Title: Automatic Stabilizer
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #39, Automatic Stabilizer
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. Game-verse

Warnings: AU, het

 

            “Lance?”

            “Yes?” The Dragon Master asked.

            He held an armful of buff-yellow tax forms. “Um… I have no idea how to fill these out.”

            She chuckled. “I guess you’re finally over sixteen, ne?”

            Red nodded sheepishly, as he put the pile down on Lance’s desk. “You will help me, right? I have never done these before.”

            Why did growing up have to be so complicated?

           

            “I did promise.” His wife agreed with a grin. Red beamed, and together, they began working through the income. Red was very glad that all he had was a checking and savings account, looking at the tangled plots of mutual funds, stocks, bonds, and Mew knew what else. It was so much trouble!

            He wasn’t too happy when he found out exactly how much he would be taxed, but after all, taxes paid for Pokemon Centers and that was good, so he didn’t say anything, and if it helped run the economy so they could keep Pokemon journeying, that was even better.

            It was late by the time they finished, but as he yawned and cuddled Lance, he decided that there were worse things he could be doing, and signed his name at the bottom of the form. It was done.

            “Can I go to bed now?” He asked.

            Lance chuckled. “As you wish…”

            “Join me,” He continued.

            “I think I will.” She turned off the desk lamp with a smile.

 

End Fic

Completed 1/22/07

Edited 10/6/09

Automatic Stabilizers are changes in fiscal policy that stimulate aggregate demand when the economy goes into a recession without policymakers having to take any deliberate action. (Brief Principles of Macroeconomics, 4th Edition) by N. Gregory Mankiw. Apparently taxes and government spending are automatic stabilizers.