A/N: I do not own Rick and Morty. It is owned by Adult Swim.

"Stop being a fucking pussy and just work with it, M-Morty." Rick annoyingly waved him off and continued digging the contents. They were on another adventure, or just bargaining with someone by hunting amorphous crystals to get whatever Rick wanted.

"Geez, Rick." Morty hesitantly dipped his hands onto the wet, slimy area. It wasn't that he's disgusted by the fact he's touching a dead body, but he's touching his father's butthole to find their objective. As been told by the dealer, they have to dissect other dimension's Jerry, that in this dimension he's pretty much useless to the Rick and this family. The objective was to take out all of the eaten crystals from his other dimension father due to Jerry had messed something up with this Rick's technologies when he barged into the garage and thought stupidly of the small sack at his desk some bits of chips. The boy didn't know why would Jerry think of it as food though. He wasn't that stupid, was he? One possible answer is that Jerry and Beth were divorced in this reality and drunk like his wife and father-in-law. In return, Jerry went into the garage and got the bag while heavily drunk.

Morty almost puked after he felt a stinking sticky sensation came from one of his hand. Shivering slightly at the sickening sound of sloppy and slimy sounds, he continued to go deeper thinking Rick will say something about him being so much a pussy again.

Meanwhile, Rick didn't mind the sounds as he had gone from this before. Nonchalantly, he kept his hands go much deeper despite the reeks of the guts. "Jesus, I didn't think this Jerry's insides sti-EURGH-nker than ours," Rick commented. "S-Since when do y-you know about my dad's guts?" Morty roped out an amorphous solid then placed it with the others as he felt even more nauseating. "Well, M-Mo-EURGH—rty you should know I don't just spend time experimenting just on you." Rick threw out another crystal to the small brown clothed bag in one shot.

"Aw g-geez, Rick! That-That's really fucked up. Experimenting with your family? S- Seriously?" Morty spits those out of his mouth from his mind to trying to think of other things rather than focusing on the look of his father's ripped outsides despite how stupid he said. Though it was expected Rick was always an unemotional shitass and his love for experimentation on someone or something, Morty's care for his family still tops from one of his priorities. Hence his surprised-not really- behavior towards Rick's statement is still bothering him.

"Urgh. Someday, Morty, you'll know how important science is more than family. Family su-URRP-cks ass and gives vulnerable complications that shouldn't be bothered by because it's stupid. It's useless. It's fucking you up until you pointlessly die for them because you care. For now, I don't give a fuck what you think. We already had this conversation before," Rick ended out with a huff, frustrated at his grandson's bickers. Morty just sighed, threw out another crystal.

After the search of all the eaten crystals, the younger boy took his father's dissected body to bury as Rick begrudgingly let him do it. It was a waste of time for Rick, yes, but Rick just ignorantly rolled his eyes as he disgustingly accepted him to bury his father in the yard nearby for the sake of not confronting a more rebellious Morty.

"Ya done there, Morty?" Rick switched the coordinates to where his dealer is and cleaned the amorphous solids. After Morty buried his father, he went back to this Jerry's apartment much to Rick's dismay.

"Yeah, Rick." Morty stepped out of the apartment his father was living in, probably washed out of Jerry's blood after the burial. And possibly puked out of his contents before he would let himself out.

Although a while back there, Morty reflected on how their adventures become a lot... gruesome ever since Jerry and Beth made up from the oppressive divorce. Rick would show him some things that aliens do, which were parts disgusting and much more messed up in a human's eyes. He really thought Rick was being too open about his way of treating the family, like a bad way: He spoke about Summer being a 'really decent' stripper in some alien bar, says about Beth being a cannibalistic incest when he was drunk since knowing about Beth's friend Tom, and Jerry will brutally and slowly die at any moment because of said stupidity if he went on that mentioned dimension (though he already expected that). He didn't say those before especially he never mentioned about the 'Voucher'. The first time he said that was after the day Beth and Jerry made up, was drunk coming into his door and ranted about wishing he had the voucher to replace him. Either that was a threat Rick was getting a lot meaner when Morty gets a bad day or a headache, by saying some inappropriate or offensive things. He even felt like Rick was using him again as another human shield. Though he already knew of this 'brainwaves', it hurt him to think of it. That his grandfather just only wanted him because to protect himself. Selfish, but he is, after all, the Rickest Rick he assumed of to be. Even then, he wanted to believe that his relative wanted him to have company on this crazy joyride. He wanted to believe that Rick isn't just using him as a tool. He wanted to believe he cared. He wanted to believe he loved him along with his family.

Apparently, Rick's motto still stands: Ricks don't care about anyone but himself. Morty knows he is being used. He's just ignoring the real reason why he's here, with his drunken grandfather, and chose to help dissect his own father. He hoped Rick would realize that he's doing this for his unsupported friendship, to keep Rick accompanied since he was really upset about Jerry coming back. Besides, Rick isn't the only one who can fool a family member, especially one of the smartest man that genetically connects. He can leave at his side anytime, if he's careful of his words. Goddamit, he's being too soft on someone who doesn't give two fucks about leaving his original dimension. But to be honest, Rick is technically the closest connection to their original dimension and Morty was mostly getting used to the changes in their new dimension.

So Morty will have to deal with being used.

Rick grunted as a satisfaction, still not looking at Morty.

"Alright, dawg! Let's go get some Luthenium rocks!" Rick yelled off as he shot the green circular portal and jumped in alongside Morty. The old man didn't bother to tell Morty what those are and what purpose they contain, but after a year and a half, he didn't bother to ask often about things Rick didn't want to answer of.

"Done and done. It was nice to deal with you, Sanchez." The Gorploxian, a mix of Gorblovian and Gromflomite, smirked with the two shook their hands.

"Yeah, whatever. Gimme the rocks and we're off." Rick pulled out his flask as he and Morty waited for the other Gorploxian arrived with a little sack of rocks. The scientist snatched harshly from the alien, walking off to the flying saucer. Morty sighed, bored and followed him.

"Hey, kid."

Morty glanced upon their dealer, before almost not catching the fragile alcohol bottle thrown at him. "Don't be a grouch. I think you'll be way equal with Sanchez."

"W-what?" Morty, confuzzled, asked with the bottle still in his hand. "Just sayin', you two got some dynamic." The Gorploxian drank up his own purple bottle, what Morty assumed is alien alcohol. "What-what do you mean?" With a tad bit of fear and timorous reaction due to little of knowing this species, he asked.

"You, kid. You and that bastard. You two really make a good team." Perplexed and bewildered at the sudden observation of the alien at them two travellers, he raised an eyebrow, a sign of needing more answers. Their dealer raised up his hand and gestured Morty to come closer, and he did so but reluctantly. "You're grandfather's always a drunk, angry human if I say so myself. But with you and him, it seemed like he's in good hands."

"H-how do you kno-know about him?" Morty uncomfortably asked, as to why this dealer knows his grandfather being an alcoholic. "Well, I was one of his rebel alliance, if you know what I mean."

"Rebel Alliance?" Morty wondered about Rick's past ever since he bragged about some sauce after the collapse of the Galactic Federation. He thought of the most likely possibility why the reason he's being an ass all the time. Thinking back, he wondered if Rick ever talked about his past while being a drunk man barging into his room to just drag him to another adventure. Doesn't a drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts? As of like his darkest past or something? "Oh, am I supposed to tell you this? Ah- fo'get it." He waved a dismissive hand and shook his head, turning back to his stack of crates.

"Wait, w-what? I'm sorry, sir. I-I don't recall him ha-having a team in the first place." Morty knew about him being a Rick. He doesn't want company, alliances (except his friends), or partners at all. Morty was just a tool for him and he knew this. Why on earth would Rick join some kind of rebellion? Or maybe Morty didn't know much about his grandfather. After all, he doesn't tell anyone about what happened to him before he came into Earth, only met his grown daughter and the family, to drag them into a swirling madness. "Oh, so you don't know about his war against the Federation, eh?" The dealer looked back, his weird black thin lips to a frown.

"Federation? As the Galactic Federation?" Morty raised his eyebrow.

"Yep! Those goddamn fascists don't know a thing or two about Rick Sanchez. He's always two steps ahead. He saved me from those pricks. From execution just because I didn't follow the said rules that directly. My family and I owe 'im my life." Never had he heard that from someone that Rick is their savior. On a Rebellion, helping the good side?

Maybe, just maybe. Rick has a heart. Maybe he's not a total dick at all. He, after all, saved his ally and his family, willingly. At least, that's what he and Summer believed.

"I-I... Well. I g-guess you could thank Rick again. For destroying those pricks permanently." Morty sadly smiled, the thoughts of his family may have the justice they should have. The Gorploxian stilled, that until he clicked. "You don't mean..."

"Yeah, the Galactic Federation is gone."

Morty saw from his face, the plethora of emotions spilled from the few tears and the faintest smile. He wasn't overwhelmed, Morty understood where he's coming from. The world- no, a fucking universe, controlled by fascists who could just best them around at everything. Now he's free, so is his family. They're okay and they're gonna be happy.

"I-I-..." The Gorploxian had no words but chuckled. But the boy doesn't need to hear it. He already sighted the words needed to be spoken. I guess for the first time in a long time, he finally got freedom. He wouldn't be in the shades of every planet, trying to hide from their government.

"H-hey, Morty! Lo-look at this, Morty." Morty looked towards at Rick, who was showing his portal gun's coordinates. And it didn't seem like their coordinates to home. He, of course, memorized some of the coordinates Rick has entered on. It was a practice Rick supervised of so that if he takes the portal gun in necessary situations, he'll know where to trick the attacker or go home without Rick dragging his ass off out of danger.

"Welp, I-I'll be seein' ya', kiddo." The dealer waved as a farewell the smile became genuine, likewise for Morty, but still, the stupid thoughts eager wanting to know more about Rick's battle with the Federation. He sighed and let it fade for now. He couldn't ask for more. He'll let him be happy for once in his life from that corrupted government.

Morty ran to his grandfather. "What-what is it, Rick?" Morty peeked at the interest of looking at a portal gun's coordinates settled on. "First, gimme that." Rick snatched the bottle away from Morty's grasp, opening the corkscrew with ease and drank the alcoholic liquid.

"As you may know, M-Morty. I-EURGH have found another fucking planet. Thi-this-this is gonna be great, Morty. Newfound planet, new loots, new adventures. Ain't it?" Rick enthusiastically spawned on the portal to, who knows while he had put the rocks onto his pockets and drank his new bottle. Morty grumbled, feeling the fatigue growing on him and the bile on his stomach still rumbling, completely overtook the thoughts of his grandpa and the Federation.

Unfortunately, the sick mind lingers to his father's body controlling his stomach into wanting the imaginative organs or guts of Jerry from his brain's medulla oblongata.

"C' mon, M-EURGH-orty. We-we gotta-we gotta g-go." Rick disgustingly burped once more and threw away the empty bottle, before he jumped to the portal along with Morty who sighed tiredly and went too.

Leaving the Gorploxian to gather his belongings, thinking of telling the news, that the boy said, to his family.

"Al-Alright, Mo-URP-rty. We're here!" Rick happily introduced the place they had gotten on.

"Wow, Rick. I-It's another weird jungle," Morty stated the obvious sarcastically. The place looked like hell. Red trees, gray grasses, and bluish plants. The only living creatures Morty saw of are spider-like large monsters. They look so fat, brownish purple spiky haired monsters, two times the size Morty has with his height. Their legs have eight or maybe ten legs, with sharp edges. Their mouths are large claws, almost looked like a spider. But that bothered little of Morty. He's not been any scared with those unless they're hostile around them. But what creeped Morty out was the creature's eyes kept staring at them, but not engaging at them. Morty didn't know much about aliens, but maybe naturally they're like this. Probably gonna take them as food though.

"Rick... where the hell are we?" Morty asked, nervousness climbing to his head.

"Jesus Morty, haven't I said that we just found a new coordinate? W-we'll have fun here Morty. Just maybe. I'm already b-EURGH-ored here standing. C'mon." Rick hid his portal gun back to his lab coat, walking off past the creatures as they kept their eight red eyes at Rick and Morty. "R-Rick, wait!" Morty chased up his grandfather after obnoxiously standing and stunned around the creatures.

All the way Rick kept ranting about how their surroundings suck and that their adventure, so far, wasn't fun as they only encountered the creatures with Rick shooting and Morty yelping out of fear. It was underwhelming, to say the least. "So Rick..." Morty started off the conversation, feeling a bit tense of the cricketing of the weird purple jungle and the creatures' loud breathing. "C-can we go home now? I'm t-tired and I'm not in the mood for more of these guys." Morty said as he pointed out the spider-like creatures.

Rick thought about it. To be honest, he was really BORED out of his mind in this new location. Nothing really 'fun' happening, or at least that's what Rick used the term for their adventures. It was lame ol' shooting mindless bastards left and right, with nothing really to be rewarded of or to escape of at all. Without a word, he fiddled inside the pockets of his coat, revealing the portal gun.

"Eh, you're r-right, Morty. This place sucks balls. Let's bail." Rick turned the coordinates home when suddenly, something smacked Rick's hand with the portal gun resulting in the collapse of the metallic parts.

"Argh fuck!"

"Rick!"

Rick didn't bother Morty's call as he felt under his eye a shadow swiftly rushed through beside them. He saw the object that had thrown to his portal gun to break. It was a polished, but dirty rock. The portal gun had parts scattered, the green energy faded as it contained no charge. Angered by the portal gun's destruction and his injured hand, he barked out "Whoever you are, come and get me, you motherfucker!"

"R-Rick what the-" Morty didn't finish when he was covered by some hand.

Wait... a human hand.

The captor pulled Morty expeditiously from Rick's side almost like the speed of light.

He tried muffling cries of help, whimpering while the hand held tight on his mouth. Morty was stuck with his captor in the shadows of the forest, unable to look upwards to see the face of the unknown attacker. Morty found himself to look at his grandfather, who narrowed his eyes when he turned his back around to see his grandson and his captor. This guy pointed a weird looking gun at Rick, steadily aimed at his forehead.

The shadow took a step back, with Morty dragged and his faced cried with sheer fear. Rick stood there, his glare kept close on the attacker.

"Who are you?" For the longest time of tense glare between the two, Morty's captor spoke. That is when Morty realized the voice wasn't he expected. It was more of the voice of a woman. An old woman, but more fierce and dark, a little raspy. "I should be asking you that, dipshit. And I did. Also, stop being dramatic. Jesus, you're not fooling anybody with that 'in the dark and questioning dark voice as a threat' cliche. You act l-like ... uh... forgot his name. Was it Batboy? Or Batguy? Manba-"

"Shut up, old man," The woman said as she let go of Morty's mouth. Morty was planning to run to Rick, but a hand seized his arm to stop him from getting away. "I'm not playing here. Who are you?" Repeated the woman but her voice went darker. Morty can finally turn around to see the woman's look. Her face seemed so old, almost as old as Rick's age. Her skin was pale, but still humanly, her eyes looked so crystal blue like Rick's, and her hair was between white and brownish purple. She was wearing a dark ripped sweater that her abdomen can be seen, blue dirty-purplish capri pants along with a brown belt tied with some kind of alien weapons, with seemingly a ripped part of the sweater strapped on her abdomen as if it is a bandage. Her look on Rick was the entirety of a badass apocalyptic woman in movies Morty watched of. Morty tried to remove his arm from the tight grip but it was futile, so in turn, he stared back at Rick clearly wanting help.

Rick glanced to Morty with an eye roll, then scoffing back at the old woman. "Now why, in the fuck, would I tell my name from a woman who looked like doesn't care about it? You think I'm that stupid not to see the face of anyone who doesn't give a shit?"

Irritated at Rick's questioning back, Morty spoke instead, "Just please what do you want?"

The woman glanced an eye to Morty, who surprisingly softened her face until she glared to Rick once more. Morty wondered if she was soft with children. "Why did you bring a child here?" The woman asked almost softly, which answered Morty's suspicion.

Confusion displayed on Rick's face, taken aback at the odd question. Then turned a bored look, as if the question was too stupid or idiotic. "Really? That's what you're asking of? You could've asked for or demanded me to give you my money if that's what you're thinking. Or could be something more valuable question?"

The woman became more frustrated with the old man and Morty was getting anxious. She seemed she would want to burn Rick to the ground.

"Look, if it's gonna make you comfortable, we'll get on our way and you won't have to complain about pa-EURGH-rental guidance." Rick lazily brought up his flask from his coat and drank the contents with his good hand.

Morty swore he felt a flinch from the gunner.

"Y-you drink a-alcohol?" The woman stuttered out.

Rick close the lid of his flask. "Are you that blind? Do I need to give you glasses to see it clearly?"

"You.. you are not fit to raise a child," she sputtered out and she stepped back, away from Rick. "Oh geez," Morty muttered, trying harder pull from the grip. He had the fear settled for the both of them. The woman was crazy but she seemed like a former mother. For his grandfather, he has the dread feeling of either her killing him or him killing her.

"Now look here, lady-"

"Stay back, drunkard!" The old woman clicked her gun as she pointed it to the sky, hearing the loud bang. Morty flinched at the loud bang from the gun. The noise sounded contrary to a human gun.

Rick groaned harder, also getting frustrated with the woman and quickly told to Morty, "Morty, just bite her off!"

Morty complied immediately as he bit off his captor, who hissed at the pain, releasing Morty right away. The boy was about to run beside Rick, but from the corner of his eye saw her gun clicked then...

"Wait!"

All could be heard throughout the jungle was the sound of a gunshot.

That was it. Morty wanted to cry but found no tears streaming. He's done for. He guessed that if he cried visibly and audibly, Rick will start calling him real piece of shit because he's of no use, Rick will just replace him with a new one since he got the Morty voucher after the hunt from the Rickicidal epidemic. Morty was in front of Rick, with closed eyes and his front side facing the surprised gunner.

"W-Wow, M-Mo-EURGH-rty. Dramatic much?"

When sarcasm dipped on Rick's words, Morty opened one of his eyes. He didn't feel anything very hot on his torso, heart, chest, or stomach. It was just the warm heat coming from the jungle. He felt no pain. He didn't feel the blaster shot through him. He saw the woman standing with confusion and slight horror. That would mean...

Morty turned his head to Rick. His heart beating with fear. He imagined something red right at his head, pooling down to the purple ground. But when he did look at Rick, he saw no blood.

Of what it seemed to be, a full-body force field wrapped around the old man, with the position of boredom and uninterested crossed arms. Oh thank God Morty was relieved internally, glad that Rick was prepared.

"What the hell?" Morty heard the woman cursed at her failure of killing his grandfather.

"Yeah, that's right dumbass. Did you really think I can die that easily? C'mon Morty," Rick ordered as Morty followed quickly, scared of encountering her once more.

"Stop, wait."

Morty tilted his head to her, the pained expression and a pang of guilt showed on him and Rick. While the man ignored, Morty bit his lip, contemplating on asking her or just leave her.

Since Morty is such a naive and stupidly good kid, he went the opposite Rick gone to, which he heard him huff in annoyance and muttered something about leaving him.

Morty hesitantly neared closer to the woman, afraid she might grab him. That is, she merely just stood there, a little surprised by the kid did comply with her pathetic plea.

"Look, this is g-ge-getting awkward so if you want something just tell," Morty said when he distanced himself from the woman just a tad bit, not wanting to be tricked yet just there to be kind for a stranger he hadn't known.

"A-Are you sure you're okay with going with that man?" The woman seriously asked softly to the kid, who was very confused with how the stranger's attitude when it comes to him. Usually, meeting with alien strangers are always ignoring him and only noticed Rick as if he was some sort of super star or in some cases, a big wanted criminal. Morty is always in the back, just being a little sidekick to the main person. He didn't get much attention at anybody at all, just side glances and little greetings. But at times, he is also known to be with Rick when there's a good wanted posters out there. He heard in planets of what he and Rick's doings in their places. It was good to hear those that he is known, but a large amount of fear that some bounty hunter might just be his end of the line.

However, it comes to a thought about the woman's worry over Rick's guidance towards him. He's usually bossy, frustrating, and a pain in the ass. He doesn't give a shit about anything and a bad grandfather. Those are the things Morty thought about Rick, and while that are the dominant traits, sometimes, he's not that bad. He meant, that at times he granted Morty and his family's wishes indirectly and rarely directly. He did save him from the time-parallel-breaking-apart-with-Schrödinger's-cats. And after the dealer's conversation with him, Rick was a rebel fighting from the Galactic Federation and saved lives. Morty is getting troubled by Rick's development with their family and it hurts and warms at him every time.

"Ye-yeah, wait n-no. But, uh y-y-yes I'm-I'm okay with it," Morty stuttered, still troubled with the thoughts about his grandfather. "W-wuh-wait. Why are you asking me this?"

"For a second, about his alcoholism? Very dangerous with a kid like you."

Why is this woman so... caring?

"N-No, I meant about why do you care?" Morty suspiciously narrowed his eyes. The stranger is silent, as if she didn't expect the question. "Well, I was... a mother once." That made Morty soften. He never heard about mothers from outer space mostly. Only about Rick's 'lovers' and young girls he had encountered of the females throughout, but not mothers. Occasionally, Beth had gone with him and Rick to adventures but she's part of a family and already known to care for her children. But strangers that are mothers isn't what Morty really expected.

"Oh, um. Okay, but r-really. I'm fine with hi-"

"Morty!"

Morty, startled, quickly turned his head to Rick's direction which slightly worried the woman.

Rick entered at their visions, seemingly excited and pumped.

"Morty, you got to s-see this. A fucking cave Morty! It's a cave!" Rick quickly grabbed his wrist and dragged him to his designated destination. It was a rocky dark cave, with those what they learned from school are stalagmites. No, wait. It's stalactite. There's only few of it, though. The inside of it have blurry colors of purple and blue glowing, which Morty thought if there's ores to mine with.

Morty raised a brow in confusion. "And?"

The old man frowned in disappointment, as if -again- he's an idiot to not be excited about this. "Are you kidding me, Morty? This-This could be our ticket way outta here!"

"H-How is it a ticke-?"

"Because, Morty, that this cave has to have Quantillis!"

"What?"

Rick dragged Morty closer to the cave, with his grip on Morty's wrist became much stronger, it made the boy wince. "Don't question, Morty. The point now is to move and go. Now."

As Rick pushed Morty towards the entrance of the dark shallow cave, a voice stepped in stopping Morty but not Rick.

"Hold on."

Morty turned his head back and saw the woman again. She appeared to be skeptical about the whole thing of what both male are doing, that until she decided.

"I'm coming with you."

"Excuse me" Rick interrupted sarcastically before Morty could respond when he stopped pushing the boy. "Who're you again? The whore who suddenly gone berserk to shoot me, throw a rock to our way home, and kidnap a kid? I'm so comfortable by now that you'll be with us. It's not like I'm fucking useless you aren't," Rick spat out with dripping sarcasm and venom, releasing Morty to cross his arms with his gaze bore to the female.

Not wanting defeat, she talked back, "It was a survival instinct. Destroying weapons by surprise to avoid death and taking hostages to beg them for scraps. What do you expect me to do? Beg and be shot down?"

"No, I expect you to kill yourself."

Glares had occurred between the two adults, leaving Morty to break it all up. "Co-Come on, Rick. I forgive her." Though with slight regret to forgive, he is still doubtful about her coming with them.

"Typical Morty, always with the sentimental reactions to assholes that usually betrays us," Rick huffed.

"Look," the stranger sighed and gave an analytical look to Rick. "Let's make a compromise. I help you with finding this Quantillis a-"

"Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for an alliance with another asshole. Adios," Rick waves off the woman and walks off back to the cave. Morty tried stopping Rick after he got an idea. "Rick, I think she might help us."

"Morty-"

"Rick, she knows what's in there more than you. She may been through shit here than we have. She could lead us there."

Rick silenced himself and halted, with Morty's little stunned face that his grandpa actually tempted to think. But his little face turned sour when Rick questioned to the old woman, "And what if you don't?" Clearly he knew about the woman hearing their chat.

She straightened up, her face full of determination and disgust (for Rick). With a lend of her hand to both, she spoke,

"The name's Richsnelle. Just call me Ris."

Rick never bothered to shake her hands and moved on.