Previously on Galarian Days...

As Calvin joins the group on his quest to become the third messenger, he gains some insight on the mission Zander and Wufu are still in progress on before the lot of them plant the rest of his Carrot Seeds for Calyrex to grow a feild of Iceroot Carrots through Peony. Now, they face another challenge from the King of Bountiful Harvests...

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With their new goal in mind, the group began their continued climb up Snowslide Slope. Up the base of the mountain, boots, paws and hooves crunching through the snow, leaving tracks between the sparse forest of white-barked trees with their leafless, naked branches... until, at last, they reached the closest available entrance to the Tunnel to the Top.

"Here it is, folks! All we have to do next is get to the Crown Shrine at the top of the mountain... by navigating through this cave maze!" Peony said with his usual enthusiasm. "After that... no idea."

"Well, that sounds simple enough," Sophia sarcastically remarked. "Never mind the whole plethora of cave-dwelling Pokemon living in this interconnected network of rock-tube!"

"Do you have your own Pokemon to back you up?" Peony asked.

"She didn't want to be a Trainer," Zander said, "so no. I do, however."

"So do I," Wufu added.

"However," the wolf cut in as he reached into his pocket, "I do have something that could help her. Sophia, think fast!"

Sophia quickly caught the item Zander tossed to her, which was... "Wow, a... Repel?"

"Bought that during one of my Pokemon Center stops," Zander explained, "but I never had the reason to use it."

"Thanks," Sophia said. She then sprayed the Repel on her, and already the Pokemon in the cave were running away from her! "Huh. Neat."

"That should hold them off for a while," Zander said, but held his nose due to the spray's loud smell. "Let's go."

The group then made their way through the tunnels, going for routes that went up. During the walk, Calvin decided to keep Sophia company while the others stayed ahead of them, in case the Repel wore off before they reached the top. Fortunately, the group didn't stray off the path up the mountain, so the spray protected her plenty. Unfortunately, though... poor Calvin was too busy trying to keep the loud fumes out of his airways, so he couldn't strike up a conversation.

Eventually, though, the group finally reached the tunnel's exit and entered the Path to the Peak. As soon as they got back outside, they took a deep breath and let the fresh air fill their lungs again.

"Air! Air! I need air!" Calvin wheezed as he scampered outside.

While everyone else was panting and gasping for breath, Sophia was miffed. "Oh, come on! It wasn't that bad, was it!?"

"Maybe not to you or Peony and your short noses," Zander retorted once his breathing was regulated again. "But our muzzles contain more olfactory sensors, and are therefore more sensitive to smells than you are!"

"Gee, where was all that when you gave her the Repel?" Wufu griped.

"I was trying to be chivalrous! Crucify me!"

"Both of you stop it!" Peony shot. "Now, we're all in the open air again, so you should be okay to breathe now. But we still have a ways to go before we reach the top, understand?"

"Yes sir," everyone else said.

"Good." Peony puctuated, and no more words were said as they continued up the stairs to the slope populated by Snom and Frosmoth. They then passed the aforementioned Pokemon and climbed up some more stairs, until at last, they reached the entrance to the large, citadel-like structure built in Calyrex's honor... the Crown Shrine.

"Welp, we can cross another of Calyrex's tasks off the list," Zander said.

"Correct," Calvin confirmed. "Now, if I'm not mistaken, next we have to go inside the shrine and find a basket in front of a bed of hay."

"Right!" Sophia said. "Although, not to question a king's rhyming or anything, but why did the verse also say we'd end up in a casket if we stayed around?"

A pair of brutal snorts were then heard, and Wufu said, "I think it might have something to do with that." Right where the bear was pointing, two equine Pokemon of contrasting colors were right in the center of the shrine; none other than Calyrex's loyal steeds, Glastrier and Spectrier!

"A black horse of darkness, and a white horse of ice!" Peony remarked. "So, tecnically, everyone was correct!"

But both horse Pokemon took notice of the intruders and blasted a combination of Hex and Avalanche, pelting a volley of shadowy snowballs at the intruders!

"Agh! Look out!"

Everyone scampered away from the doorway, dodging the attack from the steeds. "Okay, this is obviously not working. Wufu, let's see if our powers can function against non-Dynamiasma situations!" Zander said.

"Right!" Wuth that, Wufu summoned the watery aura and shot several palm thrusts directly in front of him, splashing the snowy ground and causing it to freeze into ice spikes. He then directed some splashes downward and made a puddle that froze into an ice sheet. Zander followed those actions up with snapping off a spike and digging up the sheet, and they became his sword and shield.

"What in the dandelions!?" Calvin exclaimed.

"No time to explain!" Zander said, now fully armed. "Here's the plan: Wufu and I will stave off the horses while you get in there and find that basket! Got it!?"

"I don't get what's going on here," Calvin said as he primed himself for the dash he was about to make into the shrine, "but here goes nothing!"

"Ready, Wufu!?" Zander called out. "On the count of three!"

"One!" Wufu said as he summoned the shadowy aura.

"Two!" Zander said as he held his shield in front of him, and...

"THREE!!!"

Both colored anthros shot themselves towards the two horses, barreling through the onslaught of shadowy snowballs until Zander slammed into Glastrier, and Wufu crashed into Spectrier. With Fighting against Ice and Dark against Ghost, the horses were shoved backwards into the back of the shrine until their flanks were pressed up against the tree, giving Calvin plenty of room and time to enter the shrine and spot the stable where the basket was. He quickly grabbed the carrots from his pockets and scrambled up to the basket as fast as he could, then managed to get the carrots into the basket before the king's steeds started pushing back with a combined Take Down.

With a sharp whistle, Calvin got the equine Pokemon's attention and called out, "Suppertime!"

As their noses picked up the smell of their favorite foods, Zander and Wufu let up on their pushing and rolled to each side as both steeds eagerly galloped to the basket, where they devoured the crunchy treats together.

"Well, no wonder they were being so snippy!" Calvin said. "They were just hangry!"

As soon as they both swallowed their last bites, Glastrier and Spectrier directed their attention towards the voice that just spoke. They then trotted up to the deer that filled their basket and their bellies, and once they were close enough... they nuzzled against him with gentle snorts.

"Oh, you're welcome," Calvin said as he reciprocated their affection with gentle rubs against their necks, which they seemed to relax into.

Meanwhile, Sophia and Peony rejoined with Zander and Wufu inside the shrine, also becoming witness to the sight of budding friendship between deer and horses. "Aw, isn't that sweet?" Sophia commented.

"It's just like the poem said," Zander reasoned. "All Calvin had to do was offer the beasts some sustenance, and they'd calm down and trust him."

"But, yes," Wufu tacked on. "Once you get past the bombardment of haunted frost they tried to pelt us with, it is kind of nice."

"Wait, look!" Peony said. "Up there!" Right where the man was pointing, a small piece of blue was fluttering down inside the shrine through the open roof, shimmering in the same color. It then drifted into the stable, catching Calvin's attention as he took it in his hoof.

"Is this... a Radiant Petal?"

Glastrier and Spectrier took a whiff of the petal before recognizing the scent as their master's. Then, Glastrier looked at Spectrier, and Spectrier looked at Gastrier. With a knowing nod, both steeds then reached their teeth into each other's manes, bit down hard, and...

Calvin was given a strand of White Mane Hair from Spectrier's mouth, and a strand of Black Mane Hair from Glastrier's. As the deer accepted the gifts from his new friends, he realized the next task he needed to perform.

"Calvin?" Peony asked, making the deer look. "If you need any help with this part, I'm willing to offer a hand."

Calvin nodded and smiled before saying, "I'd like that." So, Peony gave the deer some pointers on how to combine the locks with the petal, and Calvin followed the directions he was given as best as he could, until finally... Calvin was holding a newly-crafted set of Reins of Unity!

"Well, would you look at tha..." Peony started before the blue aura shone again, but Calyrex let him keep his proud smile.

"Very well done, young buck-" the King of Bountiful Harvests said before he backtracked, "no... very well done, Calvin. Each of the tasks I have laid out for you have been successfully completed. The restoration of the Shaderoot and Iceroot Carrot fields, the ascension of the mountain to the Crown Shrine, the appeasement and bonding with my loyal steeds, and the completion of the Reins of Unity... all have lead to this very moment. Now, present the reins for your final task."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Calvin said before giving Peony the reins.

Calyrex then transferred a bit of the blue aura to the reins, and they extended to Glastrier and Spectrier's muzzles until all three were connected by the blue cord and enveloped in the aura. "Behold, the final task! Grab hold of the Reins of Unity, and accept the blessing of the King of Bountiful Harvests!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Calvin said before grasping the length of the reins in each hoof. He was then swallowed up by the blue aura as well, but then it became sucked into his body, causing him to glow brighter, and brighter, and brighter until he was practically a blinding blue star, forcing the witnesses to shield their eyes and blasting light throught the windows of the shrine!

Five seconds later, the onslaught of light was finally dimming down to an acceptable level, and the group could open their eyes again to see a shining silhouette of Calvin standing between the steeds and before Peony, who was no longer floating or glowing. Three more seconds later, though, all the blue light had dissipated entirely, and there stood Calvin again; but this time, his tan fur had changed in color... to a beautiful, rich green.

"Behold, the third messenger," Calyex's voice rang out from everywhere in the shrine. "What was once an ordinary anthropomorphic deer has now risen above, possessing courage, determination, and wit. Now his coat bears my royal color, and he has earned his new title... as the Cervine Squire of Galar."

Hearing his new title out loud, Calvin looked to his fellow messengers with a smile of pride, which they returned.

"Now listen well, Calvin," the voice continued. "As the Cervine Squire, I hereby entrust you with my loyal steeds, Glastrier and Spectrier... as well as bestow my final gift to you. Now, take the basket from the stable."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Calvin said before he reached out to the basket. When he did, it began to shine with blue light and changed shape until it became a more traditional basket.

"Now, whenever you need the assistance of either or both steeds," the voice explained, "simply reach into the basket, and you will extract the carrots needed to summon them to you. They will then come to your aid, and serve you well as they have done myself. But take heed, for with these powers, you also garner a huge responsibility to the whole of the Galar region. These abilities must be used for the greater good, more specifically, to defend this land from the terrible events that may befall it. Can you be trusted to carry out these orders well?"

"I can, and will, Your Majesty," Calvin said confidently.

"Then go forth, and defend your beloved homeland!" the voice shouted with an echo that eventually faded out entirely. Calvin then rested his new basket's handle on his shoulder, and the group left the shrine in persuit of their next mission...