Chapter Text
“Do you know what the Central Finite Curve is?” Evil Morty asks.
“They built a wall around infinity. They separated all the infinite universes from all the infinite universes where he’s the smartest man in the universe.” Morty looked up. Thousands and thousands of not-so-different realities stared right back at him.
A multiverse, built of Ricks being the smartest man in the whole universe. A multiverse built of smart Ricks and miserable Mortys, all happening, and all real.
He felt sick.
“Every version of us has spent every version of all of our lives in one infinite crib built around an infinite fucking baby. And I’m leaving it. That’s what makes me evil. Being sick of him.” He pointed to Rick, then turned to Morty. “If you’ve ever been sick of him, you’ve been evil, too.”
Morty’s expression fell. “Rick, did you really leave the crows for me? Or did you come back because they dumped you?”
He watched Rick look away, and it broke his heart. Part of him thought that was true, just like his parents were telling him, but the other, bigger part of him begged and prayed that it wasn’t true. That his grandpa was coming back for him because he missed him. Because he cared.
“There you go, kid. Now you’re ‘Evil Morty’, too.” Evil Morty chimed in. “Sooner or later, we all are on this side of the curve.” He tapped on his eyepatch, and the building powered up to shoot some kind of laser cannon. It opened up a huge rift, consuming everything near it.
The Citadel began to come down. Similar to the storming of the bastille… Sort of. Morty made that small connection in his head, it was one thing he remembered from History class.
Morty snapped out of his thoughts when he saw tons of different Ricks and Mortys being liquified like smoothies in clone capsules. “Oh my fucking God!”
On cue, Rick already grabbed his arm. “Come on, Morty. We gotta go!”
Morty was about to follow him, but suddenly, a huge rock fell on them. Making his grandpa unable to move. “Whoa!” He slowly looked up, realizing how fucked they both are.
“You can come if you want. Don’t blame me if you don’t.” Evil Morty said, adjusting his badass looking spacesuit, paired with another equally-as-badass-looking ship.
Rick groaned, “From where I sit, Morty. That’s the best deal on the table. I don’t have a real plan.”
Morty closed his eyes to ponder his options. On one hand, he could help his grandpa and keep the cycle going. On the other hand, he can escape with his evil self and be done with this bullshit, but leave his old life behind. The imaginary clock ticks, anxiety rises…
After seconds, that felt like hours, Morty turns to Rick with a worried look. He can see his grandpa crack a tiny smile as he sees Morty walk to him.
Meanwhile, Evil Morty scoffed. He knew this would happen, but he did it anyway. He doesn’t even know why he felt like bothering with that invite. Now he looks like an idiot. A desperate dumbass. A clingy imbecile. A Morty.
To cover his fumble, he cleared his throat. Ready to make an excuse about the invitation by claiming that the back seat is just a toilet, but the words that left Morty’s mouth surprised him. “A-are you sure you won’t be mad if I go with him?”
What?
Evil Morty's eye widened. Holy shit, he wasn't expecting that.
Rick blinked, never in a million years he’d imagine his grandson actually backstabbing him and being polite while doing so. “What the fuck, Morty?”
Morty’s expression soured, but he seemed a little afraid. “Y-y-you were the one to say that was the best deal on the table!”
“Yeah, because I didn’t know you were ACTUALLY considering going with the guy who fucking kidnapped us and killed a bunch of Ricks and Mortys, Morty!” He slammed his fist against the shaky ground. “So yeah. What the FUCK, MORTY?!”
“Y-you know what?! SCREW YOU, RICK! You left me for two crows and-”
“Oooooooooooh, great. Here we go. You’re seriously still butthurt by those two crows?”
“YES? You just admitted you came back to me because they ditched you! T-t-that’s a super dick move!”
“You’re not one to talk about dick moves, you dick! Fuckin’ Judas! Y-y-you're like the guy who stabbed Caesar! Just leave already, you asshole!”
Morty’s fists shook, but he still followed Rick’s order to fuck off for the last time. He almost felt like helping him out of pettiness, but this felt pettier.
“O-oh, so you’re actually leaving? Great. FUCK YOU, MORTY! YOU’RE A LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT! I-I MADE YOU! YOU HEAR ME?! I FUCKING MADE YOU!!!”
“Just ignore him.” Evil Morty put an arm on Morty’s back to push him towards the ship, but it didn’t seem very necessary, Morty was already going there by his own will, even if every fiber of his body screamed to turn back.
Rick yelled and monologued in the background, but the sound faded along with the noise of falling rocks. When they got to the ship, Evil Morty shoved another spacesuit, identical to his, to Morty’s chest. “Put this on, and hurry. We don’t have much time. Also, be careful with that. It’s my only spare.”
Morty immediately began to put on the spacesuit, struggling a bit, but still managed to do so. “Don’t have to tell me twice…”
As both boys sat on the spaceship, Morty took another glance at his grandpa. He seemed angry, sad, and most of all, heartbroken.
Good.
“Last chance to pussy out.” Evil Morty warned, already starting up the ship.
Morty sighed. “Just go.”
Evil Morty shrugged, in a “well, if you say so” kind of way. “Just remember: this was your choice.” He pulled a lever.
Morty watched the ship being neatly placed in some sort of chamber. He could still listen to his grandpa’s muffled yelling outside, but this time, he chose to tune it out. Similar to the many times Rick neglected him.
When he least expected it, the ship was launched into the void as if it were a pebble on a slingshot, straight into the rift.
Morty screamed. He really felt like the seat was going to swallow him whole by how fast it was traveling. He was used to wild rides in Rick’s car, but this was nothing quite like it. He was so scared and close to shitting his pants he couldn’t even notice the beautiful, fast scenery upon him and his counterpart.
How could he be so calm? Morty felt like he was screaming his lungs out for the whole multiverse outside of The Curve to hear. Yet, Evil Morty sat still, watching.
Thankfully, it didn’t take too long for the ship to slow down. They were out. Out of the Central Finite curve, out of Ricks’ hands. Out of sight. Out of mind.
Morty, clinged onto his seat, managed to let it go a tiny bit. The nebulas, organized exactly like the many organized universes from before, look beautiful.
It’s quiet. It’s like the calm before the storm, but it’s a sunny day outside without a chance of raining.
Evil Morty opened the windshield and stood up, instinctively letting out a sigh. A happy one. Like he was finally taking out all the weight of the multiverse off his back.
And Morty watched. He hesitantly stood up as well. Looking back to see everything he left behind…
But it’s best to not think about that right now.
He looked forward. Evil Morty checked his watch to see a tiny hologram of the Central Finite Curve, exploding like tons of tiny popcorn. That’s the proof they both needed to know it was over.
Morty couldn’t help but crack a tiny smile, still fascinated by all the sheer, beautiful nebulas around them, even with the Rick timelines staining them like mold. He goes to space all the time, but it feels like the very first time he stops to appreciate something so gorgeous.
He felt heard Evil Morty clearing his throat, which forced Morty him to look forward again. His evil counterpart’s expression was neutral, but he seemed more relaxed in a way. A yellow portal was already open in front of him. “So,” he began. “You coming or not?”
“O-oh!” Morty stammered. “Y-yeah, I’m coming…”
Evil Morty nodded and went inside. Morty looked at the nebulas one last time, but followed him into it.
And for the very first time… Both Mortys felt free.