A Genius Morty

Morty stood in the center of a barren wasteland that Rick had chosen as their training ground. The desolate expanse stretched out for miles in every direction, a cracked, dried-out terrain under a sky that swirled with ominous clouds. This dimension was empty, chosen specifically for that reason—there was no life here, nothing that could be harmed if things went wrong. And Morty had a sinking feeling that things were going to go very wrong.

Rick had set up a series of devices around the perimeter of the training area. Some were for monitoring Morty's energy output, while others were designed to keep the dimensional fabric from tearing if Morty lost control. The equipment buzzed and hummed with an eerie frequency that only added to Morty's sense of unease.

"Alright, Morty," Rick said, standing a few feet away with a clipboard in one hand and a multiverse analyzer in the other. He tapped the edge of his glasses and squinted at Morty. "This isn't going to be some kind of magical 'I get it' moment. You're going to screw up. A lot. And that's fine. We're here so you can mess up without destroying everything."

Morty took a deep breath, his palms sweaty despite the cool air around him. "Yeah, but how am I supposed to get better at this if every time I try, I either blow something up or nearly tear a hole in reality?"

Rick snorted, jotting down something on his clipboard. "That's exactly the point, Morty. Right now, you're a raw nerve with access to more power than you know what to do with. The Council of Aeons was right about one thing—you're dangerous because you don't know how to balance the power. If we can't get you to a point where you can use it without ripping apart the multiverse, we're all screwed."

Morty nodded, though anxiety churned in his stomach. He had faced dangerous situations before—fought impossible battles, survived encounters with forces he couldn't fully comprehend—but this was different. This wasn't an external enemy he could fight with brute force or clever tactics. This was about control, about learning to harness the raw energy inside him without letting it consume him.

Rick tapped his wristwatch, and the equipment around them hummed to life, glowing softly as they began to monitor the space. "Alright, let's start with something simple. I want you to draw on the energy you've been using and try to create a basic energy shield. Keep it small, keep it contained. Don't try to do anything fancy."

Morty took a deep breath and closed his eyes, reaching out with his senses. He could feel the energy coursing through him—the same energy he had tapped into during his battles with Vaxon. It was always there, just below the surface, like a current running through his veins. But every time he reached for it, it felt slippery, unstable, as if it could spiral out of control at any moment.

With a grunt of effort, Morty focused, visualizing the energy forming a protective shield around him. He could feel it building, the air around him crackling with power. For a moment, it felt like he was getting it right—the energy was contained, controlled. But then, as always, it slipped away from him.

The shield flickered, and before Morty could stop it, the energy surged outward in a violent wave. The ground around him cracked, the force of the blast sending a shockwave across the landscape. Rick barely had time to throw up his own shield as the wave hit him, scattering some of his equipment in the process.

"Goddammit, Morty!" Rick shouted over the roar of the energy. "I said contained!"

Morty staggered back, panting heavily. "I—I'm sorry! I thought I had it!"

Rick lowered his shield, his expression a mix of frustration and concern. "That was barely a fraction of what you're capable of, and you still lost control. This isn't about how much power you can channel, Morty. It's about focus. If you keep trying to force it, you're going to keep getting the same result—chaos."

Morty clenched his fists, feeling a surge of frustration. "I know, okay? I know! But it's like the energy doesn't want to be controlled. Every time I try to focus it, it just… slips away. It's like trying to hold water in my hands."

Rick frowned, tapping his multiverse analyzer again. "You're thinking about it all wrong. You're not supposed to 'hold' the energy—you're supposed to guide it. You've been approaching this like you're trying to dominate the power, force it to do what you want. But that's not how this works. The more you push, the more it pushes back."

Morty wiped sweat from his brow, the weight of Rick's words sinking in. He had been treating the energy like a weapon—something to be wielded and controlled. But maybe that was his mistake. Maybe the energy wasn't meant to be dominated, but understood.

"Alright," Morty said, taking a deep breath. "Let me try again."

Rick sighed, muttering something under his breath as he reset the equipment. "Yeah, try not to blow us both up this time."

Morty closed his eyes again, trying to push aside the frustration and anxiety. This time, he didn't reach for the energy with the intent to control it. Instead, he focused on feeling it—on understanding its flow. The energy wasn't something separate from him. It was part of him, part of the multiverse itself. He had to move with it, not against it.

Slowly, Morty felt the energy respond. It was still wild, still powerful, but it wasn't fighting him as much this time. He pictured the shield again, but this time, he didn't force the energy into place. He let it flow naturally, letting it form the barrier on its own.

For a brief moment, the shield appeared—stable, contained. Morty could feel the power thrumming beneath the surface, but it wasn't out of control. It was balanced, flowing like a calm river.

But then, in an instant, the balance was gone. The shield flickered and collapsed, the energy slipping away again. Morty stumbled, gasping as the sudden loss of control hit him like a punch to the gut.

"Better," Rick said, though his tone was still critical. "But you're still overthinking it. You're trying too hard to keep the energy in check instead of letting it flow naturally. You've got to find that balance, Morty. You can't hold it too tightly, but you also can't let it go completely."

Morty sank to his knees, frustration boiling over. "I don't know how to do that, Rick! Every time I get close, it just falls apart!"

Rick walked over, standing above him with a rare look of sympathy on his face. "Morty, this isn't something you're going to get right away. You're trying to do in days what should take years. The Council of Aeons was right about one thing—you've got too much power and not enough understanding of how to use it. But here's the thing—they're wrong about what you can become. They think you're dangerous, but I think you're capable of learning. You've just got to keep trying."

Morty looked up at Rick, his breath ragged. "But what if I can't? What if I can't ever figure it out?"

Rick's gaze softened slightly, something almost fatherly in the way he regarded Morty. "Then we're screwed. But that's not going to happen, Morty. You're a Smith. And if there's one thing we do, it's survive impossible situations. You're not alone in this, okay? You've got me, Summer, Jerry—hell, even if he's a bit useless—and we're going to figure this out together."

For a moment, Morty just sat there, letting Rick's words sink in. It wasn't often that Rick was so supportive, and it gave Morty the boost he needed to keep going. He wasn't alone in this fight. He had his family. He had people who believed in him, even if he didn't always believe in himself.

With renewed determination, Morty stood up, his legs shaky but his resolve stronger than ever. "Alright. I'll try again."

Rick nodded, stepping back as he activated the equipment once more. "Good. But remember—don't try to control the power. Let it guide you. You need to find that balance."

Morty took another deep breath, closing his eyes as he reached out to the energy again. This time, he didn't fight it. He didn't force it into the shape he wanted. He let it flow, feeling the currents of power as they moved through him. It was like standing in a river, feeling the pull of the water but not trying to control its course.

Slowly, carefully, Morty began to shape the energy into a shield. It formed around him, steady and contained, the power flowing naturally instead of being forced. He could feel it—feel the balance. For the first time, he wasn't trying to dominate the energy. He was working with it.

The shield held.

Rick watched from a distance, his expression unreadable. The equipment around them buzzed softly, monitoring Morty's progress. But for now, everything was stable.

"Good, Morty," Rick said quietly. "That's it. Hold it steady."

Morty focused, his breathing even as he maintained the shield. He could feel the power beneath the surface, but it wasn't slipping away this time. It was still there, pulsing gently, but it wasn't threatening to break free. Morty held onto that delicate balance, letting the energy flow through him rather than trying to control it with brute force.

He opened his eyes slowly, half expecting the shield to vanish the moment he looked at it. But it didn't. The shimmering energy surrounded him in a soft glow, stable and contained. He could feel its power, but it wasn't overwhelming him like before.

"Whoa," Summer whispered, watching from the sidelines. "He's actually doing it."

Rick gave a small nod, his expression hard to read but clearly impressed. "Looks like you're finally starting to get the hang of it, Morty."

For a few moments, Morty just stood there, taking in the feeling of control—real control—for the first time in what felt like forever. The energy was still wild, still powerful, but it wasn't dangerous. He wasn't afraid of it anymore.

"I think I'm getting it," Morty said quietly, his voice filled with cautious optimism. "It feels… different this time. Like I'm not fighting it as much."

Rick took a step forward, carefully studying the shield Morty had created. "Yeah, well, don't get cocky. This is just the beginning. You're holding it together now, but maintaining that balance when things go south is the real test. The moment you lose focus or let your emotions get the better of you, this whole thing could come crashing down."

Morty nodded, understanding the gravity of Rick's words. He knew that this small victory didn't mean he was ready to face Vaxon or any of the other threats that lay ahead. But it was a step in the right direction. For the first time, he didn't feel completely out of control.

"Alright, let's take it up a notch," Rick said, stepping back and pulling out a device from his belt. It hummed with energy, and Morty felt a slight shift in the air around him. "I'm going to throw some stress your way—nothing crazy, just enough to see if you can hold the shield when things get rough."

Morty swallowed nervously, but he nodded. "Okay, I'm ready."

Rick adjusted the device, and suddenly, the calmness around them changed. A wave of force hit the shield, pressing against it like a heavy gust of wind. Morty could feel the pressure, but he held steady, keeping his focus on the balance he'd found. The shield wobbled for a moment, but it didn't break.

"Good," Rick said, turning up the device's intensity. The force grew stronger, and Morty had to grit his teeth to keep the shield from collapsing. Sweat dripped down his face as the pressure mounted, but he didn't let go. He focused on the flow of energy, keeping it steady even as the strain increased.

"You're doing it, Morty!" Summer cheered from the sidelines. "Keep going!"

But Rick wasn't done testing him yet. With a flick of his wrist, he changed the device's output, and suddenly, bolts of energy shot toward Morty's shield. They crackled and sparked against the barrier, each hit making the shield ripple with strain.

Morty's heart raced as he struggled to maintain control. The energy was wild now, thrashing against his efforts to keep it contained. It was like trying to hold a raging storm inside a fragile bubble. His muscles ached, his mind screamed for relief, but he couldn't let go. Not now.

"Rick, is this really necessary?" Summer asked, her voice tinged with concern. "You're pushing him hard."

"It's necessary," Rick replied, his voice firm. "He needs to know what it feels like when the pressure's on. This is nothing compared to what he'll face when we go after Vaxon."

The energy surged again, and for a split second, Morty felt the shield flicker. Panic rose in his chest as he sensed the balance slipping. The energy wanted to break free, to explode outward in a chaotic blast, but Morty gritted his teeth and forced himself to breathe. He couldn't panic. Not now.

He closed his eyes, shutting out the noise, the pressure, and the fear. He reached out with his mind, feeling the flow of the energy again—the way it moved, the way it shifted. He wasn't fighting it anymore. He was part of it.

The shield steadied.

When Morty opened his eyes again, the energy had calmed, and the shield was stable once more, the bolts of force bouncing harmlessly off its surface. He had done it. He had maintained the balance, even under pressure.

Rick turned off the device, the pressure around them dissipating instantly. "Not bad, Morty. Not bad at all."

Morty dropped the shield, gasping for breath as exhaustion washed over him. His entire body ached, and his mind felt like it had been pushed to its limit, but he had done it. He had found the balance, even when everything had been against him.

"You did it!" Summer shouted, running over to him with a wide grin. "That was amazing, Morty! You actually did it!"

Morty smiled weakly, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Yeah… I guess I did."

Rick walked over, his expression more serious than usual. "Don't get too excited yet, Morty. This is just the first step. You're learning how to control the energy in a controlled environment. Out there, with Vaxon and his goons trying to rip you apart, it's going to be a whole different story."

Morty nodded, knowing that Rick was right. This was a victory, but it wasn't the end of the road. He still had a long way to go before he could face Vaxon and win. But for the first time in a long time, he felt like it was possible.

"How do I get better at this?" Morty asked, his voice tired but determined. "How do I make sure I can hold on to the balance when things go wrong?"

Rick crossed his arms, looking at Morty thoughtfully. "You keep practicing. Every day. You keep pushing yourself, finding that balance over and over again until it becomes second nature. And you don't give up. Not for a second."

Morty nodded. "Okay. I can do that."

"Good," Rick said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Because if you don't, Vaxon's going to tear you apart. And I'd rather not have to scrape your remains off the multiverse."

Morty laughed weakly, though there was a kernel of truth in Rick's words that sent a chill down his spine. He had tasted victory today, but it was a small one. The real battle was still ahead, and it was going to take everything he had to win.

But now, standing here in this desolate wasteland with his family by his side, Morty felt a spark of hope. He wasn't alone in this fight. He had Rick and Summer, and even Jerry, in his corner. And he was going to keep pushing, keep fighting, until he was ready.

"Let's head back," Rick said, already fiddling with his portal gun. "We've got a lot more training ahead of us, and I need a drink."

Morty smiled, nodding as he followed Rick and Summer toward the glowing portal that appeared in the air. His body was exhausted, but his mind was clear. He was starting to understand the power inside him, starting to find the balance.

And with that, he knew he had a chance.

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