DESMODENA: ughhh, this is really pissing me off
DESMODENA: i know losing my temper isn't helping but nothing works!
DESMODENA: or if something DOES work, then the stupid cupcake monster immediately catches on and uses it against us

HAKEEM: Yeah...

DESMODENA: we lost padget, who was the most help we had in this stupid simulation, not to mention a dear friend rivaling even mousimillian
DESMODENA: and the truecorp higher ups are CLEARLY just getting off on watching us suffer for as long as they possibly can
DESMODENA: ...aaaaaand now it looks like cakedos is over there cloning itself some more, which is just freaking perfect
DESMODENA: what do we do now?

HAKEEM: I... I DON'T KNOW!
HAKEEM: It really is starting to feel futile.
HAKEEM: Maybe... we just stay on the defensive until we wake up naturally?
HAKEEM: Charging into battle hasn't really worked for us so far.
HAKEEM: Or maybe we're looking at this from the wrong angle.
HAKEEM: What was Padget saying just before they got zapped?

DESMODENA: man, i dunno, its like a whole thing
DESMODENA: people keep telling me that if i want control, "the truth will set me free" and other unhelpful platitudes
DESMODENA: i'm an open book, i've got nothing i need to be more honest about that i have any memory of, and we already know the truth about being stuck in a dream simulation, so... i really don't know what i'm supposed to do with that information

HAKEEM: Hmm. Maybe it's a riddle? Truth and control... TrueCorp... TC...

DESMODENA: yeah honestly i could go my whole life without having to hear the words "true" or "truth" ever again
DESMODENA: it'd definitely be nice to feel in control again though
DESMODENA: tbh sometimes it feels like even my actions are barely my own
DESMODENA: as if half of my ideas are just being funneled directly into my brain by some kind of external influence or something
DESMODENA: but that's probably just the paranoia setting in right?
DESMODENA: being stuck inside your own brain with a bunch of fake memories sure has a way of making you feel crazy
DESMODENA: .......
DESMODENA: "no des, you're not crazy!"
DESMODENA: aww thanks hak, i appreciate the validation, youre a real pal

HAKEEM: Sorry, sorry, I'm just thinking.
HAKEEM: You said they were talking about "control"?

DESMODENA: yep
DESMODENA: i think retaining our memories was mentioned too?
DESMODENA: when i was talking to the creepy smiley truecorp higher up guy, his ghost brother said something about memories and needing the truth to set us free in order to take control, or something along those lines
DESMODENA: in other words the most vague, broad, unhelpful shit possible