December QnA (Patreon)

Well, a little bit late, but trying to catch up! Got some things bubbling behind the scenes which has been needing editing and proofing, which will reach retailers this spring! But more about that later... time for some answers:

I was wondering, could president of USA end the activities of the Farm? Of course, whether they *would* is another question, but do they have political power to do so? Thanks for your answer! And I too hope year 2024 gets better!

Right now the president could not, since the facilities is located in the Free Economic Zone in the west. And there's specifically very little legislation there, and it's not under the control of the President. There are exceptions, but that's mostly about becoming a military threat to the US, and it is doubtful if the Farm would count. 

So, I could be just making this up but I think Step leaving their cape if they win the Argent fight in rebirth is something that's coming in the eventual update. Assuming I didn't make that up I'm curious given how you've mentioned in a previous QnA that Argent waking up in the middle of the ocean panicked her, what her initial reaction on waking up after that fight is if Step won the fight but made sure she didn't fall into the ocean and left their cape wrapped around so she wasn't bare ass naked.

It is coming in an update! Just have so many things I need to work on right now that one has slid down in priorities. She would feel touched and happy about it! And more than a little confused. Also angry.

I don't know if this is the place to request this, but if it's feasible could you make it possible to make a binary trans Sidestep who chose not to do hrt? Perhaps with options like they're too paranoid to take drugs, they just never got the chance/never pursued it, or it's not something feel they need. 

Possibly, there has been a LOT of wishes for very specific NB/trans paths, maybe I'll have a look on it again in the future. Won't make a difference in content much, but we'll see.

Did HG start threading Jake after the relationship began, or was he already threaded before Nocturne showed interest in him and they just never stopped doing it? 

He was threaded before there was any interest, he was a useful if slightly suspect recruit, thus a perfect candidate for threading.

Was Ortega getting friendly and spying on the puppet a one time thing? How often do they go hunting for up and coming villains? 

It happens on occasion, especially when Ortega gets bored.

The Rat King is clearly more intelligent than normal rats, would you day they're comparably more or less intelligent than an average child?

A different kind of intelligence, they are very smart in some way, and very not human in others. But I say they would be on the young child level, but with the focus and drive of a herding dog.

Does Ortega insist on using new experimental mods because of Heartbreak trauma? If they were just a little bit faster... 

I mean that has a lot to do with it.

If Sidestep and Regina inadvertently stumbled upon each other who would flip out first? 

Most likely Sidestep. Regina doesn't "flip".

How has Shroud not been caught yet? The state of her victims is pretty distinct, and her abilities are well known enough that Mortum can give a detailed description of them. Even if the Farm doesn't know for certain she is an escaped Re-Gene she has to be a person of interest, right?

A very good question to ask. She would say that she's got protection.

Given that Mayor Alvarez wore skirts more frequently due to the *company* she keeps, does Zephyr (have) to do anything to make themself more ‘palatable’ for them? Or are they more resistant to being presented in ways they don’t want, like Argent? 

Yeah, Zephyr doesn't subscribe to that trying to fit in bullshit.

Happy new year :) The rat king seems mostly unaffected by the dampeners during the fight with Blaze. Is that because of Step/the suit/the strength of the dampeners? Would stronger dampeners affect them? If so, would the girls still be connected to each other?

Rat brains operates on a slightly different wavelength than human brains. It would have to be adjusted to have a greater effect.

What sort of security does the Farm have? What’s to stop one angry Re-Gene uprising to storm the whole place?

Definitely spoilers for book four!

I was wondering about the new demo and the option to tell Mortum that you don't like your telepathy, is this a new development for step to feel so strongly about it and will this topic be revisited or discussed with others later on? Or is it more a way to explain why they kept using the puppet? (Also, not a question but the wording of that option was a little confusing to me, I only understood what it was about after picking it)

It is a thing we will get into a bit in the future, new demos are a work in progress. But yeah, this is a discussion we'll get to have with others too if the situation comes up.

I was looking at some old QnA and there is a question about sidestep's telepathic classification code evolving from T12345678 to T123456789 if all the gates are opened, I would like to know if this T9 evolution will only happen by opening all the gates or will Sidestep be able to finish evolving according to this classification without opening the gates?

Ooooh. I am honestly not sure yet. That might be possible, but the gates do block certain... things.

Can RatKing all together be considered Beta level Boost? 

Yes, a weak one!

Will we be able to start a romance with Lady Argent in the third book without having kissed her on the bridge in the second book?

I think so! A lot of when romances start is me writing scenes and then going hmmmm. So it's rarely pre-planned.

Will we be able to start the romance with Mortum in the third book without the puppet involved?

Oh yes! That I know.

Will Vera and Skyraider be open to poly romances? Understandable if not, considering the insane amount of romance variations already😂

No idea! We'll see how things bounce. I need to see how they work.

I remember once upon a time reading something about a possible 4-way romance between Mortum, Ortega, Argent and Sidestep. Have you had any new thoughts about this one? Or is it still a case of 'maybe probably not' or the like?

We'll see how it works out! Like I said, a lot of romance is explored as I write, I don't know how chemistry will work.

I just want to say that I loved the extra dialogue Thief-Steps get with Vera, and it really nailed down what kind of Sidestep I want to do her romance with. What would you say Vera feels about the rivalry on her end? Does she think of it as professional competition? Is it a fun rivalry for her? Did she respect thief-step or was it more irritation? 

It is fun rivalry!

Since Ortega and Owl are besties, how well does Ortega know Handyman? Are they friends?

They know each other quite a bit, not sure if they would count as friends, there are some vibes there that makes them bounce off each other.

So having no gates open is a good thing and having all open is a bad thing, will there be any negatives to having none open and will there be any positives for having them all open?

Yes and yes! I would say that having gates open is a DANGEROUS thing. Sometimes you might want to shake hands with danger.

Suuuuper random question about Zephyr. You know how in a car crash, your organs still have momentum even though your body stops moving and it can cause more damage than the actual crash? Did Zephyr's body evolve to not let that happen after they were boosted or is that a potential weakness of theirs?

Zephyr's body adapts to that, yeah. Speed from the core out.

Listen, I know in the past you've said that you can't answer music related questions, it's mostly headcanons BUT... what type of band was Chen in when he was younger? Rock? Metal? Any specific genre of those two?

I see it as metal adjacent rock! A bit dirty grunge, guns and roses flavored.

Rereading Rebirth, as one does. During the HB dream, the non-italicized words are current day Step. One set when it's talking about how the room HB was in smelled like feet and antiseptic, says "(and burning hair.)" Was that current Step just adding in a smell they remember now that old Step didn't notice or was Step having some kind of seizure during the dream?

The latter...

Going along with that question... Near the end of the HB dream, there's a line that says, "(antiseptic. ozone. blood)" not-italicized. Does Ortega do something to Step (or does Step try to do something to Ortega) before they throw themselves out the window that Step doesn't even remember happening?

Ehehehe goooood reading. Something certainly happened there.

What are rangers family's thoughts on a romance sidestep? What about Dr.Mortums?

The only one whose family would even know would be Ortega's mother, and we'll get to that in game!

Will Sidestep have an opportunity to use what they've studied about the rangers against them? For example a Sidestep who considers Argent a nemesis in the 1st book may be able to use that to their advantage in future books despite having different nemesis in each book.

Probably not, that was mostly a first book museum battle use for the variable. A lot of time has passed for research since then.

Have or will any of the rangers notice Sidesteps secret crush on Ortega?

I mean Danny might have... 

In the Argent/Ortega poly route Argent mentions Ortega had flirted with them a lot/asked them out when they were new. Did Ortega plan on dating them, hooking up, or just enjoyed the flirting? Just seeing where it led? 

Just enjoying the moment, they had a good vibe, who knows what might have happened?

How shocked will people know the truth about sidestep and the farm? And know about Heartbreak and it will happen again the future? Like Blaze reaction.

I can't quantify that, I need to write it first. Some characters react a lot harder than I thought they would, and the other way around.

I see Steel know and had a crush to Ortega before sidestep. How Ortega feel form Steel? What the attraction of sidestep get Steel and Ortega fell for them?

Attraction is such a complicated thing. And since Sidesteps will vary, then the how and the why will also vary. Maybe we'll get into things in game.

Book 3 will there be any main oc dead  possibility ?

So far, HG and the Puppet might die.

Could we get an updated link to the discord posted? Thank you!

I will!

Do you think we will be able to like... keep Rat King as an official pet even after all our business is done? :) Who needs kids I want a household of my love interest and my weird super cute telepath pet rat (My love interests probably: Of course they'd choose the telepathic rats as a pet... SIGH)

Oh yes! You are friends now!

To follow up on one of the November QnA questions, would we be able to convince Ortega to let go of some of his mods if you get involved romantically?  I mean, no one wants to know their partner is willingly killing themselves, right... Are Ortega's mods a conversation that will be had in-game or is that not relevant to the scope of the story you want to tell? Right now I'm getting the impression that at this pace Ortega would keel over before his 50s which is just depressing for my Sidestep after everything they've gone through LOL!

Yeah, talking Ortega into that will probably be important for a long life. It will be possible, but it would mean confronting Ortega with their own mortality.

Will Sidestep's spot in the fridge be gone even when you're dating Chen and Chen-knows-you-know-he-knows path? He already said he wouldn't be arresting you and you'd just talk about your villainy later, so would he still not expect you to stop by?

If Sidestep is revealed as the villain, he will not expect you to drop by, so the spot in the fridge will be gone. If only Chen knows, it might still be there.

During the void lore post these parts are in quotes: "words.mumbled.fragment." 

Is sidestep saying that out loud? Is sidestep even the one saying it?

Good question. It was worded vaguely for a reason.

Also will we ever get a nanosurge story similar to the void lore post or will that be in the books or headcannon? I really love Vigilante Sidestep lore. 

Maybe? Depends on what my brain latches onto.

Quick question about the end of game two; I noticed in a killstep romancing ortega, they believe you to be a regene clone. But, if you choose to open up and kinda admit to being in love with them, the "regene clone" thought process gets replaced with "love of life" thought process. 

Romantic feelings go brrrrrr. 

Is that a bug or on purpose? Will you still get to talk about the fact they called you a regene clone? Will we also get to call them out on how they've murdered people before, but somehow theirs was "okay"?

I'll make sure the tags are still there for future talks. Since the save system is not in yet, it's fairly easy for me to fix tags I need to use.

I was also wondering, if we didn't get the telepath scene with Hollow Ground, we would still be able to explore that sibling avenue with them if on good terms?

Oh yes!

Also, I read the first few issues of Marshal Law and it was really good! Every comic you've talked about has been awesome, thank you :) hope you've had a happy new yr !

Thank you! Feed that brain!

Has Lady Argent been alone since the Nanosurge?

Essentially, yes. 

what determines what root/branches telepaths can access or is it completely random? how easy is it for them to learn to access other avenues?

The roots/branches is a flawed description of telepathic variability. It's like assigning the word "brown" for a multitude of hair colors, from almost black to approaching red or blonde. Telepathy is not a singular thing, it is a spectrum. Which area a particular telepath moves within is tied to their particular talent. It is very hard to push outside it, most people never do. They are not equipped to.

I imagine this might be too spoilery (and also it's too soon), but do you have any expectations/hopes/desires when it comes to the endings (as in, of the whole series)? Do you have any (even if vague) endings in your mind that you are working towards or are you riding the flow of the story as you write it? I can also imagine there will be some tragic and some bittersweet endings, but how 'happy end' are you willing to go?

Oh I am willing to go fully happy ending! There is no forced misery here, you can claw yourself the life you want tooth and nail. I have a handful of ending I see likely, including scenes, but there will probably be more as I approach it. But yeah, some will be filled with sacrifice, some outright tragic, some just deeply cleansing. The big thing will be what things are you willing to compromise to reach your goals.

Again ignore if too spoilery, but since you've said we'll get to see more of the farm in Book 4... is there any possibility for a path where Sidestep is recaptured by the Farm, reliving their eternal nightmare, but this time their friends actually do arrive to save them?

Yes.

A self indulgent one: Does the Rat King have plot armor?

100%!

Why does Argent wear the cape if it's gifted?

To show it's understood and appreciated, also to tease the opportunity to maybe give it back one day. She's just having fun.

Would our character need to go into hiding at some point in the book(s)?

Book 3 has some possibly sketchy endings looming...

Also, would we have multiple puppets or just the one? 

To the level of the puppet? That's the one.

Will you be able to convince your love interest to help your cause in Revelations or would that happen in Book 4?

Not sure exactly when that might happen yet.

I was always impressed sidestep could memorize building blueprints and use them later. Is this just a skill they have? Or does the AI Chip help with things like that? Would it help them calculate things faster than the average human?

I would say that is training. You get good at things you practice.

Is it possible to have an ending where Ortega kills you? How would Ortega feel if Sidestep confesses their love after Ortega deals the killing blow? 

That sounds like a tragedy! But yes, I think that would be possible...

Any chances of Step dressing up for Ortega like they did for the date with Herald?

We have a birthday party coming up...

Do you think Book 3 will have the most dramatic villain reveals or Book 4?

No idea. I think book 3, but not sure.

Is there going to be a lot of action in Book 3?

I know there will be one big action/fight scene to the point that I kinda dread to write it. There will also be others. I see it as more action oriented than book two, which was a lot of prep/sneaky/romance.

Is there a connection between the diner near the heartbreak site mentioned in ‘Haunted’ and the one in the anathema dreams? or between anathema/the one from chen’s memory of them, if there’s a connection at all? 

One of these is a connection, the other is not!

has hg ever attempted to thread any other telepaths? if so, how did that go? did the telepath they were attempting to thread notice? 

Yes HG has! It did not go well, but luckily for HG it was shields that were the issue, so the threads just slipped off without ever being noticed.

Will old man/old woman sting just a little bit more after the regene reveal? 

I don't think Ortega would see things differently there. After the birthday however....

If Sidestep had eyes that changed to green after the Void fight, did the Rangers of the day (plus Ashfall) have an opinion about it or choose not to talk about it? Ortega and Themmy had context, but did Sentinel, Chen or Ashfall ever ask? 

Yeah, I think there was a talk about it during debriefing, after everyone had recuperated somewhat. Nobody brought up the void blood thing in the open, but I think most of them added up the dots. Some things were safer not to talk about, though. Just in case other parties would take an interest in studying Sidestep. 

Is there anyone outside of them who might have noticed?

Few people outside that saw Sidestep without a mask, and this is a world where cosmetic lenses are a thing, so I don't think it was a big issue. Sidestep was probably the one who felt the most self-conscious about it.

Did the Farm believe the Rangers knew Sidestep was a Regene?

No. If they had, things would have gone very differently.

Who was Emperor? Were they a telepath, to get Steel to kneel in front of them? Did they get caught/retire/die/live on and get captured by those responsible for the missing telepaths? 

He was... telepath adjacent, I suppose? There are a lot of boost powers that are close to the psychic spectrum but not true telepaths as in being able to read mind and the like. In a way, he could closest be compared to HG, but not bound by touch, and more limited in his commands. It's all immediate and physical for him. He could tell people to kneel, and they would, to hit their friends, and they would and so on. The victim would still be aware, and there would be no long term effects. So a bit like taking the steering wheel for the body for a voice command, and then control shifts back after a minute tops. While most assume that you need to hear the commands, this is not actually true. But they need to be spoken out loud for him to focus enough on them. So gagging him does work, but not plugging your ears. He's been in jail for hears, last anyone heard, he's still there.

If Sidestep goes to Ortega's bday party and someone hits on them, how are the rangers gonna act? Would they find it funny? Would they be not surprised at all cause damn Sidestep is indeed hot? Would they rescue them from that situation or laugh from afar?

Ortega: Bemused, a stage whisper to check if Sidestep needs rescuing. Argent: Might move in depending on status, if romanced would definitely move to eviscerate the culprit unless Sidestep approved. Herald would know if Sidestep was uncomfortable and put a stop to it, but would not be surprised at all. Chen would be very confused why Sidestep even lets someone hit on them, since they are very capable on getting out of that on their own.

Could Shroud feel some kind of kinship with Re-Genes or doesn't that really make a difference to her?

No difference. Just because you were raised in the same shitty situation doesn't make you friends.

What's everyone's favorite pizza toppings?

Oh not diving into that from a swedish perspective, we know it would all be pineapple.

Is there any specific kind of technology that Argent finds especially annoying? Like how Sidestep hates seagull thoughts?

Honestly, no? I don't think so.

After Sidestep's recapture did Regina ever try to get them to talk about Ortega and the people they got close to in order to have more tools to better manipulate Step?

This was complicated. In the end, Regina decided not to, in order not to reinforce outside memories and emotions. The temptation was there, though, and she's not sure if she made the right choice.

How did Regina refer to Sidestep? Did she address them as their re-gene number? Prize project? A nickname? Absolutely nothing and just pronouns? 

Number. The dehumanization was important. Any nickname would be based on the number.

Will it be possible to have like max clue stats but they just never actually get confirmation? Like they are 99% sure but they never get that smoking gun?

Probably!

When someone becomes a ranger, is there some kind of official ceremony being held?

Yeah, I think it is a very public one too, probably televised. You want people to be aware and invested.

Christmas-y question: least to most likely to wear a sexy Mr/Mrs Claus costume at a christmas party? 

Least to most: Chen, Daniel, Mortum, Argent, Ortega.

If Spoon were to be picked up with telekinesis/float, would he do doggy paddles in the air?

Telekinesis: No, probably snuggle up. It would be like being lifted, with the pressure. Floating, oh boy, doggy paddles and much disorientation!

How do each of the ROs feel about their birthdays? Do they look forward to them, see them as an excuse to have fun or spend time with others, not care, have negative associations or mixed feelings…?

Argent: Doesn't like, her fake birthday is perfunctory, her real one is traumatic. Ortega: Loves it, except the number keeps going up which is bad. Daniel: Slightly sad, a reminder of his family. Chen: Good excuse to go drinking.

Is Ortega’s generator malfunctioning due to blunt impact dealt during the crash? If yes, was the damage done directly to the generator, to the neural pathways on Ortega’s brain, or to their spine? Alternatively - is the cause of the malfunction actually unrelated to the crash at all?

It's not malfunctioning yet, it's an overabundance of caution. However, the crash certainly didn't help. 

did sentinel.... fly the car to the ranch while sidestep and charge were inside it? how did that even work?? i don't remember sentinel having enhanced strength, so did they put wing-gliders/sails on it or did luis just. yeet it with his wind powers 

Yeet it with his wind powers. A car is aerodynamic enough to be lifted, at this point he is very good at playing with atmospheric pressure and winds.

Who looked 'worse' coming out of the compound: Ortega or Step?  How noticeably out-of-touch with reality was Step afterwards?

Both. Ortega slightly worse physically. But they were both a mess.

How would Steel react to a chess board appearing in the Ranger's cafeteria with a little note saying "Your move Marshal"?

Absolute delight!

Did Chen have his own motives/reasons for being at Carter's independent of the Mayor's ask? Was there something he was hoping to find?

I will say that Chen might have been able to get out of it, so the fact that he did not, means he also was there for his own reasons.

What had a higher fatality rate, the Boost drug or Void blood?

Boost drug. Void blood is a lot safer.

In terms of killcount, how does Massacre Step compare to the likes of Psychopather or Void? (Especially Steps that can go on multiple massacres) 

Not there yet.

How would the Rangers react to learning that, currently, one of Step's most steadfast allies is five telepathic rat brains tied together?

Honestly, who wouldn't be confused but delighted?

Was there anything special about the HB site(or underneath) before the titular event?

Oh yes. We'll get into that.

If Sidestep was coherent, healthy and focusing, could the cat fiend's thoughts be detected from inside the gun?

No.

Theoretically, if Ortega were to watch the autopsy tapes, would that potentially make their Sidestep scar better or worse? Or not affect it at all?

Oh it would be so much worse. Nobody needs to see that. Chen wishes he hadn't.

Have any of the Rangers noticed any habitual small gestures from Step? Have any of them pieced together maybe a single recognizable word from the regene language? Or just associated a gesture with a meaning?

I mean everyone has those kind of ticks and habits. I would say that people know these things quite well, and just like tells in poker, they might connect them to a certain meaning. But nothing more than with other people.

Has Shroud given herself a name other than her villain name?

No. That is her name.

Does Mortum still harbor romantic feelings or hopes for a puppet that broke off their relationship?

Who knows? That might vary.

Regarding your hench not suspecting their boss's involvement in the psychopathor/wolfpack fight, if they saw the scars across step's back (that they may or may not have gotten at the time) would they make a connection?

Lots of people get scars, they have no reason to make that connection.

Piggybacking off the above question: If Pelayo or Ward saw the scars, would they make the connection?

Not unless there were already other things tipping them off.

What is it like needing to comply with App Store content restrictions? Do you/the CoG team have a fairly clear idea of what will/won't fly, or is there some amount of "wait and see what they say" involved? Is there anything you thought might be a problem but turned out not to be, or vice versa?

There is guidance and text, but in the end it's just waiting to see if anything is an issue. It is a bit different with text, much of the things are image oriented. But it's one of those things you can never be sure of, so many things online are shifting back and forth by what seems to be whims only. I try to avoid easily searchable trigger phrases and words, and write around them instead.

So there is the option to 'put back on the suit' to help the heroes, but something I was wondering about was if you could return as a 'hero' but refuse to reuse the moniker of 'Sidestep'? [Since some Steps might be talked into it, but also might want to lie low when helping to try to divorce themself from their past / keep the farm off their trail until they're ready]. 

Possibly. Not sure of all the specific variants yet.

Are there any cybernetics being sold to the public that are similar to pain-gates? Have there been attempts in the past to create a pain-gate cybernetic independently from the SD? How did/how would the SD react to a bootleg pain-gate being sold on the market?

Not as thorough, but there has been limited experiments, especially when it comes to chronic pain. However, interfacing with the nervous system that way is both very risky and expensive. 

Does the Catfiend ever eat boosted people to get its boost drug fix? Does it eat people in general just to enjoy their pain and fear?

It has been known to eat boosted people. Not others.

Is it possible that the the Farm implanted Sidestep with new memories post HB? Maybe one’s that would make the Rangers look like they cared less about him than they did, or in general ones made to lower the lure of another escape attempt? Would Sidestep suspect this?

I mean it is possible, but if they did that, why not implant new memories that made Sidestep like the Farm? Sidestep's mind is surprisingly hard to program at this point. Sidestep might suspect it, that is up to the individual sidestep.

What diseases that exist in our world have been wiped out in the FH universe (if any)?

None. That's still as hard as always.

What's Step's arrangement for feeding the puppet? Do they cook for two, eat first, then switch to the puppet and make them eat too?

I would say that is up to the individual Sidestep, but I always figured the puppet ate out a lot.

Has Hoots been bugged before Ortega and Owls conversation in the heartbreak postscript? Are known hero/vigilante spaces targeted by people looking for gossip, blackmail, ect?

Probably one of the safest places in the city not to be bugged, Owl is not taking security lightly, and her husband is good with tech.

Rat King and Snowball, how well do they get along?

No interaction yet, we'll see?

Does snowball have a recharge period between explosions?

Yes, but not as long as you'd think.

if someone were to recognize a cuckoo’s tattoos as a regene tattoo, how would that be? Do they all follow a specific style/pattern? Is it the brightness of the colors, or the expanse of them? In other words, what is it about regene tattoos that, to someone who knows they are a thing, is immediately recognizable as such instead of just normal tattoos?

First, Sidestep's fear that everyone will immediately recognize them is founded more on fear and the Farm's teachings than reality. Most people don't even know what a cuckoo is. However, anyone would see that there is something "strange" or "wrong" with the tattoos. They have a slightly different surface texture and sheen, and the colors are brighter than normal tattoos. This means that anyone who IS aware of Re-Genes or cuckoos would know, and it's hard to know which ones are that, especially within the medical profession.

If one telepath speaks to someone in their head, can another telepath "overhear" or intercept that message?

Yes, if they have the ability to.

We know about Ortega's troubled relationship with their father but has their relationship with their mother ever at any point been at risk?

No, they were always close.

Does Sky-raider know Armadillo?

They have met, but not out of armor.

Has anyone besides Vera ever discovered or come close to discovering Arde's Re-Gene status?

Some people in her family, otherwise, no.

If such a thing happened, how did/would they deal with the situation? Kill or blackmail the witness? Run and hide?

I don't know. That's an interesting question.

If the MC had acted like the hero Daniel expected, would he still have developed a crush on them? (...And if not, would learning they were a villain change that?)

In a weird way, if Sidestep really had acted as the hero Herald thought he was, then I don't think he would have started crushing that quickly. There would have been more awe, and ina way would have made Sidestep less of a person to him and more of a symbol.

What's the Rangers' sleep experiences like? Do they have more nightmares than dreams, do some of them rarely dream at all, and is Ortega the worst at actually getting sleep like I suspect?

I mean Ortega is the one running on the least sleep. Danny dreams a lot, but gets his beauty sleep anyway. Argent sleeps a lot, but doesn't remember her dreams.

What's Deadeye's boost?

Basically bullet control and enhanced vision.

If Argent is sleep deprived, what happens to her connection to the vores/overall cohesiveness?

That can get bad. She needs to rest and reconnect.

Career-wise what were Ortega's father's expectations for their child before the accident? Did he wish for them to join the military? No matter if Julia or Ricardo? Or did his hopes differ depending on the gender?

I would say he saw a military career for both of them. But it was more pronounced and expected for Ricardo.

Does anyone in the Rangers, retired/dead/inactive or not, know of Ortega’s father being abusive? 

Sentinel knows a bit. Hood knew a lot.

Who likes Christmas among the cast? Does anyone celebrate a different winter holiday?

I'm gonna plead the fifth on that one! Christmas is a subject I'm not going into too much depth on, and don't have too many views about.

Do the Rangers decorate the HQ for the holidays? This is a Christmas question, but applies to others as well like Halloween etc.

I will say there's probably a bit going on in the break room, but not much. It is mostly professional.

How would Ranger ROs react to Exposed!Step mailing them an "anonymous" Christmas present that was clearly from them?

I have no idea! This is another of those things I'm gonna leave to headcanon.

During Sidestep’s fight with the Void, did Ortega see them bite her? Or did that part happen  “elsewhere” in a different dimension? 

Ortega didn't see.

How tall is Regina ?

Average.

Are "brain-in-a-jar" situations like Porthole's common in the setting? Is this something people just do to themselves for whatever reason or is Porthole somewhat unique?

Porthole is somewhat unique. It is a thing that has been experimented with due to preserving people's lives, but most go into shock or have other systemic breakdowns when disconnected from their bodies.

Are people in the setting aware of Porthole’s “condition”, or is this a bit of a secret? Is sidestep aware of it? 

I will say that people in the know, know. And so does Sidestep.

what's luis' wife's name? how'd they meet (if you've detailed it yet)? 

I don't know and I haven't detailed her! One day she'll show up in a fic, and then I'll know.

also, is FEZ interchangeable with FWT or FWS (free western states, in the gala museum exhibit scene) for the west coast states? 

I will say they are used interchangeably, just like America, the US, USA and the States are all used at the same time.

Where did the name Charlie Millar (and I suppose Morgan for the puppet) come from? I noticed it code diving, found it interesting that its not a default CB name. 

My personal Sidestep, a mixup of book Cyrus Millar, and my au Charlie. Just need names when I do testing, so I can proofread things properly. I vary them a bit for fun.

There's a lot of bird themed characters in the books (the cuckoo nomenclature for infiltrator regenes alluding to "pretending" to be human, zaida/owl, herald's vigilante name kestrel, dr finch, and now vera/dove, formerly birdbrain in the original book). Do you have an interest in birds, or are you pulling from the media that inspired FH, or is it mostly coincidental? 

I love birds! And aquariums... and rats.

Is there a limit to the amount of boosts a person can take? (If the total is more than two, what hero or villain has the most boosts?)

Oh the one that has the most is the Catastrofiend... by far. But it's a bit like russian roulette, your luck runs out fast.

What is psychosurgery? What does it involve? Is it similar to what Chen had seen in his army days?

In short, it is manipulating someone's memory and mind with the intention of permanently changing it in some way. This can be done with a combination of telepathy, drugs and physical surgery. Chen has seen simple variants, yeah. Brainwashing might be seen as primitive psychosurgery.

Some of the armor types, like terrifying and imposing, seem to have rather interesting visuals. Does Mortum outsource designers and artists for these more aesthetic bits of the armor, or do they have something of an artistic flair of their own?

They probably have some designers they work with for inspiration, especially with the more outlandish suggestions.

What does the tattooing process that ReGenes undergo feel like physically?

They are sedated for it.

Does Jake punch harder than Ortega (when they’re suited up)? What about Argent, is he physically stronger than her?

Jake punches harder than Ortega in their suit. Argent is more touch and go, I think Argent might be stronger there but not sure.

If the current Rangers were independent pro heroes rather than a government entity… who amongst them would wear a cape? And what colour scheme would they pick up if they were free of the Rangers’ confines?

Daniel would go warmer, more browns, grays, beige, yellow and oranges. Subtle colors. Ortega would go white, probably with the option for color change to black/cammo. Argent would go dusty rose. Chen would go tan, green, grey. Cammo.

If Daniel's parents had been more supportive would he and his brother have tried to become heroes via mods instead of the boost pill?

They would probably have outgrown it instead.

How long did the battle between Herald and Sidestep in Argent's body last?

I don't know! As long as it needed to.

What does Mod rejection look like? Is it similar to organ rejection or does the Mod just stop working? (Or is "Mod Rejection" used less as a specific condition and more as a catch-all term, similar to saying that someone is "sick" without saying what they have exactly) 

Infection at the site, rejection if parts of it are implanted. Integration with muscles or nerves would start to break down, leading to twitching, perhaps even seizures.

Is Rahim psi-sensitive/psychically inclined...?

Nope.

If he is, are his migraines related to it? Potentially as a sort of warning of a (psychic/telepathic) looming threat? 

Nope.

what's nehal, zaza and ward's full names? also, what's ward's gender situation? i love that ward just. opts out of pronouns it's very good (iirc, that's intentional you never refer to ward w/ pronouns, right?) 

Ward is a fun experiment for me, to write a character that never uses pronouns and see what assumptions the reader makes. I have not decided anybody else's full name! 

In the spirit of the season, which ROs are the easiest/most difficult to shop for?

I honestly don't know. I'll leave that to headcanon.

What are the ROs' attitudes towards gifts—do they love getting presents, prefer giving, find the whole thing stressful, say they don't care but they're lying...? Who wishes it was normal to just give money instead of accidentally gifting something unwanted?

I know I personally find it very stressful, and I haven't really given it much thought. This will be headcanon.

You mentioned in an AMA that, "If I could go back [to the start of writing FH] I would tell myself not be afraid to be weird, queer, horny and mentally questionable. That's apparently what people want, stop trying to be normal." Are there any particular elements you'd have felt more confident in, or ones you think you'd have approached differently, if you weren't concerned about being too weird/queer/horny/mentally-questionable for your readers?

I don't think I would have approached things much differently, but I would have gotten more into depth and variables, and written things with more confidence. Now I sorta tried to hide much in plain sight.

Has anyone ever considered using telepathic consultants to help diagnose epilepsy? The ability to confirm or conclusively rule out a diagnosis seems like it would be really useful to patients.

In the past, I am sure this was a thing! Telepaths were very useful for many professions. However, sadly I don't think the medical field paid the best.

What are the other nation's responses(in terms of strategy and troop deployment not emotional response) to a Regene deployment?

Every nation has their own special forces variant, the Re-Genes are seen as dangerous and professional as well as disposable. I think most would keep distance and destroy, or send in armors.

Besides Chen, did E.B. Acker interview any other heroes we know about joining the Rangers? Did they use the same alias or a different one?

Possibly. I don't know. There is a team of experts involved in this.

What sort of security does the Farm have? What's to stop one angry Re-Gene uprising storming the whole place?

Oh I do appreciate the hustle, but that's book four facts.

Is there a more Mod focused counterpart to the Farm dedicated to cloning cheap soldiers with high cybernetic compatibility? 

Yeah, that's more in line with mainline military use.

What would you see if you put a sample of Sidestep's  tattoo under a microscope?

Some slightly weird skin cells.

Given her working hard on bringing up the quality of orphanages, is Mayor Alvarez aware of past skeevy practices like the Void’s cult indoctrinating children into their organisation and said orphanages working together with them on that? 

Yes, she is!

If so, is she working hard to make sure that never happens again? 

Oh yes. She's trying.

‘Children of famous people often have friends or family of their parents, or will be on the top of the adoption list for connection reasons.’ Does Alvarez see this as an opportunity for networking, or is it just ‘next of family’ reasons? 👀 If she does, how does she take advantage of it?

I don't think she's involved at that level at all.

Are Bumblebee’s wings sensitive to shifts/changes in the wind/temperature?

Yeah, needs to be for precision.

How do the Rangers handle background checks on FEZ residents, given the (presumably highly variable) state of public records there? Is it noticeably harder or easier for, say, a lifetime FEZ resident to get a security clearance than someone who moved from the U.S. proper last week?

Yeah, that can indeed be an issue. However, the records out east might also be falsified, and the people moving west might be suspected of being spies, so it slightly cancels out.

Are there any other villains Mia thinks are/were really heroes in wolves' clothing? Any she used to admire, but changed her mind about?

Cavalier is a really interesting case for her. She's got theories.

On the flip side, I'd imagine Mia has strong negative opinions about some parts of the hero world. What "heroes" (or if that's too specific, what kind of heroes) does she think least deserve the title?

There needs to be some kind of altruism involved. In her book, there are so many so-called heroes out there that are in it for the kicks, money or fame. Sure, they might do some good, but that doesn't mean she has to respect them.

Did Ortega ever find out/suspect that Sentinel withheld information during the Void raid to use them as bait?

Nope.

Given how Bo promised to lend any intel he finds to Tina after Teddy got captured, did he mention to her the stolen targeting web from his person if Sidestep told him they were after it?

Very, very good question. I will sit here and chuckle.

was argent at all concerned that sidestep might recognize the nanovores for what they are in the mind dive? did she have a plan for that, and if so was it more “deny everything” or…let’s say... :scanshark: :chomp:

Deny everything. She thinks she's improbable enough nobody would believe Sidestep over her.

Besides Sidestep, who was the most powerful Regene the Farm managed to produce? What were their powers? Are they a cultural legend among Regenes? 

No idea! Haven't thought much about the details there yet, busy with book three stuff.

Given that Blaze thinks partners don’t ‘care’ if they don’t argue/scream at you to convince you that they do… would he be the type to do that to/for his partner if they were convinced he doesn’t care about them?

Probably. A lot of people tend to treat people like they want to be treated, you know?

Or would he let them go, considering his career and image conscious personality? 

I mean that has happened too on occasion, depends on who and under what circumstances.

What do each of the RO's have as their phone lockscreen/background?

The only one I know is Chen, and he has Spoon!

Does Blaze run hot, in terms of temperature? If he does, is it higher than the average person? Does he have any resistance to common (bacterial) infections/less prone to sickness because of a higher body temperature? 

I don't think he would run noticeably more hot than anyone, in fact, I think he might feel cool during hot days outside and the like. He's got good control over his own body temperature to keep it at the ideal temperature.

Has Herald ever had issues with flying during poor weather? Rainy or windy storms and the like?

It sucks! He can do it, but oh boy, it's not pleasant. It's miserable work.

If Ricardo isn't previously out(or even if he is), how aware is he of any of his attraction to Chen? Was there anything in particular that he struggled with when it came to dealing with his own curiosity towards his oldest teammate or was that curiosity more let loose from dormancy by possibility if Step tattles on Chen's crush? 

It's one of those "I never thought about it in those terms" which might hit him hard once he starts adding things up. It has not been on his mind until/if Sidestep brings it up. 

Do cuckoos have a knowledge of subjects like mathematics and science that's below high school level? Since unlike languages and history, it's less likely they'd need notions of algebra or chemistry for missions

Unless they have a use for it, yeah, it's mostly absorbed from memories, maybe equal to a grade school level.

The tags of the villain MC around the city. Are they the work of one person, or several?

Several!

Sidestep fights someone called Sidewinder in the mob boss path. Were they someone related to HGs gang?

Loosely connected, yeah. 

Could we convince Shroud to create more puppets for us?

I mean if you manage to befriend Shroud, that wouldn't be a problem. Empty bodies is a side-effect of her powers. However, it would take maybe a year to go from empty body to working puppet, so it's not a quick fix. They need to be rebuilt physically, she also drains a lot of that.

What was Steel's impression of Hollow Ground prior to being threaded? Did the mind control change his stance on the matter, whether dramatically or (if he already figured they were a myth) in subtle ways?

Hollow Ground is a myth! Just a nebulous figurehead held up by people wishing to blame crime on a particular organization or person.

Could Sidestep possess multiple people at once? Could they become powerful enough to do this? 

Oh yes. There's some FUN stuff planned.

How exactly does Argent still feeling pain work? Did the nanovores eat around her nerve endings somehow, or are they now forming not just her skin and whatever other organs, but parts of her nervous system as well? Or is it telepathically transmitted from them to her somehow?

Two ways. First, what remains of her body under her nanovore skin still feels pain. A lot. Pressure, impact, temperature, the lot. Sure, she's lost a lot of the surface nerves, but what's underneath fires weirdly, like how scars can feel numb and yet sometimes get shot with acute pain from the wrong kind of impact. 

However, most of her sensations come filtered through the nanovores. They have formed sort of a sensory web protecting her body. This also means she can tune the pain back a lot, so she can do things like punching her hand through a car and not caring. However, someone like Sidestep possessing her which couldn't communicate with the 'vores that way would feel a LOT more pain. Pain, for her, is weird and erratic the way taste is. An approximation rather than what she knew before her accident. 

Has Charge ever crashed a villain party?

Not one of the big ones. Maybe a smaller gathering, like poker night or something.

If someone wanted to work at rangers hq in, say, a receptionist role, how stringent is the hiring process? What sort of background checks would be run and what would disqualify a candidate?

Like working in national security. Past crimes, as well as any friends, relatives or reason why you would be susceptible to blackmail.

Piggybacking on that, have the Rangers ever weighed in to employ certain non-hero, staff individuals? Say, ‘coincidentally’ picking someone with epilepsy so they’re immune to mind control in a position where telepaths might target them? 

They don't have hiring authority, that's HR stuff.

Do you have something mind for the cover art for revelations already? And how did the previous two covers come to be?

Yes I do! The brief has already gone off to the artist who created the original Sidestep suit, the ever lovely Polterink who has been with me since the start! Usually it is made with me suggesting an image or two I have in my mind (a hand tearing down a hero poster, someone perched on a bridge looking down at cars) with a few variants of it, some color and moods (gray dingy graffiti present compared to bright past, or yellow acid unwholesome crayons) and then a bunch of inspiration images. Cleo puts together a rough for angles, we talk a bit how it might work on banners and icons (it is a lot more complicated than a book), how it will look as a tiny icon in an app store, and so on. Then it goes back and forth a few times, at various sizes and shapes. Then Hosted Games have a final look and some comments (things like becomes murky at smallest resolution and stuff) and then it is finalized. Often I have like three main ideas for a cover, and Cleo picks one of them to work with. 

If a mission goes south are re-genes (both combat and cuckoo) taught to prioritize the safety/survivability of their handler, of themselves (being the more expensive/valuable asset) or push through with mission objectives regardless of cost?

It can be either of them, depending on the objective. A handler is more replaceable than a Re-Gene, and there's usually a redundancy layer structure with several individuals involved in each mission. Some missions are worth sacrificing a Re-Gene for, most are not.

We can obviously see how low relationship scores can be detrimental to Step, but would there be any instances where the opposite could also be true? 👀

Low relationships makes it harder for people to see through Sidestep's lies, and maybe even caring that they are there. So it will be easier to remain anonymous. 

What is the threshold for something to be considered technology for Argent's communication?

What I need in the books, which means that the line will be blurry. Electricity and wiring is definitely needed.

Would someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder feel different to a telepath?

Not necessarily. I think, like with gender, the differences between individuals are larger than the differences between neurotypicals or not.

if we ally ourselves with HG in book three will we be able to keep that a secret from ortega or will they find out on their own and possibly confront us about it?

I have planned you will be able to keep it a secret. No forced outing. However, Ortega is clever so...

How long does it take for everyone to realize whenever each of the Ranger's get romanced?

I think the absolutely fastest, where everyone would realize what is going on is Daniel. He can't hide that. The one after that would be Ortega, who is prone to oversharing. Argent will probably be found out because she likes provoking the others, though she is rather sneaky. Chen might have a five year anniversary before anyone figures out what is what.