Second opportunity

Death wasn't anything big or anything small. One moment, I was alive the next time I was dead. Despite not wanting to die, my reaction to dying isn't anything huge. Just weird acceptance.

Floating throughout a void of nothingness for an unknown amount of time gets a guy thinking. What if I became smart enough to avoid things like death?

Fictional characters avoid death all the time. So why can't I? There are so many intelligent characters I can think of. Johan, ayanokoji, Light, L. But none of them compare to Rick.

Unlike the otherwise Rick isn't from an anime. It's more so an adult cartoon series with Crazy Lore. It appears harmless until you get immersed in the plot like I was.

Rick is without a doubt beyond any anime character in terms of intelligence. Interdimensional travel. Multiversal control. Capable of turning a pile of trash into a planet-destroying nuke. He's simply too smart.

I admire that intelligence. When I first watched Rick and Morty, I remarked on it as an idiotic show depicting a smart person being a nihilistic loser who drags his grandson as a human shield

The more I got immersed in the series, the deeper I got. Rick's nihilism can directly contribute to his understanding of the universe and all things in general.

That leads to the Rickest Rick. Rick Prime. His death was gruesome. Beat to death barehanded by C-137. Not to say he didn't deserve it, he did.

My fascination with him is that he's by far the smartest character in the series. Including evil Morty and doofus Jerry. He only lost due to underestimating his enemies. If he assessed Evil Morty immediately instead of being full of himself, he would've killed him easily.

But his arrogance and overconfidence got to his head. All I'm saying is for someone smarter than even C-137, another version of himself. Rick Prime was naive. He wouldn't have died if he just acted with more sense.

The only thing I want is one opportunity. To take over that guy's body would be a gift beyond imagination. With his intellect, the things I could do.

As if God heard my prayers, the void I'm in is covered in a shower of blinding light. So bright, I feel my metaphysical body shiver as the light overtakes the void's darkness.

"Tell me, mortal soul. What is it you desire?" A warped voice asks me. The voice filled with billions of voices incomprehensible to me as I felt my very being shake in excitement.

"I just want one opportunity! One chance! If I die my soul, my entire existence is in your hands! Just one chance!" I yell fanatical.

If this being can move in this void unrestricted, it must be otherworldly. It can grant me my one wish.

"Such desire, mortal. Managing to survive in this desolate place for so long is impressive. But tell me. Why should I give you your wish? With such intelligence, you may be able to rival even my children one day. What makes you special? What makes you worthy of such power?" The being asks its voice shifting from normal to otherworldly mid-sentence as I don't hesitate.

"NOTHING! ABSOLUTELY NOTHING MAKES ME SPECIAL! I JUST WANT TO LIVE!" I yell honestly. There is nothing that makes me stick out in my last life outside of slightly above-average intelligence and good looks. I was nothing but a speck in the grand scheme. Not even.

The being pauses at my words. It's light dimming as I feel my heart drop. Did I fail its test? Will I be stuck here forever?

That makes me fear for my soul. I shouldn't be alive. The being even confirmed it. Wherever I am, mortal souls shouldn't be able to withstand.

If I stay here any longer, I have no doubt my soul will be eradicated. I will cease to exist. Reunited with oblivion. That leaves me horrified.

My fears are halted as the light shines again. This time, even brighter.

"Your soul is stronger than the being you desire to take over. When I place you into his dead body, you will have to handle everything yourself before his body succumbs to the embrace of death. His state of being when u take over will be after his beating from Rick C-137." The being's voice is as unnatural as usual as the light overtakes my vision.

This is it. My second chance. No way will I fail again. I won't die with this body's intelligence. I feel my soul grow in excitement as the light becomes unbearable.

*****

The first thing I feel is unbearable pain. The side of my head feels bloated, and my vision begins waning.

At that, I move in a roar of effort. My hands slip out of the restraints as I don't hesitate. Grasping the device halting my regeneration on my forehead, I pull with all my might.

"Hahhhhhhhhhhh!" I yell as I yank the device out of my forehead. A rush of foreign memories and intelligence floods my mind.

This place is going to blow soon. No ships are in reach, and my portal gun was destroyed by evil Morty.

As the hideout shakes, I move. My body regenerated rapidly. I have at most 5 minutes before this place blows.

Grabbing materials from Project Alpha. I make a base for a temporary portal gun. Bending to the floor, I dip my finger into dull portal fluid.

Letting the dull grey portal fluid spill into a beaker. I begin Shaking the drained portal fluid, I grab a few hooks from the nearby hud. Electricity will activate the fluid for a few hours.

Shaping a gun and trigger in a blur of motion. I move my hands with the experience and fitness of my inherited experience from Rick Prime.

It took me 4 minutes and 30 seconds, but I managed to get the finishing touches done. Slamming the vial onto the gun, I shoot a concentrated blast of electricity into the makeshift portal gun, making the grey liquid turn bright green as I grin.

"Fuck yes!" I waste no time choosing a dimension with a dead Rick. B-28. There I will bide my time and branch the infinite finite curve to escape this reality and go to another multiverse.

Jumping through the portal the feeling of my body shifting realms is euphoric as the moment I hop through, the base I had in space explodes.

I can't differentiate if I'm Adam with Rick primes memories and intelligence. Or if I'm Rick Prime with Adam's multiversal knowledge and insights. For now, I will consider myself both.

The Name Rick just sticks. So I will go by that for now. Landing in the universe where everyone has 2 buttholes. Something not important but notable.

If my hypothesis is right. Rick C-137's systems will still be tracking me. When he sees that I'm still breathing and alive, he may resume his pointless hunt.

I've always been capable of blocking his signal. But when I was just Rick Prime I loved to indulge in his anger. Now I will just block him out. Let him think he won.

Rick Prime, myself. Isn't just the Rickest Rick but the original Rick in itself. I'm the progenitor. The beginning and the end.

When I reach the finite curve. My knowledge from Adam tells me evil Morty most likely lives on the curve. No matter. I'm gonna torture the guy and let him acknowledge his place underneath me before I kill him.

I'm both Adam and Rick prime. My anger at the little shit who stole my schematics after emotionally fooling me is immense.

Walking through the streets of Earth B-28, I make my way 'home' to this reality's family. The Rick here just left out on a solo mission.

Since Rick. Or lesser Ricks, often do things randomly. They won't question my more youthful appearance and different attitude.

I'm going to leave this reality as fast as possible. To get past the finite curve, I will have to visit the remnants of the citadel. Whatever Morty Prime used had to have left a residue of energy.

Despite being smarter than Evil Morty, the finite curve, something I created is still abnormal to me. After its creation, I personally never bothered with it. So I don't have any means of transporting there.

People stare at me in concern. My clothing is still matted with my blood despite me now being fully regenerated. The fate I suffered from my lesser variant is still a sting on my pride.

Biting back the urge to kill everyone who looks upon me with a look of pity, it doesn't take me long to arrive 'home'

Immediately I'm greeted by Morty the moment I enter the house. Clearly,' I' was gone longer than usual even by my less competent counterparts' standards.

"W-woah Rick! You look so young! And what's with the blood?" Morty asks as I ignore him. This Morty will make for a good pawn before I abandon them to leave this multiverse completely.

The family. Jerry, Beth, and Summer seem to be in the middle of a board game as I enter the kitchen with a blank look on my face.

Beth rushes over hugging me tears in her eyes as I stare blankly.

"Dad! I thought you were gone for good this time..." She looks down as I sigh. All this family stuff is unbearable. If my experiences as Adam didn't hold me back I would have killed everyone here.

"Grandpa your back!" Summer yells as I head towards the garage with one sentence.

"*burp* Going to be working on a project for a while. Don't wait up." With that, I enter the garage. Noting its emptiness.

Of course, even my lesser variants should have a bunch of tech in the garage. Twisting a few things in the room all of this Rick's tech shoots out from under the tables and countertops.

"This time I won't lose," I say to myself. Heading to the second level for some work.