she didn’t leave. None of them really knew what Nina’s schedule was, besides the fact that she was busy and seemingly everywhere. 

When it came to the Stella family, Nina only talked to Tella, so it was a surprise when she invited Lila out this time. Mella hopped along with Lila, she did want to ask Nina a question, but the main reason she came was to support Lila. 

“Anyway, Lila. We need to plan our revenge on Tyell.” Mella clenched her fist.

“What for…?” Lila tilted her head, confused.

“Tuesday.”

“Tuesday?” Lila paused for a moment. “Oh, bowling! Are you still mad about that?”

“Yes absolutely! He destroyed us! Then he looked at us with those eyes that spewed disappointment.”

Three days ago, on Tuesday night, the Stella family and Lila went out bowling at Mella’s request. They did many group activities together, and this was supposed to be just one of many. However, the one particular thing about bowling was that Mella hated losing in it, even though that was always the only outcome.

Lila shrugged, “I haven’t played ten-pin bowling since I was a child; I’m really mad that I lost.”

“W-ell! I am, so we need to plan something.”

Lila sighed and shook her head. “Sure, we’ll think of something.”

“Thank you.”

It didn’t take long for them to reach the location of Nina’s request. It was the same place Tella went to before, the large garden was closed off from the outside world and filled with all colours of flowers.

Lila could gasp in amazement, “What a fancy place…”

Mella took another sip of her tea cup and said, “I think the food is the crazy part.”

“Why thank you; the people who built it certainly did a marvellous job.” Nina accepted the compliments and planned to give them to the correct people once the talk was done. Nina wore a black dress with a blue flower pattern layered on top of it.

Lila hadn’t been to a place like this before. Her parents were never ones to take her or her sister out to places like this for the view, maybe a restaurant, but that was it. And once she left the house, she also lost interest in visiting places like gardens. 

Lila was still a little nervous, she had been feeling that a lot since arriving on Metous. She had been guessing all day about what the conversation would be about. Nina did say in the invitation it was just a check to see how she found life on Metous, but she felt that couldn’t be all, right? Besides the light interrogation when they first met, Nina didn’t ask about Lila’s activities within Dominous Hood, so that was her best guess.

However, it was just a simple, small back and forth. Nina asked her about time on Metous, what parts she liked and didn’t, and simply how everything had been. Not a word about Dominous Hood was spoken, and it seemed that she just wanted to see if Lila was adjusting correctly.

Nina’s face glowed with happiness. “I’m really glad to see you being loved.”

Overall, Lila really enjoyed the talk.

Then, after a while, Mella couldn’t hold back her question.

Mella fumbled her words, “Um… Nina… have you gotten any word about–”

Nina interrupted, “It’s okay; I know you love her very much.” Nina spoke in a soothing tone that calmed Mella. “I do have to apologise for not being able to grab any good news sooner.”

“No, you don’t.”

“No, I do. My personal goal was to locate her quickly, but I failed.”

Lila said, “That’s nothing to be sorry about.”

Nina explained, “Truthfully, no, it isn’t, but when I set out to do something, I do my best to complete it. So, in a way, I’m more upset at myself than anything. But I am sad you and Tella haven’t gotten back your family member yet, you all deserve to be happy after everything that has happened.”

Lila felt her heart shake. She didn’t know if she deserved to be happy, but after everything… she wanted to be a little bit, for her sister’s sake.

Mella asked, “Mum mentioned you would be meeting someone about Ceella soon, right?”

“Yes, he should be around soon…” There was a minuscule hint of unease in Nina’s movements.

Mella asked a seemingly weird question, “Is he a good person…?” 

Nina questioned, “Why do you ask that?”

“...Because I was wondering if he came to you.”

“Fascinating assumption.” Nina leaned forward, intrigued. “What makes you say that?”

Mella paused, “Well… you mentioned earlier about your…”

Nina casually mutters, “Ego?”

“I-I-I guess that works, but if you could’ve called upon them earlier, I think you would’ve.”

Nina didn’t answer; she closed her eyes and smiled, “Well, a good person, huh…” She opened them. “Hmm… a [Witch] would be the correct description.”

Lila asked, “A witch? How is that a descriptor?” 

Nina smiled. “Not much, I can really say, besides the fact that they really just do their own thing. But because of their nature, hopefully, I will be getting an answer.”

Mella slightly bowed. “Thank you for answering.”

“Please don’t do that,” Nina stood up to stop her, and they all had a quick laugh about how over the top the talk was becoming. So they sat back down to enjoy some more food.

The conversation didn’t last much longer, as it was already late in the afternoon when they arrived.

On the walk home, Lila noticed Mella seemed a little off. “You feeling good?” She asked.

“Yeah… just thinking about stuff?” Mella barely tried to deflect. 

“What kind of stuff? You’ve been lost a lot recently.”

Mella returned an honest answer, “Love.”

Lila flinched for a moment. “...Love huh…”

“Yeah… sorry for bringing this up… It’s just embarrassing to talk about this with Mum…”

“...I’m going to assume she would be too excited?”

“Knowing her… yeah, that’s what I’m expecting.”

Lila said, “I’m surprised you are thinking about love after that talk.”

“...Just a lot of thoughts in my head, and with the ones about my sister calming down for a moment… these ones just resurface.”

Lila thought about the idea for a few moments.

“Love…” Lila muttered, “I have never been in love before, but my sister was.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, she was even preparing to confess.”

“Wow…” Mella’s face then turned sour, “I’m sorry for–”

Lila said, “Don’t be; I have fond memories of those times. Keep this a secret, but my first Vocation was a [Flower Maid].”

Mella replied again, “Really?” 

“Yeah, they are sometimes used in weddings, and I thought it would be nice if I could be one for my sisters. I didn’t even mind changing it later, once it was done. Though I kept that bit of information a secret from her and the girl she loved.”

“I see.” Mella nodded. “I know Ceella dated a few people, but I don’t think she ever reached the stage of truly loving someone–maybe just really really really liking them.”

Lila asked out of curiosity, “So, how was her romance life?”

“She dated a few boys and girls, but pretty much all of them were bad apples.” Mella sighed, “If you ever ask her, all she will say is that it was a good learning experience.”

"Haha, that sounds like Aunty.” Lila chuckled, “So, what stage are you at?”

“For?”

“Love.”

“Oh…” Mella twiddled her fingers. “Whatever one makes me embarrassed.”

“So have you asked anyone or been asked out?”

“I nearly kissed a guy…”

“Wow, moving fast.”

“We didn’t actually do it though.”

“Why?”

Mella kicked a pebble on the side of the street hard and said, “Because of my breath.”

Lila, who had no experience dating, or kissing, and only knew a little about romance, could only mutter, “That’s… so stupid.”

“I know, Sam, Mike as well as the guy’s friend ridiculed him about it after the fact, saying it was stupid to not kiss something because of mint.” Mella froze, realising she had said way too much. 

“That’s why you didn’t eat the mint cookies.”

“Yes okay…” Mella’s face flushed completely red. “Please don’t tell Mum.”

“Sure, only if you promise not to tell Tella or Tyell about what I told you.” Lila was sure those two would understand the parts Mella completely missed.

“Deal!” 

With a promise set, Mella and Lila continued to walk down the street. 

But along the way, one woman turned around to confirm what she actually saw.

“Lila…?” She mumbled quietly under her breath. 

Someone who had been believed to have died on a previous mission on Earth was simply walking down the street on another planet.