Disclaimer: It's obvious I don't have Tales of Xillia, because it was properties of Bandai Namco.

Hello everyone, I'm back! After being blocked by Positive Networking bunch of stuff that my stupid ISP did, I managed to find a way to by-pass it! Well, since that was the case then I'm going to have a blast! Anyway, I'm going to make some illustration for this story as well, I will try to finish the one for the first chapter before this month end. It might be just a pencil sketch since I wasn't that good in digital drawing. So anyone who was any better than me on digital drawing, could you help me made the lineart and -possibly- color it as well?

Anyway, I won't drag on the Author note anymore further than this. Let's start this story! Welcome to the next installment of Memories From Back Then, Chapter 11 - 'Preparation' and now I'm out from here. See ya later down there and don't forget to do the ritual Read and Review~

Jude POV

After what happened this afternoon about Alvin-sensei approaching us with temporary guardianship in his interest, we were led into the shop he worked at. I didn't know what I should expect since well, it is a shop. And a shop is just a shop.

"Auntie, I'm bringing my students here and would like to borrow some clothes for them!" Alvin-sensei shouted from the entrance although no one bothered about it, I noticed. Maybe it was something usual for those regular in this place.

I or rather, we were surprised when something flew from the back door and hit Alvin-sensei clean on the forehead. Alvin-sensei groaned in pain and I finally noticed that it was a wooden spoon that had hit him directly on his forehead. A split second later I heard a shout and stomping from the said back door saying, "I'm not that old yet!"

My attention went to the one who had shouted and stomping. I was surprised since I found myself in agreement with the person who had shouted. That person is a short woman with dark green hair and equally green eyes. She wore a plain dark blue Yukata with its sleeve tied short with the help of a fabric rope. One thing for sure, she looked angry.

"Auntie, that hurts like a hell!" Alvin-sensei complained once more as he took the wooden spoon and threw it back.

The woman swiftly caught it before she shouted, "What are you saying?! As you can see I'm still young!" and her glare sharpened. Well, now I knew how Alvin-sensei managed to survive Milla's glare. This woman had one hell of a glaring.

"But you are still my Aunt!" Alvin retorted back as he slapped his forehead slightly. It looked like he went through this a lot of time already.

The woman became quiet before she sighed as if admitted defeat. Well, I guess it was too fast since she quickly said, "Just because I'm your Aunt, who gave you the permission to call me as one? And second you stupid niece, we are in shop and you are my underling so you must call me 'Boss'."

I could see that Alvin-sensei visibly cringed at the woman tone. Milla looked like she realized that it was the time for her to speak up then said, "We are sorry for intruding your business. We are your niece students and he said that we could borrow some clothes from this place."

The woman then looked at Milla with an interested expression. She walked closer until she was only a few steps away from Milla. When she did become close, I only noticed that she was quite short one, even a little bit shorter than Leia. But I noticed that she looked serious almost strict-laced that I wondered from where Alvin-sensei inherited his laid back personality.

"Well, so my stupid underling actually did his job right this time. It's a pleasure to meet you as well young lady, I understand what happened when my underling shouting his head out. I wouldn't mind if I left them in your hands. Just don't get on my bad side and I won't get mad if by chance my stupid underling ruined it," the woman said with a small pleased smile as if she meant everything she had said. I know she actually meant it and looked at Milla who was pleased as well.

I knew that one person wasn't pleased though…

"Aunt- I mean, Boss stop saying that I was stupid over and over in one sentence!" Alvin-sensei groaned as if he got a headache after being labeled as stupid for a lot of time the past day.

The woman shot Alvin a glare before she said, "Stop saying something stupid like that you stupid underling. Didn't you see that I am talking with this young lady here you stupidly stupid underling?!"

I smirked when I saw that Alvin-sensei looked like he was just struck by lightning. Well… I decided. I like this woman guts.

Milla POV

I was stunned to silence at the reflection of myself in front of the mirror. I wasn't expecting the girl who was reflected there was me in any case. I had put on all kind of clothes but somehow I didn't expect that I could still get stunned to silence like this.

The Yukata that Boss (she asked me to call her that) lent to me had the color of Aqua Blue as its main color, with dark blue and white strips here and there. Imprinted on the Yukata are the motifs of small Primrose in dark blue and butterfly fluttering around in the color of light blue and magenta. The Obi itself is quite plain from distance, since it looked like just a plain purple Obi. But if I squinted my eyes enough there were intricate pattern printed on it that was sewn with silver thread.

Boss also did an extra care to my hair as well. She took some of my hair from left and right before she tied them on the back of my head. She also took the time to search through her collection of traditional hair ornament before she stumbled upon one that was blue-rose shaped with silver and gold leaves before she putted it on the side of my head. The size of it was quite big to get noticed but also quite small to make it looked pleasant.

Then I observed Leia who was wearing a quite different Yukata, because of its length, mostly. Hers only reached a little bit above her knees and have the color of yellow with big orange-colored sunflower printed on it. Boss tied her hair into a bun before sticking one of black traditional hair ornament that had the shape of six-petal flower. Leia's obi is a seemingly plain green obi, but it actually had leaf pattern in the slightly darker color. It looked like Boss knew that Leia wouldn't be happy if someone constricted her movement so she gave her the shorter one.

Then I turned to Mai who was still combing her short hair using a comb. She wore a red Yukata with rose pattern scattered around and two white bunnies that wore white and red necklace at the base of her Yukata. I noticed that Mai was able to wear her obi by herself, which was peach-colored with Sakura petals printed on it. I knew that she was in flower-arranging club and she was often wore Yukata when she created one. Maybe she got used to wear one from there.

After Boss finished dressing us up into our Yukata she stood still in front of us with her hands crossed in front of her, sorry, non-existent chest. Somehow seeing her doing that, we naturally turned quite and stood straight in front of her piercing eyes. I realized that she really had a pair of good eyes.

"Young maiden that I'm proud of! I wouldn't cast a magic that wasn't possible to happen thus your beauty and your vigor that you saw through is yours and yours alone not created by the magic of brush! You must stand proud and show them what you got, did you reply me?" Boss said with a fired up tone as if she was about to send an army to their death. I wouldn't be surprised if she ever though…

"Yes, ma'am!" we all replied and saluted to Boss who looked like she took it well.

"Good reply. Now I will also goes to the festival ground and sold some shaved ice there. If you found time to visit, don't forget to say hi," Boss said with a brief nodding as she let out a ghastly smile. Without waiting for our reply she exited the room and started yelling orders.

We all smiled to each other before we walked outside after we had agreed that Boss is awesome in a lot of meaning. For some reason I don't understand, Jude and Jun had went ahead of us to the festival site when we are preparing our clothes.

On our way we talked about a lot of stuff, mostly girls talk that I found to be very refreshing. It wasn't that refreshing anymore when it stepped in the field of landmine for most of us. Boy.

"I never knew that Jude-san is always that fun to be with! He looked unapproachable before," Mai commented after Leia had asked us about the side of the boys that we never knew before.

"Well, Jude is awkward. End of story," Leia summarized as she laughed lightly.

"I never realized that Jun really is a good friend of Jude. I thought he was just an insect latching himself to him," I commented truthfully as I looked to Leia who giggled.

"Not to mention he is slow as hell! I wonder when he would invite you to a date Mai… a proper date befitting of our princess~" Leia added as she looked at Mai with a sparkling eyes that would make anyone cringe since she looked like she had swing that way, almost.

Mai got flustered in an instant and she quickly turned her head as she said, "Jun and I are friend! T-there is nothing more between us… yet."

"Did I catch the hopeful tone in that?" I teased her and quickly averted my eyes from her piercing one. If Mai wanted to be scary, she would go all the way in that.

"You are saying that Milla, but aren't you and Jude-san very close lately? Did you two already tie the knot when we didn't see it?" Mai said with a sharp tone though the content was very confusing.

"I agree, those two are very suspicious indeed…" Leia added as she nodded to herself.

I bobbed my head to the side and voiced my question by saying, "What do you mean by 'tie the knot'?"

Mai and Leia looked at me with bewildered gaze before sighing at almost the same time. I wondered why they did that when I saw the light of festival a little bit further from us. Leia looked like she noticed it as well as she said, "The boys said that they will wait in front of the entrance right? It's a shame that Boss didn't have spare Yukata for boys, huh…"

"It couldn't be helped that Boss didn't have any right, Mai?" I asked before asking for confirmation to Mai.

"Jun-san in Yukata…" Mai muttered as she looked dazed and in the midst of a dream.

…To found out that she was in that state.

"She's out at her own little world again huh?" Leia said out loud since she knew that when Mai was in this state, nothing could snap her out from it.

"And whose fault do you think it was?" I muttered as I sighed out at how Leia feigning innocence on the matter by laughing. Okay, she is doing it at purpose.

Thankfully Mai snapped when we reached the entrance and found Jude and Jun was already waiting in front of the gate. They noticed us at almost the same time but Jun was the only one who made the shouting saying, "Hey, over here!" as he waved his hands to our direction.

We walked to their direction and I instantly knew that Jun had dropped his jaw when Mai walked near him. It was easily noticed when I felt some strong push just by mere sight. I started to get worried about these two since they walked in complete circle. I swear if he didn't make any move today I will…

"You look beautiful in them Milla," Jude said with a smile that was already in the process of heating my face up. I must chant the 'we are friend' spell so I could stop myself from embarrassing myself in front of him.

"Thanks…" I replied back as I twirled the side of my hair after a brief moment of silence to think of the answer I should give him. I'm glad I took up the offer of temporary guardianship.

"Summer is really hot huh… I'm glad I brought a fan with me," Leia commented abruptly and effectively made we turn our head to her. She waved a yellow fan as she had half of her back on us while she looked at the crowd walking in and out of the shrine.

"It is summer so it is natural to be hot right?" Jun said with a questioning tone as he looked at Leia with an incredulous look on his face. I seconded that opinion since there was no other reason for her to be hot right now.

Leia merely waved his question since it looked like she thought it was pointless to pursue the point further and instead said, "That was that but why I didn't see our stupid teacher around? Did Boss drag him to Sanzu River already?"

"Leia, it is a bad notion to say that a teacher is already dead. He was with us until just now and then he said something about his annoying aunt would kill him if he didn't work so he started to work. I guess Boss already told you that she set up a stand as well here right?" Jude explained as he laughed mirthlessly. He looked very relaxed and I like this side of Jude.

"Worked either way for us so I have no complaint. Since we already assembled let's just enjoy the festival! It's the first festival that we spent together after all!" Jun said with a shrug at first before he pumped his fist on the air in overly dramatic way.

"You actually could say good things when you put your mind into it Jun. Do it more often," I commented as I lightly giggled since his action was very amusing. I'm still angry at him though.

Everyone else laughed and Jun protested, "I'm always profound!"

"In your dreams," Jude quickly added and barely hid his laughter as Jun protested at how he wasn't in his side yet again. Jude merely waved him off with a quick kick on his shin, making him roll on the pavement in pain.

Leia lost it and burst out into a full blown laughter as she clutched her stomach tightly. Mai who was usually calm also lost it as she latch her hands on my arms to make sure she didn't bent over to laugh. Jude and I merely looked at each other with amused glint. I know that this is one summer that I would never forget.

Normal POV

The group went into the festival unknowing of another pair of eyes watching them yet again. Muzét put down her binocular and hid it inside her bag as she said, "In the end it worked wonder, right Darling?"

Gaius half-groaned at the pet name that was given by Muzét as he latches his palms with the inventor who merely giggled at his gesture. Muzét then unlatch her hands and instead linked her arms with Gaius muscular one as she said, "Come on Gaius, I'm so smart right?"

Gaius gave up and patted Muzét's head before saying, "Good job Muzét but it still didn't explain why we should get into this set up."

Muzét giggled happily, Gaius swore she purred, before replied with, "It is rare for us to have a free time to be all alone after all. So, since we are going to Festival isn't it proper to wear Yukata as well? I think it suits you as well~"

"Okay fine Muzét, you win this time. Since we are here let's just go inside and enjoy the festival," Gaius said as he sighed to admit his defeat against his pushy fiancée.

Muzét giggled happily and tiptoed to give Gaius a peck on his cheek as she said, "I love you, dearest~"

Hello folks~ it's been awhile since the last time I made an introduction, in actual meaning since I'm pondering about the character data for a little bit too long. Well, anyway like what I said a few chapters before, now we are in for Leia's biography~ Let's see what we got in store for our mood maker in this story! Okay guys, check this out!

Main Character Introduction

1. Leia Rolando: Leia is the first actual girl friend Milla managed to befriend (the reason came later). She is an energetic, slightly impulsive, slightly bossy, but a very good friend for those who knew her. Leia had a ton more friends in the class and she was very popular as friend material as she was a very friendly individual. But, despite large social circle, Leia was content to be with Milla and Mai who she considered as best friends. She was currently looking for boyfriend who could beat her in tennis.

Leia is bad at academic unlike her best friends and was in par with Jun in the matter of stupidity though Leia was more stupid at lesson and not utterly foolish like Jun. She is also one of the few freshmen who entered Rieze Maxia High through sports scholarship for tennis so her grade was nothing more but norm. Leia also loves to do matchmaking for practically anyone and albeit sometimes it led into success sometimes it went terribly wrong anyone would sigh at the sight.

Leia's age is 15. Her blood type is B, of course. She is born at 5 April so she is an Aries. Her birthday usually collide with Graduation or Entrance Ceremony so she rarely celebrate it with friends, but when the chance arrives she would surely take it. Her favorite flower is Daisy, no matter how weird it is. Her favorite color is Yellow and Red. Leia joined Tennis club as her scholarship half-forced her to do so though sometimes she would take a part in another club activities just because. Leia loves anything 'cute' in her preference and also overly sweet sweets and she didn't take 'no' for a reply. Along with Milla and Mai, they were often called as the role model for the freshmen with Leia as the energetic, Milla as the brilliant (in a lot of way), and Mai as the balance between these two. Since Milla and Mai had a lot of affinity with Rose, Leia was dragged into it and they are called as the Roses of Freshmen.