.
When arya and ace group reached the villages, they saw a huge crab monster dead, while both borodo and deuce being treated my meroie who blushing.
"Hey deuce, borodo we got a new friend" I shouted, causing them to look up as I brought everyone down in a single jump.
"And his name is joke, do you believe it" Ace said laughing at joke, who name someone as joke.
"Where is he and why did you bring a skeleton" borodo asked, "Well I am the new member" joke said.
You should have seen the look in their face it was hilarious, and I found out that borodo was scared of ghosts more than anything else.
He was terrified by joke, while joke was respectfully addressing him as borodo-san, while deuce thought he was dreaming and fell asleep and when he knew it was not a dream he ran away screaming.
Meroie was actually not afraid to speak with the skeleton, and even offered him some food.
Later we had a feast with the crab monster meat, and asked all the villagers to join.
"Everyone I am extremely sorry for causing you all so much pain, I am shameful of my actions. I know I could not simply apologise for my crimes but I cannot do anything more at present" Joke said while on his knees.
"He is sorry for his behaviour and as his captain I ask for you to forgive him and here all the money we have as a little apologise" I said while bowing to the villagers mainly towards hamu.
"Please forgive him" borodo, ace, and deuce also bowed down, after such an act the villagers finally cursed us and took their frustration on us before calming down.
The next day meroie and hamu were helping us to add sails which would help us to go back through a cave which is opened to above sea.
"Hamu you can protect your village on your own right, so village head can I have Meroie to go on adventures with us" I asked.
"What? Hell no" hamu replied, "Please we don't have a cook, without a cook all we would be eating will be grilled fish in our journey" I said.
"Yes please, I don't want to eat a grilled fish for rest of my life and Miss meroie please come with us we will definitely protect you with our lives" Deuce said.
"Yes please come with us on the journey, you make delicious food" Ace said, "Please Miss meroie I want someone to take care of these idiots" Borodo said.
"If you want a cook, I can be your cook" Skeleton joke said, we four glared at him with killing intent "Idiot", "Skeleton", "Lose bones", "heartless", each of our words stuck to him like a arrow.
"You people how you could say such mean words to me" joke said while sulking at a corner, "Meroie please join us without any female crewmate it would not be a good adventure. After all men need women so they could protect them" all the others nodded including hamu.
"No I am not sending her with you people, you are pirates I don't want her to be chased by marines" Hamu said.
"You punk stay out of this" borodo said with a threatening glare.
"Hum, I wish I could help you guys but without me who will take care of hamu" meroie said, "As a man can't you take care of yourself" I asked, 'my only goal now was to have the beautiful meroie be my crewmate. My words on taking only strong people as my crewmates, I can make meroie stronger than them'.
Even after an hour of pleading we were unable to convince them.
"Ok guys since this has come to this I can only do one thing. Remember what I am about to do is not shameful or something a man should not do. If you want to convince a girl you have to do anything" I said before grabbing meroie leg.
"Please travel with us" I said while not leaving her legs, even hamu was shocked, while joke was regretting his decision on joining us while the other three were encouraging me.
With a strong slap to my face and my shameless pleading meroie finally agreed to come with us.
As she gave her word I stood up throwing my arms to the sky I screamed declaring my victory.
"What a shameless captain" hamu scolded as I laughed with pride.
"Ok everyone lets head out, since meroie has joined us, we will through a party to the whole Clockwork Island in celebration" I announced as everyone cheered except joke and hamu who face palmed at our stupidity, while assuring meroie that he would be fine.
Then we went to louge town to claim the bandit's bounty, before buying some cloths for meroie and ourselves it was funny to see the people reaction when they saw joke walking with us.
And I found out that joke also has a devil fruit power of mind mind fruit, which basically he has photographic memory and can also show others his memory because of which he can remember anything till date, and he has the ability to posses others that is how he was able to control the laughing bat.
How joke survived even after being a skeleton is because of that treasure even he doesn't know how he can survive.
I made joke wear a full body suit and a hat so others would not get so easily scared, at most others would think he is wearing a mask.
As for Meroie we are treating her like queen, she was a kind person for sure as she is trying to learn to make better food for us ace and arya were moved by this but others thought it was getting weirder and joke thought it was nonsense.
Then we all returned to Clockwork Island, the three have not forgotten their word and immediately went to train.
It was really funny to see joke after he experienced the centrifuge all his bones were loosened and we had to rearrange him like a puzzle before he could walk again.
As for meroie she thrown up within seconds as for cleaning I did it just this once I cleaning it all with my ability.
After she woke up she did not wanted to train and instead wanted to practice cooking.
Later that night meroie approached me "Captain I want to get strong, I know you only wanted to take me with you because I wanted to see the world but I understood that I had to be strong if I want to go on an adventure. I just want to be strong enough to protect myself when no one is around" She said with a determined look in her face.
"But it will be tough" I said as she nodded, since then meroie used the centrifuge during nights since in the morning time boys would be using it.
.
I underestimated my crew; ace and borodo were already able to handle the mach 5 speed in a week. It may be due to having a fresh mind even deuce was making a huge progress, joke I finally able to not lossen up his bones in the centrifuge, while meroie was the one making a tremendous improvement as she was already adjusted to aerotrim and was able to stand the mach 1 speed without fainting even ace need twenty days before being able to reach this level.
But the one who made huge progress is me as I was able to control the liquid better to the point where I was able to extract 25000 PSI pressure which is able to cut iron, and what more I found out that I was able to control a certain level of sea water after I mix it with my own liquid. It was similar to how Gaara was able to mix his sand into the ground and control a large amount of sand.
Just imagine if I was able to convert a whole lake I can easily swim in it, what if I convert a whole sea then I would be able to control the whole world just the thought of it was thrilling.
.
Present time: nearly One year passed since ace joined us
Everyone has powered up with the four of completing the whole training, while maroie was already able to withstand mach 3 speeds and joke was another case his bones would loosen up whenever he reaches mach 1, it was his limit can't help it.
But I believed everyone was strong enough, as I was sure borodo or deuce would be able to handle Trump pirate's themselves, I was even confident that Meroie was strong enough to fight bear king.
And joke's marksmanship was accurate he was able to shot a target 100 meters away with his Gatling gun.
With everyone ready to move and Teddy the ship (Trump pirate's main ship) which was cleaned and made it ready to sail.
We faced the first problem what would be our first problem 'WE DO NOT HAVE A JOLLY ROGER'.
"Ok then everyone what do you think a jolly roger should have" I asked I did not want to draw a funny skull and bones.
"Skull and cross bones" ace said, "I thing sword would be better then bones also we can add a parachute" borodo added, "We should add a mask to it" Deuce said, "Guns, you should put guns" joke said, "Why can't we put flowers" Meroie asked.
There was a quarrel and each made their own jolly roger.
After looking at all their designs I drew it, two guns pointing outwards and two roses each below a gun, a skull with cross bones above the guns.
I showed them the design which they all liked it as it looked like a genuine pirate jolly roger, to make it unique I made eyes for the skull like joke's eye but then changed it to roses.
"This is our jolly roger"
…