Chapter 1.6: Game of Wits

The next morning, Alboort and Waluigi were sitting in front of the projector screen again.

Alboort clicked up the first slide, which had 9-volt, 18-volt, Kat, Ana, Dr. Crygor, Mike, Penny Crygor, and Jimmy T. in a sort of mural like picture. "Okay, it's been strong work so far. We have defeated at least half of WarioWare's employees. However, things won't be quite so easy from here on." Alboort flipped the slide to show a strange white creature with a black cape and oversized sunglasses. "Orbulon spends most of his time in WarioWare Inc., so we should probably get him done with quickly, so Wario doesn't suspect anything."

Waluigi raised his hand.

Alboort raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Waluigi turned around in his chair. "Yeah. You said that this Orbulon guy specializes in IQ games, right?"

Alboort nodded. "That is the case."

"Well, Waluigi doesn't mean to sell himself short, but he's not the greatest with these quiz things."

Alboort adjusted his glasses and smiled. "I expected as much. However, seeing how you're supposed to be the one who beats the employees, you have to act as our figurehead. I'll need to work in the background. Orbulon is smart, though, so we're going to have to sneaky about this."

Waluigi grinned as he turned around. "Waluigi likes the sound of that."

Alboort clicked the slide button again. A picture of a big dog and a cat showed up. "Dribble and Spitz are a completely different matter. They almost never leave their taxi, so you'll need to use the van to even talk to them."

Waluigi rubbed his chin. "Waluigi doesn't know."

"Oh, come on. You've raced go-carts before."

Waluigi nodded. "But there weren't any cops on the tracks. You mentioned something about cops here, and Waluigi will have to drive fancy for this to work."

Alboort adjusted his glasses. "Very perceptive. You'll just need to outdrive both the animals and the police. If we're planning on stealing from WarioWare, we're going to have to hope they stay off our tail." He clicked the slide button, revealing a girl with large orange hair and riding on a scooter. "Speaking of the Diamond City police, Mona happens to be an old adversary of theirs."

Waluigi jumped from his chair. "Wait! So we're actually going to ask the cops to help us?!"

Alboort shook his head. "Are you crazy! We're thieves! Why on Earth would I ask the police for a favor!?" He paused and cleared his throat. "However, we will need some form of assistance. Like Dribble and Spitz, she's a moving target. Mona should be having a concert tonight, so we won't have to worry about her until later. I could see if I can find some means of beating her without running her over with the van."

Waluigi sat down. "Okay, so we wait an hour, so everyone's awake. Then, we head out for WarioWare Inc.."

"My thoughts exactly."

---

Alboort floated out the front door. He pulled out his Thieftech. "Okay, Waluigi. I'm ready to come to WarioWare."

Waluigi appeared on the screen. "Okay. Waluigi's just waiting on the corner, waiting for your call to go in."

Alboort nodded. "Okay. I'll get over there as fast as I can. Crossing streets in the middle of the city might be a little difficult, but I can always use the 2 button to disappear."

"'Kay. Just be careful." Waluigi disappeared from the screen.

Alboort put away his Thieftech and looked both ways before speeding across the street. He slid behind houses, looking around corners. He soon was across the street from WarioWare Inc.. He turned his both ways and started floating forward. Noticing someone out of the side of his eye, he disappeared. After the person walked by, he returned to normal and floated across the surprisingly empty street. He quickly floated behind the building.

Alboort pulled out his Thieftech. "Okay, Waluigi. I'm going to head in. You should do the same, but wait a minute before entering Orbulon's room. I'll fill you in on what we're supposed to do after that."

Waluigi nodded. "Okay, Waluigi already saw you and is heading in." The screen went blank.

Alboort put his Thieftech away. He looked around the wall until he saw an outlet. He floated over, shrank down, and floated into it. He started floating down the wire, jumping and floating over the electric pulses. Soon, he came across a fork in the wires.

"Well, I'm going to have to be careful. I want to pop out in Orbulon's room, not wind up in his computer. Starting off any anti-virus program would mean trouble for both me and Waluigi. I could always use the Thieftech to determine my destination, but with all this electricity I'm going to have to work fast." Alboort turned off to the right and floated for a while. Several more forks broke his path, but he found his way through and soon found himself looking out of a plug-in.

Alboort pulled out his Thieftech. "Waluigi, are you there?"

"Yeah, Waluigi's here."

Alboort nodded. "Okay, you should probably come in and grab Orbulon's attention while I get out of this thing. I don't want any attention myself, so I'll have to use the 2 button to avoid detection."

Waluigi nodded. "Waluigi will do his best, but what's the plan."

Alboort adjusted his glasses. "Well, Orbulon is very smart, so he's likely to quiz you. I'll show you the answers, but I can't make any noise while doing so, so don't answer the first thing you see."

Waluigi sighed. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Waluigi's got it."

Alboort nodded. "Then it's up to you to meet the challenge."

Waluigi hung up his Thieftech and knocked on the door.

Soon, Orbulon opened the door. "Hello, who is it being?"

Waluigi took a dramatic pose. "It's Waluigi."

Orbulon adjusted his glasses. "Oh, I has been hearing of you."

Waluigi flinched. "What?"

Orbulon nodded. "Is yes. Other employees is saying much about your being, what is to say, a number one." He looked Waluigi up and down. "But you is not looking like you are being a number."

Waluigi gaped slightly. "Uh, Waluigi just beat those losers."

Orbulon smiled. "It is being of course. Jimmy T. has said of a having been matched by you in dancing competition. Is yes?"

Waluigi nodded. "Yeah. Now Waluigi is here to challenge you."

Orbulon stepped back. "I is not knowing how well you will be doing. I is having an IQ of the 300, being after all."

Waluigi shrugged. "Guess it's more of a challenge for Waluigi, then."

Orbulon nodded and led Waluigi into his room. A massive computer made up one wall while a spaceship in the shape of a pig sat in another. He turned to Waluigi. "Now, I is not being a competitive person. Rather than being in showdown type of game with you, I is going to quiz you."

Waluigi raised an eyebrow. "Why? Afraid of losing?"

Orbulon shrugged. "Losing may be meaning a losing of job that is mine. So I is going to be giving a testing of you, being instead." He ran over to his computer. "Just be is giving a minute, please, yes."

Waluigi sat down in one of the chairs.

Orbulon soon walked back and sat in a chair in front of Waluigi. "Okay is. Game is being a simple defining. Questions will be of a showing up on computer screen that is behind me. Answers are being under options of A, B, C, and is a Z."

Waluigi sat there a moment. "Z? What about D?"

Orbulon looked back. "Um, I is still having trouble with what is being the alphabet of Earth. Options will be as is now." He turned back to Waluigi. "If answer which is being yours is being answer that is correct, then I is letting you win. Otherwise, you is being losing."

Waluigi grinned. "Let's see what you got."

Alboort had been watching the two. "All right. I just have to press the C button, and I can help Waluigi." He quickly snuck out of the plug-in while Orbulon's back was turned. I'll need to stay quiet while in here. And I must remember to hold down the 2 button to disappear whenever Orbulon looks back here. Speaking of which... He disappeared as Orbulon looked back.

"Okay, game is the set, rules is being having been laid. We is starting now." He turned back to Waluigi. "So, it is being question time one." He clicked a remote and a question showed up. Answers appeared under each letter choice. "First question is being this: What is largest planet in Earth's solar system? Is it the being A. Earth, B. Mercury, C. Jupiter, or Z. Uranus."

Waluigi held his chin as he watched Alboort float in front of the C panel. "Waluigi thinks it's Jupiter."

Orbulon smiled. "That is the answer being correct, yes." He turned back, Alboort disappearing beforehand, and clicked his remote again. "Now, second question is the being of: On the Isle Delfino, four species live on the land. They are being the Piantas, the Nokis, and A. Yoshis & Toads, B. Yoshis & Tanukis, C. Toads & Tanukis, or is being Z. Toads & Bloopers."

Waluigi opened his mouth and idled. "Wow. Waluigi needs to think about this one. He never was good with this geography stuff."

Alboort palmed his face. He adjusted his glasses and floated in front of the B panel."

Waluigi snapped his fingers. "It's the Tanukis and those Yoshis."

Orbulon adjusted his sunglasses. "Clever is you being. But there is being more questions." He clicked his remote without looking back. "And this is being the next of questions for you: which one of the being following is not being one of the reptiles? A. Koopas, B. Snakes, C. Lizards, or Z. Newts."

Alboort rolled his eyes. Too easy. He floated in front of the Z panel.

Waluigi nodded. "The answer is newts, of course."

Orbulon looked back, not seeing the invisible Boo. "Are you being the looking at something that is being of back here."

Waluigi quickly held up his hands defensively. "No. Waluigi was just nodding to himself."

Orbulon shrugged as he turned back to Waluigi. "Is not being of a problem, then." He clicked his remote. "I am being of surety that this one shouldn't be being too hard for being you. It is of sports related." He lifted his finger. "In Mario baseball good chemistry is what of being good help, yes. Well, Goomba is of having good chemistry with all being here but A. Paratroopa, B. Paragoomba, C. Koopa, or is it being the of weird Z answer Monty Mole."

Waluigi cringed. "Waluigi knew he should have paid more attention to those chemistry things." He held his chin numbly.

Alboort cringed, too. Let's see. Monty Mole seems to obvious a standout. He adjusted his glasses. Paragoombas should get along well with Goombas, and Koopas are always seen with them, so... He floated over in front of A.

Waluigi grit his teeth. "Well, this is tough, but Waluigi is going to have to say the Paratroopas."

Orbulon's sunglasses almost fell off. He looked back to see only the computer. "Okay, you who is being so smart, yes, being. It is being time of question that is very badly difficult." He clicked his remote. "This question is being so of the special that computer will be saying it by self."

Soon, speakers in the four corners revved up. A silky technological voice said, "Seen in darkness, lost in light. These fine treasures shine so bright. These jewels the moon lets glow while full, the sun believes should be forever dull. What is it?"

Waluigi looked around and swallowed. "No multiple choice."

Orbulon grinned. "This question is too good for the multiple choice."

Waluigi tugged on his collar. "Waluigi is going to need a minute."

Alboort looked around, tugging on his bowtie. Let's see. I know the answer, but how can I tell Waluigi? He looked around. Oh, that poster. I should have known that an alien would keep stars in his room. But I'll need to be careful. If Orbulon sees me, everything's finished. He started gliding gently across the floor.

Waluigi followed Alboort with his eyes.

Orbulon turned around. "What is being you being looking at?"

Waluigi jumped. "Nothing. Waluigi is just turning his head in thought. Waluigi likes jewels, but this question takes some thinking."

Orbulon watched Waluigi steadily. "Is being very well. For now, that is being."

Alboort crept silently until he was under a poster covered with stars. He stood beneath it and turned to Waluigi.

Waluigi held his chin. "Waluigi isn't sure."

"Sure is being of what?" Orbulon turned back to see the star poster. "What is it being that Waluigi is thinking?"

Waluigi waved his hand from side to side. "Waluigi was just looking at the stars."

Orbulon jumped. "What did you be saying?"

Waluigi shrugged. "Stars. Waluigi just said stars."

Orbulon stood up and turned back to his computer. "I is not being believing it. That is being answer correct." He slumped, one arm on his desk. "But how is you being knowing."

Waluigi stood up. He pulled a rose out of his hat and threw it so it stuck in the desk's top. "Don't worry about it. Waluigi is number one, after all."

Orbulon turned around smiling. "We'll be seeing how it is Wario will be being acting when I tells him that is being so."

Waluigi tipped his hat and walked out of the door.

Alboort looked around. This mission isn't over yet. I still need to get out of here. I should only float around while Orbulon's not looking, or I'll raise too many questions. He waited silently as Orbulon walked around. As the alien inspected his computer, Alboort slowly floated over and through the door.

Waluigi walked over to Alboort. "Look at what Waluigi found sitting on the floor." He held up a piece of paper.

Alboort wiped his brow before taking the paper. "Why, it look like another clue to opening Wario's safe."

Waluigi grinned. "Waluigi found that while waiting out here."

Alboort nodded. "Well, I'll examine this after we return to the hideout. For now, let's just get out of here before a certain alien comes out and sees me."

Waluigi nodded as he and Alboort began to run.

Mission accomplished

signed

-Alboort

---

Okay, first note: Orbulon is supposed to be very smart, but his human language skills are supposed to stink. Just so everyone understood why the alien was talking like some grammar school dropout.

Second. I'm thinking that with how minigameish these missions are that after the Diamond City stage is finished, Waluigi and Alboort can come back to compete again to earn coins/money.

By the way, Alboort is the one being controlled in this level, and yes, his movements were control stick, not button-based.

I was also using questions that most people should be able to answer. Even if Orbulon is a genius, people need to be able to beat the mission.

Anyways, please enjoy and review.