Richard Daniel Sanchez, AKA Rick Sanchez.

In the sprawling citadel of dimensions and science, Rick Sanchez was having yet another typical day of reckless experiments and existential contemplation. The portal gun in his right hand hummed a familiar tune, and he was already elbow-deep in a vat of interdimensional slime when a sudden beeping sound pulled him from his work.

“Ugh, what now?” he grumbled, wiping green ooze off his lab coat. The beeping intensified until he flailed a hand at the nearby monitor, the screen flashing with an alert: “Anomalous Energy Signature Detected.”

Rick squinted at the screen. “Great, another cosmic hiccup. Just what I need.” He flipped a switch, and the monitor zoomed in on a nearby dimension where a blip of energy pulsated erratically. It looked like a hole in space-time—a portal of sorts, but something was off. Curiosity pricked at his mind; he couldn’t resist. He grabbed his portal gun, aimed it at the energy source, and fired.

The air shimmered as he stepped through the portal, landing in a dimly lit forest filled with peculiar luminescent flora. As he surveyed his surroundings, he heard a faint sobbing sound. A quick flick of his gaze revealed a small person—a child no older than seven—sitting at the base of a giant mushroom, tears streaming down their cheeks.

Rick approached cautiously, kneeling down to get on the kid’s level. “Hey, kid. What’s the big idea? Why’re you blubbering like a dropped ice cream cone?”