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ARADIA: think about how you wield time

ARADIA: are you thinking about it

DAVEBOT: yeah

ARADIA: what is a classic dave strider maneuver

DAVEBOT: like in a fight or what

ARADIA: combat is just one facet of our lives 0_0

ARADIA: but if it helps you then sure in a fight

DAVEBOT: ok say im going to town on some clown (not literal)

DAVEBOT: head to head

DAVEBOT: exchanging blows

DAVEBOT: who will come out on top

ARADIA: what a predicament

DAVEBOT: and i see myself appear behind them and get on all fours

DAVEBOT: so i feint and they take a step back only to topple over like a fuckin jenga tower

DAVEBOT: shouldnt have pulled that block out

DAVEBOT: maybe shoulda tried one of the simple ones from the middle got too ambitious

ARADIA: focus

DAVEBOT: done in by the d mans one and two (i am both of the d mans)

DAVEBOT: but now i know i gotta travel back in time and do that so i wait until the moment they take a swing

DAVEBOT: oh shit now im not there anymore

DAVEBOT: im behind them and i get on all fours and watch myself push them over they topple a second time

DAVEBOT: they take a swing at the me theyre fighting but before they know it poof nice try chucklefuck dave twos gone

DAVEBOT: except theyre not gone theyre me behind them back on all twos ready to rumble

ARADIA: pretty sick

DAVEBOT: it really is

ARADIA: but what if you didnt do that? what if you didnt go back?

DAVEBOT: well that would destroy time

DAVEBOT: i know you know this its actual day one shit

DAVEBOT: you were just bragging about how much universal destruction you have personally been responsible for

ARADIA: yeah haha it is a lot

DAVEBOT: ive doomed timelines before by just not thinking about it too hard

DAVEBOT: people say not to overthink time travel

DAVEBOT: but thats a fools game

DAVEBOT: im tellin you dog

DAVEBOT: stable. time. loops.

ARADIA: i agree

ARADIA: but wouldnt you say that some timelines have to be doomed?

DAVEBOT: i know a couple dead daves who would disagree

ARADIA: but you wouldnt be here without those dead daves

ARADIA: just like i wouldnt be here without all the doomed aradiabots from way back when

ARADIA: actually *you* wouldnt be here without all those doomed aradiabots either

DAVEBOT: yeah thanks for that

ARADIA: youre welcome 0u0

ARADIA: anyway the point im making here is that some of these missteps end up serving a grander purpose

ARADIA: things that seem unimportant or even "wrong" can end up being essential components of whats meant to happen

ARADIA: and who even decides whats wrong in the first place?

DAVEBOT: i dunno megido thats borderline blasphemous

DAVEBOT: even insignificant shit can really mount up in certain circumstances

DAVEBOT: a butterfly flaps its wings the wrong way and shit spirals FAST and before you know it im gay and ashton kutcher is getting fucking euthanized

DAVEBOT: and i cant let that happen

ARADIA: whats the right way for a butterfly to flap its wings?

DAVEBOT: the way that doesnt make me gay

DAVEBOT: period

ARADIA: you say a lot of really funky stuff man

DAVEBOT: good point sensei

DAVEBOT: actually i knew that already

ARADIA: yeah i knew that you knew that dipshit!

ARADIA: its your silly response to like every other statement anyone makes and it is getting pretty boring!

DAVEBOT: thats the name of the game baby