A Genius Morty

Morty's hands moved with practiced precision as he sifted through Rick's cluttered lab, searching for the tools and materials he would need to track down Evil Morty. The fluorescent lights overhead flickered, casting long shadows over the mess of alien tech, half-finished inventions, and discarded interdimensional gadgets that littered every surface. Normally, the chaos of Rick's lab would have overwhelmed Morty, but not tonight. Tonight, Morty had a plan.

His mind, sharpened by weeks of deliberation, felt like a high-speed engine as it processed the steps he needed to take. Finding Evil Morty wasn't going to be easy. After their last encounter, Evil Morty had vanished into the multiverse, dismantling the Citadel of Ricks and severing any easy connections Morty might have had to find him. But Morty had access to something Rick didn't know about—his own intelligence.

Tucked away in his hidden workshop, Morty had developed his own tracking device, one that wasn't bound by the limitations of Rick's technology. He had learned from Rick, yes, but Morty had surpassed him in some ways. His breakthrough with the latent energies of the multiverse had opened new doors in his mind, allowing him to see possibilities that even Rick, for all his brilliance, hadn't considered.

It was time to test those possibilities.

With a few deft movements, Morty grabbed the necessary components—a neural amplifier to boost his cognitive abilities, a quantum resonance scanner to track interdimensional signatures, and a modified version of Rick's portal gun that could home in on specific dimensional frequencies. These tools, combined with the advanced equations Morty had worked out in secret, would give him the best chance of locating Evil Morty.

He just had to do it all without Rick noticing.

The thought made Morty's chest tighten. Rick had a habit of knowing things before anyone else, and the last thing Morty needed was his grandfather sticking his nose into this. Rick would freak out if he knew what Morty was planning. Not because Rick cared about his safety—no, Rick had a different kind of attachment to Morty. The idea that Morty was smart enough to go behind his back, to make plans that even Rick didn't know about, would set off alarm bells. It would make Rick suspicious, paranoid. And Morty couldn't risk that.

Morty slipped the components into his backpack and made his way back upstairs, his movements slow and deliberate. He couldn't rush this. One mistake, one slip-up, and Rick would catch on. And then everything would fall apart. Morty's heart raced as he reached the top of the stairs, carefully opening the door to the quiet hallway.

The house was still dark, the faint hum of the air conditioner the only sound in the background. Morty crept back into his room, the floor creaking softly beneath his feet. He set his backpack down on the floor and quickly opened the hidden panel beneath his bed, revealing the small workshop he had built in secret. The cool, metallic glow of the devices he had stashed there greeted him as he knelt down to retrieve the items he'd been working on.

Morty's hands shook slightly as he pulled out the modified neural amplifier—a sleek, headband-like device that would allow him to push his brain to its limits. He had used it before in small bursts, testing its effects, but he had never pushed it to its full capacity. Now, though, he would need every ounce of brainpower if he had any hope of tracking down Evil Morty. He couldn't afford to hold back.

He placed the amplifier on his head and felt the familiar pulse of energy as it activated, a soft hum filling his ears. His thoughts immediately sharpened, the fog of fatigue lifting as his mind kicked into overdrive. Equations, probabilities, and potential dimensional coordinates flashed through his head at lightning speed. He closed his eyes, letting the neural enhancer do its work, as his brain processed the vast web of interdimensional data he had gathered from Rick's lab over the years.

Evil Morty… Where are you?

Morty focused on the residual energy signature left behind from their last encounter, using the quantum resonance scanner to track the unique frequency that only Evil Morty would emit. It was like searching for a needle in an infinite haystack—dimensions layered upon dimensions, each one teeming with its own life, its own possibilities. But Morty wasn't deterred. He had already narrowed it down to a specific cluster of dimensions that had shown signs of manipulation—anomalies that matched Evil Morty's modus operandi.

After what felt like hours of scanning, recalculating, and refining his search, Morty finally found something.

A blip. Faint, but there.

His heart skipped a beat. He had him.

The signal was coming from a dimension deep within the multiversal web, one Morty had never visited before. He quickly programmed the modified portal gun with the coordinates, double-checking his calculations to ensure the portal would open exactly where he needed it to. This wasn't a dimension Morty could afford to blindly wander into. Evil Morty was dangerous—he had proven that much the last time they met. Morty couldn't just barge in unprepared. He needed to be cautious.

He set the portal gun down on his desk and took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He had been preparing for this moment for weeks, but now that it was here, the weight of what he was about to do hit him full force. This wasn't just some adventure with Rick. This was something bigger—something that could change everything.

What if Evil Morty doesn't want to help me?

The thought gnawed at him. Evil Morty wasn't exactly the kind of guy you could just ask for a favor. He was cold, calculating, and ruthless. And Morty, despite his newfound intelligence, was still… well, Morty. What if Evil Morty saw him as a threat? What if he decided to eliminate him rather than help him?

Morty shook the thoughts away. He didn't have a choice. Evil Morty was the only one who understood the kind of power Morty had tapped into, the kind of power that had attracted the attention of the Conclave of Aeons and the Infinite Coil. If anyone could teach him how to control that power, it was Evil Morty.

Morty reached for the portal gun, his fingers tightening around the handle. He took one last look around his room, the faint hum of his hidden workshop a reminder of everything he had built, everything he had worked for. This was the culmination of all those nights spent secretly tinkering, researching, and pushing himself to outthink Rick.

With a deep breath, Morty activated the portal gun, the familiar green swirl appearing in front of him. The portal crackled with energy, its surface shimmering as it connected to the distant dimension where Evil Morty was hiding.

No turning back now, Morty thought.

He stepped through.

The moment Morty emerged on the other side of the portal, he was greeted by a cold, sterile landscape. The sky was a dull gray, the ground beneath him smooth and metallic, like some kind of artificial construct. He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the strange light as he took in his surroundings. It wasn't like any dimension he had visited with Rick before. There were no people, no signs of life—just vast, endless corridors stretching out in every direction, as if the entire dimension had been engineered rather than naturally formed.

This is where he's hiding?

Morty tightened his grip on the portal gun, his nerves tingling with unease. It felt like a trap, but he had come too far to turn back now. He glanced down at the quantum resonance scanner, the blip still glowing faintly on the screen. Evil Morty was close.

He made his way down one of the corridors, the sound of his footsteps echoing eerily off the metallic walls. His heart pounded in his chest as he followed the signal, each step bringing him closer to the man who had once threatened to tear the multiverse apart.

After what felt like an eternity of walking, Morty rounded a corner and came face to face with a massive steel door, the signal on his scanner spiking as he approached. This was it. Evil Morty was just beyond this door.

Morty's hand trembled as he reached for the door's control panel. He hesitated for a moment, his mind racing with doubt. Was this really a good idea? Was he ready for whatever waited on the other side?

Too late to second-guess yourself now, he thought.

With a deep breath, Morty punched in the override code, and the door slid open with a hiss.

Inside was a large, dimly lit room, dominated by a central console covered in holographic displays. And standing in the middle of the room, his back turned to Morty, was Evil Morty.

He hadn't changed much since their last encounter—his dark hair was still neatly combed, his posture confident, controlled. He exuded an aura of authority, as if the entire dimension bent to his will. And in some ways, it probably did.

For a moment, Morty stood frozen in the doorway, unsure of what to do. Evil Morty hadn't turned to face him yet, but there was no doubt in Morty's mind that he knew he was there. Evil Morty always knew.

Morty cleared his throat, trying to steady his voice. "I-I need your help."

Evil Morty didn't respond at first. He stood there in silence, his hands clasped behind his back, as if he were considering Morty's request. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he turned to face Morty. His expression was calm, composed, but there was a glint in his eyes that made Morty's stomach twist with unease. This was not a person who dealt with others out of kindness or sympathy. Evil Morty had always been one step ahead, always in control. Now, standing there, he regarded Morty with a detached, calculating gaze, as though assessing whether Morty was even worth his time.

"You need my help?" Evil Morty's voice was quiet, almost amused. "You traveled all the way here, through the multiverse, to ask me for help. Why?"

Morty swallowed hard, his throat dry. He'd imagined this encounter in his head a thousand times, but now that it was actually happening, words seemed to escape him. He had to stay focused. He had to show Evil Morty that he wasn't just the same clueless, bumbling kid anymore.

"I—" Morty began, his voice faltering. "I've… I've tapped into something. Something big. The latent energies of the multiverse." He held his breath, gauging Evil Morty's reaction. "I figured out how to harness them."

Evil Morty raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Go on."

Morty's heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to continue. "After I did, I was attacked—by two agents. One from an organization called the Conclave of Aeons and another from something called the Infinite Coil. They… they said I was messing with forces I didn't understand. That I've become some kind of target."

For a moment, Evil Morty said nothing, his cold gaze locked on Morty's face. The silence was suffocating. Morty's palms were sweating, and his nerves felt frayed. But finally, Evil Morty's lips curved into a small, almost imperceptible smirk.

"And now you're realizing just how little you know," Evil Morty said softly. "You're beginning to see the scope of the multiverse, its real power. And you're scared."

Morty stiffened at that. He hated how easily Evil Morty saw through him, how effortlessly he could dissect his weaknesses. But he knew there was no point in denying it. He was scared. Scared of the Conclave, scared of the Infinite Coil, and scared of what might happen if he didn't figure out how to control the forces he'd unleashed.

"I need someone to guide me," Morty said, his voice steadier now. "Someone who understands the multiverse the way you do. Rick… Rick doesn't get it. He can't help me. But you—you've mastered this stuff. You've done things that even Rick couldn't."

Evil Morty's smirk grew a fraction wider, but his eyes remained cold, calculating. He took a few steps toward Morty, his presence suddenly more imposing, more real. "You're right. Rick can't help you. He's too… short-sighted. Too arrogant. He's been blinded by his own brilliance for too long to see the bigger picture."

Morty felt a flicker of hope. Maybe Evil Morty would actually help him. Maybe he wasn't completely insane for coming here.

"But," Evil Morty continued, his voice hardening, "I don't help people, Morty. I don't care about your problems, your fears, or your little existential crisis."

Morty's heart sank. He should have expected this. Of course Evil Morty wouldn't care. Why would he? He was a version of Morty who had cut ties with everything, who had manipulated and betrayed countless others to achieve his goals. Why would he lift a finger to help the Morty standing before him now?

Evil Morty turned his back on Morty, walking toward the central console, his hands once again clasped behind his back. "The fact that you managed to tap into the multiversal energy at all is impressive. More than I expected from you. But you're still just… a version of me that doesn't understand the stakes. You're still naïve."

Morty clenched his fists, frustration and desperation boiling inside him. "Then teach me! I'm not asking for charity. I'm asking because I need to know how to control this. If I don't, those organizations are going to come after me, and I won't be able to stop them."

Evil Morty paused, his head tilting slightly, as though considering Morty's plea. For a long, tense moment, the room was filled with the soft hum of the holographic displays. Then, without turning around, Evil Morty spoke.

"There's a cost to everything, Morty. Power, knowledge, control—it all comes at a price. Are you ready to pay that price?"

Morty hesitated, his mind racing. Of course there would be a cost. He had known that from the beginning, even if he hadn't fully acknowledged it. But what choice did he have? If he didn't learn to control the power he had tapped into, he would be at the mercy of the Conclave and the Infinite Coil. And he couldn't rely on Rick to save him. Not this time.

"I'm ready," Morty said quietly, his voice firm.

Evil Morty turned back toward him, his expression inscrutable. He studied Morty for a long moment, as though weighing his sincerity, his resolve. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"Very well. I'll show you the truth about the multiverse—the real truth. But once you see it, once you understand it, there's no going back. You'll never be able to live in ignorance again. The multiverse will never be just some playground for your adventures with Rick. You'll see the strings, the systems that hold everything together. And you'll realize just how fragile it all is."

Morty's stomach twisted with a mixture of fear and anticipation. He had come this far—he couldn't back down now. "I don't care," he said. "I need to know."

Evil Morty's smirk returned, sharper this time, more predatory. "Good. Then let's begin."

He moved toward the central console and tapped a series of commands into the holographic interface. The air around them shimmered, and suddenly, the room transformed. The walls fell away, replaced by a vast expanse of stars and swirling galaxies. Morty felt like he was standing in the middle of the multiverse itself, surrounded by the infinite complexity of existence.

Evil Morty gestured to the endless cosmos around them. "This is the multiverse, Morty. Not the one you've been shown by Rick. Not the one you've traveled through with your portal gun. This is the real multiverse—the one that exists beyond the reach of Ricks, beyond the reach of the Council, beyond the reach of any single being."

Morty's eyes widened as he took in the sight. He could feel the energy in the air—the same energy he had tapped into, but on a scale he hadn't even imagined. It was overwhelming.

"The Conclave of Aeons and the Infinite Coil have been waging a war in the shadows for millennia," Evil Morty continued. "They control the flow of power between dimensions, manipulating the multiverse in ways even the Council of Ricks is blind to. And now, because of your meddling, they've taken notice of you."

Morty's throat tightened. He had known he was in over his head, but hearing it laid out like this made it feel even more real, more dangerous.

Evil Morty turned to face him, his expression serious. "If you want to survive, if you want to control the power you've tapped into, you'll need to do more than just learn. You'll need to adapt. You'll need to stop thinking like a Morty—and start thinking like me."

Morty's heart pounded in his chest. He had come here looking for guidance, but now he realized just how much was at stake. Evil Morty wasn't just offering knowledge—he was offering a path, one that would change Morty forever.

And Morty wasn't sure if he was ready for that.

But what choice did he have?

He looked at Evil Morty, his resolve hardening. "Teach me. Show me how to survive."

Evil Morty's smirk returned, colder than ever. "You're going to wish you hadn't asked for this, but fine. Let's see if you can handle the truth."

And with that, the real lessons began.

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