Author's Note: This is a story chronicling the origins of Wario and Waluigi and their epic partnership. It's set in a slightly more realistic version of the Mario universe. Please note that their characters will change over the course of the story. People aren't static, they change over time.
That said, please enjoy, and remember to review if you please. I'd love to hear your input. This will be updated on a bi-weekly basis and will consist of approximately 7 to 8 chapters, if all goes as planned.

Outside his apartment window, the lights of skyscrapers blazed against a darkening sky. Cars blared down streets, their impatient drivers slapping their palms against their horns. Wario sighed heavily. Another typical day in Arrow City.

Things hadn't been going well for the young man recently. At the age of 23, he had expected himself to be reasonably successful, with a college degree in one hand and a budding career in the other. Instead, he'd been bouncing around from job to crappy job, getting laid off due to the poor economy and struggling to pay his bills. His apartment wasn't exactly the picture of living standards, but it was a place to stay and it was his. But now…

He stared forlornly down at the paper in his hand. His last payment for his phone service had been rejected. The check had bounced. He wasn't crazy about the idea of job hunting again. Yet what choice did he have? This phone bill was just the latest failure in a line of failures. If he didn't come up with some cash, and fast, he'd be out of a place to live.

Another sigh followed the first one, and he leaned back heavily into his couch. There was something else he could do. Steal. He'd been desperate enough before to consider it, and had even picked out a gas station to stick up, but he'd chickened out. Breaking the law just seemed like too big a risk to take.

Yeah, and look how that turned out, Wario snorted to himself. Being a model citizen hasn't gotten me anywhere.

His thoughts turned progressively bitter. All his life, he'd played by the rules and worked hard for what he had. Growing up with no parents to take care of him had taught him to be independent and self-reliant. And what did he have now? No career, no money, and no options.

"I'm fed up with this." Saying it out loud, hearing the anger in his own voice, strengthened Wario's resolve. "It's time I do something about it!"

The paper crumpled in his hand. Wario made a decision.