Jeremy heads back inside and starts tinkering with his computer. Lois walks in, noticing the unfamiliar program on his screen.
“What are you doing?” she asks. “I’ve never seen that software before.”
Jeremy looks up, smiling. “I’m modding my Fallout 4 game.”
Lois tilts her head, clearly puzzled. “Is that… legal?”
Jeremy nods. “Yeah, it is. Bethesda, the studio behind Fallout 4, actually encourages mods. They’re one of several game companies that support fans adding custom content to their games.”
“Interesting,” Lois says, leaning in for a closer look.
Jeremy points to the screen, explaining, “This here is called the Vortex Mod Manager. Makes modding a lot easier.”
Lois watches, intrigued. “How so?”
“Well, I’m on this site called Nexus Mods,” Jeremy explains. “Back in the day, you’d have to install mods manually—download, unzip, move files around, all that. But Vortex automates it.”
He clicks on a mod called Darryl Follower for Fallout 4. “See, there’s an option for manual download and another for mod manager download.”
Lois nods as he clicks the mod manager download. “Oh, I see. So Vortex just… handles it?”
“Exactly,” Jeremy says as Vortex pops up, downloading the mod and placing it neatly in the mods folder for Fallout 4. “It keeps everything organized and even separates mods by game, so there’s no mix-up.”
“That’s pretty neat,” Lois says, impressed by how seamless it looks.
Jeremy continues, “Nexus Mods and Vortex Mod Manager actually support mods for 64 different games.”
Lois’s eyes widen. “Are you serious? I had no idea modding was that huge.”
“Oh, it’s massive,” Jeremy replies. “And that’s not even counting Minecraft. Even though it’s not on Vortex, Minecraft has its own mod manager called CurseForge. There are over 200,000 mods, dating back to its early Indev days—pre-1.1 alpha.”
Lois shakes her head in disbelief. “Wow. What kinds of mods do people even make?”
Jeremy chuckles. “You name it, there’s probably a mod for it. People add everything from furniture and animals to entire new worlds. But... there are also some less savory ones.” He hesitates. “Like the Jenny Mod.”
Lois looks confused. “What’s that?”
“It was a, uh, adult mod for Minecraft. Basically, something that didn’t belong in the game, and luckily, it’s been banned now.”
“Ew, that’s gross,” Lois says, scrunching her nose.
Jeremy nods, relieved it’s no longer allowed. “You’re not wrong.”
Lois nods emphatically. “Yeah, I can definitely see why you’d shut that down.”
Jeremy sighs. “Let’s just say it’s a mod that lets players, uh… interact with a Minecraft character in ways they shouldn’t.”
Lois’s eyes go wide. “Wait, you mean like… actually having S.E.X.?”
“Yeah,” Jeremy confirms, shaking his head in disbelief. “It’s as messed up as it sounds. Minecraft should just be Minecraft—no need for that kind of thing.”
Lois shudders. "Good call on saying no to that."
Jeremy shook his head, recounting the story. "This guy just wouldn’t take the mod out of the pack because he made it himself. I told him, ‘Fine, then we’re not using your modpack.’ Eventually, I started to see who he really was—a manipulative jerk who wanted me to ignore my values and take his side without even listening to both sides. When I didn’t fall in line, he told me he couldn’t trust me anymore.”
Lois’s eyes widened. "Wow! That is seriously toxic!"
Jeremy nodded. “You’re telling me. He even tried to pressure me to abandon my faith and beliefs just because he was all into horror and thought I should be, too.”
Lois folded her arms, shaking her head. "Oh, hell no. Good for you for standing your ground, Jeremy."
Jeremy grinned, "Hey, Lois, you feel like helping me pick out some cool player home mods? Maybe the four of us—me, Rose, you, and Peter—could team up and find some really neat ones together."
Lois's face lit up. "Oh, that sounds like a blast! It's like going on those realtor websites, but instead of just looking, you actually get to download these homes into your game. That's pretty cool!"
Lois grabs Jeremy's phone, where the ChatGPT app is already open, and types, "What is a Groom of the Stool?"
A moment later, the response appears:
ChatGPT: "The Groom of the Stool was indeed a real position in English history, dating back to the reign of King Henry VII. This person was responsible for attending to the king’s personal hygiene needs, including assisting him with using the bathroom. Beyond that, the groom was a trusted confidant, often holding significant influence, as they were one of the few who spent intimate time with the king. The role was considered an honor, despite its nature!"
Lois shakes her head, laughing in disbelief. "Wow, that’s… dedication!"
Jeremy grinned, "Told ya. Medieval times were wild!"
Lois shakes her head, still chuckling. “Who would have thunk… a ‘Groom of the Stool’! That is… something. I don’t know about that yet. Just crazy.”
Jeremy nods, grinning. “You ain’t lyin’! I was just as surprised when I first heard about it. I learned it from one of my favorite YouTubers, Oxhorn. He does these great Fallout 4 mod reviews and explains all the quirky historical stuff like that.”
Lois raises her eyebrows. “I guess I’ve got to check this Oxhorn out if he’s got trivia like that!”
“You’d love it,” Jeremy says. “He finds the weirdest and funniest stuff hidden in mods.”
Jeremy continues, "And Fallout 4 is set in Boston.”
Lois looks at him in surprise. “You’re joking. Fallout 4 actually takes place in Boston?”
Jeremy nods. “Yep, they call it ‘The Commonwealth’ in the game. Fenway Park isn’t a baseball field anymore—now it’s Diamond City, a big post-apocalyptic settlement.”
Lois raises an eyebrow. “So, 'Fallout' refers to nuclear fallout, I take it?”
“Exactly,” Jeremy says. “It’s a whole post-war, nuclear wasteland. Civilization has collapsed, and everyone’s just trying to survive in this totally changed world.”
Lois shakes her head, intrigued. “Well, that makes it sound a lot more interesting!”
Jeremy continues, "Then, you find out about the Institute, the ones who stole Sean. When you finally track him down, he’s 60 years old, but he’s still your baby—only now, he's the head of the Institute. They refer to him as 'Father.'"
Lois looks stunned. "That's some real cult vibes."
Jeremy nods, his face serious. "No joke, it’s like a twisted version of what you thought was your family. Sean, the little baby you were trying to protect, is now the leader of this powerful organization that controls all kinds of technology. And you’re left questioning everything—your mission, your values, even your connection to him."
Lois shakes her head, trying to grasp the intensity. "Wow, that’s... messed up. I mean, you’re fighting to get your baby back, but he's not even a baby anymore. And now he's the one who made all the decisions?"
"Yeah," Jeremy replies, "It’s a huge moral dilemma. You start to wonder if what you’re doing is right. The Institute believes they’re doing things for the greater good, but their methods are... questionable, to say the least."
Lois leans back, taking it all in. "That’s definitely not what I expected. It's way deeper than just a quest for revenge."
Jeremy smiles a little. "Exactly. It’s not just about revenge. It’s about understanding the choices your son made and trying to figure out how to stop the chaos he’s helping create."
Jeremy's tone becomes more somber as he continues, the gravity of the decision weighing on him. "You can either leave Sean to die when you blow up the Institute, or you can take him with you. But here’s the catch—since he’s a synth, he’ll never die, he’ll never grow up, he’ll never age. It’s like he’s stuck in this loop, living a life without purpose. Honestly, it’s almost like you're doing him a favor by killing him."
Lois looks at him, shocked. "Wait... you’re telling me you can kill your own son?"
Jeremy nods slowly, the weight of it all sinking in. "Yeah, it’s dark. I get it. But if you think about it, Sean—the real one—is gone. The person who was your son... is no longer there. This Sean, the one who was kidnapped from your arms, doesn’t share your beliefs. He doesn’t share your values. This Sean is a murderer, someone who sent synths to kill and replace key people in the Commonwealth. He’s become a monster, and if you keep him alive, you're basically letting a cold, soulless person walk around without any real purpose."
Lois’s face twists with disbelief. "That’s... that’s insane. So, your own son—or what’s left of him—is a killer now?"
"Yeah," Jeremy says, his voice heavy. "It’s a real moral dilemma. You can’t really call him your son anymore. He's been molded into something completely different by the Institute. And when it comes down to it, you're left with two choices: let him live as a soulless monster, or end his life and give him some sort of release from his endless existence."
Rose, who had been listening quietly, adds, "It’s like being caught between saving someone you love, even though they’ve lost everything that made them human... or ending their torment by taking them out of the equation entirely."
Jeremy nods in agreement. "It’s one of the hardest choices in the game. And it sticks with you, because no matter what you do, you’ll always wonder if you made the right choice."
well and the original sean dies of cancer.
ChatGPT said:
Jeremy sighs deeply, his voice softening. "Yeah, and there’s one more twist to it... The real Sean—the one who was taken from you—he dies of cancer. He was raised by the Institute, and they kept him alive for all these years, but his body eventually gave out. His human body, the one that was stolen from you, couldn't survive."
Lois’s face softens, and she looks at Jeremy with empathy. "That’s... just tragic. So, your real son is gone, but this... this clone is still there, and he’s not even your son anymore."
"Exactly," Jeremy says, his voice filled with a mix of sorrow and frustration. "The original Sean had no choice in the matter. He was taken from you, raised in a place that didn’t care about who he really was, and in the end, it destroyed him. And the clone... well, he's just a remnant. A shadow of what could have been, but not who he really was."
Lois shakes her head, trying to process it all. "That’s a heavy story, Jeremy. It sounds like Fallout 4 really challenges you with these kinds of choices, doesn’t it?"
Jeremy nods solemnly. "Yeah, it really does. Every decision you make has consequences, and sometimes the right choice isn’t clear. It forces you to confront hard truths about yourself, your values, and what you're willing to sacrifice to protect the people you love—or what’s left of them."
Jeremy nods enthusiastically. "Yeah, exactly! The way KOTOR 2 and Fable 3 took it even further with your appearance changing based on your alignment was a cool concept. In KOTOR 2, if you leaned into the Dark Side, your character started to physically change. Your skin would get pale, your eyes would turn yellow, and you'd even start getting this twisted, corrupted look. It was a real visual cue that showed how much you’d embraced the darkness."
Lois raises an eyebrow. "That's pretty intense. So, it wasn't just about making moral choices—it also changed how you looked to others."
Jeremy grins. "Exactly. And Fable 3 took that concept to the next level. If you went too far down the evil path, your character would start getting these really disturbing physical traits. Cracked, ashen skin, glowing red eyes, and eventually, you’d sprout demon wings. It was this great way of showing how your choices were corrupting not just your soul but your entire being."
Lois shudders a bit. "Ew, that's pretty creepy, but it’s also a good way of showing how evil can change you. It’s not just about being a bad guy—it literally changes who you are."
Jeremy nods thoughtfully. "Yeah, it's a powerful message. It really forces you to think about the impact of your actions, not just on the world around you, but on yourself. It’s like Fable 3 made it so you could see the consequences of becoming evil. It wasn't just an abstract concept—it was in your face with that red demon skin and wings."
As they all settled into the living room, Jeremy eyed the Xumo streaming stick on the TV stand. "Ah, I see you guys have a Xumo streaming stick."
Lois rolled her eyes. "Yes, our damn cable company gave them out to everyone, and forced us to take them or lose service."
Jeremy shook his head, clearly annoyed. "Well, that's a load of bunk. Who's your cable company?"
Lois sighed. "Insight Communications."
Jeremy’s face twisted in recognition. "Oh God!"
Lois raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you know about them?"
Jeremy snorted. "Yeah, they were all over Indiana back in the day, like fleas on a rat."
Lois laughed at that metaphor. "That's a good one! Yeah, Spectrum's a bit better, but... just whatever you do, don't go with Xfinity."
"Xfinity?" Jeremy groaned. "Oh God, that’s what Mort Goldman says he wants to buy a franchise in."
Lois smirked. "He would."
Jeremy leaned back, clearly passionate. "My God, have mercy on you, because they jack up the prices like nothing."
Jeremy ended up selecting the Unknown Basement, the Bunker, and the Moon Palace.
Lois, curious, asked, "Why did you choose the last two, the Unknown Basement and the Bunker?"
Jeremy leaned back, thinking for a moment. "Because it's nice to be able to build and decorate the place the way I want it, instead of having it all laid out for me. I like having the freedom to make it my own, you know?" He gave a little shrug. "Plus, I love the vibe of a hidden bunker or a mysterious basement. It just adds something extra to the whole experience."
Lois raised an eyebrow. "Huh, I never would have thought about that."
Jeremy grinned. "Yeah, it's pretty cool. They have a similar system to the workshop in Fallout 4, but in Skyrim, it's a DLC called Hearthfire. You actually build a house from scratch. It's so fun and rewarding, watching your home take shape from just a pile of materials you gather. Whether it's mined stone, wood from the local mills, or animal heads for your trophy den, or even setting up a greenhouse—it's all part of making the place truly yours."
Lois looked impressed. "That sounds pretty awesome. Being able to create your own space like that really brings the game to life."
The next day, there was a town-wide yard sale, and Jeremy stumbled upon a couple of handheld PC gaming systems. There was an original Steam Deck and an Asus ROG Ally. Lois, spotting him with the devices, asked, "Jeremy, what did you find?"
Jeremy looked up, holding up the Steam Deck. "These are handheld PCs."
Lois raised an eyebrow. "Oh wow, I see you're looking at them. How much do you want for this Steam Deck?"
The man behind the table sighed deeply, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "That was my son's. He passed away last month. I would sell it for more, but I just want to get rid of it... $50."
Lois’s eyes widened. "Oh wow, that's... that's a good deal."
Jeremy was trying to hide his surprise, but it was clear from his expression he was shocked. "Yeah, it’s a steal. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting that. Hey, how much for the Asus ROG Ally?"
The man shrugged, eager to move them both. "Same price for the Asus, $50 each. I just want to get rid of them."
Jeremy raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two devices. "So, both for $100? That's a crazy deal, especially considering how much these go for new."
Lois nodded, still processing it. "I can’t believe they’re selling these for so cheap, especially with how good they are for gaming on the go."
Jeremy was already pulling out his wallet. "Yeah, well, you don’t get chances like this every day." He handed the man the $100, feeling like he'd just hit the jackpot.
Lois chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, it looks like you’re going to be busy testing out some new games now!40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnLASiyJUz
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUJeqblerh
Jeremy pointed over to the corner. "Is... Is that a Meta Quest 3?"
The man smiled sadly, nodding. "Yeah, it would have been his birthday present. I bought it for his birthday, which he didn't get to see."
Jeremy didn’t hesitate. "I’ll take it."
40Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBP9PYy9HGW
