"Cha~Cha~Cha!"
The mayor worked on crafting the "Reins of Unity" while Tinkaton learned beside him, nodding from ti to ti as if learning sothing.
It had to be said.
Although Freezington no longer had the custom of making reins, the old mayor’s craftsmanship was still quite good. His grandfather must have spent considerable effort teaching him to master it.
"Phew—"
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the old mayor handed Johan one black and one white rein. "Mission accomplished."
"Thank you, Mayor."
Johan accepted them solemnly.
With these two "Reins of Unity," the problem of Glastrier and Spectrier would no longer be a problem.
However, after receiving the reins, Johan couldn’t help but have a thought.
Since Calyrex could use the "Reins of Unity" to command Glastrier and Spectrier, combining the power of two Pokémon together—which was a form of [Fusion]—even changing their abilities.
Could... other Pokémon also gain the power of the two horses by borrowing the "Reins of Unity"?
Even, what if a human held the "Reins of Unity"?
Johan looked at Ninetales and shook his head slightly.
Having Ninetales ride Glastrier would be sowhat difficult for it.
Then he looked at the muttering Gengar, involuntarily imagining the scene of Gengar riding Glastrier from earlier, and unconsciously shook his head again.
Gengar riding Glastrier looked sohow wrong, with a strange art style.
But what if... Gengar rode Spectrier?
If there was a chance, he could let Gengar try it.
"Getting old, sitting for a long ti makes my whole body ache." The old mayor stood up with a smile, looking out the window with so worry. "That young man still hasn’t returned..."
"Don’t worry about him, Mayor."
Flint had managed to survive this long without dying—even if he got lost in Crown Tundra for ten days or half a month, Johan wouldn’t worry.
Although Johan always silently "kept score" for Flint in his heart, he still had great confidence in Flint’s strength.
If Flint really went all out, only Cynthia in all of Sinnoh could suppress him. He might even rival Champions in the future.
He also glanced out the window.
The blizzard was obviously much smaller than before.
But thick white snow still accumulated on the ground outside Freezington.
Johan stood up, preparing to return to Crown Temple.
First, he’d deliver Glastrier to Calyrex. With Glastrier and the "Reins of Unity," Calyrex should be able to recover so strength.
Whether they then captured Spectrier together or Calyrex captured it alone would be relatively easy. Only then could Johan ask about so things he wanted to know.
The mayor wanted to stop him.
But considering that Johan had already "tad" Glastrier, he probably didn’t need to fear any blizzard. He just told Johan to be careful.
So.
In the sowhat smaller blizzard, while the sky hadn’t completely darkened, Johan brought his Pokémon and Glastrier to Crown Tundra’s peak again.
Having walked this path once already, this ti was much easier, and they didn’t encounter any trouble along the way.
Co to think of it, with Glastrier’s "dominating presence," any wild Pokémon with a brain wouldn’t actively cause trouble at this ti.
Before the night completely darkened, Johan arrived at Crown Temple again.
"Neighhhh——"
But upon arriving here, Glastrier beca sowhat restless, neighing as if wary of sothing.
Hmm?
Clop clop, clop clop—
Clear, ethereal hoofbeats echoed within the temple that was covered by ice and snow with only a corner exposed.
"This is..."
"Neighhhh——" Glastrier neighed again.
"Gengar, take out a Black Radish." Johan said softly.
"Ka-kaah?"
Gengar scratched its head with a reluctant expression, carefully taking out a pitch-black radish.
Clop clop, clop clop, clop clop—
The hoofbeats inside the temple suddenly beca urgent.
"Neighhhh——!!"
This cry didn’t co from Glastrier beside them, but from inside the temple!
Rumble—
With the cry, the snow covering the temple suddenly collapsed partially, revealing more of the temple’s structure.
Towering, majestic, ancient, dignified...
Just revealing a corner made one feel the ancient aura rushing toward them, making one imagine how spectacular this temple must have been originally.
A completely black horse with blue mane and a tail burning like blue flas, with energy like soul mist floating around its four hooves, ca neighing out of the temple.
It was clearly the other of Calyrex’s two beloved horses—the ghost horse, Spectrier!
It was said that after Calyrex fell asleep, both Glastrier and Spectrier lived in the temple.
During the day, Johan had thought that was just what the Pokédex said. With two beloved horses living in the temple, even if Calyrex was weak, could it not sense them?
Since he arrived at Crown Tundra, Calyrex had imdiately found him, so he hadn’t thought in that direction at all.
Who knew Spectrier really lived in the temple.
From this, it seed Calyrex was indeed incredibly weak, or for so reason, unwilling to enter or even approach the temple?
No matter what.
Now Spectrier had charged out, targeting the Black Radish in Gengar’s hand!
"Neighhhh——"
However, when Spectrier charged out, Glastrier had the biggest reaction—not Johan and his Pokémon—looking excited.
Johan imdiately beca alert.
Individual Glastrier and Spectrier were manageable, but if Glastrier suddenly turned traitor, that would be sowhat troubleso.
Of course, it was only sowhat troubleso.
Since they could pin down and beat Glastrier once, they could naturally pin it down and beat it twice!
However, Johan thought of so earlier speculations and said:
"Gengar."
This ti, let Gengar handle it.
"Ka-kaah~"
Hearing this, Gengar grinned wickedly, naturally understanding Johan’s aning. In front of Spectrier, it slowly picked up the Black Radish and opened its mouth to toss it in with an "awoo."
Crunch crunch—
Fresh and juicy, crisp and sweet.
Delicious!
"Neighhhh!!!"
Seeing this scene—seeing its beloved Black Radish actually eaten by this chubby purple fatty—Spectrier instantly beca furious, neighing loudly as a pitch-black orb ford before it.
Shadow Ball!
Unlike Glastrier’s extrely slow speed and extrely high defenses.
Spectrier was almost completely opposite—incredibly fast speed but relatively weaker defenses.
Fortunately.
Gengar was also a Pokémon that relied on speed, a nimble little fatty.
When the pitch-black Shadow Ball ca flying, it imdiately dove down, disappearing from Spectrier’s sight and causing the Shadow Ball to miss.
Gengar was still good at drawing aggro.
Look, even though Gengar had disappeared, Spectrier had no intention of attacking Johan and the other Pokémon. Instead, it spread Ghost-type energy, trying to find Gengar’s traces.
Thin purple spirit mist spread from Spectrier’s feet, as if arriving at a mysterious, eerie forest.
The mist flowed.
Spectrier suddenly turned, discovering Gengar’s traces!
It imdiately shot out a Shadow Ball.
Bang!!
However, Gengar, which had just appeared, dispersed like a mirage.
Spectrier was suddenly startled.
An illusion?
It quickly turned again, only to find Gengar was still in the original spot, pointing at it mockingly.
"Ka-kaah~(๑•̀ㅂ•́)ノ"
"Neighhhh!!"
Spectrier beca angry, neighing as a shadow shot rapidly from its body like a lifelike Spectrier charging straight toward Gengar.
Night Shade!
Bang!
But.
When Night Shade swept past "Gengar," it again dispersed like a mirage.
Still fake?!
At this mont, the first mirage that Spectrier had destroyed quickly solidified, clearly showing Gengar with a successful smirk, slapping Spectrier’s rear with a "smack!"
A purple toxic hue imdiately spread across Spectrier’s body.
Poison!
"Neighhhh——"
Before Spectrier could react, Glastrier behind Johan reacted instead, neighing with a terrified expression, tightening its rear and pressing its tail firmly against its rump.
This was bad.
With Spectrier’s speed and natural affinity as a Ghost-type Pokémon, it was still handled like this by Gengar. It didn’t know what kind of predicant it would face if confronting Gengar.
"Neighhhh!!"
Spectrier naturally didn’t know what Glastrier was thinking, but the pain from the poison and Gengar’s "toying" made it neigh again.
Its eyes showed malicious and cunning colors.
Nasty Plot!
Spectrier felt it had encountered the most troubleso enemy of its lifeti. That spine-chilling feeling—before, only its enemies would have such feelings. It never expected it would be its turn this ti.
However, as a fellow Ghost-type Pokémon, Spectrier also clearly knew what this type of Pokémon feared most.
That was not playing any "hide and seek" gas, but winning through direct attacks and brute force!
While neighing, Spectrier’s aura climbed madly.
It stared intensely at Gengar, preventing it from taking advantage of this opportunity to sneak attack.
But Gengar’s reaction... left Spectrier very confused.
Not stopping its enhancent?
"Ka-kaah~"
Gengar stood on one foot with the other casually dangling at its knee, as if sitting in midair, one hand picking its nose while the other waved lightly upward.
Co on, work harder, put in more effort—didn’t you eat?
Spectrier suddenly had a bad feeling.
This feeling was confird when its aura climbed to its peak.
"Ka-kaah~!"
Co here!
Gengar grinned, eyes full of mockery, reaching out to grab. Two bat-shaped forms of black mist imdiately flew from Spectrier’s body.
Instantly.
Spectrier’s rising aura imdiately fell back.
While Gengar, holding the "bats," saw its aura climb at an even faster rate.
Its abilities had been stolen?!
How was this possible?
Spectrier’s brief daze undoubtedly gave Gengar an excellent opportunity.
"Hex." Johan said softly, and Gengar acted.
A blood-red pupil opened above Gengar’s head, staring intently at Spectrier. When Spectrier recovered from its shock and t that blood-red eye, it knew it was too late.
Buzz—
A muffled sound exploded from within Spectrier.
For Spectrier in a "poisoned" state, Hex’s power would be doubled!
At the sa ti, benefiting from its Special Attack boost and the mutual resistance between Ghost-types...
The blow Spectrier suffered was nothing short of a critical hit!
Moreover, it was both physical and ntal critical damage.
With this one move, Gengar completely seized absolute initiative.
Moves like Thunder Wave, Lick, Confuse Ray, and many other techniques and thods were used one after another, turning Spectrier into a walking "negative buff display machine."
Gengar also used this to verify the results of its previous training.
After absorbing a mass of complex negative emotional energy from Hoopa Unbound’s "Shadow," Gengar seed to have stronger restrictive effects when applying debuff moves to opponents.
Especially poison.
Spectrier made one wrong move, leading to a complete loss.
So in battles, information was a very crucial thing.
If it had known earlier that Gengar possessed the ability to steal opponent’s boosts, it either wouldn’t have used Nasty Plot, or even if stolen, it could have reacted in ti instead of being briefly stunned and having its weakness exploited.
Information asymtry could sotis even make up for huge power differences.
This was also why Gengar could successfully suppress Spectrier without even using ga Evolution.
In Pokémon battles in the Pokémon world, it was never fixed moves trading back and forth. There would be various variables, and no one could say they were 100% guaranteed not to lose, even Champions facing Elite Four mbers could still lose.
This was an important joy of Pokémon battles.
"Neigh..."
Glastrier noticed Johan’s peripheral glance and imdiately lowered its head, snorting softly while clamping its tail, looking like... don’t look at , I’m not a traitor, I definitely won’t take advantage of this opportunity to attack.
Originally, Glastrier still felt indignant about Johan using four Pokémon to battle and suppress it. Now...
It suddenly realized.
What a good person!
This was a truly good person!
Not making it face Gengar’s set of inexplicable debuff combos was simply the greatest kindness!
Now it understood Johan’s "goodwill."
Of course.
While feeling apprehensive, Glastrier couldn’t help feeling sowhat gleeful.
Seeing its old rival in such misery...
What lovely weather today.
"Gengar!"
Seeing Glastrier hadn’t revealed its rebellious intentions, Johan smiled slightly and threw out a pitch-black rein.
Perfect timing to test this.
"Ka-kaah!"
The long-eager Gengar caught the "Reins of Unity" and appeared behind Spectrier in a flash.
"Neighhhh!!"
Spectrier neighed, seeming to anticipate what Gengar wanted to do.
Unlike the hot-tempered Glastrier that liked fighting and challenging powerful opponents.
Spectrier liked quiet, enjoying solitude and silence. Having finally enjoyed thousands of years of solitude, it had to beco a mount again?
But.
No matter what Spectrier thought, it had been beaten by Gengar until it could barely fight back. How could it resist?
The familiar reins were placed around its neck again.
Buzz—
A dark, cold, obscure mist burst from Spectrier, Gengar, and the "Reins of Unity," gradually threatening to envelop both Gengar and Spectrier.
"Is it working?"
Johan, watching the entire process, half-closed his eyes with undeniable surprise.
Could this [Fusion] card really work on Gengar and Spectrier?
However, after this state continued for a while, the obscure mist slowly disappeared. Gengar rode on Spectrier’s back, and neither it nor Spectrier seed to have undergone any major changes.
"As expected."
Johan shook his head.
He wasn’t particularly disappointed.
After all, this was the most likely result from his speculation.
If Gengar could really fuse with Spectrier just with the "Reins of Unity," Johan would definitely try riding Glastrier today no matter what.
What if he could really hand-cast "ice spears" or hand-grab "star fragnts"?
Unfortunately, this bold fantasy was nipped in the bud starting with Gengar.
But Gengar didn’t feel anything was wrong. Holding the reins and riding on Spectrier’s back, at this mont it felt like the "general" it had fantasized about—no, the "king" leading troops to war!
So carefree, so ntally satisfied.
"Ka-kaah!"
I am now... the Dark Horse Prince!
Spectrier, on the other hand.
Had shown strong resistance earlier, but after the "Reins of Unity" wrapped around its neck and ford a brief energy and information exchange with Gengar, it actually beca obedient.
Though it snorted unhappily, it no longer resisted.
This situation was naturally noticed by Johan and the other Pokémon, including Glastrier.
But Glastrier’s current "situation" wasn’t good.
It was looking warily at Tinkaton, Urshifu, and... Tyranitar, who had suddenly turned to look at it!
"Neighhhh..."
You, you, you—what do you want? Those looks are so malicious...
Especially Tyranitar.
Big brother, look at your size, look at my size—are you serious?
"Bangi~"
Tyranitar rubbed its palms together, looking eager to try, just short of borrowing the "Reins of Unity" from Johan.
Seeing Spectrier had cald down and Gengar had "gotten its wish," Johan put away thoughts of further experints.
"Alright, let’s go find Calyrex."
He said.
Since they had captured both of Calyrex’s beloved horses, the commission was complete.
The group walked toward the withered tree behind the temple.
Gengar rode Spectrier at the back. Seeing everyone had stopped paying attention to it, it carefully took out a Black Radish and fed it to Spectrier.
Only then did Spectrier snort again, its mood seeming to stabilize further.
Arriving at the withered tree.
Compared to when they ca earlier, the withered tree was visibly more shriveled.
It was precisely because of worrying Calyrex wouldn’t last much longer that Johan acted so quickly.
Calyrex trusted him and asked for his help. If he really delayed until Calyrex died, even with various reasons and excuses, Johan would inevitably feel guilty and self-reproachful.
Now it was good.
From request to mission completion, it took less than a day total.
He walked forward and placed his hand on the tree trunk, closing his eyes.
Aura exists within the heart!
Soon, he found Calyrex curled up deep in the trunk, its vital signs incredibly weak.
At this mont, Calyrex appeared extrely quiet, curled into a ball, completely lacking its previous kingly aura. It only had the sa difficulty as ordinary Pokémon when seriously injured and weak, licking wounds alone.
Johan sighed quietly.
Becoming so weak to protect its subjects.
Fortunately, bringing Calyrex out didn’t require breaking the trunk. Calyrex seed to have fused with this withered tree, and Johan easily lifted it out.
It had to be said.
Calyrex was very light.
Really like a rabbit, equally light.
"You..."
Calyrex seed to sense sothing, opening its eyes a crack to see Johan, but couldn’t even speak a complete sentence.
Could it really recover just by riding the two horses again in this state?
But there was nothing else to say now. Johan imdiately gave his Pokémon a look.
"Neighhhh!"
Glastrier suddenly shivered, looking at the sowhat "unkind" expressions of Johan’s Pokémon.
Don’t, don’t look at like that—I’m cooperating...
Glastrier could bend and stretch, compromising very decisively.
At least during those years, Calyrex had treated them well, at least providing plenty of Ice Radishes to eat.
So.
Johan personally placed the "Reins of Unity" around Glastrier’s neck.
Hmm?
Just as Johan placed the "Reins of Unity" around Glastrier’s neck, he suddenly felt a strange sensation.
Man and Pokémon almost instinctively looked at each other, both seeing so confusion in the other’s eyes.
In that instant...
Johan had a feeling like undergoing ga Evolution, directly communicating ntally and spiritually with the Pokémon, even...
He had a feeling that with just one thought, he could make Glastrier lift its hoof.
As if that wasn’t Glastrier’s hoof, but his own hand.
Commanding like his own limbs—that was probably this feeling?
While Glastrier’s feeling wasn’t as direct as Johan’s, it had a... exactly the sa sensation as when it served as Calyrex’s mount.
Its own power beca part of the other’s power, and after being strengthened, could be used freely by the other.
Eh?
Isn’t this a human?
Glastrier had a strange thought.
However, Johan didn’t think too much about it. After Urshifu helped Calyrex onto Glastrier’s back, he handed the reins to Calyrex.
The next second.
Buzz—
The reins automatically attached to Glastrier’s neck, fitting perfectly.
A dazzling light like evolution light completely enveloped both Calyrex and Glastrier.
Watching this scene, Johan stepped back and murmured:
"Fusion!"
The light ca quickly and disappeared quickly.
When the white light faded.
Calyrex sat upright on Glastrier’s back, hands pulling the reins. Glastrier had also resonated with Calyrex, raising its front hooves high while neighing excitedly.
It seed a power flowed from Glastrier through the reins into Calyrex’s body. The huge crown atop its head released a green halo.
Then, its royal cape behind slowly extended, becoming pure white like snow, fluttering majestically in the wind.
Gengar nearby watched the crown-wearing Calyrex on its white horse, then looked down at Spectrier beneath it and itself, couldn’t help curling its lip, then took out a pair of large sunglasses and put them on.
"Ka-kaah!
A mont later, everything returned to calm.
Calyrex released one hand, turned sideways to look at Johan, its expression dignified but kind and friendly, bowing slightly.
"Johan, this king will forever rember your help."
Vigorous energy burst from its body. It seed... to have reclaid part of the power that originally belonged to it.
Correspondingly.
The withered tree behind Crown Temple swayed gently, similarly bursting with vitality. The shriveled trunk quickly returned to smoothness, with shoots of energy erging from those withered branches.
Renewed life!
Indeed, as Johan had guessed.
This ancient tree behind the temple should have countless connections with Calyrex.
Sowhat similar to the Tree of Beginning and w.
Johan didn’t imdiately respond to Calyrex, just turned slightly and said:
"There’s also Spectrier."
Speaking, he called to Gengar:
"Gengar, that’s enough."
"Ka-kaah..."
Hearing Johan’s call, Gengar drooped its ears, pulling the reins with a dejected look, driving Spectrier to slowly approach.
As soone who understood Gengar well, how could Johan not know Gengar was putting on an act again, quite the perforr.
This little trick naturally couldn’t fool Johan, who knew whether Gengar was going to fart or defecate just by seeing it stick up its rear. But it worked on Calyrex.
"No matter, no rush."
Calyrex’s voice was serious yet gentle.
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar suddenly raised its head, grinning—where was the dejected look from before? Excitedly pulling the reins, it took Spectrier for another ride.
Clop clop, clop clop, clop clop—
Running and running, Spectrier’s feet actually began to lift off the ground, as if stepping on spirit mist, gradually running toward the sky.
Woohoo!
Only now did Gengar know Spectrier had this "function," imdiately delighted and even more interested.
Johan covered his face, saying to Calyrex sowhat embarrassedly:
"Sorry, Gengar is... quite mischievous."
Calyrex looked at Gengar riding on Spectrier’s back, its eyes showing so unusual colors.
It was still... the first ti seeing Spectrier so "obedient" under another Pokémon’s riding.
And Spectrier and Gengar...
"No matter." Calyrex shook its head slightly.
Though now far from its peak state, it had already recovered a portion.
This was enough.
Even now without Johan’s help, after so recovery, capturing Spectrier wouldn’t be much of a problem.
"This king originally thought it would take so ti... never expected you could be so fast." Calyrex said with emotion.
Johan smiled slightly and briefly described the process of encountering and capturing Glastrier and Spectrier.
"I see..."
Calyrex gently patted the now-obedient Glastrier’s neck and sighed softly.
"Unexpectedly, these two horses occupied the temple as their dwelling."
Glastrier snorted softly.
After all, though Glastrier and Spectrier had been tad by Calyrex originally, they had also been beaten up.
After Calyrex fell into exhausted slumber, the two horses had been free for thousands of years, naturally regaining their wild nature. Not respecting their forr master was inevitable.
After all, Pokémon, especially wild Pokémon, also believed in strength supremacy. Without strength, Calyrex naturally couldn’t gain the two horses’ recognition.
"Johan, would you like to visit Crown Temple with this king?" Calyrex suddenly asked.
Hmm?
Johan was startled.
Then smiled: "Of course."
Subsequently, Johan’s group followed Calyrex into Crown Temple.
Though it wasn’t the first ti coming here, entering Crown Temple was truly the first ti.
The temple was extrely large and spacious, and after the long passage of ti plus the two horses’ "damage," it was already dilapidated.
But from so broken walls and ruins, one could still see this temple must have been very magnificent originally.
Calyrex walked while introducing the temple’s furnishings and arrangents to Johan.
"This was this king’s favorite place. The cushions were very soft and comfortable then. This king loved lying here to rest."
"This was this king’s study, originally filled with books from around the world, unfortunately all rotted now."
"Here are the stables where this king’s two beloved horses were kept..."
Like reminiscing about sothing, and also... mourning sothing.
Johan could clearly feel Calyrex’s emotional changes.
From initial excitent at recovering strength, to emotion at seeing the temple’s decay, to lancholy at how things had changed...
lancholy.
Not just because of ti’s passage, but because of humans forgetting it. The subjects it once protected had long forgotten it.
Being forgotten by those you most wanted to protect—that would hurt anyone, right?
However, Calyrex soon collected its lancholy expression, leading Glastrier to look at Johan.
"Johan, you ca to find this king—you should have sothing to ask, right?"
Coming all the way from Hoenn to Crown Tundra in the Galar region, and helping with such a big favor, he should need its help with sothing.
Johan didn’t act coy, looking toward the great hall.
His Pokémon were circling around an ancient, decayed, blurred, and incomplete stone tablet in the temple’s great hall.
On the tablet, Snivy dangled its feet, looking thoughtful.
Following Johan’s gaze, Calyrex also saw Snivy on the stone tablet and was slightly startled.
Then.
In Calyrex’s eyes, a strange mystical color arose, countless light and shadow seeming to flow in its eyes.
Calyrex was called the "King of Bountiful Harvests," the "King of Galar" in ancient tis, but this didn’t an its abilities were limited to "bountiful harvests."
It was said Calyrex could see all things past, present, and future.
Though sowhat exaggerated, its abilities were naturally very strong.
Calyrex first frowned slightly, then showed understanding, murmuring:
"Blessing of the Forest..."
Blessing of the Forest?
Johan was puzzled.
Calyrex had already withdrawn its gaze, saying to Johan:
"You want it to evolve? This king can do that."
"No." Johan looked at Snivy, saying softly: "Whether to evolve or not is for Snivy to decide. I’m just worried if there’s sothing wrong with its body."
Calyrex was startled.
Let the Pokémon decide for itself?
It showed a gentle smile for the first ti.
"Johan, you truly are an excellent trainer."
Johan neither confird nor denied this.
Just as he was about to ask Calyrex what the so-called "Blessing of the Forest" was, he heard familiar shouting from outside the temple.
"Ahhh——"
With confusion, Johan and his Pokémon rushed out of the temple, looking up at the sky.
They saw...
A large bird burning with pitch-black flas was flying overhead, and in its claws was the shouting... Flint!
Hmm?
That was...
"So it’s that one..." Calyrex said with understanding.
That Pokémon burning with dark flas, surrounded by an evil aura, like the embodint of evil, was clearly Moltres!
More precisely, Galarian Moltres!
"Too bad it’s not a ’walking chicken’..." Johan sighed.
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