The Way Things Are

By Lord Agravane Undead

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any of the characters within.

The Sinnoh Region was famous for its snow. Snow lay on the ground for at least 5 months a year, even in the warmer areas. The summer season was short but generally warm and in the south east, it was possible to see the mercury rise into the 90s.

However, even in the summer, not every day was sunny. Rain was infrequent but after an especially hot period of weather, it was probable that a storm would follow. These storms were short lived but heavy and once one had passed, it would very well appear as if the designated area had suffered an attack from Kyogre, the Legendary Pokemon of Hoenn.

Such was one of these storms on the day that Cynthia and Cyrus had decided to go for a walk in Amity Square. One moment the sky had been clear and blue, then huge black clouds had zoomed over from the south, practically groaning with the amount of water they contained. The clouds had opened up, pouring a torrent downand causing people flee for the shelter of their homes.

Cynthia and Cyrus were no different and they hurried along the street, heads bowed against the explosive rain. Cynthia was holding Cyrus's hand, as he had a tendency to stop and find shelter anywhere, whether suitable or not. One time, during a particularly bad hailstorm, he had even attempted to hide under a truck. Cynthia had just stopped him before the truck driver had seen. She had scolded him gently as they had made their way home.

What would the driver have thought, had he seen you crawling under there? she had asked.

Perhaps that I was looking for the Legendary Pokemon Mew Cyrus had replied. Cynthia had rolled her eyes at him.

Luckily, this time Cynthia was able to get Cyrus home without any mishaps. The wind howled and the rain gushed down as they scuttled up the garden path. Cynthia shivered in the porch as Cyrus took the door keys out of his pocket and unlocked the door. She had been wearing a flimsy summer dress and it was now soaking wet and clinging to her uncomfortably.

The door clicked open and Cyrus stood aside to let Cynthia enter first. He then followed her, pushing the door firmly behind him and shutting the shrieking wind and torrential rain out.

"Oh, what an awful way to end our walk!" Cynthia exclaimed.

"Yes," Cyrus agreed, a puddle forming around him on the hallway floor.

"Come on," said Cynthia, taking his hand again. "Let's go and get changed out of our wet clothes."

The two of them went upstairs and changed quickly. Well, Cynthia changed quickly. Cyrus stood there, talking about very important things while Cynthia prompted him to change his clothes.

"The weather can be so inconvenient," Cyrus was saying. "I want to design a machine that controls the weather."

"A machine that…would such a thing even be possible?" Cynthia asked.

"I don't know. I would need to research it in great detail."

"Hmm, it sounds more like fantasy to me," said Cynthia, passing a dry shirt over to Cyrus. She had already changed into dry clothes, while Cyrus was standing there, dripping.

Cyrus accepted the shirt. "A fantasy that could become reality, with the right knowledge and dedication."

"But…where would you even start?"

"Dehumidifiers in the sky. Many dehumidifiers, placed at strategic points throughout the Sinnoh Region. They would absorb water and prevent unanticipated and unneeded precipitation."

"Cyrus, put that shirt on," Cynthia reminded him. "How would you decide whether the rain and snow was needed or not though?"

Cyrus nodded and attempted to put his dry shirt over the top of the wet one. Cynthia sighed, took the shirt off him and began undoing the one he was wearing.

"By studying past meteorological records across Sinnoh," Cyrus said. "The records in some towns go back hundreds of years. With such a vast collection of data, detailing any droughts, floods and structural damaged caused by hail and snow, it should be quite possible to formulate a suitable plan to ensure that Sinnoh has the most efficient weather system on Poke-earth."

Cynthia frowned as she rubbed Cyrus dry with a towel. "I still don't see how it would work. You haven't taken wind or air streams into account."

"Yes. Of course. Those would be next on my list. By studying the data, both historical and modern, I would gain knowledge of the varying temperature and humidity through the Region. As these affect atmospheric pressure directly…"

Cyrus continued to talk as Cynthia towelled him all over and helped him change into dry clothes. She soon became lost in his technobabble and resorted to smiling and nodding at him, hoping that he would soon run out of steam. Of course, from experience, Cynthia knew that this was very unlikely.

"Modern electronic hygrometers are very reliable instruments and are often much more accurate than the old metal-paper coil types," Cyrus was saying.

"Of course they are, dear," Cynthia said, doing the buttons up on his shirt. "There, all nice and dry. Shall we go and have a cocoa to warm up?"

"Yes," said Cyrus. "You go and sit by the heater and I shall make us one."

"Oh, thank you!" said Cynthia. She kissed Cyrus and they went back downstairs. Cynthia went into the living room and plugged the oil heater in. Cyrus wandered off towards the kitchen, still thinking about control of the weather.

Cynthia settled on the settee, reading a book about Legendary Dragon Pokemon from Unova. The oil heater warmed up the room and soon Cynthia felt comfortable and cozy again. She waited for Cyrus to return with the cocoa.

Ten minutes passed and the living room remained empty of Cyrus. Cynthia frowned. Where was he? She put her book down and headed to the kitchen, shivering a little as she left the warmth of the living room.

Cynthia found Cyrus in the kitchen, staring at the electric kettle. He had taken two mugs out of the cupboard but they were as empty of cocoa as the living room was of him.

"Cyrus, what are you doing?" Cynthia asked.

"I am admiring the electric kettle," Cyrus said. "Isn't it a fascinating device. The heating element operates with a power rating of 2 kW at 220V."

"Yes sweetie, that's marvellous," said Cynthia, getting a jar of cocoa out of the cupboard.

"Electric kettles shut off automatically once the water within has reached boiling point," Cyrus continued. "This prevents damage to the element and water wastage though loss as steam."

"That's…very interesting," said Cynthia, adding cocoa, sugar and milk to the cups. She checked the kettle for water and seeing that Cyrus had remembered to fill it, she switched it on. One time, Cyrus had gone to make a cup of tea and forgot to add water, resulting in squeals of dismay from Cynthia and Cyrus mourning the loss of the previous kettle and its valuable element.

"Some kettles have a mechanical thermostat, constructed from metal," Cyrus said. "More expensive kettles are fitted with an electronic thermostat."

"Yes, aren't they amazing," Cynthia agreed. She poured the boiling water into both cups and then stirred. "Here we go," she said, handing Cyrus his cup of cocoa.

"Thank you," said Cyrus.

"That's alright. Come and sit down in the warm now."

Moments later, Cyrus and Cynthia were back in the living room, curled up together under the throw and drinking hot cocoa. Cynthia was reading her book again and Cyrus was quiet…at least for a few moment.

"Cynthia?" said Cyrus. "What is your opinion on the relationship between the science behind electric kettles and hygrometers?"

Cynthia blinked. "Uhh, well…" She tailed off, hoping that she looked deep in thought.

"I was wondering if such an invention could be adapted for control over the weather," Cyrus explained.

"Cyrus, I think you need to stop worrying over weather control," Cynthia said, patting his arm. "I am sure that nature does a good enough job as it is."

"Yes but we were caught outside in that storm," said Cyrus. "It was unpleasant and inconvenient. Surely you would support man-made weather control?"

Cynthia considered it. She remembered rubbing Cyrus dry with the towel and dressing him. She gazed at the cups of coca, steam rising serenely from them. The woolly throw was comforting and Cyrus was warm to sit next to.

Cynthia snuggled closer to Cyrus and felt him put his arm round her. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I think I like things just the way they are."

The End