Lost and Found

An Old Friend

(This takes place during Raising Gazorpazorp. Enjoy!)

(Morty's POV)

Rick and I had stopped at an alien truck stop and, while he was arguing with cashier over a multiphase quantum resonator (?), I started to lose interest and look around.

The alien rubbed his head and sighed. "Look, I'll have my apprentice take a look at it, but I assure you that this multiphase quantum resonator is fine!"

"WEST! Get out here and check this resonator for me!" he yelled into the back.

I groaned. "Rick, can we just go to another pawn shop, or s-some-?"

The words were lost on my tongue as the back door opened to reveal a young girl who looked about my age, if not a bit older. She had pink dye in her hair, just not enough to keep her natural brown hair from showing and wore a blue button-up work shirt and a brownish-red skirt with yellow cut-off shorts under it.

She crossed her arms, revealing her fingerless gloves. "You yelled, dingus?" she snapped at the cashier.

"Yeah, ya brat, I did! Can you take a look at this and tell this guy it's fine?!" the alien demanded, shoving the device over to her. The girl sighed but took out a magnifying glass and began inspecting it.

The cashier smirked at Rick. "You see? West here knows mechanics and robotics like the back of her hand! So hear it from her that the thing's-"

"It's not fixed. Not at all," the girl explained, pulling back from the machine. "You see the split wires from the power source here? Yeah, that's gonna make sure it's not functional."

Now it was Rick's turn to smirk at the alien. "You were saying?"

The alien looked at "West" and smacked her upside the head. "You idiot! You're supposed to-!"

"Hey, stop that! She was just being honest!" I spoke out. The girl's expression turned from one of pain to one of soft appreciation as she whispered "Thank you" to me.

"Yeah, leave the kid alone," Rick chimed in, glaring at the alien. The cashier rolled his eyes and stomped away to the back room, leaving the girl, Rick, and I.

The girl smiled at both of us. "Thanks, Mr. Sanchez," she said, walking around the counter and grabbing a broom. She winked at me. "And you, too, dude."

"Wait, you KNOW Rick?" I almost shouted.

"Uh, yeah," Rick said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Morty, this is Eloise. Eloise, this is my grandson, Morty."

"Grandson? Never took you for a family man, Sanchez," Eloise said with a giggle as she shook my hand. "Nice to meet ya, Morty. And thanks again for putting that jerk in his place. People can be so rude sometimes."

"So how do you know Rick?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a long story," she muttered, shoving her free hand into her skirt pocket and eying the ground.

"How's bout we talk about this on the way home?" Rick suggested, jabbing a thumb to the ship. Eloise cocked her head in confusion.

"You mean me as well?" she guessed to which Rick nodded.

"Unless you have a home here...I'm sure a life on Earth would be better for you," Rick replied, taking a swing from his flask.

Eloise rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Fine, but I need to pick some stuff up first from my house. Is it cool if we swing by real quick?" Another nod from Rick.

"Let's get going, then."

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(3rd person POV)

Rick landed the ship near a house that looked like it'd seen better days. "Geez, kid, that roof looks like it's about to cave," Rick commented as Morty opened the door for Eloise and the three walked in.

Eloise motioned to the couch. "You two can take a seat while I get the rest of my things. It shouldn't take long to-"

Her words were interrupted by a sudden creak from the stairwell. Rick and Morty turned to see a small figure crouched on the stairs and Rick whipped out a plasma pistol, his aim on the shadowy form.

Eloise yanked the gun away from him, shooting him a glare. "What are you, insane? Are you TRYING to scare him to death?!"

"W-who's 'him'?" Morty questioned, narrowing his eyes to try and make out the figure in the dark.

The teenaged girl rolled her eyes and scooped the small figure from the stairwell. Once she walked into the light, it made what was in her arms clear.

A small child was cuddled into Eloise's chest, his arms around her neck. He didn't look older than three, and had brown hair with blond edges. The kid's eyes were closed and his chest rose and fell slowly, indicating that he was asleep.

"Elly, what the heck are you doing with a kid?!" Rick almost shouted before she put a finger to her lips and nodded to the sleeping child.

"I'll explain everything later," Eloise whispered, her eyes drifting to the little boy in her arms. "I'll grab his and my bags and we'll go," she decided, walking into one of the rooms and emerging with a backpack and a duffel bag.

Rick groaned as he started up the ship. "Fine, El, but you got a hecka lot of explaining to do when we get back to Earth!"