Prologue: Digging
"Uuu, Rick, what's this?" Morty asked, emerging from the pile of junk he had been rummaging through.
The worn wood was smooth in his hands as he held it up to the light, the glass failing to catch the suns rays due to the thick layer of dust on its surface.
Rick turned and answered with a grunt, preoccupied with the metal contraption in his hands - a gun of sorts.
"I-It's looks like a photo, an old photo," Morty added as he wiped away the grime with his fingers, "it is a photo...of me and Summer-"
Before Morty could continue, Rick snatched the frame out of his hands.
"It's nothing, M-Morty. Probably your Mom's or something," he said, removing the precious photo from the old frame and stuffing it into his lab coat - make a trade for his flask.
"Aw jeeze, Rick, are you sure, R-Rick? I was w-wearing green, and Summer had bangs. I mean, I don't think Summer has ever had bangs, and I h-hate green," he replied, watching Rick suspiciously as he gulped down booze.
"Really, Morty? Are you sure? I'm sure at one point Summer m-may have had bangs. Try not to overthink it-" a burp interupted his sentence, "Morty, it's just a photo, y'know, Morty." Rick quickly turned back to suckling his flask, barely breathing as he gulped down every drop.
"I-I-I don't think so, Rick. I mean, Summer also had brown eyes, but her eyes are blue," Morty rubbed the back of his neck. "A-and we w-were like ten. I was like ten. I di-didn't even know you when I was t-ten," he added, his stutter brought to the surface as his palms began to sweat.
Rick's shoulders grew tense as he looked at his Morty - the teen's brow raising as he anticipated the next words to leave his grandsons mouth. Rick's hand shook as he raised his flask to his mouth, only to find it empty at his lips.
"R-rick, did you have another M-Morty? Am I n-not your first Morty?"
"God dammit, Morty! You ask too many questions-" burp "M-Morty! Just shut up, you piece of shit!" Rick couldn't hold it in. His hand shook wildly and he threw his flask to the ground to draw the attention away from the quivering, the hollow metal ringing like a bell as it met the concrete garage floor.
Morty flinched, squeezing his eyes shut to muster any courage he had in his skinny body. "A-Am I not your first Morty?" He questioned, opening one eye as the noise faded.
Rick stood hunched, almost defeated, his brow furrowed over his eyes and he scowled at the ground.
"Am I your f-"
"Yes, Morty, you conceited piece of shit, you're the original Morty from earth C-137. Happy?" Rick snapped, turning to look at his Morty as he cowered away from his anger.
"Aw jeeze, Rick, I didn't mean-" Morty suddenly saw Rick's scowl fade, and it sent a shiver right to his core. He'd never truly seen Rick look sad.
"But... That doesn't mean," A burp rumbled in the back of his throat, "I am the original Rick."
"W-what? Y-you... What?"
"Before the R-Rick Wars, Morty, I was F-348 beta 9 Rick. "