May questions answered! (Patreon)

I remembered this time...

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Since Ortega apparently races and thinks that Sidestep used to steal fancy cars, has he ever thought about inviting sidestep to watch him race? 

I think Ortega probably has done that in the past, yeah. Maybe Sidestep has even ridden shotgun.

Are you okay/comfortable with people getting tattoos themed off FHR? 

Absolutely.

At the end of Rebirth Chen and Ortega can have a conversation if Ortega thinks the villain has a point; where Chen tries to shut down that line of thinking. If in Retri Chen also starts to think the villain has a point do they rehash this conversation?

I think there is a lot of talking going on behind the scenes, yes. Not as much as they should talk, and certainly not about emotional things, but the villain? Yeah.

Or would Chen consider this topic too dangerous to discuss with Ortega because he’s had concerns about Ortega’s potential to turn villain in the past or because Ortega might do something reckless/dangerous/stupid if they feel this idea was validated?

No, I think Chen would share.

Provided Hollow Ground sees Sidestep in a positive light/as their sibling and Ortega cares for Step, would they be willing to team up to save Sidestep? (from Farm or some other deadly situation). Or is their mutual hatred too big to ever cooperate? 

Ortega is absolutely ready to ally with the devil himself to further their own goals. So yes.

QuIf HG touched Sidestep and said "Your pain gate works" would Sidestep's pain threshold go back to how it used to be?

Yeah, pretty much. Sidestep would know their paingate works, and thus not feel as much pain when it would have crossed it.

Why doesn't taking the name Sidestep increase SD clue? Especially if they're a known telepath? 

It's not uncommon that villains take the name of older heroes or villains. There is a finite pool of cool names. And, Regina things that Sidestep would never be THAT stupid or obvious.

Does HG know not to try threading Shroud? 

HG knows rumors about Shroud since she's been working for Lord Ember for a while. They would not chance it.

Why were Ortega and Anathema ignoring the tension between Sidestep and Chen? Is Ortega still ignoring it? Are Herald and Argent aware of it? 

It's the kind of thing that is hard to bring up, even if you notice it. Think to your own work, class or friend group? Would you corner anyone who you thought might dislike another friend but didn't act on it openly? That's not something most people do.

Does 'shaken' make Chen afraid of Sidestep? It's one thing to assume they're always using telepathy on you, it's another to have it used offensively against you, and everyone else in the building. 

Not afraid. Just re-evaluating a lot of things.

How experienced is Argent in romance/sex? Is she a virgin?

Absolutely she is.

You’ve said a few times Anathema noticed similarities between themselves and Step; did anyone else notice these similarities and did it lead to any theories about Step and Anathema having similar pasts?

I mean I think other people noticed, and draw the conclusion they might have fucked-up pasts. But not to the point of imagining they were connected, or anything like that. Few boosts are well-adjusted and come from good homes.

Following on from that were there any heroes from Steps vigilante days have a theory that was close to the truth of them being a rouge experiment?

Yes. One. Not telling who yet.

Do people affected by Projects Stripes experience the same unpleasant effects of the Boost drug like increased cancer rates, infertility, etc?

Yes.

Ortega tells us that Argent doesn’t have any friends outside of the Rangers, is that actually true? Is she lonely?

It is pretty much true. She has acquaintances, but she can't allow people to get close. And yes, she is lonely.

From what I've been able to piece together it seems like Dove was active back in the old days? Did she ever have any run-ins with the Rangers or vigilante Sidestep?

Not really, she was mostly a thief back then, not in the Ranger's league.

If Charge had decided to prioritize following Sidestep up during heartbreak, do you think Steel would have still survived?

No.

Does Vera's opinion of Charge change at all between Julia and Ricardo?

Not much.

Does Arde like music?

I think they do. Probably country. Don't ask me why, that just popped in my head and fitted.

Do you think there are any boosts who's powers basically turned them into a vampire? Blood drinking and weakness to sunlight specifically, take or leave all the other stuff.

I think that has probably happened once or twice.

In regards to Fighter vs Tactician Steps: Would either of those stem from their Farm training? Like, as a Cuckoo, would Step's training have been more tactics oriented, and are Fighter Steps more self-taught?

I think it is more about their own preferences.

How feasible would it be for a Re-Gene to escape overseas, be they blue or cuckoo?

Unless they had powers that helped, it would be hard.

It's been said before that some blue Re-Genes resent the Cuckoos for various reasons. How common is that attitude among them? Is it common, or are most Blue-Genes accepting of Cuckoos?

I don't know. It's at least a loud minority.

Was it common for Cuckoos to be trained together at all or were they kept more isolated from all other Re-Genes in general? More isolated in general, if nothing else because there were so few of them.

How many people working at the Farm are aware that Re-Genes are sapient? Are the vast majority of them in denial?

Denial or don't care.

Which path you looking forward to writing most?

That varies depending on mood, sometimes I want sappy romance, other times depressed raccoon, other times just anger and destruction or mirthful competence.

I think you've said before that it might be possible for Step to willingly stay in the puppet body? Would such a thing be a guaranteed early ending for the story, or could such a puppetStep remain into book 4? 

It will probably not happen. Too much escalation.

Is it possible for a Traumatic Boost Response to end up killing the boost?

Absolutely.

Any more links to merch/cool art stuff about the game? I love owning stuff that's got FHR on it 

I don't think so at the moment? But if people are considering making stuff, just reach out. I am not averse to let people do it, as long as you ask first.

I remember you saying that you have your own personal sidestep. What are they like?

Charlie is an angry depressed mess who wants to blow up everything. Very destructive. This is his playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6FDWi6EE8WRghOBXFUrWAo?si=c609fb9bcb154135

In regards to the "hg's sibling" plotline, does that mean that we actually think we're their sibling or are we merely stringing hg and/or Ortega along? 

Stringing along. Sidestep remember the tank days.

Regarding the vices, are they simply flavor text or are they able to get better/worse like the hb scars?

Mostly flavor, but some might get into worse territories.

What happens to catfiend if you don't release him during the auction?

The gun is still there, unfired. Might come into play in Revelations.

For the ROs- who would sacrifice the world to save sidestep and who would sacrifice sidestep to save the world? 

Spoilers. But I would point out that without a world, Sidestep would have nowhere to love.

Anathema is dead？ But seem she is still here some how as a ghost with sidestep.

Sidestep saw Anathema die. As for what Sidestep sees when they're unconscious, that is unclear.

When sidestep killed Void what was they look liked in the Void eyes ？

Beautiful.

Will we give a new villain name as the story continue？

I don't think so.

Still wonder what choice you will give in book 3 as sidestep power grow stronger？ 

You'll see.

Was project stripes done to an unknowing control group or did you have to sign up for it? 

The people involved had NO idea. Still don't.

If Sidestep said they can't see themselves as human or Re-Gene, but as something less, how would everyone feel about it? 

Bad, probably? Sounds like depression talking.

Piggy backing off of the question if the ros would choose the world or sidestep, how would they feel is Sidestep chose them with little hesitation? What about Ardie and Mortum? 

Same answer as above.

How does Chen feel about Sidestep's surgical scars? What about everyone else? And would other ROs be just as interested in their tattoos as Ortega? 

Everyone in the cast is quite used to scars. Some like them (Daniel), some ignore them (Argent), some doesn't think about them (Ortega). I think Chen just sees them as routine, something that is there. Neither good or bad. A testament to survival. Daniel would think the tattoos were pretty.

Cause I forgot to ask, how would Chen feel if we got Spoon Steel themed pajamas? What if we're out as the villain for Chen and give Spoon villain pajamas? Would Ortega dress Spoon in charge merch?  

Spoon is a well-dressed dog, Chen thinks that sort of thing is cute.

I need the dynamic duo back together as well (Spoon and Rat King), so will there be more interactions with them both?

At least in certain paths.

Would Chen honestly have tried to rescue Sidestep if he knew they were alive?

Chen is not sure, and that disturbs him.

If Chen and/or Ortega knew Sidestep was definitely alive, what was their realistic chance of trying to rescue Step (either peacefully or forcefully), if rescue at all? For some reason, I’m thinking, metaphorically, of Ortega ringing the Farm’s doorbell pretending to sell candy to get the youth off the street as a ploy to breakend.

Spoilers, not letting you know the Farm's capabilities.

The Unforgivable scene seems to be for a guilty-crashed Step who gets rescued. Is there going to be a different variation for Sidesteps who let the puppet crash, but told Ortega they are a re-gene? Also, will Chen still reveal what he knew to Ortega eventually? I think I have only seen bits of the Chen-Ortega reveal with a crashed Step.

It is one single option, yeah. No variables. Things will happen or won't happen depending on the path in the game, most things will never get written or seen. But people will start sharing more in general.

Depending on your Retribution game choices, Step can tap into what Chen saw/heard during Heartbreak. Are there going to be any other variations of that if you didn’t see that in Retribution? As if you were not so friendly with Chen.

The truth (or a lot of it) about the Heartbreak incident will be dealt with in this book. So there might be other options for other info.

I know Danny does a lot of his heroing for his brother, but did he ever have a plan of approaching Sidestep when he first moved to Los Diablos and Step was alive? Or, was he just going to focus on becoming a hero, and it would just be a dream come true if they crossed paths?

The latter.

Might be more for the headcanons, but how did Sidestep pop up on the Rangers’ radar? Seems like they started with vigilante work on accident with a few robbers and drug dealers. Helped someone out and got enough fuzzy feelings to keep going. Were they ever trying to do their own larger/planned missions? Also, how fast did the Rangers pick-up on their telepathy?

It is headcanon, but I have seen a lot of cute art of that first meeting. My favorite is Ortega getting robbed and then Sidestep clobbering the robber and Ortega being wtf about it while Sidestep panicked because they couldn't read Ortega (Yes Lazy, your art is wonderful). The telepathy was a long ting coming, it took years for that to seep out. Sidestep was just a really good fighter for most of that time.

If Daniel were being watched over by his brother in the same way Themmy may or may not be watching over Sidestep, how would he feel about his brother dating Sidestep?

Oh there are a lot of assumptions in that question I am not touching, but I will say if Daniel's brother was still alive, he would NOT approve of his brother dating Sidestep.

It was said previously that Daniel's brother would be frustrated and angry at Danny dating Sidestep. Why?

Jealousy. Frustration. He wouldn't like Daniel being that successful, or having that sort of "game" so to speak.

How does the farm dispose of dead ReGenes?

Remove what organs/limbs that could still be usable, rend the rest down to the core components.

Are there places in the world where if you're found to be boosted, you end up in prison because that in and of itself is proof that you used illegal substances? If so, which places are they? 

Oh yes. But it would just as likely be because it is illegal to BE boosted, not just because of the illegal substances. Many countries deal with boosted individuals just like they would someone owning a tank or an rpg. Unless you're licensed and have a permit, you'll end up in jail. I haven't decided which places deal with things like that, but I do think the EU has pretty stringent regulations. Harmless boosts might get licensed, but dangerous or intrusive ones might be deported or detained.

Do cults like Void's take any measure to prevent the creation of a new Catastrofiend or something even worse?

No, some would argue that would be a cool thing to be happen.

Will we get the opportunity to potentially give the other ROs nicknames in the future, or will that be reserved just for Ortega?

I am planning nicknames for all, it's a small thing.

How does the Rat King feel about Dr Mortum?

Very curious. Got interesting vibes.

On the topic of naming the villain persona "Sidestep" or "Anathema", how often do copycat named Enhanced show up, either on the original side or switched?

I think it's not uncommon. Cool names are few and far between, and many wants to capitalize on someone else's fame.

Per the lore story did Daniel try to talk to a Sidestep he thought was possessed? Or did he keep it quiet as to not alert/alarm them before he knew more?

Spoilers.

How would Daniel describe his relationship with Marek? Asset? Ally? Shady friend?

Ally with a hint of asset and shady friend.

Do you know how Chen would deal with a twintega situation? How would their dynamics look when both Ricardo and Julia are in the picture? Would Julia notice Chen's crush on Ric and play wingman to get him to date her brother?

I rarely think about AU's, I leave that to the readers. I don't want to get invested in AU's when I need to be invested in the main story. But Julia would absolutely notice Chen's crush and wingman him with her brother.

Since their voice will probably never be mentioned how would Step having a vastly different accent compared to HG & their ancestry & insisting it's real affect HG/Ortegas "HGs long lost sibling" theories? And would HG attempt to do anything about it? 

Ortega wouldn't listen to that explanation, obviously the accent is faked to throw off people who are suspicious. HG would notice, and look into things. But, people have been known to change their accents after traumatic injuries (check out foreign accent syndrome) so it's not unheard of.

I remember in previous QnAs that you've said you have several versions of Sidestep you keep in mind for writing different dialogues/paths in the stories. Can you tell us about them?

It is always changing, depending on what my brain projects at the moment. The Sidesteps of four years ago are not the same as the ones today, and things shift in and out. Right now they are very tied to my playlists, and have a lot to do with writing mood.

What's the Enhanced peacekeeping community(vigilante or deputized) like on the East Coast?

Vigilantes are rare and illegal on the East Coast. They are treated pretty much the same as villains, and they need to be very secretive about what they are up to. People might love some of them, but the government does not. In general, the Enhanced community is a lot smaller out east, the laws are harsher, the official teams more rigidly controlled, and the police has more things in hand. I would say that the main enhanced community is integrated within the police/FBI, and treated as separate units/armaments within it.

Has Daniel ridden a bicycle since he began flying? Does his powers mess with his balance on a bike? Or is it more like his driving skills (ie he never learned)?

Oh boy! I don't think Daniel has ridden a bicycle since he was a kid. I think it might be hard for him now, his powers would mess with the experience.

Is Mortum allowing a friendly or romanced puppet into their lab a very rare thing or something they feel comfortable with most people they think they can trust due to their security measures?

I would say it is a rare thing indeed. There are few people Mortum trusts with that, less than a handful. They have been betrayed in the past, that leaves scars.

Is it going to be possible for Sidestep to invite Mia to their base for an interview? 

I don't know! Most likely not though, that's a private space. So it might just remain in headcanons.

From the last answer in the QnA about HG’s red threads acting as a metaphorical cast for a broken leg that is Nocturne’s mind; is that leg actually healing? Or is it just kept in a cast that keeps coming apart over time?

That's the terrifying thing: There's no way of knowing until they are removed. And Nocturne is not sure she's willing to take that chance.

What kind of documentaries does Chen like watching? Nature? Engineering? History? West Coast Mysteries?

Nature and Engineering I think. Physical things. Science.

If Anathema had survived heartbreak, would they have stayed in the Rangers? How would they react to hearing Sidestep also survived 7 years later? 

Anathema would have stayed in the Rangers, and Sidestep would have gotten the biggest hug. To the point of having to be peeled off.

Was Iris expecting the hero museum to get hit opening night?

Nope, that came out of left field.

Does the emergence of a villain persona going by "Sidestep", increase public(and maybe Farm) interest and scrutiny into the history of Sidestep's vigilante days?

I would say marginally yes, but like I said earlier, it's not uncommon for names to get reused. There's probably been like six villains called "The Destroyer," maybe more than one at once.

Has 5 Pennies partaken of Void blood?

No.

Did Lady Argent move from San Francisco to Los Diablos because she got an opportunity to join the Rangers or was she already in LD when they recruited her?

She moved to Los Diablos after she got hired.

Sometimes people have personality traits or behavioral quirks that are eerily similar to those of people they’re genetically related to, even if they’ve never met. Does Sidestep have anything like this in regards to HG and their family?

That would depend on the Sidestep. Since I am writing HG a certain way, while Sidestep can vary depending on the player, some Sidesteps might have a lot in common with them, while others nothing at all.

If Anathema had survived and stayed in the Rangers, would Lady Argent have been offered the position on the Rangers or would she be declined due to her filling a very similar niche to Anathema?

She would still have been given the offer.

If Ortega hadn't already decided it was HG that kidnapped Step after heartbreak. Would they have pried harder into why Step disappeared after they returned?

I think after Sidestep returned, Ortega was far too focused on the present and future to worry about the past.

is psychopathor familiar enough with step's telepathy that if he sensed it, he would recognize it as sidestep? like the way step is wary of touching Steel's mind because he's so familiar with them.

No. Sidestep has changed so much there's really no similarity.

Does anything like fear toxin from the Batman comics exist in the FHR-verse?

Not exactly sure of what that is, but from the name, I can guess. I think so, mind-altering poisons and gas is such a staple that I think it would exist here too. Especially with the more advanced biotech.

Would Mortum do coordinated/couples costumes for their annual holiday parties? 

Absolutely.

Are events with multiple heroes in attendance (ex: more official events like the museum opening, or more personal gatherings such as Ortega’s upcoming birthday party) generally at higher risk of attack from villains who may want to make a big splash/attempt to take out a lot of heroes at once, or are they broadly assumed to be safer due to the presence of so many heroes?

I would say that might be the case, though some would argue that having heroes present might also deter people. There's probably some risk consultants that has lots of numbers and graphs of the pros and cons.

Are there powers that give definitive answers to questions that religions claimed to have a monopoly on (powers that answer questions about life after death like talking to the dead, or being able to teleport to some afterlife; as an example)? How have the major world religions responded to any boosts coming forth with evidence that contradicts their worldview?

There are boosts that claims it, but there's no more proof that they are telling the truth any more than any preacher with faith does.

Are 5 gates considered the 'safety limit' for opening them? Is that why the people experimenting on Heartbreak only opened 5 with them to start with before opening the other gates? Are there physical strains on a person opening the gates, and do they worsen with the more opened? Does lowering the person's body temp help them deal with that strain? 

Hmmm it's one of those things that there's no safe level really. When will the danger become too much to stomach? Who knows. I am certainly not going to give any clues. But more open ones are certainly worse. As for physical strain... hmm... I wouldn't say directly, lowering body temperature more helps deal with the mental strain. Like sedating someone before surgery. The hibernation reflex can be triggered if you know how, just like how newborns reflexively hold their breath under water.

If Sidestep never came back and argent's physical concerns weren't a problem, which Ranger do you think would have the hardest time getting a long term, stable relationship? The easiest?

The hardest? Ortega. The easiest? Herald.

If the telepaths were still around and worked together, could they heal the Zone and to what extent?

I assume this is about the Heartbreak site? If so, no.

Was the truck crashing into Step outside Parkfield caused by a force external to Step?

I mean a truckdriver is pretty much an external force, but I think I know what you mean. Did someone nudge the odds of that happening? Then the answer is yes.

You've said Chen has several osseointegrated mods, alongside the neural interface port, and you've also spoken about mod neural load. Chen has a high tolerance for mods, but does he need to take anti-rejection medication to ensure that mod rejection doesn't occur, and if so, does he has a slightly weakened immune system and need to take antibiotics as a result? 

No, Chen manages without anti-rejection drugs. This is one reason he can tolerate that many. His immune system is still a bit wonky from it though, his injuries do occasionally flare up (focused specifically on his intestinal system) and he gets the odd infection at various sites that do need antibiotics.

Could we get a specific year when Sentinel retired please? The Kinetik dossier has him talking to Herald in 2018 about getting married, but in a March 2023 QnA he was in the last days of active duty when Chen was nearly assassinated, and previously in a April 2022 ask he announced his retirement alongside the proposal to his girlfriend. Did he retire first and hang about in LD for a bit before he left for the Cascade mountains, or something else? 

He promised his girfriend to retire when he proposed, the problem was that life got in the way, and he felt he needed to stay on longer than planned in order to help tide things over for the new team. I think he retired and moved for real a year and a half or so after Heartbreak.

Were there any large scale threats like the Void cult or Nanosurge in the years Sidestep was gone? If any, how were they dealt with?

No idea! I have not made up any in my head.

If things were like how Ortega theorized and Sidestep was HG's sibling, would HG have been proud of Sidestep's accomplishments or horrified at the danger Sidestep was constantly in?

Proud. The little shit is stepping up.

The minds of dogs are kind and happy, while the minds of seagulls are apparently madness itself, but what about other animals? If Sidestep were to go to a zoo and explore the minds of the residents, what would they find? What would be their thoughts on lions? Penguins? Exotic fish?

Fish have no minds as far as Sidestep is concerned. I think Penguins would be stressful, they really feel like they'd be filled with barely constrained stress. Lions, hmm... I think any zoo animal would be a stressed experience, at least if they are used to large habitats. I think SIdestep would avoid zoos like the plague, it would remind them too much of the farm.

We see that Step diving into HG's mind results in them getting pulled into it (and needing to be fished out by HG or Rat King).

  -Is this phenomena similar to the way HB was pulled into Step's mind during the HB incident?

  -Can this occur with other telepaths, or is it a Step-exclusive hazard?

  -Can non-telepaths pull or be pulled in? 

Oh this is an interesting question! I would say that yes, this phenomena is indeed similar to what happened during the Heartbreak incident. It is not an exclusively Sidestep thing, it can happen to other telepaths too. It is a question of feedback, of synergy. Mental waves overlapping and growing in sync, sometimes surprising the people involved with the strength of the connection. Telepath on telepath violence is always a risk. On the other hand, it might as well go the other way around, with the telepaths bouncing off each other's shields like rain on an umbrella, or two similar poles of a magnet trying to touch. As a final note I will say that weird things happens when you break the surface tension of a telepathic mind. This is not something that happens to non-telepaths. Or, well, non-psychics, there might be telepathy-related boosts with similar effects.

Self indulgent ask but. How does Ortega respond to/what's going on in their head if a regene copy relationship step flirts with them in and outside of the armor? How does past relationship affect how Ortega's taking it?

Oh that is something you need to explore in game. When it comes to asks like this, about characters inner workings about optional paths in the game that might happen, I rarely have an answer until I have written it. And, even if I did, I would only say that it is something you need to find out in game. I'm not going to tell the future story in asks and remove the tension in game.

How are you anticipating letting players fake being red threaded by HG in book 3 for those who were able to brush it off, but pretend it took? Will it be a matter of just selecting options that “agree” with HG as to not raise alarms that they aren’t in control, or will it be a bit more in-depth and distinct in-text that you’re playing them?

It will be both picking choices that wouldn't tip HG off, and I am planning to add a tag where you can knowingly play them if you noticed they were trying to thread you, to differ from the times when Sidestep had good shields but knew nothing about what happened.

Were there any LD Rangers who joined after HB, but left before Sidestep returned?

Hmmm. I don't think so. I do think there might have been a test candidate or two that didn't work out, though. Not the personal chemistry needed. But, I have no names planned, it might come up in game or not.

Is the reason that makes Lord Ember unthreadable, the same reason that allows him to work safely with Shroud?

Yes.

If the rangers had to guess Sidestep's Ljungstrand classification what would they put down?

The Rangers don't even know something like that exist!

Has Chen ever brought Spoon to play with Elena's dogs?

Oh yes! Cue Spoon zooming for fifteen minutes, then sleeping in the shade the rest of the day. He does NOT have the stamina compared to her farm dogs, though he is faster.

Is Snowball double Boosted?

Ehehhehe. Bingo. That she is.

Could the current LD Ranger quartet win against a standard combat Regene deployment? Or against the Regene team sent to deal with Psychopathor in book 1? 

It would depend a lot on the circumstances. But prepared team vs prepared team? Yes. But it would be tough as hell, and might require Argent to go... weird.

Would Snowball vaporize a vet trying to help her?

See. Maybe. Maybe not. But as Snowball hasn't needed a vet, that hasn't come up.

So how does Argent sleep exactly?

On good days, like normal people. On bad days, she has a containment pod. It looks a bit like those cryofreeze beds in science fiction movies.

What’s Bo/Rosies role in the mob boss’ crew? It’s mentioned that Bo got promoted from driver but iirc it’s never mentioned what they do now, are they like a consigliere/advisor to Step now plus a backup driver/muscle?

I would say they are the backup what their previous role were, as well as... hmmm... middle manager? Advisor? Trusted ear? Pelayo runs the military/team side, the puppet is the talker, and Bo/Rosie is the support for both? They both have villain contacts, they have both had their own careers, and they are tough/skilled enough to operate on their own if needed.

What’s Wards deal? I’ve seen it mentioned that they give bad vibes to the civilians in Steps base but they seem pretty normal to me especially compared to ZaZa

Ward's statement-piece claw arm tends to freak civilians out. There's too much flesh/metal interface, and none of it hidden or smooth. A bit Mad Max vibes which Ward absolutely encourages.

Since there’s sometimes an overlap between the targets of Thief & Boss Steps have Vera & Bosses ever unknowingly crossed paths?

Oh yes. Might add in more backstory in the future.

Does the mob crew actually have any territory or is that Step posturing/being full of themselves?

I would say yeah, haven't detailed it yet, but most gangs tends to have things like a favorite bar, hangouts, and places where they feel they are safe. Still unsure how to chart that, playing around with a few ideas.

Approximately how big do you think an book 4 ending version of mobboss!Sidestep's organization will get in terms of manpower and territory?

Los Diablos might be your sandbox.

If Mortum were actually only visible on Trans Visibility Day, would they still be out there villaining?

Look, near permanent invisibility would be a handy power. I think Dr. Mortum would still be active then. And a lot better funded.

What kind of models for dampeners are there? Are there types that always keep the same level of interference no matter what is happening? Are they more or less common than ones that seemingly adapt to how much telepathic activity they're suppressing? Is there a scale to measure how much telepathy they can suppress before a telepath becomes too powerful? Do different models have different ranges of their effectiveness?

I would say there are several models, but I think there's only one main manufacturer open for civilian purchases. It's a specialized field, and you need lots of security credentials for people to trust buying something like this that you can't even see/sense working. The difference between models is mainly strength and range. These two are related, but not entirely.

The field strength has a lot to do with how "steady" the signal can be kept, no matter the interference. Think of it like the clarity of a radio signal. The high strength ones tends to be for places like prisons, high-security facilities and the like. They can completely block any telepathy at the highest strength. These are the dampeners Sidestep would associate with the Farm. Just a solid block, weighing down on their brain. The lower strength ones are a lot cheaper, but the field can vary. It is more focused at disturbing the "signal," making it impossible to read clear thoughts, but not inhibiting telepathic powers entirely. These are what Sidestep encountered when fighting Blaze, or at the Auction. The "storm" that they can navigate with the Rat-King's help if they are strong enough. These dampeners are enough to stop industrial spies, cheating at gambling, and preserve people's privacy. Sidestep might be strong enough to circumvent them with effort.

The range has more to do with how strong the "speakers/projectors" are. This part saps a LOT of power, so few get a bigger model when needed. Once the dampeners are far enough to reach the limit of their range the effect drops off fast. Oh, it can still be felt, but not that far outside. It's not like sound, with a gradual lessening of the effect. It's more like a lantern on a dark night, outside the circle of light it goes dark quick.

Did it take time for Danny to enjoy his new gift of flight after losing Josh?

He wish he could say yes, but the truth is that even with all the misery during those months after the "accident," even with the loss of his brother, the skin-grafts, his parents disapproval, even then flight was an unfiltered delight. The most wonderful thrill. His greatest joy.

What does the Green Sky cult think about Boosted Animals?

There is a split there, I think. Some thinks it should be celebrated, others that they should be exterminated for mocking what humans will become.

Has anyone noticed and thought it strange that Step and Puppet are never in the same room together?

No. No reason to. They are not connected. (If they had, I would not tell you anyway, what Ortega knows stays with them.)

Is it unheard of for some boosts to use their powers to get unique and obscure jobs? For example, could a completely hypothetical telepath potentially be able to find work as some kind of human-animal translator?

Oh that is quite common I think, especially for the more "normal" boosts who doesn't get anything super strong. The issue tends to be that the people driven to take the boost drugs often have issues to start with.

Does Chen wear tight t-shirts when off duty on purpose? Why? I need to know for uh. Scientific purposes.

I do think Chen does that, he's not beyond knowing he can look good despite his mods and scars.

Will a non mob boss Sidestep ever encounter the mob boss crew on their own adventures?

I don't know!

What do the HG trio think about the villain's armor styles?

You'll get to find that out if you interact with them in game. HG is already judging some choices...

For Sidesteps who lean into being HG's pseudo-sibling, will HG try to bankroll armor upgrades to keep their new family member safe? 

HG can absolutely be a source of money.

Is HG aware of the crash in all the book 2's end states?

Yes.

So, if sidestep transferred the memories one person had when taking the boost drug to another person who was currently taking the boost drug, would the person with the altered memory have a similar boost to the original?

No.

What was Elena's reaction to Sidestep and Ortega showing up with Snowball?

Surprise. Concern. Sympathy. She does not condone animal cruelty.

Are any otherwise-innocuous powers stereotyped as "villain" powers? If so, is it due to association with real historical villains, trends in superhero media, or some other reason?

Well, in general any power that controls/influences other people gets a bad rep. Telepathy, pheromones, things like that. Even though there have been heroes with these powers, they tend to evoke an almost reflexive terror in people. Losing control of your body and mind is bad.

Is Argent not worried that using the regenerator might lead to her losing her powers?

Yes, she is.

If we're not at the auction itself, does Shroud's still lose an arm?

I guess you'll have to see! But if it came to a fight between Shroud and Argent, she would.

Has there been any experiments conducted on using nanovores instead of the boost drugs to boost individuals?

Oh I REALLY hope not. That would be bad.

In a previous QnA it was stated that someone had tried to contaminate the water with the boost drug in the past. Has anyone tried something similar targeting the boosted people instead? 

No.

Can Sidestep change their therapist, if they believe that Ortega has bugged Finch's office? How would Ortega react to it?

I don't know if I'm going to go into that kind of detail! That's a whole new path.

Did another telepath trick Daniel, telling him how to open his mind and project his thoughts while telling him that that is how you build telepathic shields or is he just that bad at shielding his thoughts? How open is his mind to telepathy compared to a random civilian with no form of counter-telepathic training or practice?

This is just how Daniel is. Things like this varies from person to person, there can be random civilians with tough shields, and trained heroes with weak shields. However, there's more to strength of mind than shields.

What's containment/prison like for the Enhanced? Is there an SCP-esque organization dedicated to holding superpowered criminals?

Yeah, there is! Most stronger boosts can't be kept in normal facilities, and I think there are probably some that has to be kept on ice permanently like in Demolition Man. Just keep them asleep and hope for the best. There's a certain amount of human rights that goes out the window when the person might be sitting on what amounts to a personal nuke. For those that can be contained more normally it would just be high security prison, but if they have useful powers? I wouldn't be surprised if there are things like let's say a fire-boost being hooked up to a generator for most of the day, using their powers for "good." Or at least the profit of the private prison.

If we used our nanovres on Argent, how would her own nanvores react? Would they try to assimilate their kin into team Argent? Would they get upset and tattle to Argent that their kin has been neutered?

Oh you will know if you try. The nano vs nano, telepathy vs technopathy scenario is so interesting. I think in the past I have likened it to a fast-draw scenario, but there are so many variants and outcomes. Not going to tell you though, but oh, I have thoughts.

Does Argent need to pre-program a new form that she wants to take (like when she wants to add a new arm replacement weapon), or can she just have the nanovores take whatever form she wants whenever she needs it? If she needs to program a given form in advance, how long does that take her to do?

She does need to program/train/practice with her upgrades. She has a bunch of things she knows how to do, but a completely new thing takes time. She needs the nanovores to understand what she wants, and then everyone need to figure out how to keep it stable together. The more natural nanoform is a thick mist surrounding her, anything solid needs work.

Will Ortega’s birthday party be a more casual, or a more planned/formal affair?

It will be a big thing!

Are people more or less worried about the Yellowstone super volcano than they are in our world?

I would say more since they already had a preview with the west coast, and now when things are calming down, many are afraid that what happened there might be something that would set off Yellowstone.

If Chen wasn’t threaded, how much would he buy into Ortega’s theory that Sidestep is HG’s sibling?

Oh he would still side-eye that one like mad.

if HG red threads someone, but the target misheard, does it still work? If it still works (assuming the misunderstanding made sense), does it work for what HG originally intended or what the person heard?

What the person heard.

Has Mia ever regretted an article she's published or is she proud of most of her work?

I mean everyone regrets some things. I think what she regrets the most is bending to pressure and softening some articles, instead of daring to be as controversial as she wanted to be.

What’s Mias definition of a hero & villain? Is it different from her definition of a true hero/villain?

A hero is someone that does good for the people/the city. A villain is someone who hurts people/the city for their own benefit. As you can see, there's a lot of grayscale in there, what if you hurt people for good causes for example. I don't think she sees anything as being "true." But, she could see someone as a hero that other people would name a villain, if that's what you mean.

How would Nocturne react if we completely unthreaded her? Is her willingness to be threaded part of the way that HG threaded her?

Spoilers!

Are there any threats that have required international cooperation to deal with?

I think the Seattle Rangers have worked together with Canadian heroes on more than one occasion. Just like the San Diego Rangers often work with Mexican heroes and authorities. The Los Diablos Rangers have worked with Mexican heroes and teams once or twice, mainly to hunt down Mexican villains who have gone to ground nearby.

How did the other Rangers first hear about the crash? directly from Ortega via word of mouth or emergency beacon? From the hospital or the media? did it vary between Rangers?

I think the main thing was Ortega getting to the hospital, that would ring all the alarm bells.

How long is the grace period for a living multicellular organism to stay inside Mortum's gun withuout conseuqences? Or is any amount of exposure instantly harmful? 

I would say that any amount of exposure would be harmful, but it wouldn't start to be dangerous until after a few hours.

Was Mortum's gun created after the Void "died"?

Hmmm... It was started before they died at least. Not sure.

Is the regenerator a quick thing where you step in and within a minute or so your body is rejuvenated or does it take a considerable amount of time to do its thing like a few weeks or something? Do you have to stay inside of the regenerator the whole time?

I would say that at a baseline it would depend. From a few hours to a few days. You would have to stay inside the regenerator.

Are enhanced folks banned from professional sports overall, or does their allowed participation depend case-by-case on their specific skillset?

You can get exceptions if your powers don't affect the sport, just like skiers who have asthma gets exceptions so they can use their medicine, which would be considered doping if healthy people use it.

what was going through Norma's head as she was painting the piece that danny and step look at during the art exhibit? was there a particular memory, emotion, or subject she was aiming for?

She paints her stories and dreams. That was a nightmare.

Is there a canon name sidestep has on Ortega's phone? Like ❤️🦝❤️?

Nope, that's headcanon!

Was the choice to have the Soviet Union still exist an intentional homage to cyberpunk stories of yore that failed to predict its collapse in their projected futures? 

Absolutely!

Is danny on the autism spectrum?

I would say no, but I'd never stop anybody from headcanoning it.

How badly would the destruction of the Farm hurt the USA's military readiness? Would other nations try to take advantage of the drop in USA military presence? 

Not as badly as the Farm would like to think. And... well, we'll see.

You mentioned that Argent has a shelf dedicated to corny, knockoff Rangers movies, but does that also include corny, knockoff Sidestep in those? Does any of this have anything to do with why she wouldn't let us see her movie selection?

Yeah, there's absolutely corny Sidestep stuff in there too. Ortega has been filling her mind with way too many stories, in her mind they were kind of a part of the Rangers. And yes, that is part of it but not all.

How does it feel to have gone from writing a story, with completely your characters, your plotlines with nobody else having any input on the story that you don't want to creating this community where everyone has their own Sidestep and puppet with drastic differences between the different Ortega's, Mortum's, Argent's, etc.? Where Sidesteps are used as a form of OC instead of the singular main character in a linear story that you are telling that they started out as?

I think it is WONDERFUL! I've said it before, but writing an IF for me feels a lot more like being a gamemaster than being an author. I craft something and tosses it out in the world and then I get to see people run with it, in many ways in directions I did not predict! Interaction with the community has definitely deepened the story. Not changed it, Sidestep is still the same Sidestep in my head, the story and the characters are the same. However, seeing how people interact with it has led me to deepen parts of the story I didn't think people would be interested in. It has made everything more complicated, yes, but it also lets me delve into things I only tangentially touched on in the original story.

I'm not precious about how what I write is perceived. Words are only words, it is the reader that takes them and makes a world, characters and emotions. A sentence can be taken five different ways depending on what the reader brings with them, and I am delighted to see how people can interpret the same scenes and characters so differently depending on the surrounding context. That's why I am often so reluctant to answer things in a "canon" way, the text is the canon, and the text is fallible and can be interpreted differently. I love seeing people pick up textual clues and build mountains out of molehills, or overlook that elephant that is just standing there in the middle of the room. I'm so sad I can't read fanfiction, but oh boy, the fanart is glorious. I love all your weird little raccoons so much!

Is there any chance of having mirror image puppets setup in the Rebirth patch with steps that resemble their puppet in all ways except (current) gender? (eg. nb steps, or f!step with m!puppet?) I think it could add some interesting variety to trans/gender questioning step routes especially 

Possibly. It is on the list of things I need to bugfix/update. I've got some interesting new additions planned to Rebirth with gender related things, it has just got put on the backburner until I finish the ttrpg supplement I am working on. That currently has hold of my problem-solving/layout/proofread brain. So close now! 95% done.

How does Agent plan to explain her human skin to everyone once she gets to use the regenerator? Is admitting to the Rangers that she used black tech really in the cards for her, or has she simply not thought that far ahead?

That's a problem for future Argent!

Were Void eyes a common side effect of drinking Void blood or something unique to Sidestep's exposure to it? What did the Void think about Void eyes(guessing more 'beautiful' vibes)?

I would say it happened on occasion, it's not Sidestep specific. Just a cool visual.

What qualifications does the Farm tend to look for in potential candidates for recruitment? Do they pull from a specific academic field or other population? Particularly where handlers are concerned?

I think it is very focused on academic/military related fields. Work in something related, and chances are you might get an interview.

Does Argent "cheat" when cleaning the dishes, letting her nanovores devour all the organic stains on the cutlery?

Oh that is not cheating, just handy. Her dishwasher has never been used.

Mortum is aware of and possesses Numbers, are they aware of Talodine?

Yep, they are.

What would a romanced Argent's reaction be to Sidestep painting their armor solid pink for their next fight?

Ahahaha she'd be tickled pink. Or complain that it's the wrong shade.

Considering HG’s talent of making the most out of any opportunity + general priorities to uphold for their empire... What would they want to do with Regina, and all that she can possibly offer? Assuming they know everything she did to a Sidestep they’ve grown close to and love?

Oh Regina would get a bullet through the skull, no questions asked.

Pre-HB, all female group, some trashy magazine starts trying to paint the Rangers (including Sidestep) as Steel's harem. How annoyed does each of them get? What do each of them say if asked by a gullible fan about it?

Ahaha that is what you need the Ranger's media team for. And they'd better hope they shut it down fast before pre-transitioning Sentinel would get to them. I think the only one who would play along is Ortega, the rest would be mortified or annoyed. Chen would just put his helmet back on and walk away if asked about it.

Who do you think would connect more with Sidestep's weirdness or a friendship basis? HG or Nocturne? I see both of them like huge FREAKS/NERDS and I need to, idk, put them in a room to build Legos while Jake stares through the door's window

I think it would depend on the Sidestep. Nocturne would be more hostile at the start, but if she starts vibing, I can see her connecting. Just has to get past that out suspicious shell of anything that threatens her carefully constructed status quo.

Does the regenerator also repair the DNA of boots who use it, allowing them to be cloned?

Nope.

If Sidestep took Numbers, how would that affect their telepathy? Would it suppress their telepathy altogether? Would it make it seem like everyone else is on Numbers? Or, would it allow them to read the minds of other people on Numbers, sort of like tuning in to that frequency?

If Sidestep took numbers it would feel a bit like being drunk I think. Drowsy. Dizzy. Their telepathy would still work, and it would not help them read people on numbers. It would just be a very uncomfortable and bad experience.

What’s Bo’s/Rosie’s sexuality? 👀

Bo says that he's straight, so I have to believe him. Rosie would be pan I think, she appreciates a bit of muscle no matter who it belongs to. If any of them are on the demi-spectrum I have no idea or opinion.

Has a villain ever tried to show up at Ortega's birthday parties with the genuine intention of not causing trouble, exchanging pleasantries and dropping off a benign gift?

I think that has absolutely happened once or twice.

So Regenes get most of their early memories from their AI chip, but do they get any from their genetic donor similar to the Animus from Assassin's Creed? 

I always was a fan of "physical memory," but on that level? No. Just like babies don't get their parents memories. I would say that might be possible since they are decanted as adults and don't go through that whole "baby memory reset" phase, but everything is squashed by the AI chip. It is so much stronger it overrides anything else before it has a chance to form and grow.

Has there ever been an event where a bunch of hero drugs got thrown out improperly leading to a surge of super powered scavenger animals (like raccoons and foxes)?

Ahahaha that is too funny. It must have happened somewhere.

Why are the Revenge, Hunger, and Outside scars the ones that see the most from the heartbreak incident? were they the emotions Heartbreak experienced most often/most intensely, so tapping into them gave step a greater insight to HB?

Yeah, I would say so.

Were there any old school anti-drug PSAs in print or as commercials focused on the hero drug? If yes are they/were they distributed in the FEZ, or are they mostly an east coast deal?

Oh that is definitely both an east-coast and FEZ deal. Nobody wants too many boosts. However, they are certainly more gruesome and pervasive back east.

Will there be a dance off?

I wish, I love a good telepathic dance off (if you've watched Legion you know what I mean). Can't say for sure tho.

If pre-HB Sidestep were powerful enough to overpower Steel's dampeners after a few minutes of being in their range without trying, would that lead to Steel relying on them for counter-telepathic protection or would it only make him more paranoid about Sidestep? Would Sidestep being that powerful scare off Anathema and/or Ortega from wanting to be friends with them/be around them? 

That is too much of an AU scenario. I have no idea.

Did HG’s sibling actually die when they were detained by the police? Or was the reason why they couldn’t get their body back was because the Farm took them? 

I would say the latter.

Re: the question of anti-boost drug PSAs—If they do exist, how surreal is it trying to craft messaging around that? How good are/were they at avoiding the "accidentally makes drugs look cool" pitfall?

I mean... that is hard. I would say the east-coast succeeded better at making it look gruesome, mainly by focusing on failed/ugly/gross boosts. A bit like those anti smoking ads with rotting teeth, or black lungs.

How does Benjamin feel being nicknamed "ben" or "benji" 

I think he'd be into that. Ben is common, Benji is cute.

Was the spider lady regene you encounter when stealing the Rat King the Farm's attempt at creating a more stable, stealth combat version of the Catastrofiend before it got weird on the boost drugs?

Not directly, but a boost with many arms is very useful, so I can see it being an inspiration.

Why is the regenerator, a device that, if completed to do the task it is meant to do (even if it needs more testing and refinement) has the potential to go on to save countless lives by basically automating a large portion of hospital work (A&E as well as many life saving surgeries), labeled as black tech and forbidden from being developed to perfection?

Because it includes some VERY unsavory bits that are black tech.

Does Ben take his armour out just to fly around for fun. Or is it solely for the job and practice/testing?

Oh it can be for fun! Especially over the ocean, that's just beautiful.

Does Herald get driven places for official Ranger appearances? If so, does Herald have a list of excuses to try and dodge with?

Herald likes to arrive flying, that's his thing. And the Rangers media team agrees that is cool. He will be driven there if it's bad weather though, which is always annoying. He hates it. But rain is rain...

Does the Catfiend still have normal bodily functions? Does it actually need to breathe, eat, or eliminate waste?

On occasion.

As a follow-up: how much of its original biology remains? It has the shriveled arms, does it have any other body parts that have become vestigial?'

The naughty bits.

Does Jake ever take shortcuts, especially in HGs house, of just walking thru walls instead of using the door?

Absolutely, all the time.

How is the postal service handling the divide between east and west? Is ordering a product from across the continent a gamble due to package loss? Or do they employ large numbers of speedsters to accommodate demand? 

Like between different countries. So yes, it is always a gamble. The world is a lot more isolated than our current globalist society, less international and long-distance communication and trade. You wouldn't order something from abroad (which the east coast would count as) unless absolutely needed.

Do the Rangers know the truth behind Tina, the aquarium director? Not just her secret villain career, but also married to Psychopathor? Do any of the Rangers know Teddy’s name?

Nope.

What does Lord Ember look like? Is he blond?

NO idea yet, but he does look far too smug.

Can/Do pure psychic entities exist?

One might argue that.

Is their existence limited to a single realm ("reality" or higher dimensions) or can they travel between dimensions?

It's complicated.

Can Sidestep become one?

Some would say they already are.

Fallen Hero is pretty even-handed about providing opportunities for a variety of different builds. The one exception I can think of is the synergy between Fighter+Daring/Tactician+Cautious: I don't think I've ever seen a context where you specifically benefit from being a tactician with low risk aversion or a skilled fighter with a defensive approach. Is that onesidedness an intentional design choice (i.e., that daring fighter/cautious tactician are the "min-maxed" options, while the opposite are better-rounded but less specialized), or did it just work out that way?

That is not an intentional design choice, it just depends on the fight. I don't think about min-maxing at all, I rely a lot on my playtesters to point out blind spots when it comes to builds. I often think about opponents more. Like Ortega is more vulnerable to a balanced daring/cautions. Argent needs good daring to fight, while Steel benefits from having high Cautious. I would say it just worked out that way, this is not a game where you need to highly manage stats and thus all stats needs to be balanced.

How are you planning to tackle the Vera and SkyRaider romances in a way that makes them stand up to or feel just as deep as the romances with characters who've existed before b3? 

We'll see. They will be different of course, as they can't have any buildup. Thankfully they are both easier people to get under the skin of than let's say Steel or Argent.

Especially when it comes to readers potentially missing out on content with pre-existing characters for the sake of pursuing the new romances. Do you envision them to be something you'll have to put a lot of thought and consideration into, or do you plan for them to be more like one nights or flings?

You can still have a lot of content with the previous characters without sleeping with them. All you're missing is a sex-scene. I am planning to write them as the characters they were intended to be in the book, but with the addition of romance content if you wish. How it is handled we'll see. But of course it can't be balanced. Just like Argent has less content than let's say Ortega.

Can Hollow Ground control how long a short thread would last? Say for a very brief, temporary thread needed to get their proverbial foot in the door for something.

Nope. It depends on the mind.

If Anathema survived HB and had to break themselves and a sedated Sidestep out of the Farm, would they do so as stealthily as possible or would they be more likely to try and cause as much chaos as possible and use that as a cover?

Stealth I think.

Will Argent have turbo allergies after getting healed, considering that the nanos have been shielding her from most outside chemicals for a decade?

Hmmm I am not sure how her immune system would react actually.

Would the regenerator also fix Sidestep's legs?

Good question.

For innocent steps would the rest of the Rangers(assuming Argent is willing to let them speak) understand why Sidestep wants to use black tech? Would or could any of the other three help get it operational?

Oh Argent would NOT bring it up to them. That's too big a risk.

Do you think Ortega would keep quiet about a no kill MC being a villain if they knew they would end up living together? Would this answer change depending on relationship?

I don't know, but Ortega is good at keeping secrets.

After their second escape or whenever they discovered their pain gate was removed/broken, was Sidestep ever at risk for painkiller addiction upon their return to LD? Or did they just whiteknuckle thru it all?

That depends on the Sidestep.

will we find out who placed the bomb in Carter's mansion in book 3?

You can, yeah.

Would any kind of EMP attack be dangerous for Ortega??

They are technically shielded, but just like with water, I'd avoid it just in case.

If in the snippet with Herald where he shares his fears with Marek; if Herald had instead gone to Steel or Ortega, would they have believed him? Would they have tried to cut him out of events and deal with it themselves? Would Herald consider sharing with Argent given her possession? Or would she have been too volatile in his mind? 

There are reasons Herald doesn't share his worries with the team. He thinks they are good reasons.

You've mentioned before that sidestep's vices can get worse, and that the alcohol vice will likely have the earliest and most consequences. Is this still true, and how big could those consequences be?

It will depend on your choices in game. Like killing, that would be up to you if it's something you explore. Don't know how big a thing it will be yet, it might just be people getting worried.

Weirdest possible ending ?

I haven't found that one yet I bet.

What does each of the mob boss route's crewmates spend their paychecks on?

Nehal: Car stuff. ZaZa: Gun stuff. Ward: Savings account. Pelayo: Good life. Bo: Child support. Rosie: Party.

Aside from any NS like events where the city is on the verge of being destroyed, are there any official or unofficial truce days where the Enhanced on either side of the law aren't active?

I don't think so.

Do any of the impostors have their own understanding (personal or from an external perspective) of what Regenes are, from before occupying Sidestep's head? 

Not telling you.

How does the Farm go about picking candidates for DNA sampling? Is it deliberately targeting certain individuals? Or more opportunistic?

It is deliberate but also opportunistic. Relatives of successful boosts are preferred.

How large of a DNA sample does the Farm need to make a batch of Regens? Strands of hair? Spit/blood sample? Do they need the whole body and that's why HG never got their sibling's corpse? Can they reuse the DNA samples or does it eventually run or wear out?

The more the better. You can grow DNA, but there's always a danger of things dying off. Most cells don't live that long, and even frozen, samples decay.

If villainstep were to keep beating Herold with telepathy, without him knowing that that's us, will there come a point where he will ask us to help him improve his mental defences alongside our normal training with him?

OH yes. You bet.

For cis Steps— how does/did Ortega feel about what they assumed to be Step’s birth name and the one they go by now? Which name is more difficult or easier for them to think of Step as? Before the Regene reveal were they ever tempted to call them by the lost sibling’s name?

Ortega respects Sidestep's chosen name. That's their name. They'd get it. They go by Ortega, not Ricardo or Julia García.

Did Sentinel wear ear protection when he used his powers? Does he have any hearing issues like tinnitus or hearing loss related to them?

Sentinel uses earplugs a lot, specifically the ones that help equalize pressure differences. While a part of the Rangers he had ones with inbuilt communication, radio capability too. He does have some hearing loss since his early career, and wears discreet hearing aids in civilian life. He doesn't use internal mods, since he needs to switch them for plugs anyway when using his powers and going all out.

So like has the appearance of Boosted animals in the states led to populations of Boosted animals around the world? Is Australia still inhabited? 

We have no boosted Emu so far, so Australia is safe. And no, since boosted animals can't breed, there's no population growing in secret somewhere.

We get told early on in book 2 that there were multiple offscreen confrontations between villainstep and Argent, but were there any offscreen confrontations between Herold and villainstep during book 2? If not, how come? Have they been avoiding one another? Was one of them actively avoiding the other? Or did they simply not run into one another? If there were, how did it go?

Of course for headcanons, there might have been several. Not saying yes or no. But in general, the difference is that Argent actively sought out the villain to fight them, while Herald did not. In some paths (when he's afraid) he might have actively avoided it.

Have there been points where you've been planning to make things possible in the game but then realised that maybe it was a bit too much or taking things a bit too far into themes or ideas that you didn't want to get into?

Ahahaha SO MANY TIMES. I did cut some "Ortega dumping Sidestep for Puppet" content from Retribution and pets got removed because that might fix Sidestep. It is hard for me to prune themes, I could argue that I should have pruned Retribution harder than I did. I am trying to do it with Revelations, and have already had to cut out a big bunch already done because it was leading me down a path where it would be too many variable for too little effort. Kill your darlings and all that, I need to connect things and deepen the central events instead. It is the hardest thing when writing IF's.

Sidestep tends to find the mental white noise of large human crowds annoying or stressful, did Locus or Thunderhead have similar sensory issues with large groups?

No. Locus has excellent shields for that, and Thunderhead kinda got off on it.

Could HG train to the point they can thread remotely? Or would that kind of strength need a TBR?

It would need a traumatic boost response yet, that's not something you train.

What powers would Ortega want if they got Boosted?

Right now? Regeneration.

Have Mortum & 5p ever met?

Yes.

I vaguely recall a previous question answer saying a Step with 100 Force/Subtle would be the strongest telepath alive. So, who is the strongest telepath dead or alive?

Not saying.

If Sidestep had, on the roof instead of taking with him normally, gotten annoyed with Daniel poking them and gave him a copy of their memories of their perspective of Heartbreak, how would he take it? Would he beg for Sidestep to erase those memories again? Would he inherit the scar to some degree? Would all the therapy in the world help him recover?

Too many AU's and options, I have no idea and no opinions. This is what headcanons are for.

I'm kind of afraid to ask, but how did the Church of Scientology adjust its doctrine/practice to reflect not only the discovery of the hero drug, but also the Big One?

It did not exist in our world, but I have a certain organization in the FH universe that might be a bit of a comment on it. Loosely speaking.

Was Ortega an anchor for Sidestep during HB?

No.

Does epilepsy and numbers really make people completely immune to telepathy, or are they like the dampeners where a strong enough telepath could still do their thing to someone who has one of the above?

There is nothing like being completely immune to anything.

What happens when you Boost a brain dead person?

Body degeneration and death.

Does Mortum, have a body of active nanovores in their lab?

Hmmm... define "active."

Going to regret asking this, but how do humans taste to the nanos?

Like purpose.

On a happier note, do the nanovores have a particular confectionary or baked good that they ask Argent to get more often?

Chocolate.

From where or who did Sidestep learn how to make their gates?

They figured that out on their own.

Has the Farm ever resorted to kidnapping federal heroes or vigilantes?

It has happened more than once.

Could Jake phase out of the Void's Tesseract labyrinth?

Yes.

Will there come a point in the story when Sidestep will find themselves seeing Anathema in their everyday life and not just when they're on death's door?

Maybe. We'll see. If so, it would be book four content.

Did Hood ever meet HG without realizing they were HG (like how Ortega's met them at least once)?

Oh yes.

How would the powers that be react to someone getting a completely overpowered ability from the boost drug? Like if someone got power mimicry (like early seasons Peter Petrelli from Heroes) or energy manipulation (like Sebastian Shaw in X-men First Class)? Would someone with that much potential get disappeared before they could get too powerful, or would they be allowed to grow in power while everyone else tries to get them to their side?

Recruited or removed as soon as possible.

What would happen if Argent's technopathy was disabled? Is it possible?

I don't think it's possible with more than massive head trauma, and at that point Argent is dead.

Would Ortega visit a birthday party/similar event for Blaze if it meant a guarantee of meeting Sidestep there?

Absolutely.

How did Argent celebrate her birthdays in the years following the Nanosurge, if she did at all?

She did not. Or if she did, by crying on the bed with icecream and sad movies.

Did Argent accidentally inspire any Los Diablos legends from her time as a sewer dweller? Does she know about any of those rumors?

She did, and I think she suspects and is amused by it.

When Sidestep turned up alive, did Steel go and re-review the autopsy pics/vid? Would this have been a thing to watch with Spoon for comfort or without?

Oh Spoon does not get to see that. But yes, he did.

What are the chances of there being a future choice to describe Sidesteps past hero career beyond sidekick/vigilante/hero like with their villain career & the planned Farm past choice? And if it’s a good chance do you have any ideas of what they might be?

No. Probably not. That is all headcanon.

CW has the Farm tried installing wiped brains inside mechanical bodies? Does the memory of having bodies play role in the catastrophic failures?

Oh they have tried alright. The problem is that the memory is only half the issue, it is how the brain is already wired.

There's an unused thief subroute labeled "robber" in the Retribution code. What did that route look like before you scrapped it?

It was boring and didn't provide anything extra, so I scrapped it but forgot to remove the variable.

What would each of the rangers reactions be if they walked in on Sidestep holding Rat Kings's tank and seemingly talking to no one, since non-psi-sensitives can't see or sense rat king?

Look, Sidestep is weird, that might as well happen.

Will Sidesteps (Argent romance or not) get to admit they changed her disposition towards them?

Probably.

What was the plan for the Nanosurge if Sidestep hadn't stopped it? Nukes? 

There are no nukes in FH (that are openly acknowledged). But it would absolutely have been a type of thermobaric weapon. Removing the food source would do a lot to slow the swarm.

Depending on Sidestep choices of course— would it be possible for Ortega to have been close enough to Step prior to Heartbreak to know where they lived before their “death”?

Yep, that is all headcanon.

if HG threaded someone physically close to death and told them to ‘stay alive,’ would there be a tangible physical stabilization?

Yes, there would be, within certain limits.

Does Ace still look at the camera if you don't meet Shroud?

Ooooh this is a clever question. You don't know. Schrodinger's look.

How powerful was Ace's precognition? How much of that ability came back after they woke up?

I would say it hovered around 50, but Ace had more specific focus for it than Sidestep does, so it would have been higher within those confines and lower without.

If Sidestep and Void had been the only ones to survive Ortega's electric burst, how would Void have reacted? Would she have cut her losses, and admitted that her plan was beyond salvaging, or would she have tried to recruit Sidestep as the chosen one in Ortega's stead?

Another AU I don't know the answer to! You have to understand that I am focusing on the story I am writing, not the one I am not. I leave the AU and headcanons to you!

If HG ordered someone to do something difficult/impossible, would they feel compelled to keep trying to do it until they succeeded, or would making an honest attempt be enough? Would it depend on whether they thought HG expected them to keep trying?

Depends on how the question is formulated. I go by Djinn rules, but if it is something that is clearly impossible the person would stop. It's only a friendly suggestion after all.

How many spatial dimensions was Void able to perceive/move through?

At least four.

How would each of the Rangers react if guiltystep had also confessed the truth about their puppet while in the car with Ortega before the crash?

I don't know, and if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Yet another thing you need to find out in game or have your own headcanon for.

In the Void story, Ortega was musing at one point about what it would be like to be a telepath like Sidestep, but if they somehow got Sidestep's level of telepathy overnight, how would that actually compare to their expectations? Would having to hear everyone's thoughts all of the time impact how they see Sidestep? Would they regret their wish of wanting telepathy?

Oh Ortega would 100% regret that wish. They are NOT ready.

Actually would epilepsy "cancel out" Boosted telepathy? Or would having epilepsy create an unreadable telepath? 

I think epilepsy would cancel out boosted telepathy, but I'm not sure.

What was the puppet saying in their sleep in the hospital after the gala?

I never decided.

Does the Farm keep track of the biological or physical age of Regenes?

Years since decanting is all that matters.

Did the Big One have any effect on the length of a day?

I would say it sped up the rotation of the earth a bit, it's probably shorter by a few microseconds now.

How would Herald handle a stakeout? Get bored? Start doodling and get distracted?

Herald is patient, he might doodle but would keep focus.

Would he fanboy squee out if he got to stakeout with Sidestep?

I mean, he'd deny it, but yes.

Would it potentially be possible for Argent to be able to send her nanovores under the skin of Sidestep to eat through their tattoos, removing them without the need for the regenerator?

Potentially yes, but you would still have the healing all the missing skin problem.

So what would Sidestep's tattoos taste like to the nanovores?

Procreate!

If Anathema had actually been invulnerable would they have still tried to use their acid power on themselves? Would surviving HB's command due to not being able to fulfill have long lasting effects on their psyche?

Yes! And everyone in contact with HB got lasting effects...

What's the largest swarm of nanos that Argent could control? 

She has not tried on more than her own. She is wary of that one growing too big.

Does dove have any favorite colors? are there any main colors on her suit or colors you'd associate with her? how about Sky Raider? 

I honestly don't know yet? I am not a visual thinker. Dove feels more muted, while Sky Raider would be bright.

What does the Void and their cult think about "useless" powers like shrimp vision?

It's still a power.

What would the Void and friends have thought of Sidestep as they are now?

Glorious.

Did the Void still age?

Yes.

Does the general criminal underworld know the Puppet is who placed the bombs at the gala? If so has it affected how people perceive them especially if it was a massacre?

No. I don't think so. Maybe. We'll see.

After the Void's death, did Anathema ever open up to Step or the Rangers more about their past? Or did they clam down and never talk about it at all, or were things just weird for them for a while after, either good or bad, before returning to normal? 

I think Anathema talked a bit. Not in depth, but a bit.

If Ortega had been the one to discover that Sidestep might be alive after Heartbreak, and somehow found the location of the Farm, would they have been able to get Steel in on a rescue attempt?

I will not say yes or no to that.

Did the Cat fiend know what Regenes were? Did it realize Sidestep was one? 

Hmmm. I'd say yes and no.

How did Argent first learn about the regenerator?

She has contacts.

Who designed and built Argent's apartment?

The Rangers paid for it, though Argent adjusted some plans without anybody knowing. It is easy to add things when stuff has already been approved and remove all traces afterwards.

Would a critical mass nanovore swarm be capable of understanding the harm it inflicted to achieve that size?

No.

Before the Nanosurge, did Argent know she had technopathy?

No.

If Ortega's plasma core were to overload, how much energy would it release in kilo or megatons? 

I don't know, enough to take out a city block at least. Perhaps a city.

The nanovores tend to prefer living, terrified human meat, do Boosts taste any different to them? Like how Shroud gets more nutrition from Boosts?

No. In some cases, they are less tasty.

Has a Regene ever met their genetic donor(who wasn't a Farm employee)?

I have no idea, and neither would the Re-Gene.

Do larger animals need larger doses of hero drug to have effects? Like a large dose to a human is very small to something like an elephant?

Yes.

Can Shroud be killed by "overfeeding" by just chucking people at her until her powers drain too much "energy"? 

Hmmm. Don't think so.

Could Shroud drain Anathema?

Probably not.

What was the Void's favorite food?

Seafood.

Can we give Lord Ember the nickname "San Fransicko"? 

It is so funny I hope I remember it.

Since Sidestep seemed to have had a pretty good chance of doing it but couldn’t follow through, what would of happened to the Rangers & the power balance in Los Diablos if they had managed to kill Herald & Ortega at the gala?

No idea! Never thought about it.

If Argent was aware that her opponent had a vulnerability that wasn’t widely known (like say a recovering leg) would she consider targeting it to be cheating or fair game? Would it depend on her relationship to this hypothetical opponent &/or their behavior?

Oh she would consider it fair game in all cases except when she REALLY respects her opponent.

If Sidestep were to die with no one but Ortega knowing they were the villain would they do anything to stop or at least be bothered by tall tales about their Villainsona that make them worse than they actually were (like a nokill Villain being a killer)? Or would Ortega be unbothered by it because in their mind “Legacy of Villain =/= My memory of Sidestep”?

These are all hypothetical and AU questions. I have I no idea! I rarely think about this unless it goes in the book. Enjoy your own headcanons!

If the Rangers called a press conference without mentioning what it was about and then gave the floor to Sidestep who went on to confess about being a regene, showed their tattoos live on television and then talked about the things that the farm had done to them, how would the farm react?

Did you really think I would spoil that for you? Really? Tell you how the Farm would react and ruin any tension for book four?

If Sidestep had come to the HG meeting at the end of book 2 with 100% subtle and forceful manipulation AND 9 gates open, then went on to call HG weak when they tried to thread them, going on to mind control Jake and Nocturne while the dampeners are active, how would HG have responded?

Look. We are getting into EXTREMELY specific AU/headcanon answers here. What do you want me to do? Validate your own fantasies? I'm not going to do that, this is why fanfics exist. Don't ask me, this is not the book I am writing.

If Ortega got an offensive power from being boosted, would that lead to them getting rid of some of their current mods in favour for more stable mods since they wouldn't have to rely on their zappy zap as much? 

Nope! The more the better.

Is Spoon more of an obedient good boy or is he the kind of doggo that would take treats from strangers and eat leftovers from binbags when he thinks he might be able to get away with it?

The latter, absolutely.

Was the Void the favorite food of anything in the weird spaces?

I have no idea if Void even liked food.

Does Los Diablos or San Francisco have a drag racing scene? Are there folks who get modded specifically for it?

I think so, and absolutely! Bo and Nehal would probably have been a part of that a few times.

If you drugged a telepath with talodine then read their mind, would you notice any difference? (Aside from them thinking "holy shit you just drugged me".) Would it feel like a non-telepath's mind, or have a negative effect on the mind reader?

I'm not sure. I need to think about how that interactive. I would say it would have a negative effect on everyone involved.

How old was the Void when they were boosted? Was taking the boost drug their choice?

Not old. Tween. And yes.

Is it acceptable or unusual for anyone to show up masked or hide their face at Joes’?

It is acceptable and not too uncommon.

building off the masks at Joes question, can villains show up in armor/suit? or is Joes purely villain casual? 

As long as you don't make a mess, armor and suits are okay.

If Argent had managed to find Locus before the auction but after Sidestep "helped" her "remember" what was going on while she was possessed, what would she do to her? Would she bring her in to Rangers HQ or would she take revenge into her own hands for what she thinks Locus did to her?

See, yet another hypothetical scenario that might happen later in game. I am not going to tell you.

Why is Argent so secretive about her real name, going so far as to hide it from her co-workers?

She doesn't want her family connected to her or what happened to her.

What does Argent plan/expect to do with the nanovores after she's used the regenerator?

That's a problem for future Argent.

As a follow-up to the Joes dress code questions: How do villain/hero venues that forbid weapons handle unremovable mods? Are they treated the same as boosts with dangerous powers, or differently?

As long as you play nice, there's no issue.

What kind(s) of boost would someone under immense grief be likely to get?

The same as someone who would not grieve would. There's no direct correlation close enough to be likely. And, the slight change to what kind of boost it would be would still be very variable depending on the cause. Like, a boost to help them take revenge? Mute their own feeling? Die to make it stop? Too many options.

Does Shroud know what will happen to her since she absorbed Ace's memories of the context behind their warning or was that detail of what's coming drowned out amidst the other memories she was going for?

That was drowned in everything else.

You mentioned in the previous Q&A that Shroud would fail to consume and then try to flee from a 9 gate Sidestep. At how many gates does Sidestep go from tasty boost to run for your life for Shroud?

Not going to tell you. That might come up in game.

How much would Argent be willing to change her physical form for a romantic partner?

She's always up for some fun.

Does HG need to pace themselves when making new threads, or is it only removing threads that is dangerous to the person?

HG needs to pace themselves. It is a delicate art.

If Themmy were still alive and still with the Rangers, and suspected Sidestep of being the villain, would they have been more likely to talk to the other Rangers first or confront Step directly?

Probably confront Step.

In the innocent MCcrash Argent can say she was gonna kill Sidestep & erase the evidence until she found out they were a regene, did she mean while Sidestep was in the hospital or was that in the long run? 

We'll have to wait and see.

How would Hollow Ground have reacted if Sidestep had come to Parkfield still masked, and refused to unmask but offered alternative blackmail material by revealing their tattoos?

That sounds like headcanon/AU territory.

If Argent dies, do her nanovores just fly off and start mindlessly reproducing again, or are they tamed enough for them to not cause another NS the moment Argent isn't there to rein them in?

Oh you will just have to wait and see about that...

Hmm, do nanovores have a lifespan or metabolism? Would a single nanovore in a sterile environment without food eventually die of hunger or aging?

They would break down eventually, yes.

If we found irrefutable proof that Josh planned to have him and Daniel be villains and use their powers for personal gain and showed that to Daniel, how would he react/take it?

He wouldn't be surprised, sadly.

What about if he caught us trying to hide it from him?

He'd understand.

How would Step’s infamy in the villain community be affected if it became public that they were the reason behind a Ranger (or more :bigcrimes:) switching sides?

Depends. It could both go up (good for you) and go down (suspicious). Mostly up tho.

Are there rules that you have for powers that can never come from a boost, or is pretty much anything free-game as long as the narrative calls for it?

I have no rules about anything. It is all open when I need it. But in general, I don't mess with time travel.

Is there a term in-world for people who become boosted but their powers are believed to be something that will not reveal itself? (Like how you said there are no aliens, so if someone gained the power to telepathically communicate with any sentient creature at least 1 light year away, nobody would find out what that power was for that person)

There is no term for that.

If someone reached out and touched HG after they started speaking, would their powers activate? (Assuming what they said was a command, that is.) Or does contact need to be made before they start talking?

Contact needs to be there when the words are spoken.

Are there any characters who would be likely to become a Regene rights activist or start a movement along those lines to honor a deceased Step post-canon?

No idea, but probably Danny.

What's the furthest Daniel has flown in:

A) one trip B) one day C) while ready to pass out

I honestly don't know. I know he has flown to San Fransisco with little effort. It doesn't tire him to fly more than it does being awake in general.

How fast can Daniel fly if he pushes himself?

About 500 km/h. That takes effort and equipment though, not something he does on the regular. He can fly faster the higher up he is.

What was Daniel's flying like back when he first got it versus now?

Less controlled. Slower.

any plans for another beer & questions? 👀 maybe... an nsfw questions one?

No plans, but who knows when I have beer. And I rarely answer too nsfw things due to that mostly being headcanons.

Since aging is a buildup of errors in DNA, does the regenerator undo aging to mid-twenties?

Hmmm. Not exactly, but a little bit.

What was going on in the nightmare loop that Sidestep trapped Argent in shortly before the first book started?

The nanosurge, drowing, eaten, unable to reach the surface.

Ortega feels a bit stung if we confide in Daniel before them about being a regene, what does Daniel feel about being told first?

Pleased and embarrassed.

Would Ortega have the same reaction if it was Argent in Danny's place?

Yes.

What was Argent thinking when the Sidestep that was romancing her said that she was beautiful? Her reaction seemed...lukewarm.

Oh Argent knows she's beautiful. She spend a lot of time making herself that, it's not really a compliment that connects at all. More like, sure, yeah, move on.

If Sidestep got a romanced Argent a plushie of their Villainsona in response to her Herostep hoodie message in the leg rights epilogue would she accept it?

She probably would.

Has Argent ever used her technolpathy on Ortega and/or Steel?

No.

Does the Special Directive becoming another potential enemy just feel like more weight that’s been added to Ortega’s already swamped plate? Or is the Regene reveal secretly a relief in some form— now they don’t have to worry about Step picking HG over them in the future, etc. etc.?

Ortega doesn't know what to feel or think yet. It's all new and overwhelming, they need to redo their entire conspiracy board now.

How would each of the Rangers react to one of their own joining villainstep on the other side of the law?

You might see that in game.

Has Argent ever tried sprouting wings to be able to fly around?

No, but she has pondered it. Lacks the control though.

How and why was Anathema in a situation in their life where they joined Green Sky?

Grew up among junkies, addicts and homeless.

Will we have the opportunity to treat our crew as our found family or is it too unprofessional? 

I don't know yet.

How did Anathema train their mental defences? Who helped them?

I think that started with the Green Sky.

Are there things most Regenes would know about their work or just Regene life in general that Sidestep didn’t get a chance to learn about because of their initial escape?

I would say some, yeah. They were not a part of the combat teams, or the way normal Re-Genes interacted when the handlers were not around.

Would there still have been residual bad vibes at the HB site if the Ranger team never went on site and just bombed it from a distance?

Yes.

How intact does something have to be for the regenerator to work? Can you use very small samples like blood, hair or chunks of meat?

Mostly intact.

Would another telepath like Locus or Thunderhead have fared better or worse at HB in terms of resisting HB's effects, ending the crisis and surviving?

Locus better, Thunderhead worse.

Why did Sidestep not feel the pain that Argent apparently constantly feels from the nanovores, and only the pain of incoming damage when they possessed her?

Argent doesn't always feel pain. Most of the time that feedback is blocked, which also sadly blocks much normal sensation. Sidestep was coasting on her baseline block, but could not adjust the nanovores when things outside the norm (like physical impact) happened.

If, instead of possessing her, Sidestep had accidentally swapped bodies with Argent, would Argent embrace going back to her own body again or would she fight it and try to stay in Sidestep's body?

I don't know. She'd probably go back, she feels responsible for her nanovores.

Argent says that she sees the nanovores around her as her friends, but does she know and telepathically communicate with each of them individually, or does she talk with them more so in groups?

It's a group-mind.

What is this server about anyway? Liking the people here so far

I don't know! A place for people to chat? It's got no real purpose other than that.

Argent's relationship with the Nanovores ostensibly appears more like a partnership, whereas Step (during the nanosurge) was more outright, albeit severely limited, control. So, do the nanovores ever outright disobey Argent? Not just get a bit off the leash but complete disregard of command(s)

No. Argent likes to think of it as a partnership, but it is every bit as much control as what Sidestep does.

Is the magnitude of powers gained from Boosting(like classification) scale with the level of DNA damage sustained?

Not at all.

How does each of the HG trio treat retail / min wage workers?

I don't think any of them treat them in any special way. They're there.

Do Ortega's eyes glow when they use their mods? 

No reason they would, but it sure looks cool in pictures.

Has the average potency or strength of the Enhanced community been increasing over time?

Yes.

If the Regenerator works, will Argent have anyone who would recognize her if they saw her on the street/ in the media and come looking for her?

Probably not.

Argent had to work on her face for a long time, but what about her voice? Did she have to practice control until she got it right or is there enough intact of her vocal chords that still can talk without the nanovores? Would she sound different after getting healed? 

Enough of her vocal chords was intact. Maybe she sounds a bit huskier now, I always imagined her with a whiskey/blues voice.

How would Locus feel if she knew Sidestep could read the minds of animals? Jealous? Thank god I don't have to put it with that too? Curious?

Curious.

For the Sidesteps still in possession of their OG leggies and who did not confide their regene status to anyone, is Chen going to try to expose them as being a regene?

That sounds like you want me to tell you what will happen in game. Not going to do that.

Does the Griffith Observatory still exist in Los Diablos, or was it destroyed and never rebuilt after the Big One? Would it even work with the light (+ general) pollution? 

It wasn't built. There's less interest in space than in our world.

Is there only THE Hero Drug or are there also chemical mixtures that achieve similar effects? Have there been any searches for alternatives if none currently exist?

I would say it is a collective name for a bunch of closely related substances with similar effects. There has been a lot of research done for safer variants, but so far nothing.

Was there anyone Anathema wished could’ve left Green Sky with them?

Not sure. Probably not. They might not have left if that was the case.

How does Spoon fare in the rain? Does he like it? or refuse to go outside when its raining?

He needs his little raincoat.

How smug is Ortega that ranchstuck steps are wearing their shirts? (and how crazy is it driving them for complicated/open/ortega_realize_crush&secretcrush relationships?) 

I think you know exactly... No need for me to tell you.

Could the Rangers have taken on the Farm post HB with Sentinel, Steel and Charge all active and get Sidestep back? Including their allies like the other cities's teams and vigilantes like Ashfall?

We will never know.

Would you say that the Farm staff are more loyal to the Farm itself as an institution or the US government?

To the Farm.

There's no real precedent for someone suddenly losing their boost, right? So what was Ortega's thought process on asking Sidestep if they were still a telepath, anyway?

A way to segue into asking Sidestep to help. Making the question less abrupt.

Is Sidestep learning their own history in time with us, the reader? Or maybe 'learning' isn't the right word. More like... they know their own history the same way you know the layout of your bedroom in the pitch dark and are gleaning details the same time the reader is.

The Reason: This theory comes from reading other stuff and playing the game. I am getting the vibe that Sidestep had to sacrifice a good chunk of their own memories in order to stay sane. What's left is this crude caricature of Sidestep who is only peripherally aware of what is going on. Returning to the dark room analogy, Sidestep can remember the rough outline of things but if they were to turn on the light to see all the details, they could very well go insane. In other words, part of the reason Sidestep doesn't ever fully contextualize the experiments performed on them or go into any kind of detail about what is coming is because they can't. That would mean turning on the lights and going insane. So instead, both Sidestep and the reader are getting snippets of the truth. That's why we don't learn Sidestep is a ReGene until book 2. Sidestep never forgot they were one, it just wasn't a thought they could safely shine a light on until they were mentally recovered more.

Anyway, I was just curious if I was reading into all of that correctly or if I'm way off base. It's a great story either way, and I deeply enjoy thinking about it. Thanks so much for sharing this world of yours with the rest of us! It's truly amazing 🙂

Oh you are touching on some very interesting subjects here, and all I can say is that you are so right about some things you are saying. Not completely, but this is absolutely something that is going on. Sometimes it is safer NOT to think about certain things.

Did Ortega's dad ever throw glass bottles at them? 

It has happened. He did drink.

In terms of manpower and dollars spent, who's had more research invested into them: Ortega with their plasma core or Sidestep up until their second escape from the Farm?

Ortega.

On a lighter note, does Chen in F!Ortega world thank god that Julia isn't a man, or does he think he wouldn't have a crush anyway?

Oh absolutely the former.

You know those studies on how various drugs affect spiders' web-spinning? Does this imply that too much caffeine would weaken HG's powers/psychic defenses, or that a low dose of LSD would strengthen them?

You know what? That is too funny. I know exactly what you're talking about, and I am kinda into it. Might have to make that canon.

Do we know the circumstances under which Sentinel got Boosted?

No. But it was post the big one, so probably bad circumstances.

Does 5P smell rancid

To Sidestep, yes.