Q:

Properly meshing a metaball

I am new to metaballs and I want to mesh a metaball, so that I can export it. For a simple test I just added a metaball to a cube. This is how I created my strange metaball:

Add a cube

Add a metaball

Select the metaball and then while holding shift select the cube

Ctrl P to parent to object

Go to the Cube settings > Instancing > Faces

After looking up how mesh it I went under Object > Convert To > Mesh from Curve/Meta. This creates a mesh but isn't what I really want.
I don't know if I did something wrong, I just followed a tutorial on how to use metaballs. Here is the produced mesh:

But I just want a mesh that looks like the unmeshed metaball:

Here is my blend file:

A:

I think I'm starting to understand what is going on. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you parented the meta-ball to the cube to change it to the desired shape.
A mesh with this shape is inside the weird thing with the seams.
I converted your meta-ball in the file to a mesh. Then selected it and removed it as a child from the cube. 3D viewport > Object > Parent > Clear Parent (or press Alt+P). The thing with the seams disappears, and then i'm left with the mesh I believe you want.
Since this was, as you described it, a simple test, I hope (but am unable to tell if) it also works in a more complicated scenario.

