Welcome to Reality Bites: An OWBC!

My old OWBC is dead along with my old computer, so I bring a new offering, with different bonuses, fresh faces, and a bit of chaos. The norm, for an OWBC, really.

I hope you enjoy :)

Matthew was refusing to look Charlie in the eye. Since their work on the Paradox family had ended, they had been searching for new jobs in reality television, to no prevail.

But there was no rest with Charlie, she badly wanted to get back to work, and was always throwing ideas at Matthew.

“How about a challenge involving twenty-six pregnancies?” Charlie suggested.

Matthew didn't even look up, just grunted, “Toddlers.”

“Well, what about an Officially Wacky Boolprop Challenge?” Charlie mused, now the idea had crossed her mind, it seemed like a very good thought to have had, “with carefully picked bonuses...”

Charlie trailed off and went into deep thought, her mind wandering through all of the challenges she could put a family through in the name of OWBC.

“An OWBC?” Matthew repeated, sceptically, “You realise everyone in those things are insane by the end of the first chapter.”

“That's good! It makes a reality show that much more interesting if the contestants crack before the end!” Charlie responded, enthusiastically, “contact the board officials, if we choose a founder now, we might be able to get everything settled by the end of the week.”

And with that, plans began for the beginning of a new OWBC...

Meet Elijah Mirror, the founder of the OWBC!

He's a family sim, with a lifetime want of raising 20 puppies or kittens, which I don't think I will attempt, if I am honest. He's also a Gemini, with a personality of 4/7/8/3/3.

The Ep Bonuses I am playing are Bon Voyage, Freetime and Apartment Life, and I am also playing the One Bad Apple, Family Scrapbook and Quad Pod mini-challenges.

And of course, what OWBC intro would be complete without an introduction for the family gnome. This is Jerome the Gnome, and his pink ladies.

“...”

Jerome is kinda shy.

Did you know some sims can talk to their gnomes? I didn't, so I was really surprised when Elijah started holding a conversation with Jerome.

“So what do you think of our little bit of desert? Pretty cosy, right?”

Unfortunately, I don't think Elijah will get much out of Jerome.

Elijah has a nice little set-up in the middle of nowhere, and pretty soon, a welcome wagon show up.

A welcome wagon that included a certain television producer who should be avoiding the main lot.

Charlie heads into the house and starts dancing up a storm instead of talking to Elijah.

“I'm here on...er...official business! Making sure everything is in order!”

Of course you are. Next item on the agenda, steal Jerome.

Charlie! I was only joking when I mentioned stealing Jerome!

“Mwhaha! Jerome will look nice in my office!”

Of course, Jerome's gnome-napping had quite an effect on the people watching.

“Why would she steal a gnome in broad daylight in front of its owner?”

“Hey! Random strange lady! Put down my best friend!”

Unamused Elijah is unamused.

Charlie is not a good person in Elijah's books, hopefully he will steal Jerome back later.

Elijah then tries to secure himself a job that will support the family he has to have.

So he heads into the Adventure career. Because I don't have many sims go into that career.

Bored of his welcome wagon, Elijah heads out into the world, on a spouse-search.

Unfortunately, Elijah is incredibly picky about the girls he likes, because he throws negative bolts for almost everyone he meets. Like Jan here. Shame.

So we change location. To a place where Sad Old Guy hangs out, looking not-so sad.

Elijah then gives me his impression of Melissa Fancey. I believe he will turn down every well-known maxis townie he finds.

Still, Melissa doesn't seem to mind too much.

And then Elijah saw Edith, a bartender spawned by the game.

Typical, to be honest. He searches for hours upon hours, and then he finds someone in the bar just down the road from his house.

She seems nice enough. I wouldn't personally choose her for Elijah, because I was looking more in the direction of townies than bartenders but whatever.

“What? I can't help who I like!”

Of course you can't. And because I'm a sucker for couples choosing each other in my game, I'll let you go talk to her, and see if things get anywhere.

“Hi there! My name's Elijah Mirror!”

Edith blinked at him, “I take it you're playable, and in some kind of challenge.”

“Maybe...what if I was?”

“Then you're only talking to me because you're in need of a wife,” Edith answered, folding her arms. She was amused, that was for sure.

Elijah smiled, “I just wanted to chat, but if you're that eager to become my wife...”

“Excuse me, I want service!” Melissa Fancey was getting irritated.

“I'm sorry, I should be serving the customers, not listening to your charms,” Edith said, because they both knew she wanted to carry on talking.

“Stop by my house later, and we'll continue this conversation,” Elijah smiled, warmly.

And that night, Elijah decided it was time to steal back Jerome.

Yay! Jerome isn't gone forever!

The next day, life goes on as normal.

I seem to have gotten into the habit of inviting most of the walk-bys in. But there's not much to do, so they amuse themselves by watching strays go through the bins.

Edith didn't have to look far to find out where Elijah lived – it was a small house on the edge of town, and its doors were quite often open to strangers.

“Hmm, I think I recognise this walk-by...” Elijah paused, thoughtfully.

“Elijah, I'm not a walk-by, you invited me.”

“Oh yeah! Edith! Not too busy to talk to me now, are you?”

“Well, I could have carried on talking to you, but I kind of needed to keep my job...” Edith answered, and Elijah took her hand.

“I like talking to you,” Elijah admitted, smiling, “I like you.”

“I want to move you in and marry you, and then make you go through three pregnancies.”

“That's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.”

“I still want to marry you, Edith,”

“Even though I might have a borked face template, which might get passed onto our kids, and they might only show it when they are young adults and adults?”

“That's a risk I am willing to take.”

Edith Deppiesse is a fortune sim, with a lifetime want of becoming chief of staff.

She's also a gemini, with a personality of 6/5/3/4/7, meaning she's fairly neat, outgoing and nice, but kind of serious and lazy.

“This is very nice of you,” Edith said, smoothing down her dress. Time had passed since she had moved in, but for some reason, tonight, Elijah had insisted they both dress up.

“You've never had a guy cook for you before?”

“Nope, never.”

“Well, they say you do crazy things when you're in love,” Elijah responded, filling a bowl with the ingredients.

Edith grinned to herself, thinking about life and how her life had changed for the better.

The dinner was a simple one, as Elijah didn't have many cooking points yet, but Edith appreciated it all the same.

“I also have something to ask you, but that can wait until after dinner.”

“Oh really?”

“Edith, I know we only met a short while ago, but I know that I will always love you,” Elijah put a hand to his heart, “Edith, will you marry me?”

“I will!” Edith cried, and threw herself into Elijah's arms.

They are such a sweet, two-bolt couple.

And so the wedding took place then and there. A ceremony common amongst founding generations.

Elijah then glitched his face up somehow.

But my last OWBC taught me one thing – the batbox is really helpful. So it was easy to fix. But his face ruined all the wedding pictures because I didn't notice until afterwards.

And so Elijah and Edith spent the night as all newly-weds do.

They are a very sweet couple. I'm pleased Elijah found someone he liked eventually.

We interrupt this OWBC for a crazy dance party. Seriously, they dance all the time!

It's been so long since I've played a family sim properly that I had forgotten about the little “I am home!” cheer after work.

Unfortunately, the only person around to appreciate Elijah's return was Jerome the Gnome.

That didn't stop Elijah from cheering, though.

“I'm a family sim and I'm home!”

Pretty soon, Edith comes home from work and the pair of them get started on the garden.

While I'm not playing the seasons bonus this time round, I am still going for the Quad Pod mini challenge. I need plantsims, therefore, we need a farm. Logic.

“How nice of Elijah to make me cheesecake while I'm pregnant but not showing!”

I think I might be slightly mad to do this to myself. But I haven't cheesecaked twins for a long, long time.

Shortly after dessert, Edith begins showing signs of a pregnancy.

And then her needs rapidly deteriorate. Looks like Elijah will be managing the garden on his own for a few days.

I didn't know that mean sims have problems with ant farms too.

See, I've been trying to work out what Elijah's predestined hobby is, with no luck, so I bought an ant farm. The ants in that farm get shaken up on a daily basis.

Fed up of ants, the Mirrors adopt a kitten.

Meet Bailey. Hopefully, someone will remember to give the cat attention occasionally.

Apparently, there is a comeuppance for sims who shake up ants all the time – they end up scratching a fair bit.

“Dammit, itchy! Why did I ever shake up those ants?!”

I don't think using pesticide when pregnant is recommended. But that doesn't stop Edith.

Besides, Elijah isn't home to help out.

I know the pregnancy flew by, but Edith is kinda difficult to keep alive sometimes.

“Ouch...Oh! Ow! I just realised, I'm about to give birth!”

“Damn...my wife is hot when she is giving birth.”

And the award for the most inappropriate heart fart of the chapter goes to...

Even a woman in the street stopped to do the whole “Oh no, she's giving birth thing”.

I guess Edith screams loudly when she's in pain?

And so baby Beatrice was brought into the world!

Moments before her twin, Ben, arrives!

These are the only pictures I got of the twins as babies. Complete nightmare trying to take care of them. Even their cries were in sync.

So with babyhood quickly out of the way due to lack of pictures, it's time to throw the twins into toddlerhood!

Unfortunately, Elijah was working, so Edith had to throw the twins herself.

“She's adorable! She looks a lot like me!!”

Beatrice grew up to be an Aquarius, with a personality of 4/6/8/10/7 – and she hasn't inherited Elijah's elf ears, which is a shame.

And Ben grew up too, of course, also looking a lot like Edith.

Ben is a Gemini, with a personality of 4/7/8/4/4 and guess what! He got the elf ears!

They're quite an interesting-looking set of twins, but I like them both.

And this is where I shall leave you! Join me and the Mirrors next time for more babies, birthdays and vacations!

Thanks for reading!