It took a week.

Of course. Of course it did. She never could get around to something without overthinking it to death. What was she supposed to say? Should she invite him to hang out? But what kind of hang-out could she offer a mad scientist with a way better cable package?

But, nonetheless, Iva did get around to it. Making an attempt, she concluded, was a better option than letting an opportunity for friendship fade into the mist.

With a deep exhale, and a deeper swig of coffee, she turned the watch to herself and waited.

It was an uncomfortable five seconds, staring into the device. She felt a bit like an idiot at first. Maybe Iva was going about it wrong? But, after those awkward moments, the watch started to vibrate and its face lit up bright green. Which, to someone who lived in a perpetually dark house, was nearly blinding.

Iva squeezed her eyes shut.

"I-Iva?" A familiar voice answered. "Hello?"

She peeked one eye open. Rick, or Rick's head, was projected as a hologram through the screen. At first, the girl could only stare. The holographic technology was, like everything else she'd seen of Rick's, something straight out of a science fiction novel. His features were clearly displayed though the floating image, each facial movement documented without a bit of lag or glitching. The idea that he had given this scientific marvel to her without a bit of hesitation was, frankly, insane.

"Hellooo?"

Shit. Iva realized she'd been gaping like an idiot.

"H-hey Rick!" She greeted, trying to sound casual and failing.

"What's up?"

"Uh, not much. Just, you said to call if I wanted to talk so... here I am!" She let out an awkward chuckle. "Hope I didn't catch you at a bad time or anything."

Did that sound like she was trying too hard? Probably.

"A-actaully, I was just about to grab Morty and head out."

"O-oh." Disappointment drowned her anxiety. "Well, if I'm keeping you..."

Rick's hologram shook its head. The motion was surprisingly fluid.

"Would you wanna come with us?"

Disappointment was drowned by excitement.

"I-sure!" She said, perhaps too quickly. "If I wouldn't be a burden or anything."

Rick raised an eyebrow. "Why would I ask you to come, then?"

Iva's eyes darted away. "Fair point."

"You know you really... you really got get that self-esteem thing in check. Anyways, meet us in our garage in ten minutes. Bring a towel."

"Okay, can do!" She said, already rushing to her linen closer for the requested item. "By the way where are we going? Do I need sunscreen too?"

Just by logical deduction, she could guess that they would be going to a pool. Iva hadn't gone swimming in ages, and honestly couldn't remember where her swimsuit was. Then again, perhaps that was for the best. The public didn't need to be subjected to her bone-white, gangly form in nothing but a bikini.

"We're going to Atlantis." He said. "Seeya in ten."

With that, he hung up.

Iva immediately dropped her towel. Atlantis? THE Atlanis? Perhaps she shouldn't have been as shocked as she was. Rick had proven himself to he the real deal when it came to the mythical mad scientist. And, furthermore, she'd already seen the consequences of his space travels. So a casual trip to Atlantis shouldn't have been that surprising.

But goddamn it was.

Iva found herself joining her fallen towel. "Holy Shit, holy Shit." She mumbled, clasping her hand over her mouth.

Atlantis.

God, if this was true, Iva was sure she'd have to hold back tears. Atlantis. Her tiny. five-year-old self was screeching in delight.

Shit. She had five minutes. Iva considered finding other items to bring in preparation, but came up empty in terms of ideas. What the hell did one bring to Atlantis? Rick had only mentioned a towel. So, with only a towel and her notebook, Iva bolted out of her house.

She was sure she looked a bit mad herself.


Turns out, the items needed for an Atlantean trip were nothing more than a towel, a special bathing suit, and an oxygen tank.

And the towel was only for when they got back.

Iva hurriedly shoved herself into the yellow suit. It was a light, breathable material that made it easy to slip on. It was only giddiness that slowed her pace.

Once it was on, the girl looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her suit stretched over her body quite nicely. Funny, since most suits hung off her frame like drooping skin off a corpse. Perhaps it was just that Rick was so thin himself that he understood the struggle.

A knock on the door made her jump.

"Ready to go?"

"Y-yeah, just a second!"

Iva did one last check to make sure the suit fit before exiting the bathroom. Rick was leaning against the adjacent wall. Beside him was her oxygen tank.

"H-hold out your arms for me. I need to get this thing fitted right."

Iva did so. Rick lifted the tank, with no difficulty, and came around to her back. He slipped the straps over her arms ans tightened them accordingly. The tank, she found, was not nearly as heavy as it looked. Did Rick perhaps create a new, light-weight material for it?

"That outta do it." Rick mumbled. He moved back to her front. "Now, c-clip those two fasteners."

He gestured to the four straps hanging limp by her sides. Iva clipped the first one around her waist, And the second under her breasts.

"Those tight enough?"

She nodded. "Good. Put this on."

He handed her a diving mask. Iva stapped it over her skull, taming a bit of her wild mane of hair in the process.

"That fit okay?"

Thumbs up.

"We're set, then. Follow me."

Rick beckoned her to follow him into the garage. Morty was standing in the center of the area, dressed in the same garb. His expression, she saw, was not a welcoming one.

Iva was going to say hello, but found her tongue was leaden. God, had she caused some rift between them with her presence?

She settled on an awkward wave.

Morty waved back, if dismissively.

"A-Alriht," Rick said, thankfully breaking the awkward silence that had set in, "Everyone ready? Got all your gear on?"

Iva gave a vigorous nod.

"Yeah, we're ready." Morty said. His voice was no more inviting than his expression. He sounded irritated.

Rick reached into his lab coat pocket and pulled out the device she'd seen at dinner. It was white, gun-shaped, and bore a large tube atop its barrel. The rube was filled with some kind of glowing green liquid. The kind of green liquid one would associate with comic book origin stories and very misleading information about radioactive substances.

He fired it, and a portal appeared. The same kind as the one at dinner.

Iva took a step back.

"Ladies first." Rick said, stepping aside from the portal.

Iva tried to hide her sudden fears. It dawned on her that she was, in fact, about to jump into a vortex that led to a supposedly mythical destination.

Needless to say, this wasn't the happiest revelation. A better emotion to describe it would "scared shitless."

But, both Rick and Morty were looking at her expectantly. And if there was one thing that trumped the fear of the unknown, it was the fear of not meeting up to social expectations.

"L-let's do this!" She exclaimed.

And so, nerves in shambles and brain screaming with joy and horror (what an odd mix), Iva stepped up to the portal. It towered over her, the Disney villain green portal, like the gaping mouth of a lovecraftian monster.

Well, this was the type of stuff she'd write about anyways.

Iva took a step into the portal. Before she knew It, her whole body was inside, free-floating through space, and tumbling towards a seeming oblivion.

All she had time to think was "fuck fucking fuck."

A.N.: Me? Updating in a somewhat reasonable timeframe? What is this, another dimension? Anyways, hope you all liked this! I figured since we never did get that Atlantis adventure, I'd write one myself. So yes, next chapter is Atlantis! Sorry for the cliffhanger, by the way. Didn't wanna do the whole adventure in one sitting. Thank you all so so much for your support, it means the world to me! Seeya next time!