The Half Blood Chronicles: Book 1-Daughter of the Sun

1-The Pros and Cons of Exploding Classrooms

Rapunzel

Rapunzel hurried down the street, her face buried deep in her scarf. The freezing wind lashed her face as she burrowed her arms into her jacket. Stupid. Stupid Gothel. Making her walk in this weather. 

Suddenly, she heard the squeak of tyres and looked up. Great. Aster Bunnymund was sitting in the car next to Toothania Memory. The two most popular people in school. "Hey! You too poor to buy a car?" Aster yelled smirking.

"Aster, stop being an ass. Shut up and drive." Tooth was nice enough, but the worst thing about her was the fact she was dating Aster. They moved on quickly, and Rapunzel sighed. She was glad they'd left, because normally those interactions lasted much longer. She felt something move against he chest and smiled. You weren't meant to have pets at school but why would she listen to that? He was one of her only friends. 

Rapunzel felt a drop of icy water land on her forehead. Great. Just what she needed right now. She buried herself deeper into her coat and scarf, and pulled her beanie onto her long golden hair. The rain started lashing down on her, almost instantly chilling her to the bone.

After the twenty minute walk to school, Rapunzel was absolutely drenched. She shoved open the main doors, dripping cold rain water all over the carpet. Her already grim mood darkened when she walked up to her locker, leaving a trail of water, and unlocked the locker door, a pile of papers spilled all over her feet. She groaned and her a voice to her left.

"You want some help?" 

She glanced over to see a girl with blonde, plaited hair that was draped over one shoulder. She smiled. She had kind blue eyes and a slightly oversized grey sweater. She was wearing a pair of battered old sneakers and a pair of black denim jeans. She was wearing a slightly wonky grey beanie, and a satchel was slung over one shoulder. Astrid Hofferson, a fairly popular girl who was friends with Rapunzel and her weird group for some unknown reason. She'd met Astrid earlier this year, when Aster was picking on her. Astrid punched him in the face and broke his nose.

"Oh, yeah, thanks. Hey Astrid."

"No problem. At least I'm not breaking anyone's nose this time."

Rapunzel smiled, a real smile. Astrid knelt down with Rapunzel and helped her collect the scattered papers. "Where's your first class?"

"Uh, AP Maths with Mr North," Astrid said, handing Rapunzel the last of the pieces of paper.

"Oh, same. I can go with you if you want,"

Astrid nodded, standing up as Rapunzel shoved the stuff in her locked, grabbing out the books she needed and closing her locker. The two turned and walked away, chatting. The first time they'd met, they'd talked about the fact Astrid was from Berk, a small town in Manhattan, and had moved here a few weeks ago but had only just started school. She had a boyfriend back in Manhattan, and they had met at some camp. She seemed so nice, and even glared down one of the boys when he made a snide comment directed at Rapunzel.

They walked through the halls, finally reaching their class with minutes to spare. They raced inside and took two seats in the middle of the second row. Rapunzel glanced to her left, seeing Jackson Overland seated there. She grinned at him and he gave her his trademark smirk.

 Mr North arrived seconds later. He was tall, bald man with a large white beard and a Russian accent. He had tattoos on both forearms, and looked terrifying, but actually was quite nice. "Good morning everyone. Should we get started now?"

All the response he got was a yelled, "no," which sent the rest of the class into fits of laughter. North chuckled loudly, smiling warmly. They were lucky he had a sense of humour.

Rapunzel rolled her eyes at Merida Dunbroch. She was hot headed girl with flaming red hair that looked like it had never been brushed. The untamed curls weren't tied back, and stuck up all over the place. She was amazing at archery, and really quite smart.

Rapunzel's attention drifted as Mr North started the lesson. Her eyes drifted to the window and she watched as two flies buzzed around, occasionally knocking into the window. Suddenly she heard the teacher say, "and I'm sure Miss Corona would agree."

"Uh..."

This sent the class back into fits of crazy giggles. Rapunzel went red and shrunk into her scarf. Rapunzel tried to focus, but her attention kept wandering away to the ticking of the clock, the clouds drifting through the sky or the rustle of leaves that could be heard through the open window. And then she heard a different sound. A steady banging. The clash metal. The creaking of the ceiling. 

It was seemingly nothing, and Rapunzel internally scolded herself for getting so easily distracted. But for the next ten minutes the noise continued. She could tell North noticed it and eventually he asked, "okay, whoever is making that noise please stop."

The students glanced at each other in confusion, and it continued. And it grew louder. And louder. Until suddenly she saw tiny cracks trace the centre of the ceiling. Just as she was about the put her hand up, all hell broke loose.

The ceiling above her collapsed and she felt slim hands pull her away from the desk just as the it came crashing down on top her desk. She heard a thud, and through the dust stinging her eyes she saw a figure lying sprawled on a desk. 

The dust began to clear, and Rapunzel tried to drag herself to her feet, pushing herself up. People were cowering behind their desks, and golden dust drifted around them, dusting their skin. A boy around their age was lying on Astrid's desk, grinning up at the girl. "Milady, I figured I'd drop in."

"Hiccup," she breathed. And then she punched him, "that's for breaking the ceiling, and that's," she kissed him, "is for everything else."

She stood, offering him a hand and he dragged himself up. Mr North was standing at the front of the class still, unbothered as if children dropped in all the time. "Hi North!" The stranger, Hiccup, waved at the man.

"Why did you have to break the roof?" North sighed heavily.

"Well, at least I saved you from having the kill the Chimera."

North pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling sharply. "What, is going on here?" Rapunzel breathed heavily, backing towards where she could see Merida and Jack through the clouded air.

"Hi, I'm Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third, you three, come with me or there's a high chance you're going to get killed."