I don’t think choosing Puppet over MC is unlocked at the moment tho.
I saw some talk about grammar, so I got excited, haha. But I agree, although “how do you mean” is a less common phrase, I find it more effective in conversation because of its specificity.
Also, “Ideas get started” is correct grammar because ideas, being a plural subject, is paired to “get” rather than “gets.”
Okay, grammar aside, I freaking love Herald but every time I play, the Ortega heartstrings are pulling at me. I’m a conflicted mess… WHAT DO I DO.
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I think there was a discussion about this earlier in the thread, but currently, the stats MIGHT not be final yet. The only way you can get the option of pushing Ortega to make a choice would be to first, have a “it’s complicated relationship” with Ortega and have your friendship with Ortega be less than 75.
The only time I ever got this option was when I randomized the characters.
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There are rumors about poly ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) be patient.
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If I’m understanding right “its complicated” is needed for the choice to be enabled… but “its complicated” automatically leads to puppet breakup scene since it comes with 75 friendship and there’s no way to lower it!
AHHH (evil grin while thinking about how I will juggle these two adorable idiots)
Try had a thing it should work just fine.
Nope, the choice is grayed out with “had a thing”. Can only choose between “Let puppet have their fun” and “Keep this up for as long as possible”. The “Push Ortega to make a choice” option is locked.
As I said, I’m pretty sure it’s impossible as of now to choose the option. From experience, the only way I’ve ever gotten it to work is through character randomization (I check stats after I randomize the character).
Also, this is just an alpha so it’s certainly something that will be changed, I’m sure.
Wait are you taking ‘why wasn’t he there’ or ‘i wonder what’s he doing’. That was important too i think???
Yeah, I know! I’m sure it’ll be fixed later on. I was just curious to see what that scene looks like (and wondering if it was broken or if I was just missing something)
Must be messed up somehow now because it worked before 
Tried all 3 to be sure, doesn’t seem to make any difference.
I did some code-diving and nothing seems wrong other than the high stat to trigger the option in the first place. (lol I don’t know if there’s a way to privately message on the forum, but since the scene is long, I can show it to you if you’d like)
Yes there is; the message button is on our profile pages 
I did a quick run through with a randomized character and managed to trigger that option, @tyranniac I’ll message you so it won’t clutter the thread too much!
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Thank you, that’d be great!
How do I unlock this grayed out option when talking to Argent ? Do I need to unlock more than just “rivalry” option for her?
IIRC, Sidestep’s relationship with Argent has to be “distant”
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But she likes my mc. Oh wel I’ll just skip it.
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Here. Some more unsolicited Chargestep fanfiction. An action scene. English isn’t my first language either so bare with me 
Warning, THERE ARE SPOILERS INSIDE!!! This is my third fanfiction Ever, and i’m just obsessed with Malin’s books. Love them so much.
Summary
You feel something wrong as your secretary greets you with a weird smile on her face. It takes a few moments before you can tell… Something you’ve become unfamiliar by now
Her mind’s been tampered with. And not by you.
“The doors are locked sir. You are expected on the first floor” she just announces.
“I think i’ll head back outside. Can you open the doors for me?” You answer
“Oh. No. I can’t. Also, there is a bomb at the door and it’s controlled with a remote control. IF you try to get out, you will die” She smiles as if it was the most natural thing in the world to die due to a killer door. “Oh. I think i forgot to mention. You are expected on the first floor”.
You carefully study your options… perhaps you could control her and make her open the door instead setting the trap to let you escape, but you get the feeling your opponent already tought of that. And that would be just Dark. You really don’t want to hurt her. Darn. You feel really trapped now.
“I guess i’ll go to that meeting then. Where did you say it was ?” you ask casually.
“First Floor. Have a nice day Sir!” She waves as you enter the elevator to meet your fate.
-A few moments later-
It hurts. As you clear the blood from your nose and try to stand up, you circle lightly to the left. Your attackers follow your every move in kind. Your gaze doesn’t deviate, but your mind tells you the one you struck first is now unconcious. The other two are armed with electro-staffs. Likely here to capture you.
“Surrender already Fiveofour! You are confused! You’r not following your program”
“Like hell I am team leader” you answer. Fiveotwo, Fiveoeight and Fiveonine are your brothers and sisters, but you where never allowed to call them that. Fiveotwo is Team leader, and he’s always been Team Leader. If you called him brother he would say it’s a glitch in your programming. You can sense it in his mind.
“You are corrupted!” Fiveonine yells. Obviously she’s been reading your last line of tought. Sister.
“I’m not your sister, and you’r not my brother Fiveofour! You’ve been away too long. It’s time to return.” She thinks you are sick. Suffering some disease than they can get rid with some antibiotics.
“No. It is you who are sick. It’s them that made us ignorant! And I’ve broken free!” But really… Have you? Even now you wonder.
“Dissonant thought!” THere is no breaking free or denying what we are Fiveofour. He is focusing on the mission and setting your camaraderie aside. He knows you will resist. He will attack.
“THere’s no need for us to attack” Fiveonine interjects. “We can just go back” She honestly thinks all will be forgiven.
“There is no need for forgiveness. That’s a human need” Team leader answers your thoughts again.
You smile. You let them hear what you think. THey are shocked once again.
“He thinks himself human” they both realize at the same time. Good. You use the chance to jump on the offensive. A powerful line of confusing toughts directed at Team Leader. You evoke a flock of birds, to entrap him in the adictive line of tought. As he breaks free of it, you’ve already created a cage made out of your feelings for Ortega, the battle with the Catastrophiend and a nightmare you once pulled from a psychiatric patient just in case you would one day need it. It’s full of creepy hands coming from everywhere.
As Teamleader is befuddled by the mindcage, Fiveonine goes strikes with her staff. You dodge her electrostaff just in time, but she sidesteps your counterkick just the same. You feel a sudden pull of vertigo as she attempts to gain control of inner ear nerves.
But you’r not the same old Fiveofour. You’r Sidestep. And you have plenty of experience with this game. You do just the same onto her, and not too soon the both of you collapse having lost all balance. Still, you get up faster and kick her in the ribs, sending flying against the wall. You’ve just done that. To your sister.
Your Teamleader Fiveotwo breaks out of his trance and charges you, sending you onto the floor. You struggle to get up, but you realize Fiveoeight has awaken and hurries to help pin you down. As you keep trying to break free, Fiveonine joins them and it becomes hopeless.
“Enough of this. It’s over. Yield!”
“Never!” There are tears in your eyes as you realize there’s no breaking their grip. You can’t believe this is happening. You can’t accept this. They won’t take you. N. No . NO!
They all scream in horror and you manage to break free. Their eyes are blank and they shiver uncontrollably. The Heartbreak. That is the only cage that will hold them. You evoke the memory. So strong. So… overwhelming. The need to … the need to take revenge.
Some inner part of yourself realizes you’r being overcome by the memory as well. If you stop they’ll break free. If you keep it up, you might start doing what Hearbreak did and kill them. And then move on to someone else. And someone else… And again and again. You remember the policeman taking the gun to his head. You stopped him. He made take the gun on your own mouth. Or was it you all along? THe Cold taste of metal. If only…
NO!
You somehow manage to regain control. THey collapse on the floor, but surely they’ll recover quickly. No time for second thoughts. You take what you need from Teamleader’s belt, and then run to the door. No elevator, stairs this time. As you close the stairs door behind you you notice they’ve already reacted and are chasing you again.
As you get down to the lobby you notice the secretary is lying unconcious by the elevator, and two figures are fighting. One you can tell it’s Fiveothree. The other is Ortega.
“The hells are you doing” Cyrus? why are you attacking me?" He asks Fiveothree. Of course. Fiveothree looks just like you. Just like you and all your brothers of the fifth hundred. Even your sisters of the fifth look like you.
Fiveothree is panicking. He was never good at fighting opponents whose toughts he couldn’t read.
“What are you?”
“What-the-hell! Stop it!” Ortega blocks a hit aimed at his leg, and gets punched in the face instead. “Enough!” he yells, and sends a fist at Fivothree, that connects right with his nose.
Before he can recover, you make a grab for his arm from behind, and toss him against the stairs door just in time to block your other three siblings from coming trough.
“Ortega, I can’t explain this right now but we need to stop them first!”
He just stares at you dumbfounded. The door opens and two more people that have your exact face and one with a female version of it emerge.
“New villain. Multiplies and can copy other people’s appearances” you yell as fast as you can.
You just hope he’ll react in time.
Ortega does
He charges forward, the electrostaffs not able to harm him.
You fight. Together. They block and dodge like only you could. They circle around fast, getting near the door, blocking your escape route.
“Join us” your sister asks.
“Come back to us” Your brother asks
“Help us take him down” they demand together.
“Do it” You feel your movements slowing down and turning to face Ortega against your will
“Do it!!!” Four of them and one of you. Their toughts are overwhelming.You can barely see Ortega. His image getting blurry.
You take a remote cont -NO-… a remote control from your pocket -NO LEAVE THAT ALONE- You open the plastic safeguard covering the purple button. -NO. IM YOUR TEAM LEADER. I ORDER YOU TO STOP- It nearly works. you were conditioned to obbey teamleader. But that was then. This is now.
“THank you for always having my back” you smile at Ortega.
You press the -NO NO NO NO- You press the button. An opressive feeling overwhelms the lobby as the bomb explodes, blasting them. It’s as if a giant pillow hit you and knocked you prone. Everything goes dark and you can’t hear anything. Then you realize Ortega is carrying you upstairs.
“You ok ? Cyrus! Answer me”
“I’m … i’m ok.”
“Oh. There are more of them outside and they’r coming. I don’t know how many. Do you have any weapons here ?”
“Do I?” You answer staring at the painting that hides your Villanous suit.
“What the hells is going on???” He demands. “Who are these people?”
“Look i promise… I’ll answer every single question you have… After we’r both safe, ok?”
He nods lightly. This will be a fight worthy of Charge and Sidestep you think. You just hope they don’t make a movie about it later. THe painting slides revealing your inner sanctum. And your suit.
“WHAAAAAAT?!” You don’t need telepathy to know Ortega’s brain exploded with a loud pop. You’ve done it. You’ve broken Ortega.
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