o9 | video;

[bertall]

So, uh... I was going through some of the pictures I first took on my Pokegear and the first one was labeled for today. A year ago. It's almost hard to believe that I've been here for that long, and I only realized in May that I don't want to go back home. It probably sounds selfish, but things are, um... They're better here, and...

_{[Bertolt seems to hesitate for a moment, then he swings his camera around to focus on his Arcanine sprawled out on his back and taking up the entire space on the floor between his bed and the other in his hotel room.}

I couldn't leave him behind. It's even harder to believe that he was barely thirty pounds and didn't even reach my knee when I got here, and now he's got to be around five-hundred and even taller than I am.

_{[One of his Arcanine's feet kick and he shifts around so he's more or less completely upside down, his jowls flopping out to show off his big ol' pearly whites. He's sort of smiling for the camera in his sleep now!]}

I think if I was given the choice to go home or stay here, I'd choose the latter. _{[Bertolt stretches his leg out and now he's rubbing his Arcanine's chest with his foot, which earns a low, content rumble that sounds more bear than dog. Gods, why are these Pokemon so ridiculous?]}

If you had the option, uh... What would you choose? And why?

Comments

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Here.

For all the reasons you mentioned and more.

_{[There's not an ounce of hesitation in her reply.]}

Obviously plenty of people have pressing reasons to prefer their old life over this one. I get that.

But on my end, it's not even a competition. I wouldn't go back even if I was forced at gunpoint.

[Video]

[bertall]

I don't think you could pay me enough to go back. I, ah...

_{[He glances down to his Arcanine, and slowly inches his foot up so he can rub right under his chin. He's too far away to reach with his hands, okay? Shhh.]}

I'm pretty happy here. I miss my best friend, but I'm hoping he'll come back again. He came here when everything got really weird for a week near the end of May.

_{[And there are other reasons why he won't go home now.]}

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather is extremely guilty of refusing to get out of her chair to pet her many dogs, so no judgment here.]}

People do come back, and frequently.

I try not to let myself think I'm never gonna see somebody again.

[Video]

[bertall]

Do they usually stay for a long time? I, ah... I've been told that I've been here before too, but I don't remember any of it.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Mm... it... depends.

I've noticed a lot of people who do come back seem to leave again, pretty quickly.

But I've also been here longer than almost anyone I know, so... it could just be that everything seems short in comparison.

[Video]

[bertall]

How long have you been here, exactly?