章節 248: The Song of the Reins

The old village chief instinctively dismissed his initial thoughts.

"After all, it's just a legend," he muttered under his breath. "Legends aren't real!"

But as he looked at Naoki, standing in front of him with a hopeful expression, he couldn't help but realize the truth: regardless of whether the King of Bountiful Harvests, Calyrex, truly existed, it was the legend that brought tourists to this remote village. And thanks to those visitors, Freezington had started to thrive once again.

With a smile, the old chief said, "Well, since you came all this way, I'll do my best to help you make the reins!"

Naoki beamed and handed over the Radiant Flower and a tuft of Glastrier's mane. "Thank you so much!"

The chief inspected the materials carefully, his hands trembling slightly. "I won't lie—I'm not sure if I can make something as perfect as my great-grandfather did, but it's high time we revived this old tradition!"

The thought of restoring the village's lost art filled the old man with renewed determination. Maybe this would attract even more tourists!

With a burst of enthusiasm, the village chief dashed into another room, returning with a needle, some thread, and a determined glint in his eye. He sat down on the sofa, straightened his back, took a deep breath, and began stitching furiously.

Naoki watched in stunned silence as the old man sewed with unexpected speed and intensity.

"Uh… isn't this a bit dramatic?" Naoki muttered, blinking in disbelief.

After what felt like hours, the chief gave a triumphant shout and held up a rough, hand-stitched rein.

"There!" he declared proudly.

Naoki inspected the reins with a raised brow. Something felt... off. Hesitantly, he asked, "Is this… finished?"

The chief shook his head solemnly. "No, my eyesight's not what it used to be. I couldn't sew all the details properly. We'll need someone with steadier hands to finish it."

"Of course," Naoki thought, recalling the game's plot. In the game, it was Uncle Peony who handled the last steps.

Still, Naoki figured it was worth trying. "Mind if I give it a shot?"

The old chief blinked in surprise. "You know how to sew?"

"A little," Naoki replied sheepishly. "I've had to patch up my clothes from time to time back on the ranch."

With a nod of approval, the chief handed him the materials, shuffling aside to let Naoki take over.

Naoki carefully studied the half-finished reins. "Okay, first like this... then that... and finally, we stitch it here," he mumbled to himself, slowly working the thread through the mane and flower petals.

As Naoki focused, the chief leaned back, humming softly to himself. "I remember... When my grandpa taught me the story, he said that when making the Reins of Unity, the crafter had to sing a special song with gratitude in their heart. Only then would the reins be complete."

Naoki froze mid-stitch. "A... song?"

The old chief nodded, then cleared his throat and hummed a familiar tune. "Something like this: 'The flowers curl up round and tight, the mane is stitched with all our might… to honor the king with gifts so bright!'"

Naoki's face flushed. "Do I really have to sing it?"

The chief gave him an encouraging smile. "Of course! You can't finish the reins without the song!"

Naoki sighed, knowing the old man wasn't going to let this go. He remembered how, in the game, Uncle Peony had to sing this song while stitching the reins—much to his own embarrassment.

"This is just like those cringy Z-move dances…" Naoki muttered under his breath. But there was no turning back now. He had come too far to quit. At least there wasn't a crowd watching.

With a resigned sigh, Naoki gritted his teeth and began to sing awkwardly:

"The flowers... curl up round and tight~"

"The mane... stitched with all our might~"

"Yes! That's it!" The old chief clapped his hands enthusiastically. "Now sing it again, with more heart!"

Naoki's face burned with embarrassment, but this time, the words came a little more easily.

"The flowers curl up round and tight, the mane is stitched with all our might, to honor the king with gifts so bright~"

As the final stitch was sewn, a snow-white rein sparkled under the soft light, emitting a faint, cool breeze.

The old village chief's jaw dropped in disbelief. "It's... it's done! The reins are glowing! No way! Does this mean all those stories my great-grandfather told me were true?!"

He stared at the reins, utterly bewildered.

The old man looked at Naoki, clutching the reins in his hands, and hesitantly asked, "Are you… looking for the King of Bountiful Harvests?"

Naoki gave him a small nod. "Yes."

The old chief leaned closer, his heart racing with curiosity. "And… did you find him?"

Naoki hesitated, unsure how to explain Calyrex's situation. After a moment of thought, he shook his head. "Not yet."

Disappointment flickered across the chief's face. He sighed before speaking again, "If... I mean, if you really find the King of Bountiful Harvests, would you come tell me? I've always wondered if those old legends are real."

Naoki smiled softly. "If I see him, I will."

He thought to himself, 'That is if the King is willing.'

...

Later, after leaving the old chief's house, Naoki spotted a cozy bed-and-breakfast in the heart of the village. He decided not to bother the Ryan family again and instead booked a room for the night.

Koraidon trotted along beside him, while Glastrier was tied to the fence outside the inn.

Since being defeated by Koraidon, the once-proud steed had become unusually compliant, bowing its head in quiet submission.

Inside, the proprietress greeted them warmly and served a meal of hot soup and freshly baked bread. The room was dimly lit, with the flickering glow of lanterns casting soft light across the wooden walls, creating a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.

After settling in, Naoki released Cyclizar from its Poké Ball. The three companions sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, sharing a meal and quietly enjoying the sight of snowflakes drifting lazily outside the window.

Naoki glanced at the snow falling gently beyond the eaves, wondering aloud, "The King hasn't returned yet. Maybe he's still searching for Spectrier."

In the game's story, both Glastrier and Spectrier resided within the Crown Shrine. But here, things were different—Calyrex had spent so long in hiding that even he wasn't certain where the Spirit Horse had gone.

Still, Naoki wasn't too worried. He had faith that Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests, would find his way to Spectrier eventually. All they had to do now was wait.

After dinner, the snowfall lightened, leaving a fresh layer of powdery snow in the courtyard.

The B&B owner smiled warmly. "It's not too cold outside now. Why don't you take your Pokémon out to play? You can make snowmen or have a snowball fight!"

Naoki opened his mouth to decline—he was in his twenties, after all. Snowball fights were for kids.

But as he turned to glance at his companions, he saw the eager looks in both Koraidon's and Cyclizar's eyes.

Naoki sighed in mock defeat. "Alright, alright…"

Before he could finish, Koraidon let out an excited shout. "Raao!" (Let's go!)

The Pokémon bounded into the snow, scattering flakes everywhere in its excitement.

Meanwhile, Cyclizar cautiously poked a foot into the snow, only to recoil instantly as if the cold had stung. It looked up at Naoki with wide, pleading eyes.

"Gah…"

The effects of the translation Seed Crisps, which had allowed Naoki to understand Koraidon and Glastrier, had worn off. Now, he couldn't make out what Cyclizar was saying.

But judging by its tone and body language, it was clear—Cyclizar wasn't fond of the cold.

With no fur, just smooth skin, it made sense that the Pokémon would struggle with the chilly weather.

Naoki thought for a moment, patting Cyclizar gently. "Hang tight, buddy," he said reassuringly. Then, he turned to Koraidon. "Wait here for a minute."

He made his way to the B&B's kitchen and politely asked the proprietress if he could borrow it for a while.

The owner smiled warmly. "Of course! Go right ahead."

Naoki got to work, preparing several bowls of hot, clear soup with ingredients that offered some cold resistance. He ladled out portions for each of his Pokémon, including Glastrier.

Glastrier sniffed at the bowl curiously but quickly snorted and turned away, clearly unimpressed.

Naoki just chuckled. "Figures," he murmured.

Cyclizar, on the other hand, eagerly slurped the warm soup. As it drank, a pleasant warmth spread through its body, giving it the courage to brave the snow.

Feeling energized, Cyclizar sprinted into the snowy courtyard, leaving a trail of small claw prints behind.

Meanwhile, Koraidon had already rolled a few snowballs together. It had somehow managed to make two crude, lumpy snowmen—though no one knew where it had learned such skills.

When Naoki stepped back outside, Koraidon turned excitedly. "Raao!" it called, gesturing toward the snowmen.

Naoki approached with a raised brow. "What's up?"

Koraidon pointed at the smaller snowman, then at itself. "Raao!"

Then it pointed at the larger snowman and back at Naoki.

Naoki's lips twitched with amusement. "So this one is you, and the bigger one is me?"

Koraidon gave a big, happy nod. "Raao!" (We'll always be together!)

Cyclizar, watching nearby, became intrigued. It tilted its head and stared at the snowmen with wide, curious eyes.

Inspired by the scene, Cyclizar tried to roll its own snowball, but its paws kept slipping. After a few failed attempts, it slumped sadly.

"Gao…"

Seeing this, Naoki couldn't help but laugh. "That's not quite how you do it. Here, I'll show you."

He knelt down, scooped up some snow, and carefully molded it into a small snowball. Then, he placed it on the ground and rolled it back and forth.

With every roll, the snowball grew larger, gathering more snow along the way.

Cyclizar watched in awe, its eyes sparkling with admiration.

"See? Just like that," Naoki said as he patted the now-large snowball. "Now, you give it a try."

Determined, Cyclizar gave it another shot. It carefully shaped a snowball with its little paws, placed it on the ground, and started rolling.

Before long, it had created a large, smooth snowball all on its own.

Naoki smiled. "Great job!"

He rolled the new snowball over to join Koraidon's snowmen and then stacked a smaller one on top.

"There," Naoki said proudly, stepping back. "This one's you."

Cyclizar beamed with joy, practically bouncing on the spot. "Gao~!" (That's me!)

Cyclizar was overjoyed. Now it could stay with Naoki just like Koraidon!

Koraidon stood to the side, watching the playful scene unfold with glimmering eyes.

For once, it didn't feel jealous.

The moment reminded Koraidon of a time long ago—when Naoki had patiently taught it how to make a snowman, just as he was doing now with Cyclizar. Those memories filled Koraidon with warmth and nostalgia.

"Alright, keep having fun!" Naoki called with a grin, brushing snow off his clothes. He then walked toward Glastrier, the reins of unity in hand.

To his surprise, Koraidon trailed behind him, curious about what was happening.

As Naoki stood in front of Glastrier, an idea popped into his mind.

"I remember... When Calyrex used the reins, he transferred his energy into Glastrier's body to merge with it," Naoki mused aloud.

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "But... what if another Pokémon tried? Could they also merge with Glastrier like Calyrex did?"

A mischievous grin spread across Naoki's face as he turned to Koraidon.

"Koraidon, wanna give it a try?"

"Raao?" Koraidon tilted its head in confusion but waddled closer nonetheless.

Naoki carefully draped the glowing reins around Glastrier's neck.

The moment the reins settled, Glastrier's heart skipped a beat. It could feel something ominous approaching.

Before Glastrier could react, Naoki gave the signal. "Alright, Koraidon—hop on!"

Koraidon blinked in surprise but leaped onto Glastrier's back.

The ice horse staggered under Koraidon's weight, struggling to stay upright. It dug its hooves deep into the snow to avoid collapsing, its legs trembling from the effort.

Glastrier glared back at Koraidon, ready to lash out, but quickly thought better of it. This Pokémon was far too powerful, and picking a fight would only end in disaster. Reluctantly, it let out a defeated snort, enduring the humiliation.

"Easy there." Naoki gently patted Glastrier's mane, trying not to laugh. "Just bear with it for a little while, okay? We're just experimenting."

Glastrier's face contorted into a comical mix of frustration and disbelief, like a child forced to endure an awkward photo session.

Naoki, noticing how much the horse was struggling, called out to Koraidon, "Try holding the reins and see if you can channel your energy into Glastrier!"

Koraidon's eyes widened. "Raao?!"

It hesitated but decided to give it a try. Koraidon focused, summoning the dragon-type energy flowing through its body.

But nothing happened. No glow, no power surge, no transformation.

Naoki furrowed his brow in disappointment. "Huh. I guess it only works when Calyrex does it."

Meanwhile, Glastrier—panting heavily, eyes rolling—looked like it was teetering on the edge of a meltdown.

Sensing that enough was enough, Naoki chuckled. "Alright, Koraidon, let's not push it. Hop off before poor Glastrier collapses."

Naoki looked at Glastrier with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. When the King of Bountiful Harvests comes back tomorrow, I'll ask him to grow you your favorite carrots."

The once-proud, arrogant Glastrier looked utterly defeated, still processing the fact that it had been ridden like a common mount by another Pokémon. However, the mention of carrots quickly caught its attention.

Naoki noticed the change in the ice horse's expression and seized the moment. Holding up five fingers, he said, "We'll grow 500 carrots! You can eat to your heart's content!"

"Nieeeh!" Glastrier neighed, tossing its head.

'Humph. Fine, this human was at least useful!'

If it couldn't outmatch that red Pokémon, Koraidon, it might as well submit to the human-bearing gifts—just like it had once obeyed Calyrex.

Naoki couldn't help but sigh. "This horse is too easy to bribe..."

Glastrier was clearly a survivor—submitting only when overpowered and ready to flee the moment things went south. Naoki realized this was probably how it had once abandoned Calyrex when the king lost his power.

Well, no point in dwelling on it now.

The day had been long, and Naoki felt the fatigue of running around the snowy fields catching up with him. Deciding to call it a day, he retired to his room at the inn to rest.

...

The next morning, Naoki awoke to the light of a new day, feeling refreshed. After a hearty breakfast with Koraidon and Glastrier, he caught a glimpse of Calyrex waiting discreetly near the edge of the village.

Without a word, the King of Bountiful Harvests turned and floated away, expecting Naoki to follow.

"I guess he wants to talk in private again," Naoki muttered. "Let's go!"

He returned Cyclizar to its Poké Ball and took the reins. With Koraidon and Glastrier trotting along beside him, Naoki made his way to a cliff overlooking the snowy village.

Calyrex was already there, waiting.

Naoki pulled out some translation seed crisps he had brought along and popped them into his mouth. Instantly, Calyrex's thoughts became clear to him.

"I've figured out where my other steed is!" Calyrex declared, his voice solemn.

"It turns out that Spectrier has taken over the Crown Shrine."

Calyrex's expression clouded as memories resurfaced. "The shrine was once a place where we spent many joyful days together. But when I lost my strength, I avoided it to spare myself the pain of remembering. I didn't expect Spectrier to claim it for himself in my absence."

Naoki offered a gentle smile. "Don't be upset. I finished sewing the Reins of Unity last night. Want to try them out?"

Calyrex shook his head gently. "I am not angry... just... nostalgic."

When Naoki revealed the glowing reins, Calyrex's eyes softened with gratitude.

"Yes, these are the Reins of Unity. I owe you my deepest thanks, Naoki. You've done so much for me already. From here on, leave everything to me."

With a wave of telekinetic energy, Calyrex lifted the reins from Naoki's hands. They floated gracefully to him, glowing brighter with each passing second.

Calyrex's gaze shifted to Glastrier, standing patiently beside Koraidon. The reins drifted over to the icy horse, wrapping neatly around its neck.

The moment the reins settled into place, a radiant burst of light enveloped both Calyrex and Glastrier. Their forms shimmered and merged in a brilliant display.

...

This is a bonus chapter for reaching 1500 Power Stones.

The next bonus chapter will be released at 2000 Power Stones.