-THE GLASETERA REGION-
"Ughhhh. It's too cold..."
Iono whines as she tromps through the snow, grumbling as she walks further north of Whalestrand Point. Ahead of her, the mountains loom, Iono pulling her jacket tight. At least her destination wasn't beyond the mountains, where eternal snow and ice ruled... but just because she was on this side of the peaks didn't mean that when the depths of winter fell, the snow couldn't creep south. Sure, she traded out her usual, iconic jacket for a warm and tight one, but as her hairclips twist and get a great image of her face, her audience gets to look at Iono's grumpy expression.
Not even her chat was that active tonight. This was one of her Mystery Expedition streams, and the past few hadn't produced much in the way of results, mostly ending with Iono unable to find any sources or only discovering some urban legend blown out of proportion. For that reason, only a small group of Iono Hype Squad regulars are in chat, cheering her on. She smiles for the camera, before letting it drop as another gust of cold air hits her face.
"Tonight's Mystery Expedition is... the abandoned power substation a few miles north of Whalestrand Point!" Iono'd told the stream early that morning. "It was originally built as part of relaying electricity to the smaller villages along the peninsula, but when the systems were rebuild and extended later, this one was rendered redundant. Even so, there's been reports of plenty of electrical activity there. So yours truly is going to go investigate!"
Sneezing in the cold, thinking about the substation, Iono grumbles. Was this even worth the time and effort? As she trudges, pushing through some leafless trees, she perks up as she notices what's ahead. Grinning, Iono runs forward, her sleeves flopping, as she sees the electric substation, lights flashing from inside. She hurls one of her Premier Balls ahead of her, the ball bursting open to send out her other Pokemon besides Magneton.
Bellibolt runs with her, the huge electric frog stopping at the entrance to the substation, next to an overly large snow drift. Iono walks up behind it, looking as electricity arcs over the various aspects of the substation, one bolt after another jumping around.
"Hmmm. Well, chat, if I know my electricity, and I do-"
"AHA!"
Iono jumps a foot in the air, along with Bellibolt, as the snowdrift next to them simply explodes. Rising up out of it, and tossing aside a heavily insulated blanket, is a woman neither of them recognizes.
"I knew that if I waited around here, the perpetrators of the suspicious activity would return!"
"...Who are you?" Iono asks awkwardly, to which the woman reaches into her vest pocket and produces a badge. "Katelyn, authorized ranger of the Glasetera region. State-appointed, it's the job of us Rangers to stop activities against nature as far as Glasetera extends!" "I... uh. I see.
Chat is she for real?" Iono whispers, waiting for her chat to ping back. A few of them chime in, confirming that Glasetera does have a nature ranger division, so Iono nods and then puts on her best smile. "Welllll, nice to meet you, Ranger Katelyn! I'm Iono, maybe you've heard of me?"
"I haven't."
"...The Iono Zone? Famous internet stream?"
"I don't watch internet streams."
"Oh. Er. Well, I swear, I'm just here to find out what's causing all this! The same as you!" Iono flails her arms to try and communicate, Katelyn looking her over with a practiced eye. "...You don't look like the usual poachers we get. For one thing, you're underdressed for the weather-"
"...What about YOU?"
"And for another, you haven't tried to break for it yet. So, if you want to find out what's going on here, you can... but I'm coming with you."
"Well, sure! You hear that, Iono Zone? We're live on camera with Ranger Katelyn here! Hey, wanna say something for the camera?"
"What? I- um, well- h-hi mom?" Katelyn stammers, before seeing Iono running off into the substation, alongside Bellibolt. She yells and chases after her, only to bump into Bellibolt as Iono stares at the way that the main power relay continues to flash and flicker. There was something that it reminded her of, from reading about it...
Walking up, Iono just kicks the relay. It flashes again... and something emerges.
As the creature appears, Katelyn gives Iono a confused look. "What is that thing?"
"It's a Rotom!" Iono says, excitedly. "It's a Pokemon that likes to mess with electrical equipment. And I'm gonna catch it! Go, Bellibolt!"
Excited, the frog Pokemon leaps into the battle, darting towards Rotom. It only knew Electric, Ground, and Water moves, and Rotom was immune to the only one of those it'd be weak to... but that didn't stop Iono and her Pokemon from just whittling it down through electricity! As Katelyn watches, thoroughly out of her element now, Bellibolt sends a storm of electricity through the substation, Rotom taking several strikes. It gives as good as it gets, but Iono has healing items, and thanks to all that, Rotom's soon dangling limply.
Hurling an empty ball, Iono pumps her hands as she tosses a Premier Ball, grinning as it snaps shut around Rotom and stops wiggling. Iono walks over and grabs up the ball, tossing it between her sleeve-covered hands before snapping it back into place with the other two, having recalled Bellibolt. Katelyn looks around at the dark substation.
"So... that was causing the power disruptions?"
"You got it! Problem solved, mystery revealed! And this time, Iono Hype Squad, there was an actual cause behind it!"
The chat - or at least the small group in it - overflows in hype. Katelyn just scratches her head. "Well, I guess that means my mission here is done.
To the west, then. A ranger's work is never done."
Katelyn hurries away, while Iono fistpumps... and then looks up at the sky. Though it was only 3:30 PM, the season meant it was pitch dark. She shivers.
"...Chat, does anyone remember the way back to town?
...Dangit."
