The ship landed on the surface of the desolate planet, in a valley that stooped lower and lower to reveal a cavern a few miles down. Looking around them, they realized Dark Red was right when he spoke of the portals that covered Lithiri. It must've been how they perfected their teleportation technology on their ship. They could see passages to all sorts of far-off planets and bright galaxies, They were looking for a portal back to earth but the ship blocked their view of the rest of the passages. "Where exactly are we?" Alyster said, curious.
"This is the sanctuary of our planet" Red answered softly. "It was once the bustling hub of our planet but now all that remains are the portals that have been here since the planet's birth. We studied them and we realized that if you touch the surface and tell it where you want to go, it'll bring you there."
"That's amazing!" Alyster remarked. And very useful, they thought.
"Yea, it's also how we learned to harness the portal's technology for our ship." Red added. Behind them a minion came out of the ship with the compartment he stored the core in. Holding it in one hand and beckoning Alyster to follow him with the other, they started down the path to the terrestrial cave. It was even colder in the enclosure, and there was something dripping from the roof of the cave. "Could you give us a little light, Dark Blue?" Red ordered.
"Don't know if I can keep it sustained for long, but ok." They obeyed, putting their hand into a fist and lighting the cave with their flame.
"Uhhh, I think he meant the flashlight, Blue." Dipper said.
"Oh whoops. Ok." Shutting off the flame from their hand, they flicked on the light on their helmet and it provided enough light for them to move around. After about a mile down the straight tunnel, an opening revealed a chute down with a spiral staircase around the edge. They continued down the stairs for a while, and they could see the surface of the chasm with an opening for the core. A pit grew in their stomach as they realized they would have to complete Red's mission for him and not make him pay for what he did. Their heart was pounding and they didn't know what to do but they had to make a choice soon. Taking the final step near the core of Lithiri, they stood in the middle with Red, Dipper, and the droids surrounding them. Red opened up the compartment and the blue light from the core surrounded the cave.
"Dark Blue, will you do the honors?" Red asked pensively. They felt sick to their stomach as they reached out to grab the sphere, but as soon as they touched it their hand glowed blue again and they felt strength flow through their veins. They stepped towards the opening and feeling assured again, a voice resounded in their head. You know what to do. Keep fighting, keep FIGHTING, KEEP FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE! Cassie's message finally got to them and they knew they couldn't follow another one of Dark Red's commands no matter what he gave them or what life he promised them. Only a few seconds had passed by and the aliens were waiting on Alyster to drop the core into the planet's heart.
"I'm sorry Dark Red. I won't!" Alyster howled as they tucked the core into their belt, whipped around and with both hands spewed flames at the crew knocking them all back. The droids on the stairs started firing at them and they countered everyone with a blast, shooting Red continuously to keep him down. Luckily they had knocked Dipper out and the core was still in contact with their skin, fueling them with power! Looking up, they opened up their hands and shot themselves up like a rocket through the chute, past the stairs full of droids. There were more waiting in the tunnel as they landed at the top, and they blasted each one out of their way as they ran back outside. Red was a mile behind them and Alyster was miles from the nearest portal. Struggling to run through the sand, they decided to plant their feet in a lunge, pointing their hand behind them and shooting themselves forward, their feet skimming through the sand.
"Dark Blue, get back here OR I WILL KILL YOU!" Red screamed at them. Alyster winced at his threat, but they were not going to let up. They were feet away from the portal and they slowed themselves down by digging their heels into the sand and lessening the flame from their hand. They stepped right against the portal that was going to a planet they didn't know, so they carefully rested their hand against it and said where they wanted to go.
"The earth's porthole." Was all they needed to say and the planet swirled away to reveal the cave. They stepped through the gateway and were back near the core of the earth. They took the blue core out of their belt as they ran through the dome and before they let go of it, they tried to harvest as much power from it as they could. Standing atop the crevasse again, they dropped the core back into the heart of the earth. They had healed the earth finally, but before they could revel in their victory, they heard a cry ring through the portal. Red was feet away from entering but before he could, Alyster prepared to block him by howling at him with a cascade of fire, the same move that had knocked him out before. Knocking him and the droids back down the mountain, Alyster had time to get through the portal themselves and switched where the portal would go. "Pluto." That would be a good place to strand them, Alyster thought. Turning to see Red and the Droids, they realized their fight wouldn't be so easy. Red could still just use the portals and get the core back by force, but he would kill them in the process. Taking the uphill advantage, they shot themselves up in the air and shot Dark Red and his droids down the hill with everything they had. "This is what you get for killing my FRIEND AND MY SOUL!" Alyster fumed, angry at themselves that they hadn't realized what they were doing after he killed Cassie and they shut down. They let themselves be his weapon, but no more! Decimating the droids, they terrified Red and he ran back down the cave. Alyster chased after him, past the ship and down into the tunnel, searching for him through every curve. Getting close to the chute, they rounded the corner and saw Dipper and Dark Red waiting for them.
"Why have you done this Blue?" Dipper moaned. "I thought we were friends!"
"Really? Does a friend force someone to fight against their own kind?" Alyster countered. "I had a real friend and she told me to fight against fiends like you!"
"Didn't you think we were heroes!?" Dipper argued.
"I wasn't thinking anything! I was catatonic, and you used me as your missile!" Alyster corrected him. They were growing impatient with them now!
"Alyster, we see your strength and you don't! You have value with us! " Red implored, trying to devalue them.
"Oh, Red. Manipulation might be your strength, but I'm stronger than that!" Alyster howled back at them with a cascade of flame, knocking both Dipper and Red down the chute and to their demise. Looking down the pit, they doubled down their last blow by a ribbon of fire that consumed the whole chute and destroyed the stairs. "Finally." They huffed. Turning and walking back up to the surface, they entered the ship to retrieve their things. Grabbing their backpack, they went to the kitchen and used the fabricator to whip up some food they'd need when they got back to earth. Passing the armory, they realized Maestro was sitting on his tool bench, holding a picture frame and smiling. He had seen the whole fight and Alyster thought he would be upset that he killed his master, but he wasn't. "Maestro, what is it?"
"Oh, Alyster I have to thank you! I can now go home!" Maestro piped, wrapping his arms around them.
"What?! I thought this was your home!" Alyster exclaimed, thankful for the hug. They needed one.
"No, Dark Red took me hostage ages ago and threatened to kill me if I didn't make everything he wanted! I couldn't fight him since I'm just a little guy but you're so strong! You're my hero!" Maestro rejoiced, his voice revealing an even more alien accent.
"I am?!" Alyster gasped. A hero…they could never really be one, could they? They just had powers and they ravaged the earth unknowingly…they weren't like the heroes that stood up to Red in Montreal, or the Doominoids years before. They had just saved themselves though…
"Yes, you are, I'm so grateful! Is there anything I can do for you?!" Maestro exclaimed.
"There is one thing, can you change up my armor? To get rid of the blue?" They asked.
"Oh, sure thing, what colour do you want now?" He said with glee.
"I don't know, just plain white?" Alyster suggested.
"Oh, of course, just give me one minute!" Maestro said while circling them and taking off their armor. Taking it to the back, he laid it on the table and with a couple buttons and a flash of light, was able to make their armor black and white. Before bringing it to Alyster, he grabbed a tool out of the side of the table and scuttled over to Alyster saying "There's one more thing I can change as well. Just do a t-pose please?" he asked. Alyster obeyed them, closed their eyes for a second and then opened them to realize he had turned their black shirt and pants to white. Looking up at Maestro and smiling, he added "To go with the oufit. This thing also cleans clothes, which you definitely needed!" He ran back to grab the armor and outfitted Alyster with new black boots and a belt with a special holster for the core. "Just in case you need to harness it again. Hopefully you won't but it's there if you need it." He finished.
"Thank you so much!" Alyster reveled. Grabbing their pack of food, they walked out of the ship with Maestro and back up to the nearest portal. "So, where is home for you?" They asked him.
"It's a planet with a name you won't understand, but it was my home since I was a little scrub. I have sent a few messages to my family while I was gone and they have been waiting for my return." Maestro reminisced. "It's time for me to back with them finally, I have missed them so much!"
"I can imagine." Alyster added.
"I literally have not gone a day without thinking of them, and now I can actually speak to them!" He remarked. They were standing before one of the natural portals, and Maestro turned to them and gave them another big hug goodbye. "I must be on my way now. I wish you the best." He said softly in their ear. He stepped back, touched the surface of the portal and spoke a location in his own language. The surface swirled and revealed the street of a colorful, bustling planet. Maestro stepped through, turned back and waved goodbye to Alyster one last time. Tears were welling up in their eyes as he skipped down the street in delight. Now it was Alyster's turn. Reaching out their hand to the surface of the portal, they gave it a direction.
"Quebec North-" Before they could finish their exact location, a droid suddenly emerged from the ground. Alyster must've buried it in their fight. The little thing lashed out at them and with one blast, Alyster took it out but also shot themselves backwards through the portal behind them. They landed in snow and it took a bit to collect themselves as they adjusted to the earth's gravity again. Getting up they realized they weren't in Montreal. They had forgotten to give the portal that command and instead of being surrounded by apartments, there was only one building in the distance. Alyster trudged through the heavy snow and they fought the cold wind pushing them back. A small sign was posted next to the door of the warehouse that was covered in snow. Dusting it off, they were able to read it. "Salluit Airport. What…where am I?" They said to themselves. They tried the door and it was open luckily. Walking into the warehouse, they saw tools, a little kitchen in the corner and on the other side of the shop a map was posted on the wall. It was of all of Quebec, and a giant red spot was drawn at the top of the province, saying 'You are here.' They couldn't believe their error! They were stuck in the northernmost tip of Quebec!