Voice

[fayblood]

As per usual, there's no video for Shrike's post, just the audio of what sounds like a kid.

"How long do people usually stay here?"

To his credit, though, while still shy about his appearance he's not nearly as nervous about talking to people as he once was. There's still a trace of it in his tone, to be sure, but his speech is no longer quite so hesitant as before.

"Is it a long time if someone's here for almost a year or more, or are most people here that long?"

And that's it for now. Though if anyone's in the vicinity of Azalea Town, they might catch a glimpse of the shy kid in a Togekiss hood as he goes about his daily routine.

Comments

[video]

[bugbeverage]

_{[Beetlejuice responds with full color and sound. He's not one to be shy here on the Poke'Net. He's outside on a route and his Mimikyu sits on his shoulder enjoying the weather.]}

Well! A little bird told me there's no real average. You got people who stick around for ten minutes and then there's the crowd who's been here for nearly a decade! So, carpe diem!

Perma-voice on Shrike's end!

[fayblood]

"Um, I know it's different..."

Maybe he's still a little nervous. That or just mildly confused by phrases he's not familiar with. It's hard to say.

"But I don't know how many people leave soon, or later."

[bugbeverage]

What I'm sayin' is it's random, kid. It's a gamble! So don't worry about it.

_{[He's just saying that to make himself feel better. He doesn't *want* to go home, even if he misses his powers.]}

[fayblood]

"Do you know how long people who've left stayed?"

Is that what this guy's implying, that he has better information? Shrike isn't sure.

"I think maybe people who are here longer than maybe a year or something mostly stay even longer, but I don't know..."

He's thinking about statistical probabilities, but doesn't have anything close to the right words to explain that.

[bugbeverage]

_{[Beetlejuice presses his lips into a thin line.]}

Let me get this straight...you're askin' me if the people here who stay longer stay longer. Am I hearin' that right? Wait wait, hold on.

_{[He lifts a hand as though to shush the figure he cannot see.]}

Waaaaait, alright, I got ya now. Jeez, I thought you were trying to do some ancient wisdom riddle shit on me! You'd make a great attorney! I think that's a safe bet--that if you've been here a year already, you'll probably be here another.

[fayblood]

There's definitely a pause before Shrike replies, as he tries to figure out what some of that means. He has no idea what an 'attorney' is though, and after a moment he decides not to worry about that part for now. Instead, he focuses on the bits he does get.

"You think so?"

... It didn't occur to him to specify which part of all that he's responding to, though.

[bugbeverage]

_{[I'm so sorry, Shrike.]}

Yeah! You got a real way with words, kid!

[fayblood]

Well now he's even more confused.

"Huh?"

video

[orangesmith]

I don't know, I've been here for... [Here Narancia pauses to count up on his fingers] ...six months, but I know others have been here for years. No clue why some people leave sooner than others.

Perma-voice

[fayblood]

"Do you know how many people leave after how long, though?"

He pauses, trying to figure out how to explain what he's thinking. He doesn't have anywhere near the right education to know that words for this concept exist, let alone what they are, but he's going to give it a try anyway.

"I mean... If lots of people leave in a few months, and more leave before a year, but then do most of the ones who are here for a year stay for even longer?"

[voice]

[sonrise]

I'm not sure what the average is, but I've talked to people who've been here for years. In one case, over a decade, which... Is definitely a long time.

But I wouldn't say that means a year here is short, considering the circumstances.

Re: [voice]

[fayblood]

"I know some people are here a short time and some people are here for years, bit I don't know how many."

He has an idea he's trying to work out, but he lacks the right knowledge and terminology to easily express it. Not that this will stop him from trying anyway.

"If lots of people leave soon, and some people are here for a year or more, do the people who are here for a year usually stay for more years?"

[sonrise]

[It takes Varian a second to follow that second part, but once he realizes what Shrike is saying, the intrigue and deep thought are clear in his voice.]

You know, that's a really interesting question. I have no idea what the answer is, but--! It would be something worth figuring out, absolutely! Does one's odds of going back home decrease over time...

I wonder if there's a record of how long people have been here that I haven't found, or maybe would need to get special access to, because that would be a lot more reliable than asking every single person how long it's been for them.

[fayblood]

That's an encouraging reaction. Which means Shrike promptly launches into spilling more of his thoughts on the matter in turn.

"I don't know, but maybe people who's been here a long time know something? People keep talking about how it's always different times people stay here, but it seems like most people say they've been here just a short time or a really long time. So maybe a lot of people only stay a short time, but then the people who are here longer most of them stay a lot longer.

"And maybe if that's what happens then if you're here almost a year and haven't left that it would be good to think you'll be here longer."

[sonrise]

They might! I mean, if anyone's going to have a record of that information, it'd be the people who've been here longest! Well, or Arceus themselves, but it sounds like they don't just show up for no reason... Although-- You know, I wonder if someone who's from here originally might be keeping track. I know I would be, once I saw the pattern arise of people just showing up!

And I think I follow. A you saying that once you get used to being here, it's a welcome thought to suspect things won't suddenly change?

[fayblood]

"Um, well, if you're going to be somewhere for a long time, what you do is different from if you're only staying a short time, right? So it'd be easier to know what to do if you know you'll probably stay longer..."

He just wants to know roughly what to plan for, in other words. Or at least, that's how he's currently choosing to think of it.

[sonrise]

Uhh... Oh! Okay, like how if you might leave next week, you wouldn't want to - I don't know - start growing a garden? Like that, right?

[fayblood]

Don't mind Shrike's poor conversational skills, he's only been here a year and he was terrible when he first arrived.

"Or buy more things. It doesn't make sense to get something if you're not going to use it..."

Voice

[brokencode]

"I do not know that I am the norm, but..." Angel hesitates, just a moment. She isn't sure if her tale would bring comfort or apprehension. "I have been here several years, though I will admit that some of that time was interspersed with returns to my home. I would say it has been 6 or so years. My partner has been here the same amount of time as well."

She pauses to let that much sink in, before quickly adding. "It seems the bulk of people do not always stay as long. I have had many friends leave before a full year mark."

Re: Voice

[fayblood]

"So most people leave soon, but the ones who are here longer stay a really long time?"

He's trying to figure something out, but he lacks the right vocabulary to easily express it. Shrike's education is, well, largely nonexistent.

[brokencode]

"It would seem that way, though it's far from a hard and fast rule." There's another stretch of silence. Without video, she doesn't feel particularly guilty about lacing and releasing her fingers fitfully.

"Do you want to go home?"

[fayblood]

"Oh, um, I don't know?"

It hadn't really occurred to him to think of that, as Shrike doesn't have much of a concept of 'home' to return to. He's always been going from one thing to another, never really knowing how long each will last.

"But if I'll probably be here longer it'd be good to know that right?"

[brokencode]

She isn't exactly relieved at that answer, considering the fact that it opens up a whole host of additional questions. But at least she doesn't have to worry about another child missing their home.

"It would be wise to prepare for, I think. Do you have appropriate travel supplies or accomodations?"

[fayblood]

Shrike tends to have that affect on people when talking about personal subjects. Not that he realizes it, of course.

"Yeah, we're staying in Azalea Town right now and I make sure we get supplies before we travel."

[brokencode]

"Good, then." Her voice sounds just a touch relieved! "Are you traveling with others, or is it just yourself and your Pokemon?"