Logs:Of Prisons and Pokémon (Or, Ghost Types)

Of Prisons and Pokémon (Or, Ghost Types)
Dramatis Personae Joshua, Kavalam	2023-08-20 "I'll take a Phantump."
Location <NYC> Pokémon Go Fest 2023 - Randall's Island Park
The park is crowded today, and though many of its attractions are only visible digitally there is still plenty of geekery to be found when looking up; pavilions set aside for people looking to trade, Pokeball-shaped markings on the ground where people can step into the ring and Do Battle, people stopping to take pictures with a Pikachu or Eevee no doubt sweltering in their heavy costumes. Joshua has stopped, currently, on a bench -- not currently in any Designated Trading Location but there's a list pinned to the front of his shirt all the same, HAVE: in a column on one side and LOOKING FOR: on the other. He has at the moment looked up from his lunch (brought in in a Tupperware, though there's plenty available here for sale) and his phone both, engaged in a Very Serious negotiation with a girl who couldn't be more than eight; at the end of a few taps of his phone she's heading off with a squeal and an eager bounce in her step to triumphantly show off her new prize to her parents. Joshua is unpinning the cloth patch from his shirt to cross SHINY GIRATINA-O off of the HAVE column. Then pin it back, and return to his noodles. "I hope you got something good for that." Kavalam is watching Joshua cross the name off his list with wide eyes and a low whistle. He's perched on the back of the bench, sneakered feet planted beside Joshua, and from this vantage point no doubt could have seen for himself what was traded. He's holding an iced coffee in one hand; his own phone is resting on his knee. "I want your Gengar." "Uh --" Joshua looks down at his screen before looking up at Kavalam. A very small huff follows, briefly amused. "Phantump -- kid was like, six." He rolls his head back against the bench and studies the boy's face. "So do a lot of people. What'll you give me." He's gesturing to his list with a wave of his camping spork. Kavalam frowns deeply at this. "Using her age to grift. How old do I have to be to get this discount. I can be six for today." "Who am I to stop her milking that card while it's still valid." Joshua studies Kavalam a short moment longer before turning his attention back to his food. "You come with any, uh, classmates?" he is asking with deceptive offhandedness. "Only one. I lost him. He will," Kavalam reassures Joshua, "not be exploding. You can be off-duty only." He leans forward, idly scrolling through a long tag of pokemon. He isn't quite matching Joshua for cavalier when he adds: "I am glad to see you. Alive." Joshua goes noticeably more tense and then eases off. He takes a slower bite of his noodles, watching a family all dressed in matching neon orange shirts as they go by. Chews very slowly. "The new kids aren't that bad." "I assume they are terrible. Everyone is terrible, when we are arriving there." Kavalam stares resolutely down at his phone, though, carefully tagged and organized as his Pokemon are, this seems hardly necessary. "Last month when I saw you, you --" His fingers squeeze tighter against his phone. "I have Zekrom," is what he finishes instead, reluctantly. "Everyone needs help, when you arrive." Joshua's correction is mild. He snorts quiet, shaking his head. "If I did shit to you last month, was probably my housemate, I was away on..." But he's trailing off with a slow-dawning horror. His breath has come out all in a rush, his jaw gone clenched. His tongue sucks slowly against his teeth, his head turning to the side as he glances back up at Kavalam. Kavalam does not look back at Joshua. He doesn't say anything at all. He does turn his phone towards the man, open to the QR code to scan in order to become friends. Joshua scans it in silence, and sends the request. One of his legs is bouncing, jittery. He taps his phone against it with an unthinking restlessness. At length he looks back down at his phone. His cheeks puff out; he expels a short pop of air. "I'll take a Phantump," he says, heavily. At this Kavalam huffs, eyes growing just a little wider. "I don't need your pity Pok --" he's reflexively starting to say, before thinking better of this indignance. His brows scrunch and he looks down at his phone, though he doesn't actually initiate any trade just yet. "You should not let on that this is also one trump card. Gaétan will claim all your shinies." He's toying idly with the case on his phone, popping a corner off and then snapping it back on. "... you didn't. You weren't. There to find us, were you?" Joshua shakes his head slowly. "Didn't know you were there till the riot. And after --" He stares down at the remainder of his lunch, and ultimately puts the lid back on his Tupperware with his noodles half-finished. "Should wait on the trade. Cost you a lot less if we stay friends a while." "I got out because of you, only. To tell them where we were. If you hadn't --" Kavalam's leg is bouncing, now, restless mimicry of Joshua's. He's sterner with his firm instruction: "You should tell Roscoe. He had to see that." But after this he's easing -- peeking a small sideways glance to Joshua. The smile that crosses his face is small, just a ghost of a thing. "I will send you gifts." He hops down off the bench, looking away to the crowd as he adds, casual: "Don't forget to open them." "Wait, you -- I thought --" Joshua is looking up, staring hard at Kavalam for a moment. His expression droops into a further grimace, and he slouches back against the bench. He runs his tongue slow across his teeth, and exhales, heavy. His reply is just a quiet grunt, and he tucks his Tupperware back into his bag. After a pause, and with a small frown, he unpins his list again. Carefully crosses off: GENGAR (L), and pins the cloth back to his shirt.