Gaming in Mod(eration)

My moment has finally come. I have been saving up for this the whole year and all of the pieces have fallen into place. I do a quick inventory before initiating my plans: upgraded laptop(check), a total of $25 dollars in my steam account(check), and a re-calibrated Xbox controller(check). Now that everything is systematically set I check my environment. I planned to wait till one in the morning so no one would bother me. As I listen to my surroundings there are no sounds other than my whirring laptop fan. Glad that no one seems to be walking around I check that my snacks are easily accessible. The Cape Cod originals are pre-opened and resting beside my mouse on my bed. My pitcher of Baha Blast is carefully placed on the wooden chair to the right of my bed with an elongated straw reaching toward my ready lips.

Alright seems like everything is in order. Of course it is a that moment when my 'Baby got Back Mario Kart 8 remix' ringtone went off. I tried to answer it quickly but since I am laying on my back with a laptop tray on my legs the struggle was awkward. Didn't help that my mattress was memory foam and kept my relative position in a half sunk state. After what seemed a minute of fumbling through my pocket, I finally reached my phone. Tapping the answer without looking at my caller ID I answer.

“Hello, who is speaking?”

“Who else would be awake at this time of the night, Gao?” answered Jonah, an eccentric friend of mine from high school. Since he was a junior when I graduated we have been contacting each other back and forth for a while now. After exchanging pleasantries for a while(me quietly, didn't want to disturb my siblings) he got to the subject that we couldn't avoid.

“Hey, so I noticed you didn't come down for Animazement this year. Why not?” Inwardly sighing, I answered back.

“Look, I told you that I will be starting college soon, I have to save as much money as possible.”

“Dude, I know you got that amazing scholarship for writing, you don't have to lie. All she wants is to talk,” Of course she wants to 'talk'. Ever since we broke up Janice wanted to talk about how I should apologize for what happened. And talk about how she would forgive me for a situation that she caused. Noticing that I was getting sidetracked I respond.

“Look man, I told you that I can't deal with your sister anymore. I know you mean well and all but there is more to the situation than you know.” There is silence. After a while he just sighs on his end and seems to scrape his feet on the floor. He always paced like this when things got heated.

“Okay, but can you at least look at her email? It's her Christmas present to you.” I pause in shame. I had forgotten that it has been a whole year since the incident. Maybe she had changed in that time. Why  else would she get a present for me. Great, now I am starting to feel like a real douche.

“Alright, I promise I'll check it,” after saying those words I swear I heard his jaw stretch to unimaginable levels. Soon after we said our goodbye's and he hung up. Well, I guess I have to postpone my gaming session for now and check my email. Shaking my mouse, I disband my screen-saver and quickly type in my password. Navigating to my Outlook on the Start screen, I click. Scrolling thru the emails I spot a single unread message dating back five days from Janice. Clicking it, it reveals a short message.

Dear Gaofan Spencer,

How are you doing? It has been a while since we have seen each other. I still visit your parents every now and then to see how they are doing. Of course, that's how I found out you moved to Virginia. Jonah tells me you are working and how you got that writing scholarship, I am honestly glad for you. But enough of me procrastinating, I am writing this to say that I am honestly repentant for what I put you through in school. I should have trusted your judgment on the matter but my stubbornness caused you to not only get wrongfully arrested but almost cost you your life. I would love for us to work things out, but I'm not even sure if that is possible at this point. So this email is all I can give in hope that you would hate me less. If there is a chance for friendship, please respond. I will wait until then.

Sincerely, Janice Spoker. P.s. Some weird guy at a stall claimed that you guys were friends and asked me to give you this zip. Don't worry I scanned for malware so it is safe.

I honestly don't know what to say to that. As an author (At least, I like to think of myself as one) I try to feel the emotion behind the writing, and all I was feeling was remorse and guilt. I guess she has changed after all. After downloading the attachment, I decide to send a response.

Dear Janice, What’s with the formal intro? You make me sound like some random stranger. I read your message, and realized I may have acted rashly. I would like to meet up before I enter college some time. Sincerely, Gaofan. Ps. If you don't hear from me in a week then you can assume that I have disappeared due to the zip.

I silently chuckle at that last line. There was a rumor that people all over the world have been randomly disappearing at convention events recently. Noticing that the download is finished I click on the file link at the bottom of my chrome window. But for some reason instead of opening the 7zip file viewer it opened Nexus Modloader instead. 'Hmm, interesant' I thought. It also seemed to have loaded in the Skyrim folder under 'Magic: Spells'. Clicking once on the file the instruction window opens.

'Anime Overhaul Mod; Have you ever thought, “Hey, these skyrim spells dont scale in damage or get anymore interesting.” or, “I wish I could have anime themed content in my game while being slightly lore-friendly” or even, “I wonder if I could make chime-cherry changas?” Then wait no more! This mod adds custom scripted player models, spells, npc's, and a secret location from a popular fandom!'

Hmm, that actually sounds like something I would want. Skyrim as of late has gotten boring. After checking the compatibility I notice that it needs both Dawnguard and Dragonborn to work. Well, that happens to be very convenient seeing as how I was going to buy Dawnguard before the phone call. Plus I beat the main Dragonborn quest yesterday. Dismissing this minor point, I go to the steam and store and buy the Dawnguard Dlc. After it was done installing I go and install the mod.

A few minutes pass and I realize that some light is shining through my window next to the bed. Looking at the time I am shocked that it is now 3:15. I had spent two hours talking on the phone, reading the email, and downloading the mod. As soon as the mod was ready I closed the Nexus and started the game. But as soon as I click my Skyrim shortcut an immediate sense of vertigo sets in and the colors of the room change. All I could make out was what seemed like a vortex of colors swirling in a counter clockwise direction. But after a while everything steadily got aligned and the nauseous feeling subsided.

“Ugh, what the Blaze was that about?” I moaned from my seated position, holding a hand to my head. I paused and opened my eyes wide. Before I was reclined on my bed, so why was I sitting in what felt like a wooden chair. Lowering my hand, I stare in dumbfound curiosity of my new location. It seems to be a  bedroom of some sort with lime green walls. The chair I rest in is positioned at a desk of some-kind with what seems to be a golden lyre resting on top and some spare strings.

Getting out of my chair I move toward the door on my left and notice something in a mirror on the wall. In the reflection was a sight that both worried me and filled me with excitement. Staring back was my Skyrim avatar. A 5'8'' dark skinned Wood-Elf with dirty-blonde hair under a Hidden-Leaf headband. I also seem to have the Miraak armor set on except for the mask and a medium size leather satchel. Now a normal person would probably freak out more at this kind of development, but I have always dreamed of a situation exactly like this happening, so much in fact that I wish that those convention rumors were true. But all of my thoughts were interrupted when I heard a conversation outside the bedroom door.

“Bonbon, have you seen anything unusual?” said a feminine voice, the age seeming around my eighteen to early twenty demographic.

“No, but why would you ask me a question like that” responded an accusatory tone, feminine like the last only slightly gruffer and laced with sarcasm. Realizing that they might be talking about me I carefully back away from the door, only for my godforsaken ringtone to go off. Why the ever loving flick it was transported with me I would never know, but it had obviously alerted the two people conversing if the heavy footsteps coming upstairs were an indication. I guess my phone died because after a minute the sound just shut off. The footsteps are almost to the door and I have to do something quick, but what?

Lyra was talking to Bonbon about a weird magical disturbance she recently felt in the air when a sudden  sound came from her room. It could only be described  as a short recording of some electric song Vinyl would play before it turned off and was replaced by hoof-steps going in circles. Lyra looked to Bonbon and silently pointed upstairs with a hoof. She got the hint and they both hurried upstairs to see who broke in. When Lyra opened the door her jaw dropped at the sight before her.

A fur-less, dark-skinned creature with royal-esque robes was reclining in her work chair. He(she assumed the creature a male) had one backleg crossed over the others knee-joint and seemed to be smiling and staring at them. Lyra looked to Bonbon with a questioned gaze, yet a look of confused fear was all she got in return. She also happens to be holding a frying pan in her mouth so Lyra decide to speak on their behalf.

“What are you and what the buck are you doing in my room?” Lyra said as calmly as a pony faced with an unusual break-in could. The creature replied in a semi baritone masculine voice(right on the money).

“Well, I am not too sure of that myself, one minute I was in my room in quite possibly another universe and the next I am talking to an equine of some sort with mint green fur and a horn, I take it your Lyra?” Lyra was shocked out of her mind. How did he know her name? What did he mean from another universe? Why did he smell like her last boyfriend that left her to join Bad Dragon magazine(Faust curse it brain!)? He must have seen her shocked expression cause he quickly said that he only just heard them both talking downstairs when he arrived. Slightly relieved, her mind tries to think of what to say. Lyra hears a loud thump next to her and it seems that Bonbon has fainted. Well isn't that great.

Well it seems that the one named Bonbon has fainted. Lyra is just staring into space, maybe thinking on what to say. I was about to ask her something when my stomach growled aloud. By the Nine I'm starving. I guess that hasn't changed. Wait, didn't Skyrim have an eating mechanic? But how would I access my inventory and menu options if I am now my character manifest?. Then a vague hint enters my mind and I look down to the leather satchel with, what I just noticed, a gold plate labeled 'Inventory' on the front flap. Going through it I find different books with labels on them. Spotting one titled 'Food-Script' I open it up to see a single page with  Cape Cod and Mountain Dew written in a line.

(Hmm, interesting)Continuing this experiment I tap the Cape Cods and, like I hoped, they materialized into my hand. Placing the script into the satchel and closing it, I then grab the bag and start eating some chips. Wait, wasn't there someone else with me? Looking ahead revealed a very confused and curious Lyra staring at my satchel. Not sure what to say I decide 'what the heck' and continue eating the delicious treat.

“What’s that?” asks the unicorn.

“The best chips in the Divines sculpted universe,” Since I was now an official Elder Scroll being I figured I should change my lingo.

“...Can I have some?” I stare at the unicorn with what could only be described as the core concept of a lack of care until she breaks eye contact. Alpha as a boss. Turning my gaze to the window behind me, I start to realize that life will never be the same. If I came here as my character and I still had the Hidden-Leaf headband, that means that mods(or at least the concepts of them) have been transferred with me. Which means that there is a high possibility that I have just accidentally subjected this world to vile creatures and daedric monstrosities that it could never fathom.

Well the future will certainly be interesting.