Maturity || Sweet Pea [4]

1

Purgatorio

Seven years had come and gone in the haunted town of Riverdale, and for the once haunted residents that once inhabited it.

Sergeant Archibald Andrews had spent those seven years protecting his country and his fellow soldiers on the battlefield. However, after an explosion killed ten men and sent him and his corporal to the hospital, Archie was reassigned to run the RROTC at Riverdale High.

The proud redheaded man returned to his hometown, picking up on a strange vibe as his bus left him at his stop. He headed straight for the heart of Riverdale, none other than Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, noticing immediately the gas pumps and motorcycles lined up out front.

He stepped inside, taking in the new decor, and the new staff. The young woman behind the counter took notice of the soldier immediately, not recognizing his iconic hair.

"Something wrong, soldier boy?" She asked, tending to the customer at her counter.

"Uh, no." Archie responded respectfully. "No, everything's fine."

"Well, if you're hungry, grab a stool." She offered. "Coffee's fresh."

Archie glanced away from the girl, eyeing the familiar Serpent jackets and unfamiliar truckers inhabiting the diner.

"Or, if you want something a little stronger," The waitress behind the counter spoke again. "You can always head downstairs."

Archie nodded his head, heading toward the entrance to what used to be Veronica's speakeasy. Instead of finding the slightly upscale, Gatsby-esque bar that once sat beneath Pop's, Archie found a Serpent den.

The Whyte Wyrm, a relic of the South Side, had been given life once more beneath the heart of Riverdale. The walls were littered with pictures of Serpents past and present, as well as road signs, Serpent memorabilia, and a pair of painted portraits. Live rock music was being played from the stage, where Archie found another surprise.

Standing center stage, pregnant belly prominent beneath the snake-like garb, was Toni Topaz, dancing along to the guitar and bass the Fangs Fogarty and Sweet Pea played. Two Serpents carrying fake snakes provided back-up dancers for Toni's singing, putting on quite the show as Archie settled into a seat by the stage.

"Damn, Toni," Archie used, sitting beside his pregnant friend in a booth nestled in the corner of the bar. "It's good to see you."

"Yeah, you too." Toni nodded, taking in the sight of her friend after seven years. "You're all grown up."

"Well, I don't know about that." Archie refuted, shaking his head. "But you, you're, uh..."

"Pregnant." Toni confirmed, watching Archie's eyes flit down to her swollen belly. "Yeah, I am."

"Still a badass, though." Archie commented. "Who's the dad? Can I ask?"

"You can, but I'm not gonna answer you." Toni teased. "It's... It's a secret. Just for now. But I'm glad to see you're back in one piece."

"Yeah, yeah." Archie nodded. "No, I'm good. So, who owns this place now?"

"Uh, Kitty and the Serpents." Toni informed. "We, uh, all put our cash together and bought it from Hiram Lodge. A girl's gotta be creative to survive in Riverdale these days."

A silence fell over the pair, Archie noticing Toni's hesitance to speak Katarina Jones' name. He cleared his throat and leaned forward, addressing another concern instead of the absence of his friend.

"Toni, the bus ride into town... I can't explain it." Archie huffed. "It... Everything felt- feels...."

"Different?" Toni supplied. "Weird?"