#retribution spoilers

[kittlesandbugs]

Some FH: Retribution Guides

Sup gang! Here are some guides I made back during alpha/beta season, mostly just notes about what choices affect certain hidden stats you can use to craft your Step.

I highly recommend playing blind a couple times first just to see how consequences play out naturally before diving in. These obviously contain huge spoilers.

They should be mostly up to date, but I may have missed one or two things. Feel free to drop me an ask with any questions/issues. These guides just show dialogue choices and the affected stat. Everything is more or less in chronological order outside big sprawling areas (therapy/auction/endings).

Scar Guide - Remember setting your Heartbreak scar in Rebirth? In Retri, it's now a hidden variable that essentially tracks how well your Step is dealing with their trauma. Affects some flavor/variables at this point. Please see the last section for notes about the Suicidal scar, it's very different in Retri. Scar and scar level affect flavor throughout the book. <50 is considered low scar. Scar cannot get below 0 or above 100, it will revert to either if it escapes these bounds at the end of every chapter.

Clue Guide - For Rebirth and Retribution. Tracks how well your Step is doing at staying under the radar. Please note Ortega has 3 separate variables, Sidestep clue (oc), Puppet/Sidestep connection clue (ortega pup), and Puppet criminal clue (pup proof) . Herald does not have a clue stat at this time, he's too good for this world. Also includes clue for Special Directive. This stat affects flavor throughout the book and endings. 40 seems to be the magic number for most changes in flavor/consequences for Chen and Ortega.

Rangers Doubt Guide - hidden stat that tracks how much the Rangers are starting to chafe at the status quo. Does not have any pay off yet, will be used more in the future. Some Rangers will be easier to convince than others.

Puppet Variables Guide - Covers Puppet Comfort Variable, Puppet Individuality and Puppet Precognition.  PCV is how comfortable your step is in their puppet body and it affects which body you end Retri in. Puppet Individuality tracks how much your Step treats their puppet persona as its own individual personality. Precognition is how much you lean into your puppet’s boost powers.

[yon3arts]

...what an ending, huh?

so yeah, can't wait for this to happen next book! more identity crysis! more identity crysis!

Eden (Puppet), Dr. Mortum, my Sidestep + Bo from @fallenhero-rebirth

[witchofthewild]

This is apparently my fifth? Outfit line-up for Lewis, which is a little embarrassing considering he wears the same worn-out jeans and baggy hoodie every day 💀 but I haven't posted abt him in a while so here's an intro for any new folks 🤭

[sugarxinim]

Applause to the dumb villain who just got kissed

[mindfights]

me in 2019: i’m going to do a full character sheet for ainsley. me in 2023: [half-dead, nerves in hand fucked up from a surgery] me in 2023: what if i finished this ancient wip?

[ryuichifoxe]

Another face to add to the story progression comparison :) He's fine.

[disastersteps]

based on this scene that lives in my brain rent free <3

[punkrangerdraws]

I need to get free; I'll tear my own flesh if I need to.

...

Keep pretending that everything is fine. That you are alright.

[surprisegents]

it's just like. what happens when you think the only friends you've ever had left you for dead but when you come back wrong they give you a shelf in the fridge and let you pet their dog and walk you to therapy and tell you they love you

[amlovelies]

These are just off the top of my head and julia flavored because of who I am as a person. feel free to yell at me in the tags over lines I left off

[kittlesandbugs]

Title: Breathe dammit Pairing: Chargestep Warnings: RETRIBUTION SPOILERS.  Big fat ones for the end of the book.  Also near-death experience, but not for the POV character (Ortega).  Chucking the whole thing under a cut to be polite for people who haven’t gotten there yet lol. Word Count: 647

Prompt:  @sidestepping prompted: write the car crash or the hospital waiting from the point of view of Ortega, or, alternatively, any of the main cast dealing with your Sidestep being injured.

"She's not breathing!"

The paramedic's words freeze your blood in its veins, sick dread heavy like lead in your gut. 

no

no no no not again, not ever again, you just got her back, you can't—

Feet moving before you realize, shove the medic out of the way, only halfway done cutting through her layers. You fall to your knees beside her, finish the job. 

What is that orange…? Spiraling out of central stripes in a pattern you can't recognize. 

Not important now. 

Hand over her heart, flesh still warm but no movement, no flutter that you've wanted to feel since she came back into your life. 

no 

no 

nononono

"Sir you have to—" 

"I'm not losing her again!" You shrug the hands away, normal strength of a person no match for your modded muscles. 

Remember the training, elbows locked, thirty compressions. Eyes locked on her too-slack face for any sign of life. Tilt the chin, mouth to mouth, breathe the life back into her. 

Once. 

Twice. 

nothing

"C'mon, Ry…" 

Compressions again, harder this time. Like you can force your life into her. Should have been yours taken so many times, this is why, this is why, to bring her back again, rip her out of death's grasp again. 

"Breathe, dammit…" 

One breath. 

Two. 

She gasps, sucks air like a fish, and relief makes it easy for the paramedics to shove in again. They strap her to the gurney, mask to her face, compression bag assisting her breathing, lift her up, wheel her to the ambulance. 

You stumble to your feet, follow after them, push your way in after them before they can shut you out and leave. 

"Sir, you can't—" 

"I'm a Ranger. Charge."

Flash the badge from your pocket. Been a long time since you've had to pull that card but it shuts them up and you settle in beside her. 

You wipe sweat slick hands on your ruined sweats and gesture to the mask bag. 

"I'm sorry." You're not, but it eases the glares. "She's my…" Can't say girlfriend, she'd yell at you, and it'd be so welcome you almost do. "May I…?" 

He hands the bag over after a brief glance to the other. You follow their instructions carefully, so carefully, eyes glued to every rise and fall of her chest. 

She'll pull through right? 

She's so stubborn. 

Too stubborn to die, right? Always too stubborn. Just needed a little help to get her feet back under her. 

The ride is over too quickly and not fast enough and they take it back from you before you can move, wheel her out, you barely catch the words "respiratory failure" and "multiple complex fractures". You limp after them, your own injuries starting to catch up with you, but it doesn't matter.

All that matters is she pulls through and you have to be sure. 

You're arguing with a nurse in the hall outside the operating theater when a heavy hand falls on your shoulder. 

"Ricardo. You need to stop."

Wei. You almost wilt as you turn.

"But she almost— I can't—" 

"She's in the best hands this city has to offer. I'll stand watch now."  Hard eyes soften as he pushes you a few steps from the door, towards another nurse waiting to take you for examination. "I won't let anyone— won't let anything happen to her. I promise."

Anyone?  Hollow Ground? But he doesn't believe in… What is he… ? 

The nurse almost manhandles you into the wheelchair, interrupting your thoughts, and you spin to call back, "You'll let me know when she's out of surgery, right?" 

"Yes. Now get yourself taken care of." 

"You'll let me know if anything… if she gets…" The words die in your throat, you can't even bear to think about that now. 

"I will. You need to rest."

"I… okay."

The nurse wheels you away and you suddenly remember.

What were those orange markings? 

[honor-among-thieves]

I think what's getting missed when people talk about Sidestep's human memories, the memories come from someone who is 48+ years old.

[witchofthewild]

You don’t know me, but I know you.

[mindfights]

Tell me, are you Lucifer? Masks are off and bridges burned.

[ryuichifoxe]

Still waiting until tomorrow to post actual spoiler art but...here's a glimpse of that 85% arrogance at play :)

[disastersteps]

ortega, after learning sidestep is that new villain in town