ѕerpenт qυeen - Jughead Jones

XXXVI.

The Serpents were in the lounge when Veronica entered the room. "I don't think we've properly met. Veronica Lodge." She said putting her hand out. "Of the Park Avenue Lodges." Jughead said eating some chips. Ava rolled her eyes as she stole some chips from his bag. "Toni Topaz." She told him shaking her hand. "Oh, like the purple-colored gemstone. Love it." Veronica said. Josie was on the other side of Jughead and Ava. "And I'm Josie McCoy, formerly of the Pussycats. Now just Josie. And this is Kevin." Josie said as she motioned to Kevin sitting besides Sweet Pea. "What's your name?" Kevin asked Fangs. "Fogarty. Or you can call me Fangs. Your last name's Keller, right?" Fangs said. "How did you know that?" Kevin asked. "Joaquin and I used to hang out. He talked about you all the time." Fangs said. Weatherbee walked in. "You guys. Yes, you. Come with me. Now." Weatherbee told them. They walked to the hallway to see the snake graffiti. Reggie was smirking there watching them. Ava glared at him about to attack him. "Which of you defaced our school seal with this graffiti?" Weatherbee asked them. "This is what they do, Principal Weatherbee. They tag their turf." Reggie said. Ava stepped forwards to Reggie. "That is not what we do. But how much more transparent can you be, Reggie?" Ava said. 

"Effective immediately: No gang behavior of any kind will be tolerated in my school. As of this moment, no more Serpent jackets." Weatherbee said. "What?" Sweet Pea and Fangs asked. "You're kidding me." Ava and Jughead asked. "No more Serpent jackets. All tattoos are gonna be covered. Possession of any gang paraphernalia will lead to immediate suspension. Are we clear? That's all." Weatherbee said. "Then, suspend Reggie and the Bulldogs. They are a gang in the school but that's not allowed." Ava said before storming off. Jughead and the others followed her. They went to the Whyte Wyrm since that was the only place they could be free at. "I can't believe you guys don't see it... Other than me and Ava. Weatherbee is profiling us. Telling us what to wear. What's next? Brain implants controlling what we think?" Jughead said. "You sound like a conspiracy nut." Toni told him. "A school closed down." Ava said standing up. "A crappy school." Sweet Pea commented on. "Now we're at a better one, with a computer lab and textbooks." Toni said. "And toilets that flush." Sweet Pea said not moving his eyes off the screen of the game he was playing. "Getting transferred to Riverdale High is the best thing." Toni told them. "Maybe ever." Sweet Pea said. "If I have to take off my jacket 8:30 to 3,Monday to Friday, hey, I'm down with that." Toni said. Ava huffed and shook her head. 

The next day at school, Jughead and Ava decided to wear their Serpent jackets even though Weatherbee would suspend them if he caught sight of it. Students kept looking at them shocked and surprised as to why they were wearing it. "Oh, hey, guys. What's up?" Jughead said. Ava smirked and winked at them. Jughead went to the vending machine on purpose so Reggie could see the jacket. Ava stood besides Jughead then looked at Reggie. "Take it off." Reggie said before standing up. "Take off that jacket, rat boy and rat girl." Reggie said. Ava pointed towards herself. "Why would I take off my jacket when you don't have too." Ava said. Jughead walked towards Reggie. "Oh, Reggie, I don't think you know what this jacket means. Because you have no sense of honor, or history or loyalty." Jughead told him. Reggie started attacking Jughead when Ava stepped in. The Serpents rushed to help their leaders. They were all fighting each other. All the Serpents were sitting down while Jughead and Ava stood infront of Weatherbee with Veronica. Reggie was the only Bulldog sitting there. "You all have detention for fighting. But I made myself clear to you, Mr. Jones, Ms. Creed. Take off that jacket, or you're suspended." Weatherbee said. Ava pursed her lips as she glanced at Veronica. "Please, Jughead, Ava, just-" Veronica tried. "I guess I'm suspended." Ava said walking away. Jughead caught up to her and smirked. "I'm leaving you that quick." He said. "Guess we are suspended together." She said.

Jughead was playing a game at Whyte Wyrm while Ava was watching. Jughead got frustrated with the game then hit the side. FP came inside the Wyrm. "You break that, you buy it." FP said which made Ava jumped. "How'd you know we were here?" Jughead said. FP went to the bar and looked at the counter. "Hog Eye called. What's up, Hog Eye?" FP said. Hog Eye nodded, "FP." He said. FP looked at them, "Explain why you're not in school." FP said walking to them. "Yes. Weatherbee has beendisrespecting the Serpents." Jughead said. "He's been targeting us... Along with others..." Ava mumbled letting them hear her. Jughead sighed and nodded. "He told us to take off our skins." Jughead said. " You mean your jackets?Wear them after school." FP said chuckling. Ava looked at him then her jacket. "A Serpent never sheds his skin." Ava and Jughead said in unison. "I swear... I know the laws, kid." FP told them. FP knew something was up. "What's going on, Jug... Ava?" FP asked. They both sigh deeply. "Really?" FP told them. "At Southside High, we had a place.Yeah, it was crappy, but it was ours." Ava told him. "We were a family. We had a home. I had a home." Jughead said. "Yeah, I hear you.But getting arrested for truancy'snot gonna help. Be smart. Serpents hibernate during the winter. Look at me. Think I like cleaning toilets?Shoveling slop? No.But it's what I gotta do.Going to Riverdale High,that's what you gotta do. So, lay low for a while,but you never stop being a Serpent." FP said to them before hugging them both. Ava hugged back and huffed, she wished her own father was there... but he wasn't. 

Ava got dressed without her Serpent jacket, she walked to Jughead and sighed. "Ready to go back?" She asked. Jughead nodded and they went to school. They walked in looking like themselves, she walked with him. She walked in to see Sweet Pea and Toni in an uniform. "What the hell? Guys?" Jughead said. Toni and him walk closer, "Weatherbee gave them to us. Said he understoodthat not every Southside student had the means to purchaseRiverdale High-acceptable clothes. He thinks this will help us fit in." Toni said. Ava looked around, "Where's Fangs?" Ava asked. "He wouldn't wear it. So, they suspended him." Sweet Pea said. Ava looked at Jughead knowing exactly what was happening. "So our choices are conform or be cast out." Jughead said. Toni nodded, "Yeah." She told them. Ava and Jughead scoffed at the idea, they were chosen to be different because they were on the wrong side. 

Jughead and Ava leaned against the desk as every other student was at a desk. "Welcome to the inaugural meetingof the Swords and Serpents Club." Ava said smirking. "Which is what, exactly?" Toni asked. Everyone of them were in uniform that Weatherbee forced upon them. "Like I told Fogarty to lure him back. We are a gaming group,sanctioned by Mr. Weatherbee, himself." Jughead said. "Where like-minded students can meet and concoct world-building,role-playing scenarios, inhabiting fantastical heroesand dispatching mythological creatures." Ava said holding Jughead's hand smiling happily. Toni chuckled softly, "No, but really." Toni said. Jughead leaned forwards as they stopped holding hands. "It's a club. For us. A safe haven where we can be Serpents,in school hours, under everyone's noses." Jughead said. "We won't shed our skins. We're lying low, in the tall grass." Ava said, she wanted a safe place for all the Serpents even at this time.