Lyra sat on the table, she was watching Mandarin as he bustled around the room, mixing chemicals and muttering to himself. Occasionally he glanced at her, or asked her questions. He was making a dye, to change the color of her fur and her eyes. You look far too much like my brother, he hissed, in that creepy voice of his. And you looking like Sprx sickens me. He turned and resumed mixing. This formula will change all that.
How did I get myself into this? She thought. She remembered the look on her father's face when she ran away. It was not anger, not sadness, only love. He had let her go to make her happy, to give her what she wanted. Her mother had been crying, and in her despair, begged her to stay… why had she not thought of this? She had been too angry… she missed her mother, and her sisters and brother. They were her family. Then she thought of Skeleton King telling her his plans to destroy them… she wanted to cry. Then she remembered what her father said to her mother. She is not one of us anymore…. Was she? Tears flowed silently, as her love for her family was fighting to overthrow her hatred, anger, and desire for power. But what power would she really get, as her father had once said… love was the greatest power of all.
Mandarin approached, the syringe poised in his fingertips. Suddenly she jumped up. NO! She cried, I won't change myself. I am not evil! My father's words are with me now, They have shown me who I really, truly am! She put a hand on her heart. Love is the greatest power I could ever receive! And the only place I can find that is with my family! With that, she ran out the door. Mandarin threw a dagger at her, it sliced across her back, and she screamed. She still ran, even as blood flowed from the deep wound.
Meanwhile, Nova was walking outside, Rose was with her. The moon's so big huh mom? She said. I wonder if Lyra's looking at the moon. Yes, said Nova quietly. I think she is. A bright flash caught her eye, as something slammed into the ground. She ran over to it, and her eyes grew wide and teary. Lyra? She said. Mom… Lyra reached out, and tried to grasp Nova's hand. Nova saw the wound on her back, and picked her up. Rose, get the others! She said. They ran back into the robot. Soon they were all in the medical room, where Gibson was working on Lyra. She'll live, he said. A little bit longer and she would have been gone. Sprx was sitting by Lyra, who was holding tightly to his hand. Dad… don't leave me, she begged. Not again. I won't, he assured her, and we're all here with you. I'm sorry I left, she said. I know now how wrong I was… and where my heart is. I know I broke Mom's heart, and it's going to take me a long time to fix that. But I guess I've all the time in the world now huh? He nodded, and hugged Lyra for the first time in months, but most definitely not the last time. Love truly can conquer all when you're with your family. That meant more to Lyra than anything else in the world, being with her mom, dad, brother and sisters, and the rest of the monkey team. Everyone that really cared for her.
Finally, she had found where her heart was.