to rule the world | a ninjago au

prologue

astra

It had become unbearably cold in the training room after Zane lost control of his powers.

On the first day of their new training regime, Garmadon had royally fucked up in prodding Zane's powers with the suggestion of the Juliens falling into Wu's hands. Zane had retaliated with his element, just on a scale they hadn't been prepared to combat. Thankfully, Cole had been whipped into shape for throwing up sturdy rock walls as many others had lost control of their powers, and most of the ice storm had been blocked by the wall.

After that, they'd had to shovel chunks of ice away with their powers in some unique form as a team training exercise, but it was in mellow silence and with little communication as they shivered from the lingering cold. Every time Zane walked into train, the elemental training hall would drop a few degrees colder and they'd continue to train in the chill.

"The Lord wants to speak to you and Junior," Titanium mentioned quietly. Astra flinched from the sudden conversation but nodded, dropping her bow to flex her numbing hands. "In his quarters."

Right. They were probably addressing the bomb Cass had dropped on Astra and Lloyd over a week ago.

That she and Lloyd were twins.

At first, she'd laughed and then immediately left, but the simple statement kept coming back to her. She'd avoided Garmadon and Lloyd for the last week in order to pretend that issue had disappeared entirely. Sighing, she began to make her way towards the quarters at a sluggish pace. Astra passed by harried scouts carrying new reports and intel to the war room, through the elemental training hall where Jay and Skylor were working on her lightning grab, and then through the renovated maze of catacombs to the Lord's quarters.

Lloyd was already waiting there, looking mildly peeved when he saw her. He was still mad at her for stabbing Kai, but she wasn't concerned about that at the moment.

She knocked and waited for the door to creak open by itself, and stepped in with Lloyd behind her. Garmadon's quarters were extensive but barely furnished with no personal touch at all. He sat behind his desk, tapping away at his laptop without looking up.

"Sit down." He muttered, scowling as he typed faster.

Five minutes later, he finally stopped his report and slammed the laptop shut. The printer behind him started a new round of papers.

"Your mother is arriving tonight," Garmadon said flatly. "I want you there to greet her. South entrance."

"She's not my mother," Astra replied in the same stiff tone. "I don't have one."

Sandy Harlow.

Garmadon looked at her blankly and then leant behind him to snatch the inked papers from the printer. "Copies of your birth certificates. Lloyd Montgomery Garmadon, born at eleven fifty-seven on Saturday the seventh of August. Astra Lillianna Garmadon, born at eleven fifty-nine on Saturday the seventh of August. Born to Montogmery and Misako Garmadon."

"My — the middle name is Lillianna?"

"Your mother chose it."

Stop. Saying. Mother.

She turned the birth certificate upside down decisively so the blank side faced up and looked to Garmadon.

"I'll take Junior to meet his mother. What time?"

"Nine thirty on the dot. Your mother might be surprised to see you, so perhaps ease her into it." More of a statement than a suggestion, really.

"I don't remember her, so fat chance she'll remember me." She spat back coldly. "Wait for me in the cafeteria by nine-fifteen, Junior, or I'm leaving you behind."