Naoki ended up not going to this year's horse racing festival.
Because Glastrier knew that wasn't a Crown, just an ordinary Gold trophy, completely unworthy of its noble bearing as the King of Horses.
While Glastrier was talking, Spectrier stood quietly to the side listening, just not saying a word the whole time.
Because the one who'd put that trophy on its head as a Crown was it.
Not only did it wear it, it wore it for nearly a whole year.
Awkward.
Spectrier emptied its mind, pretending it had never done such a thing in its life.
Seeing that neither horse wanted to take part in the horse racing festival, Naoki turned and left the stable, planning to go tell Mayor Thomas about it.
After he left, Glastrier thought back on Spectrier's behavior and couldn't help but secretly snicker off to the side.
Spectrier couldn't see, but its hearing was extremely sharp, and it immediately picked up on Glastrier's sneaky laughter.
Spectrier instantly flew into a shame-fueled rage, ghostly light flickering all over its body as it launched an attack at Glastrier.
Double Kick!
Glastrier took a kick to the belly and immediately let out a pained whinny.
Seeing this stupid horse Spectrier dare raise a hoof against it, the hot-tempered and straightforward Glastrier couldn't hold back anymore and struck back with a kick of its own.
Spectrier was thoroughly enraged and directly formed a Shadow Ball, hurling it at Glastrier.
The next second, with a boom, the perfectly fine stable was flipped over by this horse just like that.
The Eevee playing out on the grass saw Spectrier and Glastrier going at it and immediately cried out in alarm.
Soon, Umbreon ran into the room, biting the hem of Naoki's pants and tugging him outside.
"Bui!"
"What's going on?" Naoki was a bit surprised; seeing how anxious Umbreon looked, he said to Mayor Thomas on the other end of the phone, "Something seems to have happened at the ranch, I've got to go check it out. Let's talk next time."
Mayor Thomas nodded kindly. "It's fine, go on!"
Hanging up, Naoki hurriedly followed Eevee outside.
On that open stretch of grass, Spectrier and Glastrier were charging at each other, murderous intent in their eyes.
Slamming with their bodies, kicking with their hind legs...
And the stable they used to live in had already been turned completely into a pile of rubble.
Naoki: !!!
"Glastrier, Spectrier!" he shouted, trying to stop them.
But the two furious horses didn't stop at all.
Seeing this, Naoki directly pressed the button to summon Calyrex.
Right after, Calyrex's figure appeared in the ranch.
It too immediately noticed the two horses that were fighting.
Calyrex frowned, its expression stern.
A vast surge of Psychic power poured out from Its body, thrusting itself between the two horses and forcibly separating them.
"What art thou doing?" Calyrex's tone was filled with majesty.
At this, the already-calmed-down Spectrier was the first to complain about Glastrier.
"Heeiiih~ss!" (This guy Taunted me!)
Glastrier was in no way cowed. "Briiih~ss!" (It struck first!)
Spectrier glared at Glastrier. "Heeiiih~ss!" (You're the one who Taunted me first!)
Glastrier said directly, "Heeiiih~ss?" (Telling the truth counts as Taunt? You're just too dumb, wearing that trophy on your head like a Crown!)
Calyrex: "..."
Naoki: "..."
Hearing this, Spectrier was instantly blown up with anger.
Two streams of purple smoke uncontrollably rose from its ear holes.
A powerful Ghost Type Energy surged wildly over its body, finally taking shape as a pitch-black demonic shadow that came crashing down on Glastrier like a dark tide.
Glastrier sensed the danger and, unwilling to back down, formed a large icicle, sending it hurtling toward Spectrier.
Seeing this, Calyrex's face was full of speechless exasperation.
Icy blue light flashed in Its eyes, and in the next second, a surge of mighty Psychic power erupted from Its body, directly erasing the Moves of Spectrier and Glastrier out of thin air.
"Enough, both of you, stop!"
Looking at Its two beloved steeds, Calyrex only felt a pounding headache.
"Glastrier, thou art the one who erred first. Thou shouldst not have mocked Spectrier."
Glastrier snorted in displeasure; clearly Spectrier was just too stupid, and it had merely spoken the truth.
Hearing Calyrex's words, Naoki immediately understood what had happened.
Glastrier had laughed at Spectrier for wearing the trophy as a Crown, Spectrier got embarrassed and angry, and then the two of them started fighting.
Naoki was utterly speechless.
No denying it, Glastrier's emotional intelligence was really low...
Seeing Glastrier like this, Calyrex didn't know what to do for the moment.
This whole thing was Glastrier's fault, but Glastrier didn't look the least bit convinced.
Meanwhile, the wronged Spectrier stood silently off to the side, keeping its mouth shut and saying nothing.
Given Calyrex's temperament, there was no way It could bring Itself to slap Glastrier's horse face.
Both palm and back of the hand are flesh; both of them were Its beloved steeds. Calyrex was in a real bind and finally could only cast a pleading look at Naoki.
Naoki instantly understood what Calyrex meant.
He thought it over briefly, then stepped forward and said to the two horses, "In the end, this all came from the issue of the Crown, right?"
Spectrier and Glastrier turned their gazes on him.
Naoki went on, "In that case, why don't you settle it with a duel? Whichever Pokemon wins gets to become the King of Horses. When the time comes, I'll have a King of Horses Crown made for it—a real Golden Crown. Then Calyrex and I will help it get crowned as Horse King. How does that sound to you?"