The Joker and the Queen

Prologue

Ray Mond struggled against the ropes, her eyes shining in tears of both betrayal and shock as she stared at the person who called herself her best friend. She threw her in the back of her car, the newly-painted Gooche. She screamed and kicked and did her best to get out. But, the ropes were too tight and the betrayal was too much. When she stopped the car, she dragged her out of the trunk. Ray Mond realized that she brought her to one of her favorite places in the city of Los Santos— the smelter. It was her place and she was going to ruin it for her.

She tied Ray to a chair which was settled on the edge. If she fell or if she pushed her, she'd go straight to the melted lava below. Ray let out a strangled breath. She couldn't believe she would do this to her. She blinked and a single tear fell down her cheek, "What are you doing? Why are you doing this?"

She didn't speak, just shook her head and glanced at someone behind her. An unmasked Bobby Beldrum aka Bonbon came out of the darkness, the beloved jester mask in his hand as he walked toward the two women with a deranged smirk on his face, "Well, well, well. Look what we have here."

"What the fuck is going on, Bonbon?" Ray asked, struggling once again with the ropes tightly wrapped around her wrists, her waist, and her ankles, "Is it because we threw you down there? That I shot you in that fucking tunnel? Huh? Why don't you let me go and fight me like a real fucking man, you bitch?!"

"We're just ending it where we started it, my Queen," Bonbon bowed with a mocking hum as he chuckled darkly, "That's the thing, Ray. Or Hiccups, was it? You're just a pawn. Chatterbox is the real target here. Let's see how special you are to that liar."

"Chatty is not a liar!"

Bonbon exploded, stomping toward Ray and slapping her across the face, "YES, HE IS! HE LIED TO ME! HE PROMISED THAT HE WOULD NEVER LEAVE ME! HE CALLED ME HIS BROTHER! AND, I TREATED HIM LIKE A BROTHER– A BROTHER! AND, HE CHOSE YOU! HE CHOSE SOME– SOME DUMB IDIOTIC GIRL OVER HIS BROTHER!"

Bonbon threw the jester mask to the lava below as he shook his head and stepped back into the darkness. Ray panted, clenching her jaws as she stopped herself from revealing her true emotions. They were targeting Chatterbox, her Chatty. They were targeting the person who believed in her the most. They were targeting the person who supported her and told her that she didn't need to be useful to be loved. They were targeting the person she loves and loves her back. Despite his hatred for her family, he encouraged her to reach out to them; to Chang Gang. They were targeting her person.

Ray let out a dark chuckle of her own as she looked up at her, "What's your excuse? Why are you doing this to me? Because, frankly, Bonbon's was completely valid. I still haven't heard your fucking excuse, you fucking traitor!"

"I am supposed to be your best friend. Not April, not Max, and, definitely, not Chatterbox."

Ray laughed maniacally, her eyes reflecting the anger that had started simmering. She cannot believe this stupid fucking bitch right in front of her. How dare she? She tilted her head up as she continuously laughed, her braids flailing as she did so, "YOU FUCKING BITCH! YOU ARE NOT MY BEST FRIEND; YOU NEVER WERE AND NEVER WILL BE."

Her eyes twitched as her jaw ticked. But, Ray wasn't scared. She was absolutely fucking livid as she continued yelling at her, "Chatty believed in me. He let me be fucking crazy and unhinged and chaotic and he never judged me for it! He loves me! You fucking don't! You constantly insulted my very own fucking personality! Max listened to me; he listened to me when you never did! He supported me like you never did. What the fuck did you ever do for me? What, did you think you could hold my face over a fire and belittle me and my appearance and my personality over and over again and I would say thank you?"