Things weren't quite the same as they were before. With all things considered, at least Indigo could count on Midge to cheer her up with the tales of the high school football team's stupidity. Together, the two giggled cuddling in a friendly way on the student lounge couch. Indigo wasn't paying enough attention to notice the bubblegum haired serpent enter the lounge, but Midge did.

Her smile dropped, and the girl glared despite claiming to be over the transfusion of schools. Indigo gave Toni a smile though throwing her phone into her backpack. "Plans with Toni?"

"Uh, yeah, Jug and I are interviewing her grandfather for our oral history report. The oldest living serpent." Indigo paused at Midge's complacent expression. "It was Jughead's idea," it sounded ridiculous, but the idea reassured Midge.

"Have fun."

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Toni's grandfather's trailer was warm and the lights were dim as the one in the bathroom flickered on schedule every two minutes. Comfily perched on the sofa, was Jughead and Indigo whom both quietly scribbled notes as Toni's grandfather answered their questions.

"Thanks again, for meeting with us," Jughead told the older man yet again. "Toni told us that you're one of the founding members of the Serpents.

"Yes. The snake, the laws, it's all based on Uktena traditions." Indigo looked down on her journal jotting in the name. "Who were the Uktena?" She inquired softly. "Uktena is a Serpent. A horned serpent, a water serpent. Before there was a Riverdale, all this land belonged to the Uktena."

Simultaneously, Jughead and Indigo shared a glimpse before writing. "How did the Uktena evolve into the serpents?" This time it was Jughead to ask the old man.

In the pair's surprise, the Topaz man chortled. "The Uktena, we didn't evolve. We were all slaughtered." Jughead met Indigo's ocean eyed gaze. "When my grandpa was a baby, there was a raid, and it was led by your hero over there General Pickens. The battle, if you wanna call it that ... only lasted for 12 minutes. But, the slaughter was total and savage."

Indigo swallowed hard. She felt cursed to be stuck in such a sick town. By the age of eighteen, she planned to be leave, escape Helltown.

"The General Pickens ... whose statue stands proudly in Pickens park?"

"Yes, and every year the Northside honors this man who massacred children. When my grandpa died, we formed the Serpents as a way to keep the family together."

Indigo wasn't quite as surprised as Jughead was. Christian would always go on and on about the true evil this town hid. Jughead, on the other hand, was genuinely perturbed. "How do people not know about this?"

"Well, some do, but ... "

"It's called the white washing of history, Jones. What, did you think Jason Blossom was the first person to be murdered in Riverdale?"

☉▣☉▣☉▣☉

Only two days had passed since Jughead and Indigo visited Toni's grandfather to study for their project. The responses to their questions only fueled Indigo's hatred towards her hometown, but Jughead wanted to do something about it. Something he hadn't run by Indigo when he did it.

"Damn, you're friend sure knows how to tiptoe the line." Curiously, Indigo ripped the school newspaper from Dion's hands.

"General Pickens was a murderer ... " Dion repealed from the article. " ... and ripples from his gruesome acts continue to be felt today. Descendants of the victims are still being displaced. So I challenge the Northside, instead of honoring men like General Pickens and Hiram Lodge, hold them accountable."

  Indigo scoffed dropping the paper after skimming over the article's contents. "I gotta talk to Jughead about this. It's not fair to Toni's grandpa the way he just victimizes him like this."

Indigo was ready to scold the boy, but Dion pulled her back before she could leave her home. "Aye, you gotta let them handle this. It's not really our business."

"Uh, this is my project too."

"Indigo." The two stood like that for exactly three minutes before Indigo finally caved. Dion was probably right, she had to finish her math homework anyways. "Fine."

Dion smiled at the shorter girl's complacent pout, Indigo could admit she hated being told she was being wrong. "Let's go get some Pops, yeah?"

Indigo eagerly agreed with an idea grabbing her phone off of the kitchen counter and following the boy out of the door.

The pair ate their burgers and fries happily. All of that ended when Reggie Mantle bursted through Pops doors. "Aw, hell."

Indigo faked a smile the boy's way. He seemed to be on his way to return the gesture until he noticed Dion. "Who is this?" Reggie questioned plopping down next to Indigo.

Reggie had seen the brunette boy walking around classes multiple times, but it seemed as though every time Dion noticed him he went the opposite way. That was probably because that's exactly what Indigo instructed Dion to do when he came across the problematic bulldog.

"This is Dion. He's new." Reggie's eyebrows pulled into a furrow tossing his his hand out for Dion to shake. Dion ignored the gesture stating at him from across the seat. "Um, D's a germaphobe."

"Where you from, Dion?"

Dion contemplated lying like Indigo had so easily done, but he didn't want to make his new future based on fear. "Southside." Reggie bit down on his tongue glancing back at Indigo. It was quiet for another moment. That stupid searing quiet that Indigo had so uncomfortably came across so many times.

And as fate would have it, the pair was saved by the phone. Indigo quickly answered earning a sigh from Reggie. "I'll see ya later, I guess."

"Nice meeting you," Dion called out with a smirk. Dion's gaze flickered to Indigo who set her phone on the tabletop. "What is it?"

"Jughead needs our help."

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      Just as asked, Dion and Indigo showed up to the Pickens Day parade protest. Before they were quite  ready, Indigo stopped Sweet Pea dead in his tracks."You're tape is off."

Indigo watched the boy roll his eyes, but she could still see his smile through his upturned cheeks.

    From where they stood, the Serpents could hear Veronica begin to sing. That's when Jughead began to count off, "Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two ... one."

The Serpents marched through the Pickens Day parade. Indigo never planned on her Northside friends to join with her. She knew well enough that they would never understand, but Midge did.

Midge trad Jughead's article with a sickening distaste for the truth behind Riverdale. Midge wouldn't stand for injustice to any people, even Serpents.

Indigo gave the girl a grin handing her a sign. A first step to the strengthening of their friendship, a friendship that wouldn't end well.

   The Serpents stopped in front of the stage pushing through crowds of clueless Northsiders. "Indi? Jughead? What the hell is going on?"

Toni pressed down on the megaphone button holding it to her lips. "We're here representing the dead and the silenced. Pickens day is a lie."

Indigo could feel the nerves swell in her stomach as countless eyes focused in on her. She was tired of hiding, but this was bold. Yet, she could feel some comfort this is what Christian would do.

"General Pickens slaughtered the Uktena Tribe, my grandfather's family." Indigo's hand reached out, subconsciously looking her brother. Sweet Pea found her hand taking it in his own.

    "And this land, the land that we're standing on, the land that will soon give way to the new Southside, was stolen from them. And we can't bring them back, but we can, and we must honor them."

"Hey, folks, hi. Uh ... " Indigo squeezed hard on Sweet Pea's hand earning a soft pained groan. "I think we can all be proud to live in a Riverdale where young people stand up for justice. Where a young woman can defend the honor and legacy of her grandfather. And where we can celebrate the living legacy of the Uktena, who contribute to the rich tapestry that is Riverdale, that is the Southside and that will be SoDale. So let's hear a round of applause for that, am I right?"

Indigo couldn't believe people clapped. How could they stand for it? "That's right. What do you say, people?"

Dion was clearly feeling the same irritation as he ripped the duct tape from his lips, taking a threatening step forward. Sweet Pea grabbed his shoulder pulling him back.

    Dion would've punched him in the face, but Sweet Pea was calm. Dion sighed letting himself diffused. The Serpents would get their justice eventually. They would get what they deserved, and they deserved so much more than the scraps of the privileged Northsiders.

HERMOINE

Idrk how I felt about this chapter, but I think I'm kind of back again. Sorry I took such a long break again. I can't promise an update schedule or anything, but leave a comment. I love to hear your feedback. (Unless it's mean.)

━━Peace✌🏼