Author's note: It's time for us to conclude Alex's vacation, guys.
Every morning of the last month, Alex would always wake up with energy and quickly get himself prepared for the day. Running out of his hotel room to go eat a delicious breakfast at the food court and then go live whatever adventures the day had in store for Cappy and him. Today, however, was different. The young Koopa got out of bed and prepared himself without any trace of enthusiasm - and Cappy did not fail to see it.
"Hey, Alex!" the server greeted him from behind the counter at the Pier 8 Market's food court. "What are ya gonna eat today?"
"Just this," Alex handed over an egg and cheese sandwich alongside a bottle of orange juice.
The server couldn't help but blink his eyes in confusion as Alex paid for his meal. Usually, the little Koopa always brought a platter filled with eggs, toasts, bagels, sausages, bacon and more, eating all of it with energy and with a lack of manners that would require Cappy to interfere. As Alex walked away, the server turned to Cappy. "Why's he looking so sad? Did something happen?"
"Oh, you don't know, Nancy?" the floating hat asked. "This is Alex's last day in the Epic Universe; he's going back to Canada tomorrow morning."
"Really?" Nancy asked in surprise. She looked in Alex's direction with a sorry expression. "Aww, that's too bad; I'm gonna miss him."
"Me too," Cappy sadly nodded.
During the bus ride, Alex was less talkative than usual with the driver. Cappy once again had to explain the situation, making the driver sad to lose possibly one of the most lively guests he had ever met during his job.
For their last day together, the duo decided to head over to Universal Studios, where everything started for them. Alex traversed the park's portal with nostalgia, remembering his very first day in this magical place. How his first ride was Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, followed by the Bourne Stuntacular. After that, he visited the Wizarding World and helped Azrael to defeat Bowser. It felt like yesterday that all of this happened. Alex was going to miss the Minions causing mayhem all around, the spooky monsters creeping everybody out, the witches and wizards flying in the skies with their broomsticks, his Kung Fu lessons with Master Viper, having fun in the water at Volcano Bay, using Super Mario power ups...
Yeah, he would miss the Epic Universe altogether...
"Come on, Alex, don't be sad," Cappy said, floating in front of his friend. "It's not because it's our last day together that we have to be depressed. You don't want to end your vacation on a bad note, do you? Come on, cheer up; I've planned something very special today!"
"Something special? What?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You'll see. For now, let's head over to Super Nintendo World!" The two friends did just that, traversing Universal Studios until they reached Cappy's home world. As usual, the guests and characters were going around the beautiful landscape, collecting coins and jumping on bouncy mushrooms. However, something seemed unusual; a large crowd was gathered near Kinopio's Café.
"What's going on there?" Alex questioned.
Cappy couldn't hold back a chuckle. "It's the reason we came here. Come on, it's finally time you meet him!"
"Meet who?"
As they got closer, Alex got the chance to see that someone was in the middle of the crowd, signing video game boxes for guests. A small man with a red shirt and blue overalls, a big nose and a mustache...?! No, it couldn't be...?!
"S-Super Mario?!" Alex exclaimed, his eyes wide open.
"Yup! The legend himself!" Cappy confirmed with a nod. He waited for the crowd to dissipate before floating over to his plumber friend. "Mario, buddy!"
"Oh, it's Cappy!" Mario exclaimed in surprise, giving a hug to his hat friend. "It's so good to see you again, amigo!"
"Same here! You're so busy that we haven't hanged out together since, what, two months?" Cappy asked. "What have you been up to since then?"
"The usual thing, you know. Fawful has tricked Kamek and tried to unleash another plague, this time over Yoshi's Island. Rosalina actually helped me to take him out," Mario explained. "What about you? Are things still going well in the Cap Kingdom?"
"Sure are; Bowser hasn't attacked us again since you and I taught him a lesson! Guess he has learned not to mess with us, Bonneters!" The two friends laughed and exchanged a high-five. Before continuing, Cappy went to grab Alex by the arm and pulled him closer. "Mario, this is Alex Russo, my new traveling companion - before you ask, no, he's not from Bowser's army; he's actually a guest from the Real World who took on the form of a Koopa."
Mario looked at Alex. "So you're Cappy's new friend? Nice to meet you." He reached his hand forward. Alex, however, did not react, simply staring at the plumber with his eyes wide open, frozen on the spot. "Huh, is everything alright?"
"... I... You..." After many seconds, Alex actually pushed an exclamation and, unable to contain himself any longer, went full fanboy mode. He ran forward to hug Mario, his tail wagging faster than it ever had before. "OH MY GOSH! IT'S REALLY YOU, SUPER MARIO!" He released the plumber from his bone-breaking hug. "I'm a huge fan of yours! I've been playing your games for as far as I can remember - from the original game on the NES all the way to Odyssey! You've been part of my entire life! It's so amazing to finally meet you!"
Far from looking annoyed by the Koopa's reaction, the Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom laughed in amusement. "I get that a lot, but never get tired of hearing it! Glad that you enjoyed my games, Alex. So? What kind of trouble did Cappy drag you into?"
"Hey! You're the one who gets us in trouble, Mario!" Cappy protested.
Before the conversation could go on, Mario decided to bring his two friends to the highest mountain of the Mushroom Kingdom, where they would be able to discuss without being disturbed. Alex and Cappy shared their adventures of the last month with the plumber, who listened with interest.
"I'm telling you! There were giant bugs everywhere and even weird worms with sharp fangs coming out of the mud!" Cappy exclaimed, floating all around in a dramatic way. "It was even more scary than that time we visited the deep wood of the Wooded Kingdom and encountered a T-Rex!"
"We would have been goners, were it not for that primate girl, Kameilo, who jumped in time to save us with fire," Alex continued. "We owe her our lives."
"Impressive! That sounds very impressive!" Mario nodded in agreement. "Sounds like you guys lived as many adventures as I did on my side! What have you done next?"
"Well, not much; we decided to take a few days easy after this unexpected expedition to Skull Island," Alex explained. He shivered. "In fact, I still haven't completely recovered from the experience..."
"Is that so? Okay...," Mario rubbed the back of his head. "Well, Alex, I'm very impressed but everything you did. Standing up to Bowser on your first day and solving a conflict between the Toads and former Bowser minions the day after. I can understand why Azrael saw potential in you." Receiving praise from one of his video game heroes caused Alex to blush bashfully. "Say, maybe I could show you around the Mushroom Kingdom and the other worlds a little more. I could even convince Rosalina to let you on the Comet Observatory."
Alex was about to accept on the spot, eager at the idea of visiting the hub area of his favorite Mario game. However, that eagerness instantly died down as he remembered something. He sighed and looked at the Mushroom Kingdom's landscape down below. "Nothing would make me happier, Mr. Mario... But I unfortunately won't be able to... I'm leaving the Epic Universe and jumping on the plane back home tomorrow morning."
"Really? Oh, too bad. Maybe we could've gone on adventures together, had we met sooner," Mario said.
Alex nodded in agreement. For the rest of the day, the three friends chatted before going down the mountain and running (floating, in Cappy's case) across the Mushroom Kingdom, catching coins and stomping on enemies. They even made a detour by Mario's hometown of Brooklyn to eat a pizza together at the Punch Out Pizzeria. Once they were done eating, it was time for them to part ways.
After an exciting day in the Mushroom Kingdom, Alex and Cappy returned to the Endless Summer Resort. Since it was their last night together, the duo decided to make it special by watching all three Kung Fu Panda movies together. However, by the end of the second one, Alex decided to get some air and leave his hotel room. A little park was located on the other side of the street, so he walked over to it and sat down on a swing. He remained there for a long time, silently watching the sunset and the blazing auburn sky.
"I wonder if I'll ever get the chance to see a sunset like this in the Epic Universe again... Maybe in a few years, if I make enough money," Alex mumbled to himself, gently pushing and pulling the swing. A stepping sound coming from behind alerted him of a newcomer's arrival. He turned his head to see a familiar gray wolf with blood-red eyes coming his way. "Oh, hi, Azrael."
"Hi, Alex. I was looking for you," the Scion of Death replied, sitting on the swing next to the young Koopa. He followed the direction of his gaze. "It's a beautiful sunset, wouldn't you say?"
"Absolutely. There are lots of beautiful things to see in the Epic Universe, but the sunsets are definitely in my top ten," Alex said, nodding in agreement. He awkwardly looked at the ground before side-looking at Azrael. "Are you still mad at me for what happened at the New Moon Theater?"
"No. I got over it. I won't deny that our fight left me in a bad mood, but nothing a little session of listening to Skillet wouldn't fix," the wolf replied. "Just so you know, I perfectly understand why you feel this way about Shen and that you don't want anything to do with him right now, but I hope you'll find in your heart the strength to forgive his past deeds."
"Yeah... If I see him again one day, I mean..."
Many seconds of comfortable silence passed between the two friends before Azrael let out a sigh and placed a paw on Alex's shoulder. "Alex, listen, I can't help but feel like you should stay..."
This comment caused Alex to look at him in surprise. "W-What are you talking about?"
"I know that you feel very attached to the Epic Universe, it's clear as day. It doesn't take a genius to see how sad you are of leaving and possibly never returning. You've made bonds not only with characters, but also with other guests, and you don't want to leave them."
Alex stared at the wolf in silence before letting out a sad sigh and stared at the ground once more. "It's true... But what can I do about it? It's not like I can just stay here forever; I barely have enough money to buy myself a few snacks, so I can't afford to stay in my hotel room anymore. Plus...," he awkwardly rubbed his arm, "...I'm not really capable of living by myself. Back in the Real World, I live with my parents and little sister. They had to engage a lot of people for me to make the journey here. I wouldn't be able to survive here, in the Epic Universe... What would I do?"
"Parvulus," Azrael seriously said. "Do you remember your first day, when I asked you to pass a test?"
"Yeah? To meet and bond with as many characters as I could and help everybody when I got the chance?"
"Exactly. And do you know why I asked that you pass this test? It's because I wanted to see your potential, both with magic and as a potential guardian."
"A-A guardian?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
"Yes, I'm currently working on forming a special network of guests and characters with the goal being to protect the Epic Universe," Azrael explained. "This is an idea I got from the me from the Magical World; he, too, has a team just like that, and they are apparently doing a fantastic job protecting the worlds of Disney, Pixar and all of that. And guess what, I've got nothing to add; you did a fantastic job."
"I did?!"
"Yes," Azrael confirmed. "You still have a lot of things to learn, but I can tell that your desire to help is not to be questioned. The you from the Magical World is part of my other me's alliance, so it would make sense for you to be part of this universe's, don't you think?"
"So... What you're saying is that you want me to stay here, in the Epic Universe, and develop my potential so that I can help you and other guys like us to protect everything and everyone here. Is that it?" Alex tried to resume.
"That's pretty much it," the wolf confirmed.
"I don't know, Azrael..."
"Tell me something, Alex, how is your life in the Real World? Do you have a job or friends?"
The Koopa rubbed the back of his head. "To be honest, I don't exactly got a job; I barely finished high school. I was thinking about going to college, but I'm not sure what I want to do in life at the moment. As for my friends... I did have many of them as a kid, but ever since we became adults, I rarely got the chance to see them because they either moved away or became too busy to hang out with me. We just drifted away from each other. Only three or four of them are still part of my life, but I guess that's the kind of things that change with time..."
"Look, Alex, I won't try to influence your decision, but know that I think the Epic Universe would be lucky to have you as a guardian. I really think you should consider it. Oh, and if it's the money you're worried about, I think you should take a look at this." Azrael handed him a piece of paper with a familiar logo on it.
"Is that the Punch Out Pizzeria? I went to eat there with Mario and Cappy, earlier today," Alex said, looking at the paper.
"Yes. They're currently looking for a pizza delivery boy," the Scion of Death explained. "As you can see, the pay is high enough to be able to afford a little house in the Mushroom Kingdom. It will also allow you to buy food and other things like clothes and video games... Though I don't think there are televisions in this kingdom. But do you think you would be able to do this job?"
Alex stared at the piece of paper, then back at Azrael. "Pizza delivery? Like Spider-Man? This would be like a game of Paperboy?"
"I guess you could see it that way," Azrael shrugged. He got up from the swing and patted Alex on the shoulder. "Usually, I would tell you to take your time and think about it, but I'm afraid it's a decision you're gonna have to make before tomorrow. I'll come to see you then to know your decision. Te visurum." And with that, he walked away.
Now all by himself, Alex was left with the employment paper and a difficult decision on his mind. What was he supposed to do? Moving away from his old life and starting a new one in a different world sounded pretty scary, if he was honest with himself. How would his parents, little sister and friends from Canada react, if he was to just move into the Epic Universe like this? Even with a job, could he really live all by himself? The logical decision to make seemed to decline the offer. However, looking at things the other way, it did sound like a promising opportunity. Even after graduating from high school, he still had no plan for his future in the Real World. He did have a passion for adventure, games and pop culture, but not the required talents or education to get a proper job in any of these domains. Plus, the pizza delivery job seemed really fun.
"If I accept this job...then I won't be forced to say goodbye to my friends. I'll get to stay here, with all of my friends, I will continue my Kung Fu training with Master Viper and go on adventures with Cappy... Besides, I wouldn't technically by alone, since I'd have him, Azrael, Mario and Master Viper to look after me. I could spend the rest of my life living adventures with my heroes! What to do?"
Many minutes passed, during which Alex alternately stared at the piece of paper and the sunset, a strong debate going in his mind. Then, he ultimately reached a decision. With a decided look on his face, he pulled the paper in his backpack and ran back to his hotel room to announce the news to Cappy...
After that discussion with Azrael and such a fun month of vacation, I ultimately took the biggest decision of my life: staying in the Epic Universe. When learning it, Cappy was beyond rejoiced, hugging me super hard; we would be able to keep going on adventures together! That same evening, I contacted my parents via online screen chat to announce them the news. Naturally, the were freaked out and protested, not wanting to lose their baby boy to another world like this. It took some convincing, with help from Cappy and Azrael, but in the end, they respected my decision.
Azrael paid the Endless Summer Resort to let me stay in my room for a few more days, the time for my family to send me my belongings from the Real World, and also to find where I would be staying in the Mushroom Kingdom. With help from Mario and Captain Toad, we found a mushroom house that seemed spacious and cozy. At first, I hesitated, afraid to move into my own place and live by myself. However, this fear mostly faded away, when Cappy announced he would be leaving his home in the Cap Kingdom to live with me. Living with a roommate didn't sound that bad.
One thing led to another, and I now have my very own house, my own job and a new purpose in life; protecting the Epic Universe alongside my heroes and other guests. Azrael gave me a special phone that would allow me to contact and be contacted by other members of the network of defenders - the 'Epic Alliance', as he liked to call it. Things were a bit difficult at first, but I quickly got adjusted to my new life. Master Viper was beyond happy to learn my decision; she's still teaching me Kung Fu/Tai Chi at the Jade Palace, and Cappy and I are still going on adventures together.
Just like that, my vacation came to an end, and my new life in the Epic Universe started. I already can't wait to see the adventures the future has in store for Cappy and I...
Author's note: This concludes the 'origin' part of this story, everyone! I sure hope you enjoy it so far, because I have a lot of fun writing it! We now know how Alex came to the Epic Universe and what made him stay, so, starting next chapter, we'll jump forward to more present times!
I decided to give Alex the job of pizza delivery boy because I thought it'd be a great way for him to stay close to the Mushroom Kingdom and the rest of the Epic Universe as well. Plus...I just like pizza! It will allow our Koopa boy to deliver pizza to everybody across the Epic Universe!
Before concluding this chapter, I do have one request. All of my friends who got a OC in the Epic Universe did share their ref sheet to help me with future chapters...except you, AvalorianJaquin. I know you have an OC called Sora Aprils, but I don't his personality or how he looks. Could you help me with that, please?
Except for that, take care of yourselves and stay tuned for more epic adventures!