Steel (Poke)Ball Run
Chapter 22 - VS ZOMBIE SALAMENCE
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It was hard to gauge how long it had been since arriving near the Zombie Salamence - as directed by the instructions Gyro had been given in a letter - and leaving behind Oyecomova and the incident there. All Johnny knew was that daylight all seemed the same beneath the foliage of the forest. It's not like he could judge by how sore his legs were either.
Well, Gyro wasn't dead from poisoning yet so that was a good sign but Johnny's Clefairy had run out of power to perform "Moonlight" quite some time ago and by his count, his Jumpluff had maybe one "Synthesis" left in it. Still, they had better find this Zombie Salamence thing soon before Gyro succumbed completely to poison. He really was looking like a Tamato Berry at this point: rough, reddened skin and swollen lips.
Johnny was having a hard time trying to get his head around what a Zombie Salamence was. He's happened upon a few alive Salamence specimens in his time but not a dead one and especially not a "zombie" one. Though, now that they were approaching a clearing with a peculiar aura, Gyro seemed more willing to give a hint.
Up until this area, the forest had been thick and hard to navigate. Though, there was something very peculiar in the distance. Johnny had recognised it by the aura alone, that building was Dragonspiral Tower. He hadn't ever been there personally, but he had heard of it. It was a very strange place, built to commemorate the lives of the dragons of truth and ideal. They said that it could fill people with strange energies and lead them to the path they ought to take. Clearly that was fake because he felt no such persuasion, but he had to admit, it was gorgeous though broken down. It was so big that it humbled him. Seeing it reminded Johnny that humans were ingenious. Even though the Isshu folk didn't like to be overly exertive of the land, they were still capable of castles; there was Relic Castle in the Desert Resort too, after all.
Anyway, they twined around a path leading to a meadow that seemed untouched by tree roots. It was small and sort of squarish with rounded edges. The grass was pale here but beautiful. It wasn't yellow though. It looked kind of downy too. If Johnny had to guess, this meadow was maybe ten metres perfect. In the middle of it was a strangely coloured rock.
He and Gyro rode up to it. The rock was made of a substance Johnny wasn't familiar with it. It wasn't grainy or coarse, but it wasn't perfectly smooth or soft either. He was afraid to touch it but Gyro, he stroked it lovingly.
He and his Mudsdale padded around it. 'Ah!' he called out after going to the other side. 'Found it!'
Johnny curiously drew in. 'Found what?'
Then his eyes lit up as he saw a bizarre etching. It looked like a vague semblance Salamence that was ready to attack. As an artwork, it was not something one may call beautiful. It most certainly did not belong in a gallery.
Johnny stared into the creature's eyes. It had odd eyes: a pair of jewels. Coloured mostly blue, it was hard to ascertain what was depicted in them; some sort of double helix, by the look of it. They gleamed in the sunlight and flashed with all the colours of the rainbow. It was rather enchanting.
Overall, he wasn't certain but given the location and general power emanating from this zone, but he had a suspicion that this place might be sacred. Salamence aren't usually found in the wild and Bagon aren't found in this area either. Still, it was odd such a thing like a Salamence would be memorialised here. It might be a deity thing. There was such a hallowed feeling to the stone and to the meadow. Johnny could barely believe Gyro was just feeling it up like he was.
Gyro placed his palm over where the Salamence's heart would be. He closed his eyes and smiled. He inhaled deeply and exhaled. Then something peculiar began to happen. The hair on his arms and even his messy locks began to lift. His dirty blond hair seemed to be purified: turned to gold. Johnny could hardly believe his eyes. Then, the curing process began.
Gyro's reddened skin turned to back to normal. His lips shrank slightly in size and the bumps he had reduced. He was rid of his poisoning.
He let his hand slip from the rock's surface. He beamed at Johnny. His hair flopped down around his face; over his eyes.
'I feel like a new man!' he enthused.
His skin now looked baby soft. His hair was removed of any grease and even his breath seemed fresher now.
'So, this is it? The power of the Zombie Salamence?' Johnny asked.
He licked his lips as he tried his luck. He did as Gyro did. He placed his hand over the Salamence's heart.
'According to studies done, the Zombie Salamence was built over a sealed volcano that never really did anything except warm up a little. That warmth had healing properties; especially since local peoples here embalmed it very thickly with all sorts of salves. It's bit of a shamanistic technique, but hey, it works.' Gyro explained.
Johnny waited a moment. Nothing happened. He waited another moment. Again, nothing happened. He didn't even feel the slightest tingle of the warmth Gyro had just explained.
'Gyro… it's not working.' Johnny stated.
'Weird, maybe it's single use?' Gyro said. 'You're definitely placing your hand on its heart… And that's what the instructions in the letter said. Why don't you see if anything happens if your Jumpluff or Clefairy touch it? Exhausted little things they would be after keeping me alive.'
'Alright.' Johnny said. He fumbled with his PokeBalls. 'Judy, Angel…'
His Pokemon popped out of their PokeBalls in a flash. Johnny held them up to the stone so that they could place their paws on the Zombie Salamence's heart. Not even a second after coming in contact with the stone, his Pokemon were basked in a nigh angelic light. After soaking it in for a few seconds, his Clefairy and Jumpluff were totally refreshed.
Johnny frowned as he returned his Pokémon. 'Nope, don't think its single use.'
'Weird.' Gyro said. He fumbled with the conversation. He wasn't sure what to say to Johnny that wasn't the blinding obvious.
Nevertheless, Johnny tried a second time.
'Heal my legs, you asshole deity, I know you're some kind of quasi-god, do it or you're a coward.' Johnny snarled.
'The hell are you on about?' Gyro asked, raising an eyebrow and putting a hand on his hip. 'Johnny, the Second Commandment states that thou shalt not have false idols.'
Johnny glared at Gyro. 'I literally did not ask you.' he huffed.
He then returned his glare to the Salamence. He stared right into its two eyes comprised of jewels. He maintained such a firm stare for a good minute before the eyes literally popped out of their sockets in the Salamence's face. Startled, Johnny yelped.
He swung out slightly over his Zebstrika's side. He saw the two jewels glinting on the ground beneath him.
'Johnny, you insulted the Zombie Salamence so hard you made it cry.' Gyro joked.
'Shut up. I know you don't believe in that.' Johnny growled. He pursed his lips. 'Do you want to pick them up, or should I?'
'Why you scared you'll pick up a curse from it?' Gyro asked.
'Yes and no!' Johnny yelled. 'Mostly because it's just a hassle to dismount and get back up here and… yeah, okay, I don't want to mess with the Zombie Salamence more than I already have just in case it does turn out to be some kind of quasi-god.'
'Ugh, fine.' Gyro conceded.
He slung himself off his Mudsdale's back. Johnny pointed out the jewels whilst he scrabbled around in the grass. Gyro picked them up and placed them over his eyes. He made a silly face. Johnny was somewhat amused.
'Are these Unovan gems?' Gyro asked. 'Pretty little things, never seen these sorts in my life, and I've seen all sorts of prize jewels in my time.'
'I've never seen anything like them in my life either.' Johnny replied. 'I was hoping you'd know what they are.'
'I think we should keep 'em.' Gyro said.
'What, why? That's like... Theft!' Johnny protested. He raised an eyebrow. 'Isn't that against the Commandments you follow? Thou shalt not steal, that's it.'
'The Zombie Salamence, ugly mural and all, was a gift from the King to me. If I pinch its eyes, then it doesn't count as stealing because they were given to me. And same for you, I'm regifting. A bit rude, yes, but not illegal and not against the Commandments.' Gyro reasoned.
'I suppose.' Johnny said. 'So, you just want to pawn them?'
'I've just got this hunch that they might be useful down the road, you know? If it's for money then yeah but if it is for something else… say we meet a pair of pretty ladies, twins perhaps, and fall madly in love with them, then we'd need rings, yes? These'd make fantastic engagement rings.'
'You think you're going to need engagement ring materials on this trip?'
'It was just an example, Johnny! You think too much. Do you want one or not?'
'Ugh, fine.'
Johnny accepted one of the jewels from Gyro. It was cool to the touch and sparkled in his palm. He had to admit it. He did kind of feel that intuition Gyro was alluding to. Johnny too felt it, the strange and baseless hunch that this tiny little rock may become necessary further on.
Johnny pinched it between his fingers and placed it on his brow; where it sat between the decorative horseshoe he had mounted on his beanie.
'Look, I'm wearing a tiara.' he said, almost shy since making jokes wasn't his thing.
Gyro rolled his eyes. 'Johnny, Johnny, Johnny…' he said patronisingly. 'Telling jokes is all in the delivery. Something as flat as that would never, ever be funny - not even from my mouth and I am genuinely talented at comedy. Besides, more importantly, you make a very ugly princess.'
'Fuck off.' Johnny snapped, in good jest, of course.
To which was met with some laughter from Gyro as he mounted his Mudsdale once more.
'Come on, we need to make up for lost time after our little adventure. Not to mention, we still haven't seen that chosen trainer fella yet. Bloody hell, I thought he was supposed to be nearby. By the time we find him, someone might've already taken the Badge.' Gyro grumbled.
'Alright, alright, let's get going then.' Johnny sighed.
He took the reins and Zebstrika shook its head. It began to trot off, not too far behind Mudsdale.
'Hey, so that letter, is it really from the King of Kalos?' Johnny piped up. 'Sounds like a tall tale to me.'
'I can assure you Johnny on my life, it is from the King of Kalos.'
'That's not some pet name or joke you have with your father or someone?' Johnny asked.
'My old man has never written a letter in his life. He has never received a letter in life. And those are not facts that will change anytime soon.' Gyro replied. 'You can mostly certainly bet that on my life.'