Disclaimer: I don't own "Rick and Morty"

Author's Note: Eventually Rick's backstory and the current events of the story will reveal their significance to one another. Any ideas for the story are welcome and will be considered if they fit to my general idea. Thanks as always for reading and your reviews are much appreciated. Enjoy!

"When you're born you get a ticket to the freak show." -George Carlin, Comedian

"We are all freaks. Yes! Alone in our rooms at night, we are all weirdoes and outcasts and losers. That is what being a teenager is all about! Whether you admit it or not, you are all worried that the others won't accept you, that if they knew the real you, they would recoil in horror. Each of us carries with us a secret shame that we think is somehow unique…And if we are, each of us, freaks – then can't we accept what's different in each other and move on?" -James St. James, Writer ("Party Monster")

"Welcome to the freak show." - Hinder, "Freak Show"

Earth Dimension: D14o

Year: -124043 A.S. (After Sunset)

Rick Sanchez had never seen anything quite like Squanchy. He looked like a cat, but had a rat-like tail, and his fur was so horribly unkempt that, unlike most cats, it was clear he didn't make a regular habit of cleaning himself. He looked so world-worn and battered that it wouldn't have surprised Rick if he had been in that cell for years.

He'd also never seen such a display of emotion as when he unlocked Squanchy's cell. The scraggly creature burst free shouting nonsense with unabashed glee and, before Rick could protest, had thrown both arms around his waste, hugging him so tight that Rick nearly couldn't breath.

"Can't-breath-" The words somehow escaped him but just barely.

"Ah-sorry-" Squanchy giggled maniacally as he finally released his death grip and Rick stumbled backwards, trying to catch his balance. "I'm free-free-free! At last! Finally! You DID it!" Squanchy was now dancing around him in a circle, tugging and yanking and pulling, and Rick was nearly dizzy from all the commotion.

Rick just rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Yeah. Got it. You're free. What-are you?"

"Not a what-a who-Squanchy," the creature declared happily, albeit a bit breathlessly, snapping his fingers before adding matter-of-factly: "from planet Squanch."

"Planet what?" Rick stared incredulously.

"Squanch," replied Squanchy.

"And-a 'squanch' is-" Rick prompted reluctantly.

Squanchy giggled. "Well-I'd show ya-but you'd have to take off your clothes first-"

"EW! Gross!" Rick cringed as he jumped back with disgust, "No fucking way!"

"We're a very amicable species."

Rick shuddered. "I bet."

"So…." Squanchy fidgeted a bit uneasily, eyes following Rick's curiously. "...now what?"

Rick thought for a second before replying with resolve, "I'm getting us out of here."

A huge grin lit up Squanchy's face. "NOW you're thinking!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It took both of them to move the Guardian's body. Rick had watched the Guardian prepare the cryogenic coolers many times, so he knew exactly what to do. The whole time they worked, Rick felt Squanchy's eyes following his every movement. It took a careful, calculated focus to appear unaffected by Squanchy's presence. He wasn't sure what to make of this creature. He didn't understand why Squanchy would have been kept in a cell and he wasn't sure if it was his place to ask. (Since when did he care about such things anyway?) Rick didn't say a word as they kept up the pace. Once the body was inside the cooler, Rick wordlessly located the cleaning materials and they went about scrubbing the floor. When it was all done, Rick stood before the empty spot where the Gaurdian's body had once been, and sat down in that same spot.

Squanchy, watching silently, also took a seat next to him.

Rick knew Squanchy was expecting him to talk. Say….something about the Guardian, perhaps….but...what was there to say? The Guardian had done something that Rick had never expected he'd do. He'd left, without announcement; without saying goodbye….without preparing Rick for his sudden departure. He'd left without instructions. He'd left without explanation. He'd left without telling Rick more about life….about who he was….about why.

"You're thinking about him," Squanchy spoke suddenly, quietly, "aren't you?"

The question made Rick's skin crawl. Suddenly, he couldn't think at all. All he wanted to do was scream. Kick something. Smash something. Hurt something.

"Some things," Squanchy said solemnly, "some things just happen and they don't make any sense...Some things, kid, you just can't understand."

Rick shut his eyes, trying to still the quickening beat of his heart.

"...some things just happen…" Squanchy was still talking. "...and there ain't nothin' you can do about it-" He would have finished the sentence, but suddenly Rick's fingers were gripping his throat, threatening to crush his windpipe, and Squanchy was struggling to breath.

"Who-the-fuck do you think you are?" Rick hissed as he pressed dangerously into Squanchy's esophegus, "you don't know anything about him. He fucking raised me-you got it? You meant nothing to him! NOTHING, okay? NOT A GODDAMN THING!"

Shoving Squanchy away, Rick leapt back and, swinging around, shoved the nearest desk over with a loud CLANG.

"Kid! Take it easy! I didn't mean anthing by it, okay?"

"He's fucking dead! He-he fucking shot himself!" What was he even trying to say? Did it matter what he said at all? Rick paced back and forth wildly in a desperate attempt to maintain. "He, he, he just left me here. LEFT me here-to-to-to-to what? What the hell am I supposed to do with any of this?" He was acting crazy now, shouting nonsense, he knew...just a bunch of nonsense. He didn't care. In the end, none of it mattered, because the Guardian-his guide-his mentor-his everything-he was dead. The full brunt of it kicking itself in his face. "This is his, not mine," Rick fumed. "HIS, okay? HIS!" Rick slammed his hand down on the table, making Squanchy jump. "It's fucking useless to me!" he bellowed, as he kicked a chair, sending it flying across the room. Squanchy jumped out of the way, Rick not even caring if the creature got injured in the process. "What the fuck am I supposed to do now!?" Rick shouted at the ceiling, at the sky somewhere beyond the ceiling, at a God that he didn't believe in. "All I fucking know is-is-is-THIS!" he shouted, expanding his arms as if to embrace the room and everything in it. Instead, he wound up collapsing in an exhausted heap on the floor.

He couldn't move. He couldn't breath. His hands still crusted wtih dried blood. Smeared across his once pure white lab coat. The room was shrinking; everything was closing in on him.

"Kid...hey kid...calm down, okay? Calm down."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he flicked it off, mind and heart both racing, looking around wildly, desperately for some water, as he was struggling to breath.

"Kid...listen to me." The hand returned, gripping now, firmly, and Rick felt his mind slowly zoom back into focus. He looked up to see Squanchy staring down at him. "...you're gonna be just fine, kid," said Squanchy, with a strange sense of determination and resolve in his voice that, somehow, slowed Rick's breathing down back to normal. "...just trust what you know," said his strange new companion, "and everything will just click into place."

Rick felt his lips moving, and surprised himself by a single word as Squanchy patiently waited for him to return to his senses. The word was "water."

"Sit tight kid." Squanchy quickly located the sink and snatched a cup full of nourishing clear liquid, taking it as quick to his new friend as possible. "Drink up," said Squanchy. "We got a big journey ahead of us."

"...not going," Rick rasped. "...staying right here."

"Oh no you don't," Squanchy demanded. "You my friend are taking the portal gun and we are gonna have a blast at my place." Squanchy grinned, beaming down at Rick with pride, "my friends aren't gonna believe it when they see I've found a R.I.C.K."

Rick stared bleakly back at Squanchy. "What...the hell...a 'R.I.C.K.'?"

Squanchy playfully jostled Rick with his elbow, grinning, "Don't you know how special you are, kid?"

Rick shook his head miserably. (Him? 'Special'?) "There's nothing special about me," he added hoarsely before quickly looking away. "Not true kid." Squanchy was grinning at him, to the point where Rick had to look back.

"You're the first human clone, kid," Squanchy announced with pride. "Welcome to the freak show."