Hey everyone! Sorry for the (very) late chapter. Got hit with some writers block on this one.
And no, this is not an April Fools joke.

Chapter 17: Stories and Legends.

Arriving at the village, Tlopfest gave off a sigh of satisfaction once he saw the buildings. "Gotta say, this is a pretty nice place you have here. Nice open areas with plenty of space to build."

"Oh, thank you Tlopfest." Siesta replied.

"By the way, where do you live here?"

"Closer to the edge of town actually. Come on, I'll introduce you to my family."

"Hmph, as if I'd want to-"

"Louise…" Louise was interrupted by Tlopfest glaring at her suddenly.

"Wh-what?"

"We're here because Siesta invited us, and we needed to have a small break. Please do everyone here a favor and put that haughty attitude of yours on hold until we get back at least, alright?"

"Wh-I-"

"No, don't start! I know that once you start going off you're gonna go off like a freaking pink bullet."

"I do not!"

"You're doing it now!"

As the two started bickering, Siesta couldn't help but giggle a bit at the two of them. "Seems they have really started getting along. I wish I could do that as well…" Looking back towards the road, Siesta continued leading them to her residence. By the time they arrived, Tlopfest and Louise finally calmed down, with Louise promising to try and keep a hold of herself while they were here. Tying up their horses, Siesta led them inside.

"Mom? Dad? I'm home!" Siesta called out, although there was no response. "Hmm…just a moment you two."

Siesta ran out towards the back of the house, leaving Louise and Tlopfest in the main area. Looking around, Tlopfest could definitely tell that this was a place of someone with less wealth and status than that of a noble.

"Then again, I have been living with one for quite a while now…how long has it been since I've left Minecraftia? A few months?"

"Sorry for the wait!" Siesta came back out with some tea. "Apparently everyone is out in the fields at the moment, so we'll have to wait a while until they're done."

"Ah, that's no problem. We're just happy to be here." Tlopfest said.

Louise just sat down on one of the chairs nearby, with Siesta giving her one of the glasses. Sipping from it, Louise couldn't help but be surprised with the flavor.

"What's with this? This is better than the usual tea we have back at the Academy!"

"Well, one of the things we farm here are tea leaves, so they are fresher than back at the Academy." Siesta said while giving Tlopfest a glass.

Taking a sip, Tlopfest had to agree. "I'm not one to usually have tea, but this is pretty darn good. Thanks Siesta."

Smiling, Siesta sat down on one of the other chairs nearby. "So, I suppose while we're here, is there anything you would like to talk about?"

"Hmm…I guess a local story or something? It's always nice to learn more about a place I'm visiting."

"Oh?" Siesta was intrigued by this, as well as Louise.

"I know you told me about your origins before Tlopfest," Louise said, "but I do not recall you telling me about any other places you have been to."

"Heh, I guess I haven't huh? Alright let's see…" Tlopfest thought about it for a moment before coming up with one to talk about. "How about the place above the clouds?"

Both girls nodded their heads.

"Alright then. As you know Louise, there's the Overworld, which I escaped to, and the Nether, my origin. However, in my world there's another dimension above the clouds, essentially the opposite of the Nether. It's called 'The Aether,' a place full of floating islands, clouds that you can walk on, and more angelic-like beings. Of course, there's plenty of enemies around as well…"

"...eventually my friends and I were able to even take out the 'Sun God' of the Aether, who claimed to keep it eternally day there. Honestly that was actually not true, as even before we took him out the Aether had its own day/night cycle."

Both girls were entranced with the tale Tlopfest just told.

"S-so you've gone head to head with literal gods?!"

"In a sense, yeah." After a moment, and letting them get over their shock, Tlopfest turned to Siesta. "What about you Siesta? I told you about one of my stories, it's only fair to hear one of yours, right?"

"Ah! R-right, of course. Um..oh! I suppose I can tell you about my own family's origin!"

"Hm?" Tlopfest tilted his head at that. "Sure, might as well. Might even learn more about this so-called 'Founder' that everyone talks about."

"Uh, well…perhaps not. See, my great-grandfather supposedly didn't come from this world."

After a moment to process this, Tlopfest held his hands up. "Whoah, hold up. You're saying that your bloodline started from another world? Did another noble summon them here or something like Louise (sorta) did for me?"

"Uh..no-not quite. Although I don't remember the name of it, my great-grandfather actually came here on a dragon. The story is as such: Many years ago, on the day of an eclipse, two dragons suddenly appeared in the sky. Both ended up flying about for a small while, before they turned back to the eclipse. One disappeared, while the other stayed behind as the eclipse completed. Eventually, that dragon landed nearby, and the person that rode it became my grandfather."

"Well that's certainly interesting. What happened to this dragon?"

"W-well, we actually still have it. My grandfather eventually put it in a nearby grove. My family and I still visit it here and there to check in on it."

"Really now? I…don't suppose we would be able to see it, would we?"

"I would be happy to do so. Hold on, let me go grab the map to the grove and we can head over."

As Siesta left to grab said map, Louise turned to Tlopfest. "I didn't take you for a treasure hunter, Tlopfest. Besides, are we really going to walk through mud and grass just to go see a corpse?"

Sighing, Tlopfest glanced at Louise as he finished off his tea. "We're already here, so we may as well see it, right? Besides, you heard the story. Supposedly it came from another world. It may not be my world, but I'd be interested to try and figure out where it came from."

After a moment of silence, Louise finally gave in. "Fine. I suppose I am curious about this dragon as well…"

Following Siesta, Louise and Tlopfest eventually found themselves in a nearby cave. To help them see, Tlopfest was handed a lantern to hold above, since he was the tallest in the group.

"So….what does this dragon look like, Siesta? And it is dead, right?"

"Well, it doesn't seem to look like any other dragon I have seen. And it hasn't moved ever since my great-grandfather landed here. I'm not entirely sure what to make of it if I am to be honest."

Louise pouted at that. "So we're just going off of some commoner's ideas on this? What if it eats us?!"

"Louise…" Tlopfest glared at her. "Siesta is probably the best 'commoner,' as you put it, to tell whether or not the darn thing is dead. She's seen it for Nether's sake!"

Suddenly, they heard a shout somewhere behind them. "Who's there!?"

"Oh brother…" Tlopfest grumbled as he took out his pan. Getting by one of the walls, Tlopfest motioned the other two to hide. Since he was the one with the lantern, Louise and Siesta ended up getting right behind him. Right as the newcomer stepped next to the corner, Tlopfest swung his pan at them, only to hit something solid instead. Looking around the corner, Tlopfest came face to face with a familiar person.

"Colbert?! What are you doing here?!"

"I could ask you the same thing Tlopfest."

"I asked first."

Sighing, Colbert put down his staff, Tlopfest following with putting his pan away. "I came here to look for evidence of a legend. I don't suppose you have heard about an ancient dragon from here?"

"You mean the one of a pair that came here during an eclipse?"

"Yes! Exactly! That dragon is supposed to be the origin of the 'dragon blood' I acquired quite some time ago."

"Huh.." Turning back towards the other two, Tlopfest couldn't help but grin a bit. "Seems your great-grandfather's dragon is a lot more famous than you let on Siesta."

Siesta let out an exclamation of surprise upon hearing that. Colbert, getting a better look behind the pigman, also gave an exclamation of surprise in seeing one of his students and academy maid here. "What are you two doing here?!"

"Uh, well, I had come home to see my family again during the academy break." Siesta muttered out.

"Osmond had suggested I have a vacation, and Siesta provided the opportunity." Louise responded.

"I..I see. But that doesn't explain why you're here."

"Siesta was guiding us to go see the dragon ourselves." Tlopfest said, pointing his thumb towards the maid.

"Wha-bu-how?! I spent years trying to figure out where the dragon was!" Colbert was surprised beyond belief. How could someone just know where it was when he spent ages trying to find the blasted thing?!

"It's actually my great-grandfather's," Siesta replied. "He came here with that dragon and settled down to make my family."

Tlopfest threw a questioning look at Colbert. "Did you really not think to ask the locals about the darn thing?"

Colbert, embarrassed at his oversight, just looked down and started fiddling with his staff. Chuckling a bit, Tlopfest slung an arm over Colbert's body, causing him to stagger. "Hey, we all make mistakes man, some stupider than others. Heck, even-gah!" Tlopfest suddenly staggered, hand to his head as another warp event took ahold of him.

"Tlopfest!" Louise exclaimed. "What's wrong?!"

Siesta and Colbert also cast concerning looks towards the pigman. Not that he could see them with his eyes closed.

"I-I'm fine. Just had a headache suddenly, that's all." Opening his eyes again, Tlopfest turned towards the others, only to suddenly see them all clutch their chests in agony. "Oi, what's wrong guys?"

The others couldn't say anything. Looking around a bit to see if something got them, Tlopfest caught his eyes on the glass of the lantern. More specifically, what was reflected in them. Taking his goggles off for a moment to have a better mirror, Tlopfest looked at the glass and saw that his eyes had gone deathly-gray. Even his glowing eye had taken on a gray hue.

"Crud! Deadly gaze!" Tlopfest quickly forced his eyes shut, staring at the ground as well while the others slowly got back on their feet.

"Ugh…what the hell was that?" Louise groaned out.

"It felt like something…cold…took hold of my heart." Siesta said.

"Sorry guys…" Tlopfest bemoaned, turning their attention towards him. "I just got blinded by something. Siesta, can you hold my arm and help lead the rest of the way out of here? I don't think I can open my eyes again for a bit."

"Wha-what the hell are you thinking you stupid familiar?!" Louise shouted as Siesta quickly took ahold of Tlopfest's arm.

"I'm thinking that we need our guide here to help lead me the rest of the way. I am holding our source of light after all and am blind at the moment." Tlopfest replied, still keeping his eyes shut.

Still fuming, Louise took out her wand and pointed it at Tlopfest, intending to fire off a 'fireball' at him. Before she finished saying her spell though, Tlopfest opened one eye and glanced at Louise, causing her to stiffen and feel that strange, deadly cold take ahold of her again. Tlopfest shut his eye again, and Louise relaxed after that.

"Seriously, what the hell was that? Was that…from Tlopfest?" Louise wondered as she calmed down. Soon after, the group continued on their way through the cavern, eventually coming upon the exit and finding a serene clearing in front of them.

Taking a risk, Tlopfest opened up one of his eyes while looking at the ground and saw the gray tint leaving his vision. "Good, looks like I won't be withering everyone in my eyesight again." Straightening up, Tlopfest removed his arm from Siesta's hold. "Thanks Siesta. Looks like my eyesight came back."

Nodding, Siesta continued leading the group further into the clearing, where they came upon a large, metal box structure. Coming up to the doors, Tlopfest noticed a rock nearby with engravings on it. Curious, he walked over to find that it was writing.

"What is this?" Louise asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

"No idea. Doesn't look like writing from here though. I wonder…" Pulling down his goggles, Tlopfest activated his translator function and came back with a hit. "Looks like it's one of the languages spoken in Minecraftia."

"Well, what does it say?"

"Uh…'The marine force, second lieutenant Sasaki Takedo. Sleeps in an unknown land.'" Tlopfest read. "Wonder what 'marine force' is. Some kind of military?"

While they were reading the stone, Colbert managed to unlock the building and eagerly stepped into it. "This is it!" he exclaimed from inside, pulling Louise and Tlopfest's attention back to him. Heading in, the duo saw Colbert and Siesta looking at…well, it definitely wasn't a typical dragon.

"What kind of dragon looks like that?" Tlopfest asked out loud.

"Only this one, and wherever the other went after the eclipse ended." Colbert responded, grazing his hands over the wings of said 'dragon.' Curiosity got the best of Tlopfest, and he reached up to touch the other wing of the 'dragon.' As he did, the runes under his glove started to glow, and his head filled with information. 'The A6M Zero Fighter. Created in Japan for use during World War II.'

"Where the heck did that come from?" Tlopfest wondered. Shaking his head, Tlopfest turned towards the others. "It seems like this is an aircraft of war from a place called 'Japan.' Never heard of any place like that back in Minecraftia though."

"How do you know that?" Colbert asked, poking his head out from the other side of the plane.

"I dunno, it just came to me when I put my hand on it." Tlopfest shrugged. "Either way, I am still curious as to how this ties into the eclipse I heard about in Siesta's story."

"Well.." Siesta started. "I know that my great-grandfather had apparently flown around with this for a while after the other dragon disappeared. It seemed that he was looking for something."

Tlopfest pondered for a moment before he remembered what he saw on the stone. "Maybe that eclipse is a natural portal between worlds…" Filing that information away for later, Tlopfest took another look around the workshop before he noticed some bags nearby, partly opened. Taking a further look at the bags revealed some oddly-colored seeds within.

"Oh! Tlopfest, please don't mess with that." Siesta cried out when she noticed him fiddling with the sack. "Those are seeds that we keep here in case we lose our crops."

"I see. Sorry about that." Tlopfest left them behind. Looking back to the plane, Tlopfest raised a question to Siesta about it as well. "Say…would it be alright if we took this plane with us to the Academy? I know Colbert is itching to study it, and I am curious about it as well."

"I'll have to ask my family first, but I don't see why not." Siesta said.

Alright, that's another one down. Not as much action, but hey, we got to the plane now! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and hopefully the next one won't have as much of a wait time as this one did. See you all around!