Luna woke up in luxurious comfort. She stretched languidly, sitting up and rubbing her eyes slowly. Immediately, she was faced with a pair of distinctive sunglasses and ridiculous coat looming angrily over her.

Ah, yes. She had almost forgotten. She waved her hand again, her magic fully recovered, and reversed the silencing spell she had put on the man. "My deepest apologies," she said primly, not sounding sorry at all, "but you interrupted my rest."

"Oh no," the man, (Doflamingo, she remembered) growled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well, we can't have that."

Luna did not rise to the bait. She plucked a pen from the nightside table and turned it into a brush with a small rush of magic. She primly began brushing her hair, speaking softly, but firmly, as she did so. "I told you I have money to repay you for the bed," she told him, slowly working the knots out.

"The money isn't the point," Doflamingo rumbled, his voice echoing like distant thunder. "It was still my bed you slept in, my pen you turned into a hairbrush!" She could feel his gaze intensify beneath the sunglasses. "How did you do that, anyway?"

"A lady never reveals her secrets," she turned her nose up snootily, unwilling to give an inch to such a ridiculous brute. As most people did, he likely would assume her power was a strange Devil Fruit, which was a mildly insulting but useful assumption.

(She worked hard for that magic, the darkest corner of her mind whispered, had sacrificed blood and sweat and sanity for it. How dare they assume it was from a mere fruit)

Doflamingo's voice brought her back to the present. "Well, my lady," again his voice dripped with heavy sarcasm, "have you rethought my offer?"

"No," she replied flippantly, getting up from the bed at last, "it's still a terrible one."

"And how might it be improved?" Doflamingo smirked, leaning into Luna's space, using his extra few inches to their full potential.

Luna leaned into the motion, refusing to be intimidated. Their faces were very close, she realized dimly. "What makes you think you could keep up with me?" Luna challenged.

His grin widened further. "I'll prove it," he said confidently, "with poker. If you best me, I'll let you go on your merry way and you'll never hear from me again." His face grew sinister, the effect heightened by the glint of lamplight on his sunglasses. "But if I win, not only will you join my crew, you'll also reveal to me the secret of your Devil Fruit. I'm devilishly curious."

Luna smirked fiercely. A challenge, then? It would be a cinch.

The wretched man was cheating.

Luna, of course, was cheating too, but he was just as good as her, leaving them in a permanent stand-off. She glared at him over her ill-gotten hand as the entire bar watched the proceedings with increasing incredulity.

"You know, my lady, it's not too late to give up." the infernal wretch smugly jabbed at her, playing idly with his enormous pile of poker chips.

Luna glared harder. How dare he. "My good Sir," Luna bit back, "This was merely a warmup."

"Oh ho?" he grinned roguishly, "That explains why you're losing so badly." He looked pointedly at Luna's own stash of chips, equally as large as his.

Luna puffed up in offense. "Losing?" she shrieked, "Last I checked, I was winning by a mile."

Both of them played their hand, each showing a royal flush, their tenth in a row.

"All right, that's it," cried their dealer, a patron of the inn they had roped into the game. "I've had enough! You both win, you cheaters!"

"Cheating" Luna cried, pretending to be affronted, "A lady does not cheat."

"I do," Doffy cackled.

"Yes, well, you may be many things, Mister Doflamingo, but a gentleman was never one of them." Luna snapped.

"Just pay and get the hell outta my bar," griped the innkeeper, "before I call the Marines."

Doflamingo's countenance darkened at the mention of the law, but before he could make a scene, Luna grabbed his arm and dragged him bodily out.

"Terribly sorry for the commotion," Luna apologized politely, not actually very sorry at all, "We'll be going now."

"Oh no you won't," a new voice interrupted. Luna found the inn surrounded by Marines.

"'Nightmare' Luna, you're under arrest on charges of piracy and attacking Government personnel."

Well, shit.

Many, many thanks to ThatFiend for all their help, especially with this chapter!