Happy people seemed to enjoy the first chapter, and also good to know I got the characters fairly on point. Because my god, they are hard to right for, so more praise for the actual show's writers.

I also forgot to mention, but this most likely takes place around season 4. No set time, but most definitely before season 5's stuff, in case you were wondering.

I'm also tempted to make a drawing on Ananteris so people can get a better idea of what he looks like, but I'll have to see if I have the time. Might post it on the next chapter, or on a later update.

But anyway, onto the story! And again, with the warnings, this capture is the one that heavily features the whump, blood and torture, and while it won't be gory, do be warned!

Synopsis:

When Morty doesn't come back inside the bar, Rick eventually goes out to find him, unable to locate the boy where he last saw him. Just as he's about to use the ship to track down Morty, he gets a video call that finally explains to him what's happened.

And...let's just say what he sees will make his casual mindset start to crack and break, thanks to good old Ananteris...

Characters:

Morty Smith

Rick Sanchez

Some minor background people

Ananteris Fattail (OC)

Alien Dog Thing

Warning: Swearing, Some Dark/Sexual Humor, Torture, Blood & Violence, Child/Animal Abuse, If you watch Rick and Morty you'll know how some of this dialogue goes.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rick & Morty, only this story itself and any personal characters in it!
Plugins: Check me out of Deviantart & Tumblr for my art! My username is the same as on here!

Rick downed what he believed to be his sixth drink of venom-filled vodka, and while the buzz of it was making his head sway ever so slightly, he had a liver of steel. Took a lot to make him blackout drunk, and while it was an excellent way to finally ignore everything in life, blackout drunk Rick wasn't a popular figure. He hadn't thought much about it before, not until what happened with Morty and the Vindicators, but hey! At least he learnt his lesson, somewhat...

Though speaking of his grandson, Rick glanced at the back door for the tenth time since Morty vanished through it to take a breather. It's not that he was overly worried, but after what happened long ago at the Thirsty Steps...Rick learnt to at least keep an ear and eye out for anything wrong that could happen. Morty didn't know this, he knew that, and he didn't want the kid to think he was openingly caring anyway. Because whenever that happened, Morty would get smug, and that annoyed Rick to no end.

But for now, he was getting a bit impatient, as Morty hadn't come back. He wanted to give the kid some space, hoping it would help calm his nerves. And even Rick had to admit it was a bit stuffy inside anyway, so some good old oxygen goes a long way to clear the brain. He himself was used to the environment, so it didn't matter much to him, but Morty was fourteen, almost fifteen, and still hadn't had his first wildly drunk and drug-filled party as a teenager.

Though, as Rick had his eyes on the door, fingers tapping the table, he weighed his options on checking on Morty. His gaze snapped away when a waiter approached his table. The alien was nicely dressed, strange given this place was a hunter's bar and not a thousand dollar restaurant, but he held a polite smile as he started collecting Rick's empty glasses. Rick merely gave a light nod to acknowledge the man's presence.

The waiter then paused, just about to grab Morty's drink, before pulling away and look to Rick. "You know you still have to pay for the orange juice." He informed the old scientist.

Rick frowned at that. He already spent a crapload of money out here, and so it seemed like a waste to pay for something he didn't use. "He didn't uuurp!-even touch it." He tried to argue, hand waving in a gesture at the drink.

Giving a light shrug, the waiter replied. "I don't make the rule." And with that, he turned and left, leaving the orange juice in case Morty came back for it.

Rick grumbled to himself, a few drunk thoughts dancing around in his head. But he kept his cool. After all, he may be an asshat, but even he didn't berate employees who were just doing their job. He had seen enough of that, even beyond earth, and it just made no sense to him.

His eyes surveyed the now almost empty table, no more drinks to be found. For a moment, he was about to order another, maybe something new. He had nearly forgotten about Morty, if not for when his eyes landed on the orange juice, the bright colour of it sticking out like a sore thumb in a place like this. Shaking his head, Rick blinked a few times to get his brain moving.

"Speaking of that little t-twerp." He spoke to himself, brushing his hair back. "I don't hear any scre-screams of help." Rick mused, again taking a moment to think to himself.

On the one hand, Morty might just be sulking in the alleyway, thinking it'll get Rick's attention so they can leave, something the kid has done before. But on the other hand, Morty could be in danger right this second, and Rick couldn't hear it because he wasn't nearby, again something that happens fairly often like the sulking. It was usually a 50/50 chance with that boy.

But he supposes he should at least check the alley to make sure, cause if he is in danger, then Rick should help, and if he's not, then Rick can order another drink with no worries. Maybe he can even convince the boy to drink this orange juice and not let it go to waste.

So with a grumbling sigh, Rick pressed his hands on the table to push himself up, his chair squeaking a little when pushed back on the wooden floor. One of the bartenders looked up, making Rick realise he couldn't just walk out in the alleyway without paying what he's already had, since that would just look suspicious regardless if he was coming back inside later. So with a little bit of grace, he slipped his wallet out from his lab coat, and swiped out a few coins in the local currency, and left it on his table.

Seeing this, the bartender perked up with a happy smile, waving a tentacle at Rick. "Thank you, have a lovely night." They chirped at him, nodding at a nearby waiter to grab the money before someone else swooped in.

Shoving his hands in his pocket, Rick merely strolled past them and straight for the back door. "Whatever…."

When he reached the door, he paused momentarily to listen, wanting to see if he could hear anything wrong before proceeding. But there was nothing, no bangs of a fight, no deep voices promising threats, and no shrill screams and whines of his grandson. Maybe that did mean Morty was just sulking, which would be the best outcome compared to what else could happen. Still, Rick had to at least check.

Pressing a hand on the door, he pushed it open, and he wandered out, the warm and stuffy air of the bar flying off of him when the cold night breeze swallowed him up. Thankfully he had his lab coat, which provided decent protection from the chilly wind. His nose did feel prickly though, so that was fun.

He stood there for a moment, eyes shuffling side to side, not seeing the familiar sight of a bright, soft yellow shirt or brown curls of hair. Rick took a few more steps into the alley, tilting his head and glancing at every hidden spot behind trash, in case the boy was hiding somewhere.

"Morty?" Rick finally called out, squinting as it was rather dark out. "M-Morty?"

No voice responded back, not even the cliche of someone saying 'There's no Morty here, not any more', which he kind of would have prefered over nothing. But the silence was not reassuring, as Morty was obedient enough to at least say something, whether it be an 'I'm over here' or 'Go away, Rick'. Basic teenager language stuff.

So when he hears only the calm winds and faint chatting from the bar inside, he will admit that he may be starting to get worried. Something else also didn't feel right, as even if something happened, most of the time something else would happen next to catch Rick's attention. Like someone jumping in, using Morty as a hostage, or even a building nearby exploding. Chaos was the ruler of Rick's life, so when nothing happens, that's when things truly get strange.

And that worrying feeling curling up inside him didn't relax when hearing something crack under his feet. It made Rick blink a little in surprise, before looking down, at first thinking he stepped in some trash. But his eyebrows furrowed when realising he stepped on what looked like the remains on Morty's phone, having already been broken by something prior.

A teen without their phone was already a worry, but that also meant that wherever Morty was, he most likely couldn't contact Rick for help. But what exactly happened? As none of this answered what happened to Morty.

Shaking his head, feeling frustrated, Rick knelt down to brush a hand along the cracked phone screen. "I swear if he go-got mugged again, I'm not buying him a new fucking phone." He slurred to himself.

That kid was a danger magnet, and they all knew it at this point. That didn't mean it was any easier to deal with. But again, if Morty did get mugged, how did Rick not hear this? Surely someone would have been yelling or screaming. At the very least, some staff or maybe other customers heard something. And if the boy did get mugged, then where was he?

As he thought to himself, his eyes on the phone unfocused, he started getting a sinking feeling. Perhaps it wasn't a mugging, but instead a kidnapping. Those tended to be quieter, and would explain why the phone was both left behind and broken. And given this was a market for selling rare parts, a human might sell a reasonable price, regardless if this place was meant for animal bits.

He wasn't a fan of the idea of someone selling his grandson's liver or brain, so he narrowed his eyes and stood, leaving the phone remains behind. Looks like he wouldn't be getting that extra drink after all, now on the hunt for Morty and whoever took him.

It didn't help that no traces seemed to be left behind, the place cleared of footprints or any sign of someone being around. It made him even more frustrated when none of the gear he brought could find Morty, trackers somehow unable to locate him. Whoever did this knew what to do, and that made Rick even more worried.

So the next best thing he could do, hoping his scanners could pick up something along the way, was to ask around the place, heading straight back to the market. He asked many he walked past if they had seen a short human, wearing a yellow shirt, and was described as being shrimpy, probably looked scared, and a teen who could be mistaken as a small child. He even asked those he had bought things from, as they knew what Morty actually looked like.

And one by one, they all told him no, that they hadn't seen his grandson or anyone with a human. Apparently, most people around here, especially security, made sure no one was kidnapping people to sell their parts on the market, this place was strictly animal stuff. It had, admittedly, happened here and there still, but they could only do so much.

At the very least, Rick didn't see any human organs being placed on a stall to be sold, but that didn't mean Morty wasn't being put on the black market. Rick really didn't want to go home and inform his daughter that he lost the boy to an unknown kidnapping, and there was no way he would replace Morty. Didn't need to deal with the Citadel's nonsense again.

But after spending a good two and a half hours asking people if they had seen him, he was growing tired of it all. His mind was slightly hazy due to the alcohol, so when his speech slurred in front of people, it was clear many assumed he was just a wandering drunk who lost a kid or something. The security team did say they'll keep an eye out, but Rick highly suspected they'd find nothing, and so quickly dubbed them as useless.

Eventually, he made his way out of the market, and into the parking zone. He had found absolutely nothing, not even a smidge of a clue as to what happened, which was, as he hates to admit it, kind of impressive. It takes a lot to get this far past Rick, but that did say a lot of bad things for Morty's situation, and Rick was doing his best to stay calm. He knew there was no point in running around, screaming the kid's name, as he might attract the wrong kind of attention. He had to stay level headed for both of their sakes, as he wouldn't be able to do much if he got locked up for being a loon.

Mumbling words to himself, he found himself irritated by the whole thing. This was supposed to be a peaceful shopping trip with his grandson, not some Taken bullshit. He was starting to get Morty's whole point about wanting to pick nicer adventures here and there, so maybe letting him win that bet back then wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Though it couldn't exactly work without Morty, so it's about time he found him. The only other place he could search is the savannah area outside of town, an open piece of land that was still claimed by nature. He had overheard some hunters at the bar saying some dangerous animals were lurking there, along with some pretty shady acts apparently being committed in the area.

Rick stumbled his way onto his seat in the ship, taking a moment to rub his temples, trying to clear his head, before drawling out. "Ship, ca-can you-"

But his command was interrupted by the ship itself, her calculated voice humming to life as a screen popped up. A little phone shaped hovered in the middle of it, dancing back and forth like a happy little cartoon. The sight made Rick snap his head up, confused.

"Incoming video call, from a blacklisted number." The AI informed him.

Rick squinted at the number displayed at the bottom, realising there was no name attached to it. "I really should label these numbers…."

A man like him had an entire blacklist of numbers to not call, or not answer. Happens quite a bit in his line of work, which is to be expected. Though, funnily enough, while he has a list, he doesn't tend not to answer whoever is calling from time to time. Keeps things spicy and fun that way, and can be a great source of amusement.

Though he did debate with himself if he should answer at a time like this. He knew he should really focus on the whole Morty being kidnapped thing. But...it would take him a bit to get to the wild zone, and he wanted something to do to distract these worries of his. Some fun banter with a person he's angered is a great way to let off some steam. Plus, he could always justify it as perhaps Morty trying to call him from another phone.

"Answer." Rick replied to his AI, as he began clicking away at some things to get the rest of the ship online.

He felt the rumble of the engine come to life, the ship vibrating as it began hovering off of the ground and away from the parking lot. Rick noticed the screen flicker to a video call out of the corner of his eye, a figure on screen, but he didn't look quite yet as he was still making sure he could take off safely.

But he did speak, already getting ready to annoy someone. "Look, if this is you, Kyle, I already told you-"

However, the voice that cut him off was not who he was expecting. That growling tone catching him slightly off guard. "You really do just have a list of people who hate your guts, don't you?…"

Snapping his head up, gaze darting to the screen in front of him, he was greeted by the sight of Ananteris, looking exactly how he was previously in the day. He was staring at Rick with his usual aggression, cold eyes on the man with his arms crossed, as if Rick had put him on hold for five hours or something in a hotline call. His hat was still on too, despite clearly being indoors on his own ship, and was most likely using it to keep that intimidation factor. Though Rick personally thought that was just dumb.

"Oh, fucking course." Rick groaned, resisting the urge to roll his eyes into the back of his head. "Mister Fattail himself…." He gibed, glaring right back at Ananteris.

Before the man could reply to him, Rick took the few seconds of silence to survey the video feed entirely. He was right in that Ananteris was indeed on his ship, as Rick recognises the interior from when he first hired the hunter. It was just as dark and edgy as the man himself, the whole place coated in blacks and greys, spikey or slick along the walls, floor and roof. A few weapons and trophies lined one of the walls, animal skulls, hunting knives and a few objects that glowed softly.

His pet was nowhere to be seen, probably out of frame on the ground, and Ananteris himself mainly was on screen. Though his tail was off to the side for some reason, rather than sitting behind him. Rick noted that it sometimes twitched at random, as if trying to keep still. Or rather, keep something he was holding still. Rick even thinks he heard a very faint sound, like a cut off gasp or squeak, but Ananteris started talking again to get his attention.

"Expecting me to call?" His foe queried, tilting his head in a sly manner.

Rick rested in his seat, having tapped the autopilot setting. He knew he would need his full concentration here. "I was expecting something, bu-but you had to go for the lamest approach, did-didn't you?" He ribbed, as while he was unhappy to see the man who tried to kill him today, he still wasn't above needlessly goading him. "Even a message on a brick through the window is a little entertaining at least…." He lightly gestured with his hand, giving a look.

Ananteris hissed under his breath, pleasing Rick that he could so easily get under the man's skin. It made him feel good about himself, as at least he could mostly keep his emotions in check over playground taunts. Mostly...He could name a particular president who could bring him down a few pegs, but that wasn't the point here.

Raising his hands, Rick smirked at his caller. "Don't put your t-tail in a twist, don't wanna go losing it again." He quipped, knowing full well it was a sore subject for Ananteris.

But it strangely didn't get him the response he was expecting, and wanted. Instead, Ananteris shifted his head, blinking softly in a manner that suggested he knew something Rick didn't. "Losing something, hmm?" He hummed, a dangerous aura in his tone. "Appears you're the one who's done that this time…."

Rick frowned at that, but didn't get time to reply as Ananteris's tail moved, curling in as it dragged something along with it. And the sight made Rick's heart stop for a split second, a cold shiver crawling up his spine.

There was Morty, wrapped up in Ananteris's tail, his arms trapped against his side, the man's stinger hovering around his neck. It was clearly tight and uncomfortable, Morty's expression stiff and scrunched up, biting his lip in fear of making pathetic sounds. A small whimper did slip from his lips due to the rough movement, the tail's spines digging into him even more.

But the moment the boy's eyes landed on the screen in front of him, there was a subtle flicker of hope upon seeing his grandfather. It may not help him in his current placement, but at least he could hear Rick's voice, and the man finally knew what was happening.

Rick, on the other hand, had no such sense of hope. Instead, dread gripped at him, his mouth agape at the very sight of his grandson trapped in the grasp of someone who he's angered. There was also that voice in the back of his head screaming at the fact he didn't think about Ananteris being involved sooner. He was gonna blame that on the drunk part of him, but even he should have pieced this together regardless of the number of drinks he had.

He'd have to curse himself out later for being so blind, because right now, the worry was getting Morty as far away from Ananteris as possible, in one piece if manageable.

"Morty?" Rick finally spoke, as if saying his name in such a way would make what's happening be just a cruel dream.

Morty seemed to hesitate, unsure if he was allowed to speak or not, but the urge to say something got the better of him. "R-R-Rick…" He stuttered out.

He looked like he wanted to say something else, most likely a plea for help, but Ananteris didn't let him speak further. His tail curled around just a bit more around the boy, enough to draw out a sputtering gasp from Morty, his lungs momentarily crushed. The sight made Rick grasp at his pants in anger, his lips pressing together as he held the coldest of glares. He was doing his best to keep in a more significant reaction, as he knew Ananteris was trying to toy with him.

Proving Rick's point, Ananteris stretched out his clawed fingers to curl around Morty's face, forcing him to turn his head as if to examine him. "I was aware you had family, but the finer details of it were unclear to me." One of his claws brushed against the boy's cheek, Morty squeezing his eyes shut as he failed to pull away. "Interesting to know you've now got a grandson trailing after you in adventures." He said as he finally released the poor kid, eyes turning back to Rick.

Rick paused to himself, wondering how many others knew about his family life back on earth. He spent so long either by himself, or with a ragtag group, that he was so used to being wild and careless. It's not like he hadn't thought about the family's safety, far from it, but this really made him worry just how many of his enemies knew this part of his life, and how many would be willing to go this far like Ananteris.

"And here I thought you were a lone wolf…." Ananteris smirked to himself, which was unsettling due to the amount of teeth he had.

Stay calm, Rick, the old man told himself. If he lost his cool, he knew he would be feeding Ananteris satisfaction. Years ago, he had taught himself that acting uninterested and bored would make people leave him alone, because they couldn't get a rise out of him. It was like dealing with online trolls or schoolyard bullies. If you didn't give them any material to work with, they wouldn't have any fun and no longer stick around.

Playing along with it, he leaned back into his chair, scoffing openingly. "Really? Go-going for the hunting phrases, are we?" Rick mocked him, using insults to keep himself grounded.

Ananteris wasn't buying it, though. He had stalked Morty and Rick long enough to know what their dynamic was. The plucky young, naive boy, following his rude grandfather, who, despite the attitude, did show signs he cared. He had bought the kid food to try and calm his worries, and did his best to engage with Morty during their shopping. He may try to hide it, but putting all the little hints together made it clear that Rick held more feelings in his dead heart than he cared to admit.

And Ananteris was planning to enjoy exposing every bit of it...

"Perhaps you may want to be careful with that tongue of yours." He warned Rick, shifting his tail and Morty along with it, the boy gulping as he felt the stinger brush against him again. "Cause I'm sure I can find someone who would love to buy his one." He glanced at the boy, a cold glint in his eyes.

Rick frowned at that, feeling disgusted deep inside. But still, he kept his composure. "Geez, really bringing a kid into this?"

Ananteris looked back at him, raising a brow with a certain look across his face. "You were the one who brought him along on your little adventures." He pointed it out in a way like this was entirely Rick's fault. "Which makes me believe he's worth something to you. I know good bait when I see it." He clicked, always taking any chance he could to remind everyone here what his job was.

But as much as he jokes, Rick did have to give him some credit. He had once hired the man, after all. Ananteris knew how to catch, hunt, and kill, he knew how both people and animals ticked. He always saw the finer details that others would gloss over, and he was never wasteful in the knowledge he picked up. And Rick knew he had lost his sense of morals years ago, and if he had to crush every bone in Morty's body just to get a reaction out of Rick, he would do it.

Rick, however, was still willing to stick to his usual method. "You seriously think I care?"

He didn't dare look at Morty when saying that, knowing full well there was a twinge of hurt in the kid's eyes. Despite the fact Morty knew his grandfather well enough to understand his method here, that didn't mean he liked hearing the way his own grandfather spoke about him. Perhaps because he was scared one day, Rick wouldn't be pretending anymore.

"Well, if you don't, then I'll be happy to feed him to the hounds." Ananteris mused, glancing off to the side where his pet most likely was waiting off-screen.

Feeling like a brain cell was wasted every time he heard a reference to Ananteris being a hunter, Rick couldn't help but scoff and cross his arms. "Wh-wha-what is this? A mob boss movie?" He shook his head, slipping one hand out to gesture to both Ananteris and Morty. "Just let him go, and we can both wal-walk away from this peacefully."

There was a clear indication of a threat to Rick's words, and he was a man who kept his word with threats if people failed to listen. Even his most horrendous of villains knew this. Rick wasn't above coming down to their level just to kick them to the ground.

Ananteris knew this, but he was daring enough to challenge Rick. "Not until you give me my payment." He finally ordered out.

Rick blinked at that, thinking over what he just said. He was expecting demands, that's typically what you do when you have a hostage, but he wasn't expecting so simple. He was thinking something along the lines of a rematch, or even telling Rick to jump into a volcano, but instead, Ananteris just wanted the payment he was screwed out of all those years ago. He had a feeling there was more to it than that, but he didn't have time to think about it right this second.

"This is what this is about?" He couldn't help but snort to himself, finding this to be ridiculous. "Dude, I f-fucked your wife, and you just want the payment?" He said, as if questioning the man's sanity.

"Then why don't we make it double, shall we?" Ananteris retorted, head leaning in a little as he rasped under his breath.

"And you think I'd agree to-to that?" Rick raised a brow at him, not willing to give in so easily.

He was expecting Ananteris to reply back, banter and argue with Rick about the payment, maybe threaten Morty here and there. It tended to be how these situations went. Find ways to slowly draw in Rick, perhaps even get in a few insults from time to time. But he pauses when seeing a look in Ananteris's eyes, and something about it makes Rick feel uneasy. He couldn't read it, but he knew there was an ill intent behind that gaze.

It made him even more uneasy when seeing that gaze shift over to Morty, as his tail uncurled ever so slightly to stop crushing the boy. Morty seemed to perk up at this, clearly confused by what was happening, but still unable to free himself. Though it's not like he could do much if he did get out of the man's grasp. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no way to fight back.

"Ri-Rick?…" Morty stammered hesitantly, as if Rick could provide him with any answers as to what was about to happen.

Squinting his eyes, trying to judge Ananteris's movement, Rick spoke. "What are you-?"

But he was cut off when Ananteris suddenly moved, his body jolting with a sudden flick of his tail, causing Morty to be flung back behind the man. There was a heavy thud when the kid hit the ground, a yelp popping out of him before groaning from the impact. Ananteris shuffled to the side, though still in frame, looking back at Morty with no expression across his face.

He then raised a hand, two fingers pressed together, before clicking them, the sound echoing in the wide-open room. Both Morty and Rick heard it, both reacting with wide eyes of confusion. Morty himself was trying to pull himself off the ground the moment he could, already on his hands and knees, when Ananteris did what he did. But then the kid's eyes were suddenly focused on something else, his head turning to face something off-screen, and his skin turned white as a sheet.

That's when Rick heard the deep throaty growl of an animal, and he felt his blood run cold. Ananteris's dog stalked on screen, back hunched, tail high, head low, focusing on the command its master gave him. And based on how it was baring its teeth, both grandfather and grandson knew what was about to happen.

Morty did react, jumping to his feet as he began stepping back, legs shaking with fear, arms raised up as a sign he meant no harm. "No, no, no, no, no! Please!" He begged, most likely to Ananteris to call off his pet.

But he didn't, and Morty had no time to react as the beast leapt forward suddenly, throwing its entire body weight on the kid, the two hitting the floor with a painful thump. Given Morty was the one tanking the hit, and being crushed by something three times the size of him, he felt the wind knocked out of him. It provided enough time for the creature, in full view of Rick's line of sight, to crack open its mouth wide, and shoot its head forward, burying its teeth into the young boy's shoulder.

Morty's eyes shot open, feeling the blaring white-hot pain of teeth grinding against his skin, muscles and even bone, and he couldn't stop himself throwing his head back, a blood-curdling scream escaping from him. With his free arm, he automatically reached up, trying to yank the animal away from him, but it was useless, having no strength to deal with something like this.

But after hitting the sides of it a few times, the alien dog did pull back, leaving Morty's shoulder a bloody mess, a pool of red already spilling under him. It tried to bite down at his free arm, but the kid narrowly pulled it away in time, frantically kicking his legs to push himself back, sliding himself away from the beast.

However, it caught on fast, and just as Morty pulled his body out from under it, it pounced its paws onto one of his legs, keeping it in place. With it stuck, it then bit down on it, digging right into the knee. Morty again howled with pain, struggling and squirming as the animal tore apart his leg.

And all Rick could do was watch, eyes wide, unable to look away as he felt sick inside. It was one thing Morty getting hurt, or in an accident, on one of their adventures. It was another knowing he was somewhere unknown, where Rick couldn't help him. Because lord knows if he was there, Ananteris would be the one begging to be let go.

And as the entire thing went on, Morty's screams and cries filling everyone's ears while the animal switched to attack the boy's other leg, Ananteris didn't move an inch. His eyes were glued on the sight in front of him, never flinching or looking away. The worst part about it, was he held no emotion in his eyes. No glee, no disgust, just nothing. And something about that pissed off Rick.

Then he suddenly spoke up, eyes still watching the blood he was willingly spilling. "Vicious creature, isn't it? As unlike you…." His voice was somehow soft, something about it unnerving as his gaze finally turned to Rick. "I needed my companion to be bloodthirsty."

Anger boiling in him, Rick finally snapped, the idea of pretending this all meant nothing being thrown right out the window. "Alright, I get your point!" He fumed, throwing his arm up in a sharp gesture. "Enough with this!"

Ananteris properly turned to face him again, ignoring the gruesome sight behind him for a moment. He dared to pause for a few seconds, teasing Rick with the idea he would listen, before replying with. "You know what I want to hear…."

Rick bared his teeth at that, knowing full well Ananteris wanted to beg, to suck in his pride and basically declare the man better than him by agreeing to get him the payment. And as much as a part of him wanted to, that part that twitched in pain every time he heard Morty cry out with every wound he took, he knew he couldn't logically agree to those terms. And not because he'd rather let Morty die, but because he knew he didn't have what Ananteris wanted.

And he rightfully told Ananteris this. "I don't have the full do-double payment. It's not something I'd have laying around, dickhead!" Rick snapped at the man, struggling to retain any sense of composure.

Ananteris shook his head, not convinced. "You have ways of getting it, don't lie to me."

Rick felt his fists ball, so tight that they were becoming pale. "I may be powerfu-ful, but I'm not-"

He was cut off by Morty this time, who sounded like he was ready to sell his soul to the devil just to end this torture. "R-Rick, please!" His voice cracked, struggling to speak while a massive alien dog was tearing away at him.

It made Rick suddenly snap his attention back to Morty, who was currently pinned down by the beast. It took a sudden swipe at the boy's face with its claws, and Morty didn't have enough time to use his undamaged arm to guard himself. Three deep cuts were drawn across one side of his face, blood already painting the poor teen's cheek. His hand instantly brushed against them, feeling the warm blood dripping from him.

His head turned to its side, wide eyes full of wild fear staring right at Rick. The look he gave was clearly pleading with his grandfather to help, to save him, to do something to stop this from happening. Rick knew Morty wanted him to agree to Ananteris's terms, as unfair as they were, because at least then it could make this stop for the time being.

"Ric-!" Morty tried to call out again, wanting to say more, when the creature suddenly hopped over to his side.

He didn't have time to turn his head when he felt the animal's massive jaws scoop Morty up around the lower chest and back, and it took him too late to realise what was about to happen. He was suddenly being shaken about like a dog would do to a new toy, feeling his skin being torn as everything shake dug the beast's teeth in deeper.

His arm with the damaged shoulder mostly waved about, the ability to move it on his own gone, while his other hand gripped at the alien's dog neck, as if to steady himself somehow. All the movement brought sheering pain, along with a heavy wave of nausea overtaking him. Tears filled his eyes as everything felt unbearable, his chest ablaze with agony.

Then, without warning, Ananteris's pet suddenly released its hold mid shake, flinging Morty through the air momentarily, before crashing on his side against the cold, hard, metallic ground. The kid must have hit his head, having blacked out a few seconds, before those gentle brown eyes cracked open again, glazed over as they were lost in a world of pain.

Rick saw the massive pool of blood forming under him, every wound seeping the red liquid, making him light-headed as well. Morty then coughed, and somehow, even more blood appeared, spilling from his mouth this time. And that was never a good sign for someone's health.

The broken kid was whimpering and groaning, heaving out deep breaths as he struggled to breathe. Everything hurt, that was obvious, but for once he didn't have the energy to scream. He could feel his own blood leaking out of him, like a tap carelessly left running. This was hardly the first time he'd taken serious damage, but this was by far one of the worst experiences. Mostly because Rick wasn't here to give him a magical solution for his wounds.

No, as despite hearing his grandfather's voice, he knew all too well he was nowhere nearby. Morty was alone in this, and that's what made it scary…

And as if to remind everyone he was still there, Ananteris finally spoke up again, staring down at the bleeding boy a mere few feet away from him. "Like a little ragdoll." He huffed to himself, as if unamused by everything going on. "Though so small, not much of a blood supply in this one." He stated out loud, glancing over to his pet and giving a slight nod.

That seemed to be a sign to keep going, and while the creature seemed to hesitate for a split second, he started stalking back towards Morty, the clicking of its claws echoing as it did so.

Morty noticed this out of the corner of his eye, and a part of him was screaming to move, get out of the danger zone...But he couldn't. His legs were so torn up at this point he could barely move them, the blood loss was making him feel faint, and the only uninjured part of him was one arm that wouldn't be able to pull him to safety.

The best he could do was use that free arm to cover his face, trying to hide away from the world as his entire body shook. Tears were washing down his face at this point, joining the puddles of blood on the group as a sob bubbled in his throat. He just wanted to go home…

"Pl-Plea…." He tried to speak, to plead, but he couldn't find the strength to talk anymore.

But Rick did find that strength, suddenly yelling out. "Alright, I'll do it!"

And like those were the magic words, Ananteris clicked his fingers, and his pet stopped in its movement, briefly glancing at Morty with an unknown look in its eyes, before taking a seat on the floor. Ananteris then turned to Rick, giving him his full attention, ignoring the dying child on the ground like it was nothing.

He replied by saying. "I'll send you a location when I'm ready, and I expect you to be there in half an hour of sending it to you." Ananteris explained, voice still unwavering.

Rick wanted to say something else, really wanting to call Ananteris every name under the sun and more. But he held himself back, knowing full well if he tried something, Morty would pay the price. "Not ev-even going to give me a proper time frame, are you?"

"No…" Ananteris hummed. "So you better get busy while you know you have time."

Rick's eyes briefly looked back down at Morty, who still refused to open his eyes, as if afraid that the moment he looked, he'd be attacked again. It's not like Rick hadn't seen the kid afraid before, but this was one of those times where he truly hated to see it, because deep down, it made him afraid too. It didn't help that he noticed Morty's breaths were slowing, deep and shallow, the kid trying his best not to pass out.

Getting one more threat in, Rick growled at Ananteris. "If he bleeds out by the time I get ther-there…."

"I'll make sure he doesn't." Ananteris replied, turning his back on Rick as his tail swished around softly. "Good huntings, Sanchez…."

And before Rick could get one more word in, could tell Morty everything would be ok, Ananteris cut the call, and the screen vanished, leaving Rick to process all that had happened.

He found himself immediately falling back into his seat, mouth open as he let out a few breaths he had been holding. He hadn't realised how stiff his body was until he finally relaxed the entire thing, fingers uncurling from grasping his pants.

God, he fucking messed up. He didn't listen to Morty's worries, he let the kid wander, knowing full well Ananteris was probably still around, and didn't guess who had kidnapped the kid until he was straight up given the answers. Now his grandson was bleeding out on some random ship, with a guy who hates him, and an animal that could easily have Morty for lunch if it really wanted to.

And all because Rick didn't take any of this seriously...

"Fucking, god damnit…." He cursed with a groan, resting his head into his hands as he did his best to calm himself.

He couldn't lose it now, not when Morty needed him. He could only pray he was still alive by the time he saw him again...

Morty had been vaguely aware of the tail end of that conversation, though it was hard to follow along when feeling so faint, and your head pounding like someone was smacking it like a drum. He hadn't opened his eyes through most of it, still using his free arm to cover his face, wincing as he felt his tears stinging the open wounds on his cheek.

It wasn't until he heard the voices stop, followed by a click and a beep as Ananteris turned off the video call, the screen he was using going blank as Morty dared to peek past his arm. He couldn't help himself when he flinched upon making eye contact with Ananteris, who was eerily looking down at him with an unreadable expression. Morty hardly trusted him to not try something else, even with Rick no longer on call.

There was a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, the two of them merely staring, though Morty wasn't struggling to keep his gaze up. His eyelids felt heavy, threatening to drop and make everything go dark, and while it was quite tempting to just give in and blissfully fall unconscious, he knew he couldn't. With the amount of blood he had already lost, and the nasty hit to the head he received when being tossed like a worthless sack of stuffing, he was afraid he wouldn't wake up if he dared to sleep.

He lowered his eyes for a moment, barely able to focus on the ground itself, trying to steady his breath. This only resulted in him spitting out more droplets of blood, his entire mouth tasting just copper at this point. But that's when he heard Ananteris start stepping over to him, clawed feet dragging themselves across the metal flooring, appearing in Morty's line of sight.

"Small thing, aren't you?" He heard Ananteris openingly muse, no doubt tilting his head right down to stare at the beaten teen.

Morty's mouth hovered open for a moment, as if about to say something, but his foggy brain couldn't think of any words. What was he supposed to say? How's the weather? He'd rather have some silence at this point, as even the faintest of sounds made his head rattle.

Didn't look like he was getting it though, as Ananteris suddenly knelt down in front of him, hearing the man's deep breathing through every huff of air he let out. "I know humans aren't intimidating in general, but you take that to a whole nother level…." Ananteris said, as if Morty needed reminding that he was a late bloomer.

Ananteris suddenly reached a hand forward, Morty seeing this in his peripheral vision, causing him to widen his bloodshot eyes in fright. He didn't dare move, however, as he didn't feel like ticking this man off. He knew it would be better, and easier, to go along with it. Even though he shuttered to himself when feeling those slick claws tangled in his curls, gripping Morty's hair to pull his head up at an awkward angle.

The movement was enough to make Morty feel sick again, like his brain was tumbling around in his head, and he found himself biting his lip to try and redirect some of the pain. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to remind himself to keep breathing, but he fluttered them open when feeling Ananteris's other hand wrapped around his chin, not caring about the blood now staining his hand.

"Perhaps having him use you like a play toy was a little hasty of me." Ananteris's voice was a cold whisper.

Morty wasn't sure what Ananteris was playing at here, especially when he felt one of the man's claws wipe away some of the blood dribbling from Morty's lips. His best beat was he was trying to get a reaction out of him, trying to provoke more fear in Morty like some sort of sick joke. He seemed like the type to enjoy power, even when his prey could no longer run.

Ananteris then released one hand, the one that had been tugging at Morty's hair, reaching over to his pet. Morty hadn't even realised how close it had been, the animal merely sitting there patiently as it watched the scene going on in front of it. The boy noted how it seemed to almost flinch back when Ananteris reached for it, but it forced itself to stay in place when its master held it under the jaw, similar to how he was holding Morty.

"He is, after all, considered one of the most vicious and dangerous animals on my planet." Ananteris informed Morty, as if his pet wasn't scary enough. "Those teeth can crush a skull like yours in a second…." He glanced back at the boy, momentarily pressing his fingers harder against Morty's jawline, drawing out a quiet whimper the kid had tried to suppress.

Though, as he did this, he didn't realise he had been tilting his pet's head back little by little, and it clearly didn't appreciate this. Both human and bug heard the animal start growling with a warning tone, wanting to be released, and something in Ananteris's eyes changed. A glare he typically showcased when feeling disrespected.

He unceremoniously let go of his hold on Morty, who promptly collapsed back to the ground with no support keeping him up anymore. He let out an aching hiss when feeling his head agitated again. At this point, he was convinced he had multiple concussions. But he managed to crack open his eyes, shuffling his head a little in order to watch Ananteris rise to his feet, still glaring intently at his pet.

The dog itself seemed to realise he had done wrong, a look of fear that Morty could relate to flickered across its face, taking a few steps back. Ananteris didn't seem to care that it was summiting itself now, merely reaching into one of his pockets and pulling out a device Morty didn't recognise. Though, the moment Ananteris clicked a red button on it, Morty was shown just exactly what it was...

The animal's collar beeped loudly, the red flashing dot on it now just blaring with no beat. The creature stiffened, suddenly feeling a jolt of electricity run through its body. Its entire body shook, struggling to stay standing as it howled in agony, eyes shut tight as it tried to tank the pain.

Morty watched in horror, feeling sick inside seeing the animal suffer. He may be terrified of it after it chewed him up before, but he was smart enough to know that it was just following someone else's orders. And now he got to see why it seemed so loyal towards Ananteris. Not out of a sense of love or protection, but out of a sense of protecting itself from the man it was stuck with.

Ananteris didn't seem bothered, though, eventually turning off the shocks and putting the device away. "Quiet, mongrel…" He huffed, watching his pet stumble around before sitting, panting heavily.

It was doing its best to not let its jelly legs get the better of it, trying to keep steady. Though the dark part was that it seemed to be used to this, already knowing what to do in order to not collapse after receiving a harsh treatment. It made Morty feel sick in a different type of way, and he just had to say something.

He swallowed, trying to find the ability to speak, croaking out with a dry and weak voice. "Y-You…."

Ananteris heard this, looking right back down at the boy as he tilted his head. It made Morty pause, fearing what could happen if he spoke out of line, but just hearing the sickly pants from the creature he was so scared of before made him keep going. The urge to call Ananteris out too great to ignore.

He licked his bloody lips, taking a few deep breaths, before managing to stammer out. "Y-You hurt…them?…."

Ananteris squinted his eyes, confused that this is what got Morty talking again. But he was willing to engage. "Instilling fear is how one alpha can control another alpha." He explained to Morty, like this was some kind of dog training class. "Not something I would expect a kid like you to understand." He scoffed, ready to turn away.

But then Morty replied back, his words striking a particular chord with Ananteris. "S-So is…my grandpa the…alpha of you?…." He managed to snap back, eyes narrowed as he tried his best to put on a brave face. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Ananteris's tail flicked in a hostile manner, his eyes widening in short surprise, before his normal glare returned as he turned back to stare at the teen. "What?"

Even the bug dog seemed to understand something was wrong with what Morty said, eyes darting between the two, seeing the signs of aggression in his master's tone. It was surprising to see the kid had more of a bark to him than it did, though that might not exactly be a good thing.

And despite Ananteris's warning glare, Morty just couldn't help himself, gritting his teeth as he managed to lift his head ever so slightly. "H-He beat you be…before…." He challenged, knowing full well what he was saying would get him into trouble. But at this point, he had been through enough shit that he just had to let some anger out. "H-H-He can do it…ag…again…."

"Is that a threat?" Ananteris snarled, questioning if the kid was really doing this. Perhaps he wasn't as wimpy as he thought he was.

With unflinching eyes, Morty spat back. "A p-promise…"

There was silence for a few moments, Ananteris scanning Morty over as he seemed to process what the kid just said to him. It was one thing to have Rick act like a big shot, and treat Ananteris like he was no threat, but this kid had some real guts. Bleeding and crippled on the floor of a ship that belonged to Ananteris, and yet he was willing to bite back just cause he was a little angry about some dog. Perhaps it was also an attempt to scare Ananteris with Rick, but that part failed utterly.

He then broke the silence with. "Now I'm starting to see how you and Rick are related…." And the way Ananteris said that held such venom and disgust, his hatred for the old scientist shining through.

Morty was doing his best to keep his glare up, holding his breath as he dared not to look away as Ananteris stepped back towards him. He wouldn't show fear, he wouldn't show weakness, he wouldn't let Ananteris think he was some bait that would stay quiet and do his part. That didn't mean a part of him wasn't regretting his choice of words when the massive alien knelt down, baring his fangs in anger.

Morty knew he had screwed up, but there was no going back now...

"So why don't I ask you this, little runt." Ananteris clicked with his tongue, before his hand swiftly snatched up Morty's face, squeezing both sides of it.

He pulled the kid up in a slanted sitting position, that disturbed all of Morty's wounds, causing him to take a sharp breath of distress. His one good hand reached up, fingers wrapping around Ananteris's claws, but that's all his energy could muster, unable to even keep himself steady as he felt like he was going to throw up. The dog itself was watching with unblinking eyes, ears folded ever so slightly as it understood no one liked dealing with Ananteris's anger.

And the man himself continued to speak, holding Morty's head at an angle that made it hard for air to pass through the boy's throat. "If someone hired you to hunt down and kill creatures for their rarest parts, only for you to find out they wasted their payment at some strip poker and slept with your whore of a wife…." He said every word slowly, emphasising the dark hatred that has been boiling for years over Rick. He then took a moment to pause, letting the words settle in, before leaning in and whispering in the most chilling tone ever. "Wouldn't you get angry?…"

Morty did look away at that. He knew full well Rick had been in the wrong, in more ways than one, and it's not like Ananteris's anger came from nothing. Rick had a history of ruining people's lives, screwing others over and expecting them to get over it like he seemed to. Morty himself had to deal with that from time to time, and while it wasn't as significant as what he pulled with Ananteris, he had to admit even he hated it.

But that didn't give Ananteris the right to abuse an animal, and a kid who so happened to be with Rick at the time. He didn't have to kidnap Morty, cause him pain and suffering, he didn't have to be engaging with Rick in a petty way like asking for double the payment. He had every choice to walk away or do something else, but he was the one actively choosing to drag a fourteen-year-old through torture just to get his way.

And a lot of this Morty wanted to yell at him, to make him see how ridiculous he was being. Ananteris was allowed to be pissed off with Rick, but this wasn't the way to go.

But Ananteris wouldn't allow him to speak, suddenly digging his claws into one of the cuts on Morty's face the moment he saw the kid try to talk back. Morty's eyes widened when feeling the white shearing torment burn his face, and he couldn't help but squirm and struggle, as much as his body would allow anyway.

A vibrating hiss echoed out of Ananteris, puncturing his claws digger every time he empathised a word. "Your grandfather is a heartless, piece of shit, who thinks he owns the universe…thinks he owns us and can do as he pleases, without consequences."

Tears were spilling from Morty's eyes again, everything overwhelming him once more. That sense of danger, while having never left, was growing by the second. Something terrible was about to happen, he knew it. But the sinking feeling of being helpless let him know he could do nothing about it.

Ananteris suddenly drew his claws out, though still held Morty's face, watching as more blood began to flow from the wound he tore wider. "And the thing is, he's somewhat right, which is why you're here…." He calmly spoke, something so sadistic in his tone of voice. "If he won't face his karma, then you get to take that burden from him."

Morty blinked away the tears clouding his eyes, trying to push past the pain to focus on Ananteris's words. His ears were ringing, and he felt his hand release from Ananteris's fingers, arm dropping to his side in exhaustion. He was really starting to question why he had to go and open his mouth, because this outcome wasn't worth it.

But he froze when hearing a rattling sound, like a snake warning him before it would strike. His blurry eyes snapped over to the sight of Ananteris's tail slinking over, the tip of it being aimed right at him. And the only words that whispered in his head was 'oh, fuck...'

"So why don't you get a taste of what he should have gotten years ago…." Ananteris seethed, letting his tail lunge forward and pierce Morty's undamaged shoulder.

A scream bubbled in Morty's throat, and his head snapped forward in shock. But no shriek came out, only a heaving gasp as it felt like his entire body was being boiled, the venom being injected right into him. And the effects were immediate, a burst of pure hellish suffering swarming in his bloodstream. It was like he was being dipped in acid while alive, and while not dying to it, he could still feel the pain it caused.

His breathing was picking up, quick, short and uneven, stinging his throat and body with every movement. His heart was racing wildly, sensing the unknown toxin digging into Morty's body. Alarms were blaring in his head, screaming about danger, as if death was right at his doorstep, and a part of him was convinced that that's what was happening.

Ananteris let go of his face without warning, letting the kid drop to the ground, writhing in pain as his now poisoned arm twitched without control. Ananteris took a moment to enjoy what he had just done, though he knew he'd feel much better if it was Rick himself. But this was the closest he'd get for the time being.

"Don't worry, it won't kill you." Ananteris gave a self-serving smirk, already moving to stand. "But it'll make you wish it could…."

And Morty believed him on that…

Hours had passed since the call from Ananteris, and Rick had been busy. With the combination of using the portal gun and flying around with his ship, he was working himself to the bone, trying to collect the payment. What Ananteris wanted was a type of space crystal, which had valuable properties as an energy source. They were powerful...but they were also rare.

Rick himself had some back home, having collected them, but even he had to use them sparingly due to how hard they were to come by. He started questioning his younger self, who thought it would have been such a grand idea to use them in poker of all things, but there was a lot about his past self he could spend hours debating over.

And after spending so long, not wasting a second, to collect any he could find, Rick allowed himself a moment to relax in his seat. He opened the bag carrying his collection...and felt his shoulder slump in disappointment. He only had ten in total, and he needed forty. There was no fucking way he was gonna find thirty more in time, as he knew Ananteris was most likely trying to screw him over. Let Rick understand how he felt after wasting so much time trying to collect resources for him years ago.

But the difference here was that Rick's punishment would be the death of someone, rather than someone stealing from him or sleeping with his wife. And for once, his calm and collected nature was nowhere to be seen, unable to contain most of his emotions. He even glared at the crystals like this was their fault.

He took a moment to breathe, feeling his head sway again. He was starting to realise that maybe having six drinks of alien vodka, while also stress drinking when searching for these darn crystals, was perhaps a bad idea.

Rubbing his eyes, he shook his head as he mumbled out. "No time to let the booze ge-get to you, Rick."

His eyes drifted down to the bag, and he found himself flaring with anger again. With a grunt and scoff, he tossed the bag into the back seat of the ship, at this point uncaring if any of them broke. It didn't matter if he knew he couldn't get them all in time anyway.

"God, this won't work…." Rick ranted to himself, taking another careless swig from his flask out of habit. "Mother fucker doesn't understand how hard these ar-are to come by!" He gripped the steering wheel, trying to think to himself on what to do next.

But he stopped, taking a deep breath as he knew the unfortunate truth. This game was rigged against him, Ananteris was playing him. This was all just to make Rick suffer and struggle, to bring him down a peg and make him see the consequences that he had been running from for years, like it was trying to get child support out of him or something. And normally, he wouldn't be so worked up about it, if it weren't for the third figure being in this game.

Sighing, Rick spoke quietly. "Or maybe he does know…."

He wondered if the kid was doing alright. Or, well, as about as good as one could be after being torn apart by a rabid animal. Morty was most likely scared out of his mind, but Rick was mostly worried if the kid tried something. Despite how his grandson behaved ninety per cent of the time, he had a stubborn part of him that would bite back when pushed, and while it helped him out sometimes, the other times it just dug him a deeper grave. Seems to be a trait he inherited from his side of the family, which partly made him proud, and partly unnerved him.

Rick glanced out the window to his side, staring out at the open space full of stars. "You-You'll be ok, Morty…." He said it in a way as if Morty could hear him, and in an attempt to make himself feel better somewhat. "You'll be ok…."

But then his attention was caught from a buzz and a beat, his screen coming to life as a message flickered onto it. As he expected, it was from Ananteris, with a location of where to meet. It was rather vague too, giving no details or emotion beyond where the trading would take place, not even an underlying threat towards Rick, which kind of surprised him.

He did scowl to himself though, being right in that Ananteris was fucking with him, knowing full well Rick wouldn't be ready. It made him wonder what he was actually planning. To pull Rick along with a leash? To steal as much from him before killing him? To let Morty die anyway so that Rick only found his grandson's corpse? For once, Rick didn't know.

But he did know one thing. "Time to do what I do best…." He uttered to himself, narrowed eyes staring forward as he patted his laser gun in his pocket.

Time to end this sick game they were playing...