{1} Tempest {Sweet Pea}

XXIII

Storm was on the courts playing basketball with the boys and she'd whistle quickly and Sweet Pea passed the ball to her at the sound of the loud whistle, and she did a quick layup.

Reggie looked annoyed, as Storm chuckled and walked past him as he was on the floor of the court after he had been knocked down by Sweet Pea before he passed the ball.

They fist bumped as the game continued and Reggie caught the pass and the game went on.

After the game, Storm was in class half asleep from listening to Cheryl's oral history report, and she was in the state of 'I am so going to be dead from boredom by the end of this' state.

Finally the bell rang, and Storm was one of the first ones out of the class as she was rather desperate, to get away from a certain Blossom girl.

"So you guys both have plans with Toni?" Betty asked as Toni stood in the entrance to the student lounge.

"We're doing an oral history project together on the history of the Serpents and her grandfather, he is the oldest one." Storm says.

"The oldest living Serpent." Jughead says and they both stood up, swinging their bags over their shoulders as they walked towards Toni.

"Thanks again for meeting with us."

Jughead says, pulling out his notebook, while Storm did the same right next to him.

"You're the only Northside Serpent right?" Thomas Topaz asked as they prepared for the interview.

"Yes sir. Storm Andrews. But most people call me Tempest." Storm says with a slight smile towards Toni, who nods at her.

"Tempest is on her way to being a lawyer. She will definitely turn out better then the last one we had." Toni says to her grandfather, who nodded.

"Tempest, like a rising storm. I've heard stories from Toni about you, I never thought I'd hear of a Northside teenager among the Serpents, but you must have made quite an impression."

Storm bowed her head slightly in acknowledgment of his thought out statement, and it was Jughead's turn to begin the interview.

"Toni told me that you're one of the founding members of the Serpents."

Thomas nodded as Jughead asked the question even though it was more of a statement.

"Yes. The snake, the laws, they were all based on some of the greatest of a Uktena tradition." Thomas responded to him.

"Who were the Uktena?" Jughead looks up at him, as Storm began to write her own notes, as Thomas looks at him.

"Uktena is a Serpent, a horned serpent or water serpent. Before there was Riverdale, it was all of this land that belonged to the Uktena."

Storm continued to write quickly, surprisingly able to keep pace with all of the questions that Jughead was asking as well as elaborating on it.

"How'd the Uktena evolve into Serpents?" Jughead asked and Storm felt Toni flinch against her arm.

"The Uktena, we didn't evolve. We were all slaughtered. When it was my Grandpa who was a baby, there was a raid. And it was led by your legendary hero there General Pickens, in a battle if you wanna call it that." Thomas says and he lowered his head. "Only, lasted for 12 minutes. But, the slaughter, was total and savage." Thomas says coldly.

"The General Pickens? Whose statue stands proudly in Pickens Park?" Jug asked sharply and Storm looks at him and shakes her head.

"He didn't stutter, Jughead. He's telling the truth." Storm says quietly and her voice was shaking slightly.

"Yes. And every year the Northside honors this man who murdered... no who massacred children. When my grandpa died, we formed the Serpents as a way to keep the family together."

Thomas says, slapping the side of the armchair that he was sitting in, while Jughead had fury blazing in his eyes.

"How, how do people not know about this?" Jughead exclaims sharply and a low chuckle came from Thomas.

"Ah, some do, but..." Thomas waved his hand as if it didn't matter, as if it didn't make a difference anymore to him.

"It's called the whitewashing of history, Jones. What, did you think Jason Blossom was the first person to be murdered in Riverdale?" Toni asks as Storm looked sickened, furious and angry as she walked out.

"Hey wait! My grandpa wanted to speak to you alone Tempest!" Toni said and Storm shrugs at her quickly, as she walked back into the trailer.

"Toni, she said that you wanted to speak to me sir?" She asked as she sat down again at his invitation.

"You, all of you young ones, young Serpents. You have the power to make change in this world. You, a young girl here, who won't let anything stand in your way. I can see it in your eyes, but it is muted now. Your blood may be of the North, but, you've got the heart of a Serpent. They are lucky to have you, as one of us. Honored to have met you Tempest." Thomas said, and, she looks like she didn't know, whether to leave, or not.

"Thank you sir. That means a lot. To me to have your respect." She says to him, and shook his hand as she went on her way out.

Toni was reading out the article to Jughead and Storm, who was glaring at Jughead.

"Did you have a part in this?!" Toni shouted at Storm, who shook her head quickly.

"I told him not to publish it, especially not like that Toni!" She insists, as Toni practically growled at Jughead.

"My grandfather isn't some broken down victim. Okay? Or some prop for your insane vendetta against the side, that opposes us. Against the Northside Jughead." Toni snapped.

"No, of course not."

"Look. I get it... You hate the Northside. You hate that instead of inviting you to a party, they ask you to work it. It triggers all your rage about being born on the wrong side of the town tracks. But this? This wasn't your story to tell." Toni says and Storm walks out after her.