“Mhmm.” Josie didn’t expect Toni to pick up her drink and join her, but she didn’t mind too much. She wasn’t sure what it was but there was something about Toni that intrigued her. “The Pussycats are all about women of color empowerment. We’re using out platform to tell stories and speak up for people who don’t have the voice to say what they want. We’re called The Pussycats because we have to claw our way into rooms that some can just waltz into. That’s why we wear our cat ears.”
Toni would be lying if she said she wasn’t at least a little impressed. As far as Northside girl group symbolism went, it would be hard to top the Pussycats in Toni’s eyes. It was something she felt passionately about too. “I suppose that’s better than walking around with claws for the symbolism,” she pointed out. “Does everyone else just know or do you have to explain this every time you go out wearing them?” Toni was genuinely curious about this. More than she honestly expected to be.
“I’m vaguely familiar with the word, but ‘ hello ’ is just so bland and over-used. I’d think y o u, of all people, would appreciate a more COLORFUL greeting.” Jughead mutters offhandedly, shooting a playful smirk up at the pink-haired serpent. “Wow, you know me so well… thanks, Toni. Any particular REASON you’re buttering me up with caffeinated beverages, or are you just being extra thoughtful?”
“And here I was thinking your dark, broody persona would carry through to your greetings,” she teased in return. Sarcasm and playful banter was nothing new for her interactions with Jughead. According to Toni, the compatible sense of humour is why they get along so well. “Would you have believed me if I said it was pure altruism? Although, since you mentioned it... I was wondering if wherever you’re crashing tonight has room for one more.”
his face softened slightly as he recognized the voice instantly. i mean how could he not with his best friend? something about the tiny serpent seemed to have an almost calming aura to the skyscraper. sweet pea was definitely known around the southside for his tough and hostile reputation. ‘sorry, squirt.’, he replied softly, scrunching his nose in distaste at he nickname, ‘ what exactly brings you to my shop, topaz? missed me too much? ‘
“you wish,” she replied with a laugh. “tell me the point of packing up leftovers for lunch if you’re just gonna leave it on the counter?” of course, she was never opposed to an opportunity to see him. no matter how closed off he was to others, toni saw through it. “i also wanted to thank you for letting me crash.i didn’t get a chance to this morning.”
“Thanks, I try,” She shook her head, rolling her eyes just thinking about the conversation she had to suffer through with the football player. The bulldogs, along with other people who played sports, happened to make up a good chunk of Stella’s customers. Even though she didn’t even attend Riverdale High, news of the Serpent’s intelligence and ability to crank out assignments, essays, or projects blossomed into a business that reached across both sides of town. “Hell yeah he was really trying to. I wasn’t going to let him leave Pop’s without injuries if he wasn’t going to pay the full amount. The Knuckle draggers usually comply with me fine but this one just wanted to try and test me."
“First time customer or has he been coming so long he thinks he deserves Mates Rates?” Both options seemed plausible to Toni. She’d seen Stella do business with Bulldogs before, but she never cared to get to know them.
Josie rose an eyebrow. She planted her elbow on the table in front of her and rested her chin on her fist. “It’s called symbolism. A representation of The Pussycats and what our group stands for.” One of the first things she noticed about Toni was her hair color. Josie didn’t see many Northsiders walking around with hair like that. She liked it; she thought it suited Toni. Josie smiled to herself and shook her head at the other girl. Of course all she saw was a pair of cat ears. Josie didn’t expect anyone to understand the whole gist of The Pussycats and what they represented by taking one look at accessory on her head. “But trust me, honey, you wouldn’t be the first.”
“Symbolic cat ears, huh?” Toni asked. The night was going slow and Josie seemed to be the only promising source of entertainment. Not to ridicule her about the cat ears all night. Toni wasn’t cruel. More so interested in the way she wore them with pride. Picking her milkshake up in one hand, she made her way to sit opposite Josie. “Tell me to piss off and I will.” She saw the sheets in front of the other girl but curiosity got the better of her. “Figured this was better than shouting between booths. What exactly does your group stand for then?”
♫ ❝i'm a little o.d.d. most people really don't get me. i'm the girl in the back of the class, pink hair but i'm wearing all black. i'm a little o.d.d and i see the way they look at me. i can hear it when they talk that trash. saying any minute she gon' crack.❞ ♫
2. Nightmare • Halsey
♫ ❝i'm tired and angry, but somebody should be. "come on, little lady, give us a smile". no, i ain't got nothin' to smile about. i waited a while for a moment to say i don't owe you a goddamn thing. o keep a record of the wreckage of my life. i gotta recognize the weapon in my mind. they talk shit, but i love it every time and i realize someone like me can be a real nightmare, completely aware. i'd rather be a real nightmare, than die unaware.❞ ♫
3. Honey • Kehlani
♫ ❝cause i'm a beautiful wreck. a colorful mess, but i'm funny. i'm a heartbreak vet with a stone-cold neck. yeah, i'm charming. all the pretty girls in the world but i'm in this space with you. colored out the lines, i came to find my fire was fate with you.❞ ♫
4. A Different Beat • Little Mix
♫ ❝i might be young but i know my mind. i'm sick of being told what's wrong or right, so give it up. uh-oh, now there you go out of your comfort zone. i'm breaking out, not breaking down. ain't got nothing to prove. walk a mile in my shoes. iknow the one thing that counts. i got the right to make up my mind. say it loud and clear for the whole wide world to hear. we're marching for love.❞ ♫
5. Through To You • Glades
♫ ❝you don't have to stay up late and wonder if anybody feels this way. i promise you're not the only heart that aches. i need you to be honest. tell me how do i get through to you? is it too late or too soon? don't hold back, say the truth. how do I break these walls when they're ten feet tall and i've given all that i've got? tell me how do i break all your rules? tell me how do i get through to you? i don't wanna wake up in the morning feeling like we let little things interfere like fear and pride. when you think nobody cares, you should know that i do. you can call me crazy but you know i'll never lie. you'd do the same for me, you know you'd save me every time.❞ ♫
6. HEAVEN • Troye Sivan, Betty Who
♫ ❝this voice inside has been eating at me. trying to embrace the picture i paint and colour me free. without losing a piece of me, how do i get to heaven? without changing a part of me, how do i get to heaven? all my time is wasted feeling like my heart's mistaken. if i'm losing a piece of me, maybe i don't want heaven.❞ ♫
7. I See Fire • Ed Sheeran
♫ ❝if we should die tonight then we should all die together. raise a glass of wine for the last time. calling out for the rope. prepare as we will watch the flames burn on and on the mountain side. desolation comes upon the sky. now i see fire inside the mountain. i see fire burning the trees and i see fire hollowing souls. i see fire, blood in the breeze i hope that you'll remember me. if the night is burning, i will cover my eyes for if the dark returns then my brothers will die. as the sky's falling down, it crashed into this lonely town. with that shadow upon the ground. i hear my people screaming out.❞ ♫
8. Woman’s World • Little Mix
♫ ❝if you never been told how you gotta be. what you gotta wear, how you gotta speak. if you never shouted to be heard you ain't lived in a woman's world. if you can't see that it's gotta change, only want the body but not the brains. if you really think that's the way it works you ain't lived in a woman's world. just look at how far that we've got and don't think that we'll ever stop. this ain't the way it's gonna be. know that there will be a day when everyone's treated the same. it's the only way it's gotta be.❞ ♫
9. Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year • Fall Out Boy
♫ ❝are we growing up or just going down? it's just a matter of time until we're all found out. take our tears, put them on ice 'cause i swear i'd burn this city down to show you the light. there's a drug in the thermostat to warm the room up and there's another around to help us bend your trust. got a sunset in my veins and i need to take a pill to make this town feel okay.❞ ♫
10. Just A Girl • No Doubt
♫ ❝take this pink ribbon off my eyes. i'm exposed and it's no big surprise. don't you think i know exactly where i stand? this world is forcing me to hold your hand 'cause i'm just a girl. little ol' me. well, don't let me out of your sight. i'm just a girl, all pretty and petite so don't let me have any rights. oh, i’ve had it up to here!❞ ♫
11. Strawberries and Cigarettes • Troye Sivan
♫ ❝long nights, daydreams. sugar and smoke rings. i’ve been a fool but strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you. headlights on me, racing to 60. i've been a fool but strawberries and cigarettes always taste like blue eyes, black jeans, lighters and candy. i've been a fool but strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you. even if i run away, give my heart a holiday. strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you. you always leave me wanting more, i can't shake my hunger for strawberries and cigarettes.❞ ♫
12. Take Me To Church • Hozier
♫ ❝we were born sick, you heard them say it. my church offers no absolutes. she tells me 'worship in the bedroom'. the only heaven i'll be sent to is when i'm alone with you. i was born sick, but i love it. command me to be well. take me to church, i'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies. i'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife. offer me that deathless death. good god, let me give you my life.❞ ♫
Stella had agreed to meet with one of her customers at Pop’s. She found herself meeting up with any of her customers at odd places, wherever it didn’t really matter, she just cared about getting paid for the work she did. The Serpent was growing frustrated at the jock as he slipped a mere 30 dollars to her from across the booth. Looking down, she let out a chuckle. “30? No, I said it would be 50. My prices are firm,” The oldest Valdez told the Bulldog who had wanted to get an essay done from her. As expected, the boy tried explaining that it what all he had and what he thought they had agreed on, making up excuses. The small diner was fairly empty at this point in the night, but there was quite a bit of commission coming from their booth. “Y’know, it would be a shame if you couldn’t play your next game because you didn’t do your essay. Probably would be even be more embarrassing if people ever found out you have to have a Serpent of all people do your work for you to get a decent grade,” she added on, venom dripping from her voice. Stella happened to take her ‘homework doing and essay writing’ business seriously. If people tried to low ball her or not pay their full amount, she wasn’t about to have it. “So, I’ll repeat this again incase you couldn’t get this through your thick skull. 50 dollars or you don’t get shit. I’m not going to lower my price either just because you throw around a fucking ball,” she added on.
Toni watched on in amusement as Stella negotiated with the Bulldog across from. She was ready to intervene if necessary, but the other girl seemed to have it under control. That was only emphasised by the boy slamming the extra twenty dollars on the table before he left. “Way to read him the Riot Act, Stell.” A soft chuckle passed through glossed lips as she welcomed herself into the now vacant seat. “He holding back on ya?” Toni asked, hoping for the full story rather than the bits and pieces she overheard.
Josie had her nose buried in her sheet music as she strutted into Pop’s. She dodged all of the absent minded people who weren’t looking where they were going all while keeping her eyes on the paper in front of her. When she had gotten to a booth, she sat down and shot a “Hey Pop.” at the smiling man behind the counter who owned the diner. Josie pulled out a pencil from behind her ears and twirled her curls as she pondered. A sense that someone has been watching her caused her to look up, and surely enough, there someone was. The pussycat cocked an eyebrow, managing to say what are you looking at? all in one facial expression. She smirked as she set her book down while leaning forward, her full attention now on the other person. She had an idea of what they were looking at, her ears. Josie took the Pussycats and their brand very seriously. It was their signature look and she was proud to wear it. She was used to all the stares by now. “No one ever told you staring is rude?” She tapped her fingertips on the table waiting for an answer.
Toni tried not to make frequenting the Northside a habit. Not so much out of prejudice. More so because shifts at the Wyrm definitely weren’t enough to keep her afloat if she was also frequently splurging on visits to Pop’s. However, it was one of the main things still open late in the small town. She had a milkshake in front of her in hopes that she wouldn’t look any more out of place than the leather jacket already did. One particular occupant caught Toni’s eye as she slipped into one of the booths in her peripheral vision. More specifically, the headband she was wearing caught her eye. “No one ever told you wearing cat ears in public is weird?” Toni countered. Southside Freaks was an insult so often hurled at them, yet Northsiders were out here doing this?
sweet pea was actually not really caring regarding the death of the town’s beloved jason blossom. plus, what would help him anyway? he had bills to pay himself or more important things to worry about other than some kid’s untimely murder. plus, he was so used to things being rough since he lived on the southside anyway. so, it was a surprise to him to see somebody showing up to a mechanic shop right after they had opened, ‘what exactly are you doing here?’ he spoke, his words laced with heavy irritation.
sweet pea’s hostile reaction to hearing someone enter the shop wasn’t surprising. she’s known the boy too long to expect differently. “is this how you treat all your customers, sweetie pie?” she teased, making her presence known as opposed to some stranger actually here for mechanics. “relax, it’s me.” her hands raised in faux surrender as she made her way into the store.
JUGHEAD’S FINGERS CLICKED AWAY FURIOUSLY at the keys on his laptop, barely even noticing when someone else approached the otherwise empty booth. Grateful that Pop’s was always open, and for the bottomless flow of CAFFEINE currently fueling his writing frenzy, he had to at least finish his current thought before distractedly lifting his gaze. “—Can I h e l p you with something?”
“Is Fangs the only one of you boys that knows how to say hello?” She asked, sliding the new coffee in front of him. “I come in peace.” Toni slipped into the booth without hesitation. “Even brought an offering to prove it. Trust you to still be slaving over your keyboard at this hour.”
[ VANESSA MORGAN ] ( ✶:･ﾟ♦ — ▓ hey, guess what - i just saw ANTOINETTE “TONI” TOPAZ by sweet water river, you know they’re SIXTEEN and a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT/BARTENDER who identifies themselves as CISFEMALE. i sometimes hear people describe them as OUTSPOKEN and STUBBORN but others say that they’re EMPATHETIC and DEPENDABLE. me personally? i’m wondering what they were doing at the scene of jason blossoms murder, alone. [harley, 19, gmt+8, she/her]
how much does a polar bear weigh? enough to break the ice.
to kick things off, hello!! i’m harley and i’m so excited to bring you the one and only toni topaz. i’m a mess and this will be too so buckle up and get ready for all my nonsense. ❤
PERSONALITY:
☽ Toni is the definition of ‘get you a girl that can do both’. As a member of the Southside Serpents, she’s got a tough side to her. In comparison to some of her fellow Serpents, Toni’s quite even-tempered. However, she will still always stand up for what she believes is right. She wants to keep the peace, but she’d never throw away her integrity for it.
☽ She is extremely loyal. It doesn’t take long for her to attach to someone and make a solid bond. (see: Jughead Jones) Sometimes it ends up burning her when she can’t/won’t walk away from situations and people she clearly should.
☽ Compassion, empathy and love are all important qualities to Toni. She wears her heart on her sleeve, even if that sleeve happens to be a leather jacket. When being pushed away, Toni reacts by trying to break down walls. She doesn’t believe anyone deserves to suffer alone. Her loyalty and stubbornness only adds to her desire to slip through defences.
☽ She is fiercely protective over those she holds close to her heart. Mess with her friends and you’ll have to deal with her. Standing up for those she cares about will often override her even-temper and pull out her more reckless and impulsive side.
☽ Toni’s sense of humour is very witty and sarcastic.
☽ Photography. Toni loves her camera. It’s a way to save happy moments and cement people in her life at a certain time. Even if they end up leaving, she enjoys having mementos to remember them by afterwards. (is she also the type to keep movie tickets and stuff like that? you bet. girl could totally kill the scrapbooking game if she wanted to)
BACKSTORY:
❀ Born and raised on the Southside, as well as having a long family history of Serpents.
❀ Thomas Topaz, her grandfather, is from her dad’s side of the family. Just like her uncle.
❀ Her parents met as Serpents. Her dad carried on the family tradition of joining young and her mom had just moved to Riverdale on her own. She took up residence on the Southside because it was all she could afford. A neighbor took her under their wing and introduced her to the Serpents. They were still in the gang when they had Toni.
❀ tw death mention. Both gave their lives for the Serpents (i have no idea about the specifics of it all but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) Her uncle left after that.
❀ Toni saw joining the Serpents as the perfect opportunity to honor her parents. She never asked her uncle, she just came home with her jacket thinking he would be proud and she doesn’t understand why he locks her out for the first time.
❀ Their relationship carried on like this. They’d disagree on many things and he would lock her out whenever he felt like it. Sometimes only for a day, sometimes longer. Toni just adjusted and took it as a part of life. She had enough friends willing to give her a roof over her head for the night when she needed it.
❀ While it may be a better idea for her to move out and stay somewhere more stable, Toni doesn’t want to officially give up on her uncle. Besides her grandfather, he’s the only living relative she knows. Her mother’s side of the family never reached out for their daughter or granddaughter. She knows he’s scummy. His homophobia and hostility to the Serpents invalidates two huge things of his niece. Out of fear about losing the last of her blood relatives, she tries to make excuses and justify him to herself/her fellow Serpents. She keeps trying the lock in hopes he’ll leave it open for her.
i’m missing things but it’s getting late and i’m getting tired which means my brain is shutting down. feel free to message me here or harley#6704 on discord!! or like this and i’ll come to you!!
