AUGUST , riverdale (ii)

13.2: Requiem for a Welterweight

Toni calls me, and my anger rises. "What do you want?" I snap at her.

"Hey, I heard what Cheryl did. I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for what she did. I had nothing to do with it." She explains. "I'm heading over to her house right now, and if you want to stop by-"

I sigh. "No. Cheryl has done nothing but hurt people recently. She outed Moose, got herself and you kicked out of the Serpents because she didn't want to stop stealing, and now she's putting my baby in danger and hurting the people I care about. She's acting like mom and I'm not having it." I rant.

Toni clicks her tongue. "Okay, I'll talk to her, okay?" She asks.

"Yeah."

She clears her throat. "Are they okay? Are you okay? Is Tori okay?"

I sigh. "Yeah, TT." I hum. "We're all fine." I reply.

"Good." She mumbles. "I love you."

I smile. "I love you too, TT."

Jughead calls me the following night, telling me he was going to recruit some former Ghoulies to the Serpents to try and gain some leverage. So, that night, we head out.

"I can't believe I always tag along on your fucking adventures." I mutter. Jughead chuckles, leading the way. "One of these days I'm gonna get murdered, and it's going to be all your fault-"

"Can't you just be quiet?" Jughead hisses. I roll my eyes, following Jug to this abandoned house. He and I share an uncomfortable look, before opening the door.

Music blares through the place. It's covered in grime and G&G symbols. People in Gargoyle masks, baby dolls hanging from the ceiling. People are sleeping on moldy mattresses, eating whatever food they can find. Downing Fizzle Rocks and playing the board game. My heart jumps in surprise when My flashlight hits a game masters face. I follow Jughead, where a man hides in the dark, staring at us. Cold and dead. A skull resembling the Gargoyle King hangs above him as he looks at us with no emotion.

"Are you Kurtz?" Jughead asks. Nothing. "We're here to talk." He continues. Nothing. "One leader to another."

Kurtz gives a simple nod, Jughead and I sitting down. "I'm the Serpent King, and I'm here to make an offer." Jughead says.

Kurtz looks at me. As if asking who I am.

"Serpent Princess, technically." I shrug. "His right hand woman." I smirk.

"You're all wanted got making and dealing Fizzle Rocks. But if you and your Gargoyles join my gang, I can promise you immunity from the sheriffs office, and the law."

"Law?" The boy finally speaks. "Immunity? I have looked into the eyes of the King, and his is the only law. The law of Gargoyles, carved in stone."

I scoff. "It's a shame you're so hot, you're fucking crazy." I say under my breath.

Jughead elbows my side. "Right, so you wanna play the game?" He says to Kurtz. "I'm a Game Master. Let me be your Game Master."

"You think Gryphons and Gargoyles is a game?" The man almost sounds offended, causing me to want to run away screaming.

I shrug, "I mean he kinda does but at the same time he has this theory it's like a story based off the whole town-" Jughead elbows me again, causing me to fall onto the ground with an huff.

Kurtz stands up, causing Jughead to as well. I stay on the ground, a little too scared to get you "You come here as a king, but you're not a king. And you think we're playing a game." Jughead and this Kurtz person are face to face, causing me to be a little more than nervous. Kurtz turns, sitting down. "We are living a prophecy. And you are all just sacrifices waiting to be made."

Jughead and I look at each other. "The Gargoyle King lives. He will decide. And he will choose. And only the worthy will ascend."

Jug doesn't say a thing, but helps me up and leads me out of the house.

That same night, I walk into Jughead trailer with deserts I made at the Pembrooke. "Hey, y'all!" I shout. Jellybean and Jughead sitting side by side. "I know we're a little upset about the Gargoyle Ghoulie fellas, so I brought brownies, cookies, and a tub of ice cream so we can get fat and eat our sorrows away.

Jellybean shoots up. "This is just like when I was little, and you'd come over with all the bad food mom and dad wouldn't let me eat." Her smile is wide as she pulls out a cookie, taking a bite.

We start watching a horror movie, eating cookies when the door bursts open. In comes the Gargoyle Gang. "Gargoyles." Jughead says. He pushes me behind him, JB pulling out her sling shot.

"It's okay, kids. Stand down." Gladys says as she walks inside.

"The hell is this!?" Jughead hisses. "Are they with you?"

Gladys shrugs. "I did what you couldn't." She glared at the gang members. "Take off those stupid masks." One of them does so, Kurtz glaring at her.

Jughead glares at his mom. "This is a bad idea."

Gladys says; "Sweetheart, sometimes beggars can't be choosers." She says to her son. "I know you guys will find a way to work together. Well, we need all the manpower we can get to take this town back. Trust me."

I look back at Jughead. This was not going to end well.

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i know IM BEHIND IM SORRY ILL TRY TO CATCH UP THIS WEEKEND