A/N: Hey guys! So, I decided to not rewrite this story when I looked it over last night. You guys were right, it was fine just the way it was except for a few mishaps that I may or may not fix. But for now, it is what it is.

This chapter is rather short with only five pages but I think it works as a good enough filler chapter to help the story move along.

I won't be doing much updating as I told you all before. I just started my 2nd semester yesterday and I'm gonna need to divert most of my attention to that instead. I just wanted to get this chapter out before I need to get ready for my sculpting class this morning.

There is angst, a somewhat ... bland(?) fight *shrugs*, and some hilarity at the end of the chapter. Oh, and you guys finally get to see what Rosetta's devil fruit powers are. That was done as a last minute thing but made the most sense.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO LEAVE COMMENTS! I LOVE READING AND RECEIVING THEM! SO, KEEP THEM COMING PEOPLES :D!

Chapter VI

Rosetta was nervous. Absolutely nervous and terrified. In a week's time, she will not only fight her suitor but she'll have to reveal that she is, in fact, a devil fruit user.

Unlike most, bathwater doesn't affect her as adversely as the other devil fruit users. Seawater was her worse enemy and thus causes bouts of seasickness every time she sets foot on a boat.

Now, she'll have to reveal the fact that she is a Zoan devil fruit user. An incredibly rare type that is almost as rare as Logias.

And so, Rosetta trained. She worked on refining her skills in Haki and her hand-to-hand combat before even considered reacquainting herself with her animal half. It was waiting and willing to see if Doflamingo is truly genuine or if he is just acting as her puppet master. To which she will be more than willing to do more than throw a few punches and kicks his way.

One does not simply live in Germa without learning martial combat. It was just not possible. So, she trained and trained some more after her imprisonment. Never again would she be helpless or weak. Especially when it came to the whims of men. Now, however …

Rosetta sighed as she took her loofah and wiped down the sweat that accumulated during her training. Now, it seems that she's been ensnared by a man that was her near opposite with no means of stopping it. That's what scares her the most.

Her hand tightened around the loofah for a split second before Rosetta let out a soft cry. Tears made their way out of her dark brown eyes as she cried.

She cried for her lost sense of control.

She cried for what little innocence she still has left.

She cried for the horrors she's had to face.

She cried for the fear of losing her heart to such a dark, dangerous man that has the power to destroy who she is with very little effort.

She cried for her emotional fragility.

She cried because she couldn't hold it in anymore.

She cried because she didn't know what else to do.

By the time she stopped crying was when she fell asleep that night falling into a semi-restless slumber.

The week past by without any one truly realizing it and before they noticed it, it was time for the duel.

Everyone was anxious and very much anticipated this. Today was the day that would show them all if the White Lady was truly worthy of Doflamingo as his queen. The executives truly had very low expectations of this strange woman that has managed to ensnare Doffy without so much as a word. Neither Vergo or Trebol thought that she could hold her own in a fight against Doflamingo. Not even for a minute. Diamante and Pica were being rather cautious about the whole situation having interacted with Rosetta prior yet still had their own reservations about the whole situation.

Doflamingo, on the other hand, has not said a word nor expressed one tidbit of how he was truly feeling about the whole situation. He was uncharacteristically silent and unnervingly stoic the whole week and quite frankly scared the shit out of everybody.

No one knew how to cope or adapt to this new side of Doflamingo and so walked on figurative egg-shells around him the whole time. The only one who dared to say anything was Diamante and even he got clipped answers from his captain and king. It was extremely disturbing.

They all gathered around the massive courtyard on top of the Royal Palace. Eager and nervous to see just what would happen in regards to his duel. Doflamingo was dressed as he normally was and had his hands in his pockets. He stared as he saw Rosetta come out with her hair in a single thick braid and wearing a simple shirt and pants combination. Oddly enough she didn't have any shoes on her feet or seemed to have any weapons with her. That could only mean one thing …

"How much do you wanna bet that this would end up being a fistfight?"

"Ne, ne that's impossible Buffalo! Doffy would more than likely use his devil fruit powers!"

"Or they might actually surprise us."

No one said a word after that as Doflamingo looked over Rosetta critically seeing what the others have not seen just yet. He could tell that she hadn't had much sleep this past week if the slight bruises under her eyes were any indication. Her stance was both stiff and exhausted at the same time, her eyes were oh so tired but hard as diamonds showing just how resolved she is to this done and over with. He would gladly oblige.

He struck out first with some string bullets watching as she easily side-stepped each individual bullet with as much ease as a seasoned soldier. After 30 seconds of this, he went to more drastic measures. He threw an Armament enhanced punch her way in which she blocked and threw her own punch, clipping him in the side as he dodged at the very last second.

Doflamingo could feel the power radiating from Rosetta the fight continued on for 5 more minutes shocking the hell out of the crew in the process. It was then he decided to stop going easy on her.

"White Out!" Rosetta jumped into the air avoid the attack and transformed mid-air shocking everyone as a large white tiger took her place. When she landed, Rosetta let out a loud roar and charged Doflamingo, head butting him in the stomach hard enough to flung him back several meters. Once he regained his balance in a crouch, the first wide smile in a week appeared on his face.

"Fufufu, this got even more interesting." A huff escaped her mouth as she crouched preparing to pounce if needed.

He chuckled darkly, sending shivers done everyone's spine just before he sent seven large sections of haki-infused strings towards Rosetta. Everyone expected her to dodge and when she didn't it sent feelings of dread through them. What she did instead was shocking. When those spikes connected with her skin, they were stopped by her Armament haki which covered her whole body. A skill that they thought was only unique to Vergo.

Rosetta roared once again before charging Doflamingo. She leaped into the air mid-run and swiped her claws at him. He blocked them with his haki-infused arms and held them like that while snapped her jaws at him and took another swipe.

This went one for a lot longer than anyone anticipated. 30 minutes in and they were still not stopping. It was unheard of for any one of their crew to have to fight anyone for this long especially if it's Doflamingo.

Changing tactics, Rosetta transformed back into her human form just as she swiped her claws at Doflamingo replacing it with a well-placed punch at the very last second. Doflamingo felt that punch connecting with his jaw sending him a few feet backward. He chuckled and looked at Rosetta heatedly through his red-tinted sunglasses. This was what he wanted in a Queen. A woman who could hold her own against him and not rely on her extra abilities to do so either. He knew that she was the right – no, the only choice.

Rosetta was heavily breathing and they could see the slight shivers that racked her body. However, she held her ground firmly as she kept her gaze on her opponent not letting anything distract her. Vergo had to admit, even if it's to himself, she was strong. Trebol was sneering at Rosetta hatefully know that his plans were unraveling by the seams. Diamante coolly looked at her and then Doflamingo knowing that he did the right thing in suggesting Doffy to take the White Lady as his wife.

Doflamingo, on the other hand, rose up placing his hands in his pocket with his signature smirk on his face. "Fufufu, I yield."

Exclamations of shock echoed throughout the whole courtyard even as Doflamingo made his way to the shocked woman that he set his eyes on. He did nothing more than gently took a hold of her hands shocking her even further as she relaxed and those big dark brown eyes looked at him.

"The duel was a test, my dear Rosie. To see if you had the strength to hold your own against me. During the whole duel, I was leaking parts of my Haoshoku Haki to see if you could handle it. It can be quite overpowering you see. I was more than happy to see that it rarely affected you."

That sobered her up quickly as she focused her gaze onto their linked hands. "You mean that I spent the last week with very little sleep all because this was a test?"

Doflamingo was not prepared to the fist that connected to his head causing a yelp of surprise to escape. "You absolute bastard!"

He didn't even bother dodging her fists as hearty laughs escaped his mouth while being chased around by his fierce white rose. Colorful expletives ran from her mouth as she gave chase cursing Doflamingo to the high heavens and beyond further threatening to castrate him for causing her such stress.

It only made him laugh that much harder in response.