Title: Taxes
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #1, Equity
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics.
This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under
international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you.
*Phantomness bows*
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics
if a pokemon talks
Warnings: AU, Het
“Lance….”
The Dragon Master did not glance up from the myriad of forms in front of him. “I can’t play with you right now, Red. You know that.”
She pouted adorably. “But taxes aren’t due for another two weeks!”
“Love, if I don’t do them now, I’ll procrastinate. And then we’ll have problems again, like the crazy teachers who tried to attack the League last year. Do you remember that?”
Red deflated, before she hopped onto Lance’s desk and crossed her arms. “Why do you have to pay taxes anyways?”
“If I didn’t, your mom wouldn’t get her welfare check every month.” Lance said practically. Red blinked, twice.
“You mean…”
Lance took pity on the Pallet trainer’s ignorance, figuring that she had never taken an economics course of any kind and probably did not have much on her mind besides Pokémon training.
“Yes, how do you think the government pays for our salaries? Also, what about the Pokemon Centers and the Police stations and the hospitals? Those cost money, too.”
“Oh.” Red deflated. “But since we make a lot of money battling, we get taxed more, right?”
“You’re lucky you’re not eighteen yet and don’t have to deal with this.” Lance said, penning in another number on his W2 form.
She sighed. “Will you be done soon?”
“Perhaps, though if you’re really bored, I have a textbook on basic economics on that shelf over there.”
“You’re mean.” She sulked, but obediently went and got the textbook. Lance just smirked, as he continued to write.
Maybe it was time for her to learn, too.
Half an hour later, Red had dizzy swirls for eyes and Lance was contemplating the destruction of the League system so he wouldn’t have to give up half his paycheck to greedy, selfish people who were too lazy to work.
The Dragon Master went over to where the Champion was staring blankly at a paragraph on income tax, and kissed her. That promptly got Red’s attention, and her eyes focused as she kissed back.
“Don’t worry.” He reassured her. “I’ll help you when the time comes.”
“Really,” She cuddled.
“Of course I will,” He chuckled. “Someone has to show you the ropes.”
Red beamed as she hugged Lance tightly. “So can you cuddle me now?”
Lance glanced at the paperwork. He would hardly be able to focus now anyway, so it was just wasting time. “Sure.”
And he did.
End Fic
Completed 1/2/07
Edited 6/1/09
I figured that since I was taking an Economics course during Winter Quarter, I might as well make sure I learn it well, and seeing as how 30_psych helped me get an A in psychology… why not 40_econ? ^^
Equity is the property of distributing economic prosperity fairly among the members of society. (N. Gregory Mankiw, Brief principles of Macroeconomics, Fourth Edition) Welfare is an example of this. Too much equity leads to loss of productivity. For example, in Germany, thanks to their good unemployment programs, a lot of people choose not to work…
Taxes are also an example of equity.
Yes, I think Red and Ash’s mothers are on welfare, because I’ve never seen any of them work! *Dork* and it could be a viable source of income… not a high one, but if she doesn’t have a lot of needs…