The last fic in this series! Yay!

Title: The Crowding-Out Effect
Author: Shadow/Phantomness
Pairing: Championshipping (Lance x Red)
Fandom: Pokémon
Theme: #40, Crowding-Out Effect
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

 

            “…Pay cuts.” Red repeated.

            Lance nodded.

            “This is the second time in the past six months that President Goodman has brought this up.” The Champion said dryly. “We’ll shoot the proposal down again, I suppose.”

            “Well, if not for his favoring of deficit spending and the fact that our country is staggering under ninety trillion Pokeyen worth of debt, I would complain.” Lance replied. “As it is, the League System will probably collapse soon, as soon as Houen and Cosmos decide to call in some of the money we owe them.”

 

            Red nodded. That made sense. “I suppose it’s lucky we have enough saved, ne?” He asked hopefully.

            The Dragon Master smirked. “Indeed, but it won’t help us much if inflation skyrockets.”

            “Then what are we going to do?”

            “Stay somewhere else until the whole thing blows over.” She said matter-of-factly. “Do you prefer Orre, Houen or Cosmos?”

            Red chuckled as he hugged Lance. “As long as I’m with you, it doesn’t matter.” He said loyally. “I’ll bring my Pokemon with me with this special belt Silph gave me, and that’s all we really need, right?”

            Lance nodded. Camping out was a bit rougher, but they had both been Trainers and knew how to deal with it.

            “All right then.”

 

            Goodman was understandably startled when Red and Lance resigned, but he had to admit that he could hardly afford his own salary, much less those of some glorified trainers. He was sad to see them go – their Pokemon would have been useful in case the public rioted when they discovered just how severe the economic recession was.

            Ah well.

 

            Off in Mount Silver, the two Champions embraced.

            Red cuddled next to his wife, knowing that they had made the right choice. Only fools would dare brave Mount Silver. The wild Pokemon were strong enough to kill most intruders. No one would bother them here.

            Lance kissed him gently, as they relaxed in the hot spring.

            “Lance-chan…”

            She turned to look at him. “What is it?”

            The younger Trainer kissed her again. “May we play now?”

            “Very well…”

 

End Fic

Completed 1/24/07

Edited 10/6/09

YES! ECONOMICS CLASS IS OVER! And I did get an A! Plus, I finally made it to 40_themes for this list. ^^

Crowding-out effect is the offset in aggregate demand that results when expansionary fiscal policy raises the interest rate and thereby reduces investment spending. (Brief Principles of Macroeconomics, 4th Edition by N. Gregory Mankiw)