Rick and Haruko chapter 2: Be Excellent to Each Other (originally published on March 14, 2024)

AN: Welcome back to Rick and Haruko, everyone! Sorry to keep you waiting, I had school stuff to do, plus I spent the weekend at Anime Milwaukee and had an utter blast taking pictures of cosplayers while also spending more than $600 on merchandise, like new games for my Nintendo Switch. I finally got my hands on games such as Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, Astral Chain, and Triangle Strategy, which I've been told is supposed to be really fun. But enough about my personal life, let's get on with what you've all been waiting for already. Starting with this chapter, we start adventuring into more crossovers with fandoms I've yet to write for, so consider this a potential backdoor pilot for possible future stories. Okay? Okay. Now, on with the show!

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For Haruko's first big concert as a member of Rick's band, the Flesh Curtains, she was taken to the Net. Through systems, peoples, and cities, to this place: Mainframe. What she found so amazing was that not only were there more dimensions beyond the one she lived in, but so many of them were so radically different from her own. In particular, Dimension R-994 was a world that took place entirely within a computer filled with humanoid beings known as Sprites, coexisting alongside little machines called Binomes. After taking the opportunity to play a show for the celebration of scientist Welman Matrix's discovery of systems beyond the city of Mainframe, Rick took the Flesh Curtains to this new dimension on the same cargo ship they rescued Haruko in, which Rick turned into the dimension-traveling Rick-stery Machine.

"So let me get this straight, Mr. Sanchez. Not only are you from somewhere outside of any system entirely," Dot Matrix, a green-skinned female Sprite in garish 80s-style clothing, asked Rick while the guitar-playing scientist tuned his bass in front of a diner under construction, "but you have the power to traverse dimensions?"

"Yeah, I was cracking dimensional travel before your old man made it cool." Rick boasted with a burp. "Wanna hear more about my travels? You would not believe what I've seen!"

"Please tell me more, Mr. Sanchez!" Dot's little brother Enzo demanded while excitedly hopping up and down, with his red and yellow furred dog Frisket barking behind him. "Your adventures sound alphanumeric!"

"Slow down there, young Enzo," Birdperson answered the young Sprite. "As much as we'd love to tell more about our adventures, we still have a concert to perform in the Twin City for your father."

"Hey, speaking of which, where did Haruko and Squanchy go?" Rick wondered while looking around for the band's drummer and their newest member before turning back to the Matrix siblings. "Well, I hate to cut and run you two, but we have some friends of our own to find. See you at the concert!"

As Dot began looking at a clipboard while Enzo continued impatiently running around, Rick and Birdperson walked away in search of their bandmates. "Any idea where those two could've gone?" Rick asked Birdperson. "We're supposed to go live in five minutes!"

"Hopefully, not too far away," Birdperson replied. "Squanchy only said they were going fishing together."

"Fishing, in this universe?" Rick commented while tuning his guitar. "How do the denizens of this place even eat? I mean, what's that diner even for anyways?"

"Excuse me, Mr. Sanchez." a Binome dressed as a construction worker said to Rick, catching the well-traveled scientist's attention. "My friends and I would like to hear some of your music before your big show today."

"Okay, fine, how about a little warm-up?" Rick said before preparing to rock out on his bass. "A-ONE, A-TWO, A-ONE, TWO, THREE-" Before he could finish counting down, he heard a loud sound coming from the Twin City. "What the shit?!" A massive explosion soon followed, knocking the two musicians and their audience off their feet. "Birdperson, what the hell just happened?!"

"Something must've happened in the Twin City." Birdperson analyzed, his composure never shaking despite the sudden noise. He then turned to watch Dot and Enzo hop aboard a car and race to the Twin City. "We can find Haruko later. I suggest we investigate the damages."

"Fine, whatever." Rick grumbled as he and Birdperson raced towards the Rick-stery Machine and flew off after the Matrix siblings.