golly gee there sure is a lot to look at here!! too bad nikola can't really see any of it!!

through blurry vision, they manage to spot the cages, since they're much larger and more imposing than the herba mystica here. there's people inside, people they can't see clearly enough to determine if they're the ones they've been looking for. it doesn't matter; whoever they are, they shouldn't be kept in cages anyway. since there's likely no key around (this isn't a video game, after all, as much as it's been like a survival horror game recently), the only way to free them is to destroy their cages.

"use leaf blade on the bars," nikola commands, pointing at a cage that isn't already being worked on by somebody else. their serperior slithers over effortlessly and lashes out with its tail, slashing the bars of the cage expertly. meanwhile, nikola tries to figure out how to clean their glasses... everyone here is probably just as muddy as they are, meaning they can't use their shirt or other fabrics to clean anything. they look around, hoping against hope there's some clean fabric here or, against all odds, clean water they can use.

They’d just barely survived the attack from those awful Glimmora, and Howard’s first priority was this dead figure and their tools? The way he worded his future plans put a touch of worry into his older heart as he and Scizor walked up to the archeologist.

“This bowl is not going anywhere,” Grigori bent down and scooped the heavy mallet up before anyone else could get their hands on it. Unless it was made of something like lead or tungsten, he’d pick it up with only a slight grunt to show its true weight. What was someone like this doing with such a large bowl? And that magenta chain, the kind they’ve seen numerous times, didn’t bode well either.

“Mr. howard slayte , Ms. Aurelie Lefevre , everyone else, I don’t think we should get that close to this corpse,” he said cautiously. He and Scizor went around the chair and behind the individual, hammer hung on his shoulder as they did so. “Best not tempt fate or chance without the proper equipment or people. Or when we’re in this weird cave, with weirder plants, and even weirder people. Don't try to touch it, either.”

Why were people eating the leaves?! These people made Shred look like a saint. Although, if he had joined them on this path, he surely would’ve been the first to devour the plants in the hope it’d make him high.

Back to the point though– the fact that they were seemingly capable of playing dead and ambushing gave Grigori enough cause for concern to keep the mallet at the ready. Scizor, too, held its claws directly towards the ‘corpse’. If it so much as twitched, it’d have to then dodge the impossibly sharp pincers or a heavy hammer to the head.

---

Tl;dr
 - Grigori joins the people at the person doing a ritual, but makes sure to take the hammer before anyone else (or at least try, in case Shiv has it made of the impossible to lift metal)
 - He also says that they should maybe back up and not be so close to the corpse. Or touch the bowl
 - Goes behind the body and is ready to loony toons the bastard the second it moves

itsJ7O|h

The Safeguard helps to protect; but there's only so much that Akero can do against so many pokemon, from so many different directions. People get doused in poison - falling noticably ill as a result - including the Ursaluna.

El winces a bit - but at the very least, is happy to provide some additional aid to try and treat the wounded. "Life Dew, Akero!" In response, the Togekiss whistles - raining down sparkling waters over everyone.

But with the Glimmora dealt with, there is only onwards - an onwards that reveals a number of curious and grim sights alike. A dead Megalopolan, that strange toxic chain, the herbs... El isn't sure where to look first - but ends up distracted from the sights, blinking owlishly as Eris Halla squeaks out a hearty 'fuck'!

Slowly, their gaze turns to Isaac Merlo - their brows furrowing and lips pursing into a pout. They reach over to give him a little jab with a pointed finger, on the cheek. "You're not supposed to encourage that, y'know. Even if it's just once." They scold him - even if it's clear that their annoyance is slightly played up.

But, there was something... Maybe off, about him? Something about a shift in how he was carrying himself, or in how he was speaking - they weren't sure, but it nagged at the back of their head as they watched their brother. They follow him to Vanilla Kingsley 's side, helping him get her back onto her feet. But as he's giving her some water, they glance to him - asking softly "Are you feeling okay, too, Isaac?"

TLDR:
- Togekiss uses Life Dew to heal as many people as possible
- El scolds Isaac Merlo for encouraging Eris Halla to curse, but also notices that something seems off with Isaac.
- Helps Isaac help Vanilla Kingsley up, asks Isaac if he's okay too.
- brainmush, weh-
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