You really are a huge nerd sometimes. [Says he, who is also a huge nerd.] I think I will pass? Jade tried to explain science to me multiple times and it was always sort of boring, and a regulator sounds the same. If it works, then I trust you to make things right.
[Then again. He trusts Dave with a lot.] ...was Rose still asleep when you came up here?
With the mastery of Time and everything, I know you can feel everything in the alpha timeline. And I know you know how things are supposed to be. But what about other people's timelines? How far does your aspect stretch when it comes to people not-us?
Far. [ it's what it's meant to do. ] Their timelines aren't written on my bones, but if I look I can see...whatever there is to see. If it has to do with time.
...maybe it's not fair to be asking since it's not our world and not our business, but there are some people here that I wish it was easier to say "yeah, that was supposed to happen and everything will turn out the way it is supposed to." It's a universal thing that bad things happen to good people, but it would make more sense if you could say "yes, this was the right choice even though it caused this thing to happen." Or even an idea of how off the timeline would go if you made a different choice.
Why do you think I wanted you to come up? [Because it's better than being alone. It's better than wondering.] I know that. Somehow you always have been even for the dumbest shit. Like, not that this is dumb shit but I mean other stuff.
[...] At first when we were on the ship, I thought that Davesprite was a Dave. And he is, like he's just bird-you, I get it. He's who you would have been in a different timeline. Davesprite is still a dude that went backwards in time to rescue my stupid ass and then doomed himself because that's what Dave would have done. But the thing is. Davesprite is different than you are. Even though you're both still Daves. And Davesprite wasn't the Dave I wanted around for the last three years, and. [And. And, and, and. "And when the timeline gets fixed, what if I get a different Dave again?" It's stupid and childish and not something he's going to talk about, not when he has bigger fish to fry.] And it makes you wonder about other people's timelines and what point in theirs does the split happen to change who a person is in one timeline and who they are in another.
[...and finally:] How much trouble do you think I would be in if I dropkicked a contract-dispensing deity thing?
[ it's a statement that would kill davesprite and one he probably knew was true. and dave feels for the guy, but it is also something he desperately wants to be true, for his sake. he doesn't want to be one of an interchangeable bargain bin of daves for john or rose or jade or a replacement for someone else or anything like that. selfishly, he wants to be the one who matters to them, like they do to him.
And you were making fun of me for being supportive of everything you could ever want. [But he looks at his hands.] She didn't deserve this. Even knowing, sure, she would have done it but she doesn't deserve a bad ending when the whole point was changing so she could help people.
[Dave, Rose and Jade didn't deserve a bad ending either.] How far are timelines prewritten?
Madoka. [ she, and someone john cares about this much, and someone with weird time shit going on. dave shakes his head. ] Wrong question. There isn't...there's no start. It's this infinite thing set in stone - even some of the rewrites, the ones Megido and I did. You're the only thing that wasn't written down, how you change things. Everything has always already happened and has always already been meant to.
I didn't know that I would end up with this stupid powers, dude. That wasn't a thing I planned on and now it's even worse than ever. I know it will be fine because it has to be, but I don't want to fuck it up either. I don't want to change the wrong things, and that's why I need to see Typheus and figure things out. ["I don't want to change the wrong things. I don't want to erase everyone out of existence."]
So what you're saying is that universes are one stable time loop that we're just stuck living in and there is no way that we could save her if she isn't meant to be saved. Or anyone.
No, [ and he isn't lying because he won't about his aspect ] because I don't know what rules her universe operates by and you can change things. I don't know how Terezi planned to do it, but Rose and I are here. She sees the best path and I...I'm the time guy. And you can change things.
[ he doesn't know if madoka is already doomed or not. but. ]
If she isn't dead yet you can change things and save her. That's always an option. Her universe may be less...idiosyncratic. And whatever you change in our world, I - [ won't ever see it ] trust you.
I can't alter reality here, I think. I mean I haven't tried, I'm. ["Scared" isn't the right word. Uncertain, yes, but that's something else.] Pretty sure it wouldn't work the way here it does back there, however the fuck it's supposed to go.
She's not dead yet but...we don't know what will happen to her, and maybe it seems stupid now since she is a literal magical girl and can defend herself but I want to make sure nothing bad happens to her here in case it doesn't stop where she is from. If I can fix our own timeline, I want to fix things here, too.
[...those are very weighted words though.] ...we can talk about fixing our world later, right? I think I'm just wondering about too much. We talk about this too much.
[Mostly because he keeps bringing it up and then not knowing how to proceed, but he knows that.] After a while, I stopped understanding Jade and Davesprite and how they worked together. She's the one who told me that he was different than you, but at the same time it was still weird to be thinking that she was dating a different version of you no matter what she said. I wanted her to be happy and at first it was kind of funny, but I think that was when I really noticed the difference between him and you. We talked about it. Jade and the differences between her and Jadesprite. But sometimes I wonder if she still didn't really understand.
...If you ever want to talk about it. [ no judgement, and no indication as to whether or not he knows why john keeps backing away from the topic.
dave's the time player, though. he remembers saying that they'd probably have their first ever fight whenever they finally confronted the issue.
for now, he shifts, deciding to lie back and kind of eye john as he tries to think what to say. ]
I don't know. About Jade, and Davesprite, and whatever the fuck. Like, I argued it both ways, about him bein' me and not, but I do know better than anyone how every version of me is...different. [ experiences he didn't have. ] And I do not really know what to think about one of y'all datin' some alternate version of myself, really, when it comes down to it? I wouldn't say it's like one of my biggest fears, but it is maybe related to it sideways.
I know. [It's quiet but firm. They're not doing this right now. Not when he doesn't think it's important to rock the boat further. He lets Dave lay back but remains upright, humming in agreement.]
Yeah. I wouldn't date an alternate version of you and obviously Rose wouldn't either, but I think maybe it's a sprite thing? I don't know. Like no offense to you and whatever, but he was kind of a shitty stand-in for my best friend. [He raises an eyebrow.] Worried about a little competition, Strider?
No. [ yes? except that isn't it, not exactly. it's maybe the idea of being so seamlessly replaced and it wouldn't even be a thing he could mind because it would be him taking his own place. it's the idea of losing them and being lost. it's knowing john is going to have to do it to all of them. it's the idea of being a version of himself who lost all of them.
it's that they're the first three people who ever cared, and the thought of losing any of them is anathema. ]
Nah. [Not exactly. He does worry about what it means to have different versions of his friends, knowing that's a real possibility and being the outlier. He does worry about being the outsider when the three of them played their game and have memories he doesn't have, fitting into a life that wasn't meant to be his. Taking the place of another John. It's not what he ever though would happen, but it's a real possibility. In the same way that Davesprite was never his, if he does erase everyone...would they feel the same?]
Unless the alternate version of me had better tastes in movies, then I might be a little concerned. [He's trying. He's desperately trying to stay as calm and carefree about it and not let it bother either of them, make a joke out of it and back away from that very real possibility.]
You should be. I'd instantly replace you. [ he wouldn't and couldn't. it's impossible to contemplate not liking any version of john egbert, but it is equally impossible for dave strider as he is in this moment to contemplate not wanting his version. the one who has lived through the same moments and matched up to his time as much as anyone can. ]
How terrifying. [Dryly. But there's a real grin anyway because he's pretty sure they feel the same in that regard. Joke about it, never could make it happen. It's just unfortunate that reality is a thing.] At least being here is broadening our cinematic tastes or whatever. There's still a lot in the theater we haven't seen either.
Yeah, but I've known that since we were ten. [He finally shifts to lay back, too, but he turns his head to look at Dave instead.] ...what're you thinking? [Why are you looking at him, Dave.]
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You really are a huge nerd sometimes. [Says he, who is also a huge nerd.] I think I will pass? Jade tried to explain science to me multiple times and it was always sort of boring, and a regulator sounds the same. If it works, then I trust you to make things right.
[Then again. He trusts Dave with a lot.] ...was Rose still asleep when you came up here?
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She was. Why? [ does he need to wake rose up? ]
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[...] I want to ask you something. About time and timelines.
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You can ask whatever.
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[...] I was just wondering, never mind.
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[...] At first when we were on the ship, I thought that Davesprite was a Dave. And he is, like he's just bird-you, I get it. He's who you would have been in a different timeline. Davesprite is still a dude that went backwards in time to rescue my stupid ass and then doomed himself because that's what Dave would have done. But the thing is. Davesprite is different than you are. Even though you're both still Daves. And Davesprite wasn't the Dave I wanted around for the last three years, and. [And. And, and, and. "And when the timeline gets fixed, what if I get a different Dave again?" It's stupid and childish and not something he's going to talk about, not when he has bigger fish to fry.] And it makes you wonder about other people's timelines and what point in theirs does the split happen to change who a person is in one timeline and who they are in another.
[...and finally:] How much trouble do you think I would be in if I dropkicked a contract-dispensing deity thing?
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his response is instant: ]
None. Because Rose and I would help you.
[ no questions asked, they would. ]
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And you were making fun of me for being supportive of everything you could ever want. [But he looks at his hands.] She didn't deserve this. Even knowing, sure, she would have done it but she doesn't deserve a bad ending when the whole point was changing so she could help people.
[Dave, Rose and Jade didn't deserve a bad ending either.] How far are timelines prewritten?
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I didn't know that I would end up with this stupid powers, dude. That wasn't a thing I planned on and now it's even worse than ever. I know it will be fine because it has to be, but I don't want to fuck it up either. I don't want to change the wrong things, and that's why I need to see Typheus and figure things out. ["I don't want to change the wrong things. I don't want to erase everyone out of existence."]
So what you're saying is that universes are one stable time loop that we're just stuck living in and there is no way that we could save her if she isn't meant to be saved. Or anyone.
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[ he doesn't know if madoka is already doomed or not. but. ]
If she isn't dead yet you can change things and save her. That's always an option. Her universe may be less...idiosyncratic. And whatever you change in our world, I - [ won't ever see it ] trust you.
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She's not dead yet but...we don't know what will happen to her, and maybe it seems stupid now since she is a literal magical girl and can defend herself but I want to make sure nothing bad happens to her here in case it doesn't stop where she is from. If I can fix our own timeline, I want to fix things here, too.
[...those are very weighted words though.] ...we can talk about fixing our world later, right? I think I'm just wondering about too much. We talk about this too much.
[Mostly because he keeps bringing it up and then not knowing how to proceed, but he knows that.] After a while, I stopped understanding Jade and Davesprite and how they worked together. She's the one who told me that he was different than you, but at the same time it was still weird to be thinking that she was dating a different version of you no matter what she said. I wanted her to be happy and at first it was kind of funny, but I think that was when I really noticed the difference between him and you. We talked about it. Jade and the differences between her and Jadesprite. But sometimes I wonder if she still didn't really understand.
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dave's the time player, though. he remembers saying that they'd probably have their first ever fight whenever they finally confronted the issue.
for now, he shifts, deciding to lie back and kind of eye john as he tries to think what to say. ]
I don't know. About Jade, and Davesprite, and whatever the fuck. Like, I argued it both ways, about him bein' me and not, but I do know better than anyone how every version of me is...different. [ experiences he didn't have. ] And I do not really know what to think about one of y'all datin' some alternate version of myself, really, when it comes down to it? I wouldn't say it's like one of my biggest fears, but it is maybe related to it sideways.
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Yeah. I wouldn't date an alternate version of you and obviously Rose wouldn't either, but I think maybe it's a sprite thing? I don't know. Like no offense to you and whatever, but he was kind of a shitty stand-in for my best friend. [He raises an eyebrow.] Worried about a little competition, Strider?
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it's that they're the first three people who ever cared, and the thought of losing any of them is anathema. ]
Not exactly. Would you be?
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Unless the alternate version of me had better tastes in movies, then I might be a little concerned. [He's trying. He's desperately trying to stay as calm and carefree about it and not let it bother either of them, make a joke out of it and back away from that very real possibility.]
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