The King’s Steed and the Radiant Reins

Hearing this, the King of Bountiful Harvests, Calyrex, was slightly startled. 

"To leave my domain…"

For a king, there was only one reason to abandon his land: if his kingdom were destroyed or if he had no choice but to leave. And for Calyrex, the Galar region was his home—where his memories and people resided. 

Calyrex hesitated.

Naoki waited patiently for his response.

The King of Bountiful Harvests gazed at the young believer before him, recalling how he had been forgotten by the world, lost his power, and fallen into a deep slumber. 

In his mind, he saw images of Naoki—this loyal believer—spreading his name far away in another land, reminding the world of his existence.

Calyrex's eyes reflected hesitation and confusion. Making a decision like this was not easy.

After what felt like an eternity, Calyrex finally responded, "I must think carefully about this."

The fact that Calyrex hadn't outright refused gave Naoki a glimmer of hope! 

Naoki smiled warmly. "The people and Pokémon in the Paldea region told me they would love to meet you. They are all very grateful for the stories I've shared about you." 

Calyrex's expression softened. "I can already sense their sincerity. Naoki, give me some time to consider."

"Of course," Naoki replied, switching the topic with ease. "I've planted all the seeds. I'll leave the rest to you."

Calyrex nodded gently, then floated toward the farmland nestled within the snowy valley.

"Leave it to me!"

As he spoke, a brilliant blue light radiated from his crown, illuminating the entire valley. 

The newly plowed soil resonated with his energy, rippling like waves across the field. Tiny sparks of light drifted from the ground, swirling upward into the sky.

Before Naoki's eyes, the seeds sprouted and grew at an incredible speed. Within moments, the entire field was filled with plump white carrots.

Naoki gazed at them, and information about the crop immediately surfaced in his mind:

[Iceroot carrot: A rare ingredient, beloved by Glastrier. Grown in snowy fields, it radiates a crisp coldness.]

Calyrex, standing beside him, looked at the bountiful field with joy and gratitude shining in his eyes.

"Thanks to you, I could achieve this," Calyrex said softly. "Without your faith, I doubt I could have grown even a single carrot."

"With so many carrots, we will surely attract my beloved steed!"

Calyrex turned toward the horizon, his tone becoming lighter. "Now, we wait."

Naoki nodded in agreement. Together, they watched the snow-covered expanse, awaiting the arrival of Glastrier.

During this quiet moment, Naoki struck up a conversation about the Reins of Unity. 

Calyrex listened thoughtfully before responding. "The reins that enhance my power. As long as I have them, I can easily command my steed."

"But over the years, humans stopped offering the reins. Their faith dwindled, and with it, the tradition faded."

Naoki pondered for a moment before glancing at the ring of green petals around Calyrex's neck.

Calyrex noticed his gaze and tilted his head in curiosity. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Naoki smiled. "I read in an old book that to create the Reins of Unity, one needs the petals of the Radiant Flower and the manes of two horses."

Calyrex blinked in surprise, as if recalling something buried deep within his memories.

"Radiant Flower… Yes, of course!" His voice carried a hint of awe. "I had thought humans stopped offering the reins because they had abandoned their faith in me. But now I see—it was because I no longer provided the necessary materials."

A sad realization washed over him. "I misunderstood them all this time."

Calyrex sighed softly. "For the Radiant Flower to bloom, I need an immense amount of energy. With my weakened power, I haven't been able to make it bloom for centuries."

He looked at Naoki with gratitude. "Thank you for helping me remember. Now, I shall try to make the Radiant Flower bloom once again."

Calyrex's expression grew determined. His crown began to glow with a radiant blue light, the brilliance intensifying with every passing second. 

The energy flowed into the small bud on his neck, which began to shimmer. Slowly, a breathtaking flower, deep blue like the ocean, blossomed. 

The glowing flower detached from Calyrex and gently floated down, landing softly in Naoki's hand. It emitted a faint, soothing light, as if alive with warmth and magic.

Calyrex smiled. "I entrust this to you. Use it to forge the Reins of Unity. The descendants of those who once made the reins still live in the village—you will find help there."

Naoki nodded.

Calyrex glanced at Naoki with a hint of apology. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize I was asking so much of you."

Naoki grinned warmly. "It's no problem."

Beside him, Koraidon nodded cheerfully. "Raao~" (It's okay~)

Calyrex opened his mouth to say more, but before he could, a sharp hissing sound echoed from the distance.

Naoki turned his head quickly, spotting a snow-white Pokémon racing toward them, its face shielded by ice armor and its powerful legs thundering across the frozen ground. 

Here it comes!

Calyrex's voice lit up with excitement. "It's my beloved steed… Glastrier! That dazzling white coat! That wild, untamed spirit! It's just as I remember it. Oh, how I've missed you!"

The blizzard horse galloped closer, its sharp eyes locked onto the icy carrots scattered across the field. It neighed in excitement.

"Niegh!" (Something delicious!) 

The sight of so many Iceroot carrots sent Glastrier into a frenzy. A feast awaited it at last!

But as the Pokémon neared the field, it suddenly stopped in its tracks. 

Glastrier's sharp gaze landed on Naoki, Koraidon, and Calyrex standing quietly nearby. 

The moment its eyes locked onto Calyrex, a flash of fear washed over the horse's expression.

It neighed loudly, kicking up snow, and attempted to escape. 

Calyrex furrowed his brow. "This isn't good… Glastrier remembers being defeated by me before. It won't come near anything it finds threatening!"

Understanding the situation, Naoki called out, "Koraidon, now!"

"Raao!" (I'm ready!)

With a burst of energy, Koraidon sprang high into the air, its muscles coiled like a spring. As it soared toward Glastrier, its body began to shimmer, gathering strength. 

Boom!

Koraidon collided with Glastrier in a thunderous impact, releasing a surge of energy that shook the ground beneath them. Snow melted instantly, evaporating into a thick mist that curled into the sky.

Calyrex watched in awe. "What a magnificent Pokémon! I've never seen such Pokemon. Is it the ruler of your land?"

Naoki chuckled, catching his breath. "Not exactly. There aren't any kings in the Paldea region anymore. The Pokémon League governs things now—it's… complicated. I'll explain later."

For now, they had more pressing matters at hand.

Glastrier, momentarily stunned from the impact, let out a pained whinny. Anger sparked in its icy-blue eyes as it struggled to its feet. 

The mighty horse snorted, releasing twin jets of cold air from its nostrils. It pawed at the snow aggressively, ready to charge again.

Koraidon tilted its head, unfazed. "Raao" 

Naoki and Calyrex ran closer. "Watch out! It's going to use an Ice-type move!"

Just as Naoki finished, an intense wave of cold burst from Glastrier's hooves, freezing the ground beneath it solid. 

The frost spread rapidly, creeping toward Koraidon, threatening to trap it in place.

But instead of fear, excitement sparkled in Koraidon's eyes. It stomped a clawed foot into the frozen ground with a resounding thud. 

"Raao!" (Bring it on!)

With a mighty roar, flames erupted from Koraidon's crimson body, licking the icy air. The fiery aura swirled around it as it lunged toward Glastrier.

Ice and fire clashed in the chilly air, sending billows of steam swirling around them. The icy surface created by Glastrier melted instantly under Koraidon's scorching flames, revealing the hard, frozen earth below. 

Within the thick mist, the two Pokémon collided with tremendous force, creating an energy storm that blasted outward in all directions. 

Naoki shielded his eyes from the shockwave, bracing against the swirling snow.

When the dust and steam cleared, Glastrier lay on the ground, panting, while Koraidon stood proudly over it, gazing down with a look of smug satisfaction.

Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests, stared in disbelief. 

His beloved steed... defeated by this strange Pokémon?

But Glastrier was far from done. With a shaky effort, the proud snow horse struggled to its feet. Its gaze darted nervously to Koraidon, realizing it faced an opponent far beyond its ability to overpower. In a panic, Glastrier turned and attempted to flee. 

Koraidon, however, was quicker. With one powerful leap, it landed squarely on Glastrier's back, its weight pressing the icy horse down into the snow. Glastrier let out a series of pained, mournful neighs as it tried, and failed, to straighten under the weight. 

"Raao!" (Be quiet!) 

Koraidon gave Glastrier a playful, but firm, slap on the head with its clawed hand. 

Glastrier whimpered, realizing there was no escaping. With no other option, it turned around reluctantly, plodding back toward Naoki and Calyrex, each step slow and begrudging under Koraidon's watchful gaze. 

Calyrex looked completely stunned, speechless in the face of the unexpected turn of events. 

Koraidon hopped off Glastrier with a graceful leap, accidentally smacking the snow horse's side with its large tail in the process. 

The icy horse let out a disgruntled snort, but when it saw Koraidon's imposing figure, it quickly lowered its once-proud head, humbled. 

Naoki struggled to keep a straight face, trying not to laugh at the comical sight. 

Koraidon's playful dominance had reduced the once-mighty Glastrier into a compliant mount.

Still grinning, Naoki reached into his backpack and pulled out a cup filled with restorative juice and some milk. 

"Here, Koraidon." 

Koraidon eagerly accepted the drink, gulping it down with obvious delight.

"Raao~" (So good~)

Finally, Calyrex snapped out of his shock. 

"I… I can hardly believe it! Glastrier is a proud and untamable Pokémon. It only submits to those who can demonstrate superior strength!" 

He sighed, the memory of his own struggles with the horse flashing in his mind. "It took me a great deal of effort to tame it in the past."

Naoki glanced at Glastrier, who stood nearby with the clear look of someone who desperately wanted to bolt but didn't dare. 

He turned to Calyrex with a grin. "Can you restore your connection with it now?"

Calyrex shook his head. "Not quite. The Reins of Unity are required to fully transmit my power to Glastrier. Only then will it truly bond with me again."

Naoki thought for a moment, realizing that the reins worked similarly to Kyurem's DNA Splicers, allowing Calyrex and his steed to unite their powers into a singular form.

"Alright," Naoki said decisively, "Let's head back to the village and make the reins. We'll need Glastrier's mane and the Radiant Flower you gave me."

Calyrex gave a small nod of approval. 

The sky above was beginning to darken, the first stars faintly flickering into view. The night was fast approaching.

Naoki glanced up at the sky, his breath visible in the cool evening air. "It's getting late. We'd better hurry before it gets too dark."

The King of Bountiful Harvests nodded gently. "I'll leave my beloved steed in your care for the time being. While you watch over him, I will investigate the whereabouts of my other steed. I entrust everything to you!" 

With those words, Calyrex gave a final look at Glastrier, who bowed reluctantly toward Koraidon. After healing Glastrier's wounds with a soft glow of energy, the king disappeared in a flash of light, teleporting away to search for Spectrier. 

Naoki stood quietly for a moment, then let out a small, amused sigh. "Well… alright then." 

Turning toward Glastrier, he noticed the ice horse sneaking glances at the icy carrots in the field, its eyes filled with longing, almost drooling. 

Naoki couldn't help but chuckle. "A foodie, huh?" 

Trying to suppress his laughter, he gave Glastrier a gentle nudge. "Go on, it's fine. The King of Bountiful Harvests planted those for you, after all." 

Glastrier's eyes sparkled with joy, but it hesitated for a moment, nervously glancing at Koraidon. 

"Raao…" 

Koraidon rolled its eyes, then gave an exaggerated wave with its claw, signaling that it didn't mind. Relieved, Glastrier trotted happily to the field and eagerly munched on the ice carrots. 

Even after finishing all the carrots, Glastrier licked the ground as if hoping for more. Naoki shook his head with a grin but chose to ignore it—there were more pressing matters to handle.

He led Koraidon and Glastrier back toward Freezington Village. As they walked through the snowy streets, villagers quickly gathered around, surprised by the sight of the majestic ice horse. 

An old woman gasped. "Where did this beautiful horse Pokémon come from?" 

A younger villager, eyes gleaming, added, "This snow-white fur and powerful build—this is the finest horse I've ever seen!" 

Soon, Ryan strolled over, curious about the commotion. "Is this the Pokémon you found out in the tundra?" 

Naoki hesitated, considering how Calyrex seemed to prefer keeping his identity a secret. He quickly changed his response. "Yeah, I ran into him while wandering through the snow." 

"That's incredible!" Ryan exclaimed with admiration. 

Naoki smiled politely, bidding farewell to the villagers before heading to the village chief's house. He left Glastrier outside the door with Koraidon standing guard.

Inside, Naoki approached the old village chief to discuss the creation of the Reins of Unity. 

When Naoki explained his request, the chief's eyes widened in disbelief. "You want me to make a bridle?!" 

Naoki gave a firm nod. "Yes." 

The chief scratched his head, looking both flustered and intrigued. "But I told you—nobody remembers the old methods anymore. That knowledge has been lost for generations." 

He paced thoughtfully, muttering under his breath. Then, something seemed to click in his mind, and his expression shifted to one of shock. 

"If what you say is true... does that mean the legend of the King of Bountiful Harvests is real?" The old man's voice faltered. "No... it can't be... Could it?"

...

The next bonus chapter will be released at 1500 Power Stones.

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