DAVE: i wonder if he had like DAVE: friends DIRK: It sounds like he knew a lot of people, at least later in life. DAVE: sure DAVE: i mean im sure he knew rose at some point because obviously they teamed up DAVE: but as fairly old people? DAVE: it sounds as though they only knew each other as a result of their notability DIRK: This seems likely. DAVE: i mean more like the friends i grew up with DAVE: he couldnt have grown up with john or jade as friends because they were already old by the time he got there DAVE: this cool 80s kid fantasy was probably just a lot lonelier than ive been picturing in my sweet daydreams DAVE: i didnt even have the MAYOR god what a nightmare now that i think about it DAVE: i wonder if all he cared about was making ludicrous shit and fighting evil pastry moguls DAVE: do you know if he had any other interests DIRK: Like what? DAVE: i dont know DAVE: did you ever read any urban legends about..... DAVE: paleontology DIRK: Paleontology? DAVE: yes the scientific study of dead shit DIRK: Not that I recall. DAVE: hmm DAVE: i guess he probably didnt do anything with that DAVE: what a shame DAVE: maybe he never even got the idea since he had completely different experiences DAVE: but if i were suddenly dropped back in the 20th century id probably look into it at some point DAVE: i dunno how though DAVE: i think it would be mainly like DAVE: some sort of theraputic interest DAVE: something relaxing to think about instead of a bunch of ironic and stupidly ambitious objectives DIRK: Yeah, like the porn bots. DAVE: yeah exactly DIRK: Maybe some day, when we're both old men, you can live a quiet life tending to your fossils, and I will do the same with my dear collection of simple-minded chat robots fixated on puppet ass. DAVE: sounds like the fucking life to me DIRK: What was the lightning round question this stemmed from again? DIRK: I forget. DAVE: dunno DAVE: maybe were tapering off with the lightning round stuff anyway and its just naturally deteriorating into regular dudechat DIRK: Maybe. DIRK: You sure you don't have anything else before we say it's officially deteriorated? DAVE: k heres a curveball DAVE: what the fuck are you wearing DIRK: My prince gear. DIRK: You know. Leggings, slippers, the poofy asshole pants, a hood with some sort of cloth tiara deal embedded in it. DIRK: Basic stuff for princes, apparently. DAVE: huh DAVE: gotta say DAVE: some of these god tier ensembles really are... DAVE: something DIRK: I thought I hated it at first. DIRK: But over the couple hours I spent flying back, with time to think about all sorts of stuff... DIRK: It kinda grew on me. DIRK: The asshole pants are pretty damn comfortable, so I dunno if I even care how stupid they look. DIRK: And I *am* kind of an asshole, after all. So who am I to complain. DAVE: i thought the same thing about my cape outfit at first DAVE: felt like some bozo from the renaissance festival DAVE: like maybe i should get on a horse and sing a shitty ballad DAVE: but then it grew on me pretty quickly DAVE: hardly ever took it off in three years DAVE: youre right its comfortable and theyre fuckin magic pajamas or whatever and they start to feel like part of who you are after long enough DAVE: i mean they are supposed to last you forever right DAVE: kinda by definition since they come along with immortality DAVE: maybe part of their magical nature includes this insidious quality where they grow on you DAVE: or not i dunno maybe this is bullshit and ill just wear some normal person clothes when this is all over DAVE: what about you are you gonna wear god duds forever DIRK: Nah. I'm sure I'll wear regular stuff again at some point. DIRK: If a shirt with a hat on it can be deemed regular. DAVE: im cool with deeming it as such DAVE: yeah maybe youre right and we should all stop dressing like tools from an infinite magic slumber party for floundering teens DAVE: and just look like standard floundering teens DAVE: some of the getups are pretty out there DAVE: jakes tho... DAVE: uh DAVE: damn?? DIRK: I... DIRK: Yeah. DIRK: That page costume. DIRK: I'd have commented on it, except that would've been casting a stone through a particularly fragile glass wardrobe. DIRK: So... I just flew away. DAVE: yeah there was uh DAVE: some palpable awkwardness there DIRK: Hm. DAVE: sorry im still DAVE: tryin to DAVE: like DAVE: wrap my head around DAVE: ... DIRK: What? DAVE: uh DAVE: dammit DAVE: ok i guess i might have to break one of our lightning round rules DAVE: only a little tho DAVE: i hope DIRK: About what? DIRK: The personal stuff? DAVE: yeah DIRK: That's fine. DAVE: ok maybe im not even asking you anything DAVE: maybe this is just a starting point to ramble to myself DAVE: on a certain topic DAVE: i think... DAVE: there is a SLIGHT chance... DAVE: i may be the biggest idiot in the world DIRK: ? DAVE: when it comes to understanding some things about my bro DAVE: some pieces i never really put together DAVE: about him DAVE: until maybe literally right now DAVE: which i think makes me an objective dumbass DIRK: What does this have to do with me and Jake? DAVE: idk DAVE: nothin DAVE: maybe i dont wanna ask you anything about jake DAVE: maybe ill just keep abiding by the code of basic dude manners on that DAVE: if i bother skirtin the line of this rule maybe id rather ask you other stuff instead DIRK: Like what? DAVE: like DAVE: um DAVE: say one of your best friends is a knucklehead you havent seen in three years DAVE: and unless you use ultra direct and explicit language he just wont put two and two together himself DAVE: and also say ANOTHER best friend is a girl you feel like you had kind of a special relationship with but you ALSO hadnt seen in three years DAVE: and shes asleep DAVE: but at some point shell wake up and youll have to talk to her DIRK: ... DAVE: this is dumb im not making any sense DAVE: lemme start over DAVE: ok lets say DAVE: way back whenever DAVE: howww DAVE: ... DAVE: how did you tell your friends