Chapter 48

Chapter 48: "Cloudy with a Chance of Marines"

(In which diplomacy gets awkward, Tashigi brings charts, and Smoker remembers he really hates politics.)

Skypiea had a weird definition of "normal."

One month ago, the place had been ruled by a thunder-happy maniac with a immortal complex and lightning bolts for brainwaves. Then the Straw Hats showed up like a hurricane wearing straw hats and turned everything upside down (or technically, up, since this was the sky and gravity was already having a hard time).

Now? Things were peaceful.

No thunderbolts. No insane immortal-kings. Just sunlight filtering through the fossilized cloud streets of an ancient floating city, music in the air, and a very large, very suspicious snake curled around the central temple like a scaled donut.

Nora, the once-maniacal, people-eating sky serpent, now lounged like a sleepy watchdog who occasionally accepted fruit offerings from terrified priests. After the bell of Shandora had rung again, something in her snapped back into place—like she'd remembered she wasn't supposed to be a psychotic noodle with fangs.

She'd even smiled at a child the other day.

(Well, people said it was a smile. It might've been a yawn. Hard to tell with snakes.)

Elsewhere in Skypiea...

Gran Fall—newly-appointed leader of the floating nation, a man with all the patience of a cloud and the stubbornness of a grounded rock—sat on the throne built entirely out of dials and anxiety. As he looked across the temple hall, he spoke to his royal guard, Wyper, with the tone of someone who just knew this would backfire spectacularly.

"We are sending an envoy to Jaya."

Wyper blinked. "You're joking."

"No," Gran Fall said. "We need real dirt. And bananas."

"I can offer you blood and loyalty," Wyper replied, completely missing the point.

Gran Fall sighed. "And bananas, Wyper. We also need bananas."

Wyper's eyebrows twitched as if this was a test of his spiritual limits. But ever since the Straw Hats had left and taken the chaos with them, he'd reluctantly traded in his war drums for a badge. He was now Captain Wyper, Royal Guardian, Protector of the Peace, and Most Likely To Accidentally Headbutt Diplomats.

Back in the clouds...

The issue was simple. The Imperial Cumulus—the ridiculously massive floating island of fossilized cloud they lived on—was great for growing cloud-corn and wind-root, but not so good with things like carrots. Or potatoes. Or, you know, anything real.

And the people below had those things. Plus a functioning trade system and absolutely zero thunder immortals.

Which was why, for the first time in recorded sky history, Skypiea was about to establish diplomatic relations with the people of Jaya. It was either that, or start another war over cabbages.

As Skypiea prepared to open the skies to the rest of the world, Gran Fall stood on the highest balcony beside Nora the snake (who, at this point, was trying to nap on a bunch of pillows she had very clearly stolen from the royal bedroom).

"It's not the same anymore," Gran Fall muttered, "but maybe that's a good thing."

Nora hissed in agreement. Or indigestion. It was always a gamble.

But the skies were brighter, the clouds a little softer, and the people—Skypieans and Shandians alike—had found something new: hope.

And as the clouds slowly drifted over Jaya, casting a gentle shadow over the sea, the sky whispered of something big on the horizon.

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The clouds had gathered over Jaya—not the usual stormy kind that brought thunder and doom, but the rare, impossibly fluffy kind that carried entire cities.

People in Mock Town looked up, half-drunk and half-curious, as an enormous formation of Imperial Cumulus rolled in over the jungle horizon like a silent tidal wave. The sunlight refracted off it like a immortal's ceiling mirror.

And from it descended shapes—wings, soft glows, and the unmistakable silhouettes of people… descending on clouds.

Cue the chaos.

"ANGELS! REAL ANGELS!"

"NO, IT'S A GOVERNMENT TRAP! RUN!"

"Quick! Hide the booze!"

The mass hysteria of Mock Town's pirate population was interrupted by a single resounding voice, one that somehow overpowered the screams and drunken brawling.

"SILENCE, YOU SOGGY BARNACLES! WE HAVE GUESTS!"

Enter Shoujou—shirt halfway buttoned, hair cascading like a mossy waterfall, and chest puffed out like he was about to headbutt the entire sky.

The moment the skyfolk landed on the deck of his somewhat questionable headquarters-ship, the Crimson Echo, everyone went still. Not because of Shoujou's commanding presence, but because Conis smiled.

Conis, with her angel wings, pink hair tied neatly behind her ears, and the world's kindest expression, looked like a storybook had landed in a pirate bar.

She curtsied like they weren't surrounded by pistol-packing degenerates.

"My name is Conis of Skypiea. This is Raki, our Shandian warrior representative. We come bearing greetings from our new leader, Gran Fall, ruler of Skypiea. He wishes to extend a hand of alliance to the people of Jaya."

A pause. One pirate fainted from shock. Another began clapping for no reason.

Shoujou's jaw dropped.

"You—wait. Hold up. Are you serious? Like actually serious? You're telling me you people are from the sky? Sky sky?"

Conis nodded politely.

"Yes. We traveled here using sky-dials installed on our ships. The Imperial Cumulus is currently aligned over this region, allowing stable access between our two lands."

Shoujou blinked slowly, then turned to a random pirate and smacked him upside the head.

"You hear that, Maso?! I TOLD YOU THE SKY PEOPLE WERE REAL! I TOLD YOU!"

"You said they were your cousins!" Maso yelled back, nursing his head.

"Details!"

Shoujou turned back around, now visibly trembling with excitement. His massive green beard swayed like seaweed in a storm.

"This... this is a dream come true! Do you understand? I—Sonar King Shoujou—have waited decades to reach the Sky Island. I've spent twenty-five years listening for echoes from the clouds, tracking Knock Up Streams, dodging sea kings the size of palaces! And now... you come to ME?! With an invitation?!"

Conis smiled brighter. "We would be honored if you would accompany us to Skypiea. Gran Fall believes that friendship between our islands will bring prosperity to both. Your knowledge of the ocean floor and salvage could help us improve our soil tech. And in exchange—"

Shoujou cut her off, wiping a tear from his massive sideburn.

"I accept. I accept with every fiber of my hairy being."

Raki finally spoke, arms crossed, stern as ever.

"Just one thing—call us angels again and I will dropkick you into the sea."

Shoujou raised both hands. "Heard, noted, absolutely respected. No monkey jokes either, I assume?"

A crackle of electricity popped from Raki's dial-glove.

"Correct."

"Right. Great. Alliance begins now!"

One Hour Later…

The pirates of Jaya, under Shoujou's very loud guidance, loaded up the Crimson Echo with every kind of sea-junk and trade good they had. Sky guards installed cloud-dials and Jet Dials on the hull to make the ship fly. Yes, fly. Half the crew fainted when it lifted ten feet off the ground.

Conis held onto the railing as the ship stabilized and turned back to Shoujou.

"Ready, Captain?"

Shoujou's eyes sparkled with boyish wonder. "To the sky, my dear not-angel!"

"Please stop calling me—"

But it was too late. The ship roared upward, breaking through the lower clouds in a gust of wind, cheers, and raucous laughter.

Below, the stunned citizens of Mock Town raised mugs and hands to the sky.

"Well I'll be," Maso muttered. "The hairy legend actually did it."

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Shoujou had seen a lot of weird stuff in his years as a pirate—giant crabs the size of ships, storms that sang sea shanties, and a guy who wore a cannon on his back just to open coconuts.

But nothing, absolutely nothing, could've prepared him for the majestic chaos that was Skypiea.

The moment his sky-dial-modified ship broke through the clouds, Shoujou nearly forgot to breathe.

"WOAH! We're not in Jaya anymore, boys!"

Floating islands hovered lazily in the sky like lily pads on a sea of clouds. Great palaces carved from stone and clouds loomed overhead. The air was lighter. The light was brighter. And there was—Shoujou gasped—a snake the size of his mother's house slithering around a mountain.

"That's... that's a noodle. A holy noodle immortal."

"That's Nora," Conis said sweetly as the massive sky serpent slowly glided along a path lined with cloud trees. "She's our guardian. Don't try to pet her."

Nora turned her massive head toward the Crimson Echo, blinked her massive golden eyes, and sneezed—launching a mini tornado in the opposite direction.

Shoujou turned to his crew. "Okay, new rule. No monkeying around."

Skypiea's Grand Meeting Hall

The meeting hall looked like someone took a Greek temple, added a water park, and built it entirely out of clouds. Pillars floated. Chairs hovered slightly. A fruit platter sat on a table but kept drifting away.

On the throne at the far end of the cloudstone platform sat Gran Fall, the new ruler of Skypiea. He was the kind of man who looked like he could both give you wise political advice and knit you a scarf. A golden laurel crowned his snowy-white hair, and his calm demeanor filled the room like warm sunshine.

"Sonar King Shoujou," Gran Fall said with a kind smile. "Welcome to Skypiea."

Shoujou tried to bow, tripped on a puff of cloud, and crashed face-first into the floating snack table.

"I meant to do that!" he declared, peeling a cloud fruit off his face and biting into it. "Delicious. Tastes like mango… and respect."

Gran Fall chuckled. "I appreciate your enthusiasm. Let's discuss what we've invited you for."

He gestured, and a large sky-map unrolled in front of them, hovering mid-air thanks to embedded jet dials.

"Skypiea was once isolated, but now that Enel is gone and peace has returned, we must evolve. As you know, Skypiea exists above Jaya. We are two halves of the same ancient island. It is only right that we now act as one."

Conis stepped forward. "We wish to create a trade alliance. We offer dials, cloud-grown fruits and vegetables, medicinal sky-herbs, even some of our tech—"

Wyper raised an eyebrow. "Within reason."

"Of course," Conis added, trying not to roll her eyes.

Gran Fall continued. "In return, we ask for fertile soil, seeds, metals, and any tools or resources your people can provide. Skypiea's soil is limited, and we rely heavily on cloud matter. It's… inefficient."

Shoujou, who had somehow found a beanbag cloud to sink into, nodded along. "Sounds reasonable. But I do have one condition."

Everyone in the room leaned in. Even Nora's head hovered just outside the open ceiling, watching curiously.

Shoujou stood, brushing crumbs off his belly.

"I want a sky pass. A legal, official license that says I—Sonar King Shoujou—am allowed to come and go from Skypiea whenever I want. I've earned it, and I wanna show my brother Masira that I made it here first!"

Gran Fall smiled. "Granted."

Shoujou blinked. "Wait, seriously? That was too easy."

"We were going to give it to you anyway," Gran Fall said with a chuckle. "You came in peace, with diplomacy, not weapons. You are now Skypiea's first official ambassador from the Blue Sea."

Shoujou grinned, eyes sparkling behind his pirate hat. "WELL THEN, LET THE AGE OF CLOUD TRADE BEGIN!"

Later That Evening

As the sunset painted Skypiea in shades of peach and lavender, Conis, Raki, and Shoujou stood by the floating docks.

Wyper, still adjusting something on the Crimson Echo, muttered, "This cloud rudder won't hold unless your crew stops hitting it with coconuts."

Shoujou, basking in the glory of his diplomatic success, turned to Conis.

"You know," he said. "This place is beautiful. Magical. Uplifting—literally."

Conis smiled. "Thank you. It's nice to share it at last."

Then Shoujou sighed.

"Too bad my hair's full of static now."

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One week later:

There was a time when the Pumpkin Café only had three regular customers: an old Skypiean who swore he once arm-wrestled Enel (he hadn't), Raki who drank way too much dandelion tea for someone who hated it, and Su the fox… who didn't pay at all and usually just stole muffins.

But now? Now the café was buzzing.

Conis, apron tied tight and smile even tighter, spun between tables, dodging a tourist with a backpack the size of a small airship, and delivered a plate of cloudberry scones to a couple of marine officers on vacation.

"Enjoy the scones! And no, the clouds don't dissolve in water unless you really mess with them," she added, before they could ask.

"Thank you, miss! This place is a dream!" said one, biting into a pastry and immediately tearing up from joy. "What is this frosting?!"

"Skysugar. Harvested from the mist between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Only floats for ten minutes. Su helps us find the spots."

The marine blinked at her like she was a kitchen immortaldess descended from the heavens. Which, to be fair, was pretty much accurate.

Raki walked by, carrying a tray of pumpkin tarts and giving Conis a grin. "We should open a second location on Jaya. Call it 'Cloud and Crumb' or something."

Su, sitting smugly atop a shelf, made a soft "pii!" sound and swatted a napkin into a customer's soup.

"Su," Conis said with mild horror. "No sabotage."

Outside the café, the changes were impossible to ignore.

Skypiea had evolved.

Air gondolas floated along new dial-powered tracks. Tourist stations bustled with Blue Sea citizens hoping to get a glimpse of the sky's wonders. Artisan stalls sold dial-enhanced music boxes, floating lanterns, and souvenirs shaped like the giant snake Nora (whose plushies were somehow very popular with kids).

It wasn't just tourism—there was commerce, and with it came confidence. Skypieans and Shandians, who once saw each other as enemies, now manned booths side-by-side, haggled like professionals, and occasionally held cloud-surfing contests for prize money.

Conis leaned against the café railing and looked out at it all, wiping her hands on her apron.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she said softly, more to herself than anyone else.

Behind her, Raki brought two drinks. "You're gonna get all sentimental again."

Conis smiled. "Maybe."

"Well, go on then."

She took the drink, watched a group of Blue Sea children ride a sky fish with a laughing Skypiean guide, and let herself feel it.

"I always dreamed Skypiea could be more. Not just floating history, or a battlefield waiting to explode. Something better. And now, with Jaya helping us, with people visiting from everywhere... it's real. We're part of the world again."

Raki nodded, unusually quiet.

"You think the Straw Hats know?" she asked suddenly. "About all this?"

Conis laughed. "Luffy would've climbed the clouds himself to check. I hope they're doing okay... Wherever they are."

Su jumped onto her shoulder with a squeak and nuzzled her cheek.

Conis scratched behind his ears, and whispered, "They brought the sky back to life. We'll never forget that."

And as the wind danced through the cloud streets and the bell of Shandora chimed softly in the distance, Conis smiled.

The skies had changed. The people had grown.

And the Pumpkin Café had a line stretching around the cloudblock.

Just the way she liked it.

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It was a clear, perfect Skypiea morning. The kind where the clouds were just the right kind of fluffy, the sun made everything glow gold, and the Pumpkin Café had already sold out of its first tray of skysugar muffins.

And then the Marines showed up.

A massive Marine vessel—clearly not designed for flying—was tethered to an air-dial rig that somehow kept it floating like a bloated metal whale in the sky. It was extremely intimidating… if you ignored the fact that it wobbled every few seconds.

Conis, wiping her hands on her apron again (a very nervous habit), watched the visitors step off the ramp. The first was a woman with glasses, boots too clean for this part of the sky, and arms full of folders. The second was a walking puff of smoke with a glare that could melt cloudstone.

Tashigi bowed respectfully. "Captain Smoker and I come on behalf of Marine HQ. We request an audience with the leader of Skypiea."

Gran Fall, tall and imposing despite his age, welcomed them with all the grace of someone who had no idea what any of that meant but had survived literal lightning immortals, so sure, let's hear them out.

Inside the meeting hall—which had recently been upgraded with chairs that didn't float away mid-speech—Tashigi launched into what could only be described as a PowerPoint presentation from hell. Except with scrolls, maps, and about ten folders labeled "World Government: A Beginner's Guide".

"The World Government is a unified political structure composed of over 170 countries. It oversees the Marines, enforces global law, and ensures peace across the seas."

Gran Fall, noble and wise, nodded. "I see. And… who exactly enforces laws in the sky?"

Smoker puffed on his cigar, sitting with one leg crossed and a face like he'd rather be interrogating pirates than discussing bureaucracy. "You're not currently under anyone's jurisdiction. That's the issue."

Gran Fall raised an eyebrow. "Is it?"

Tashigi stepped in quickly. "Not inherently, but the world is complicated. Pirates, politics, trade routes. Being independent makes you a target. Submitting to the World Government offers protection, recognition, and… less paperwork when things go wrong."

Gran Fall stroked his beard. "You wish us to swear allegiance to a force we've never seen, to rulers we've never met, and in return we get… security and shipping lanes?"

Smoker grunted. "It's not as shady as it sounds. Usually."

Tashigi elbowed him. "Captain."

"I'm just saying."

Everything was going fine—well, relatively—until Smoker was heading back to the ship and caught wind of something.

Literally.

A passing merchant was humming the Binks' Sake tune, followed by:

"Did you hear? The Straw Hats once rang the bell for us. Real heroes, those guys."

Smoker stopped. His coat flared dramatically in the wind because of course it did. He turned back to Gran Fall with his usual I-don't-have-time-for-this face.

"One more thing."

Gran Fall looked up, a little amused. "Yes?"

Smoker's voice was calm, but firm.

"If you're serious about joining the World Government, you can't harbor criminals. That includes the Straw Hats. I'm not saying they're bad people—frankly, I've met worse Marines—but rules are rules."

Gran Fall blinked. "We do not currently harbor them."

Smoker gave a nod. "Good. Keep it that way. Not everyone in the Government is like me."

Tashigi sighed as they walked off. "You really need to work on your closing remarks."

"I was polite."

"That was your version of polite."

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Naruto crew;

It had been half a day since the Azure Gale—the ninja crew's over-the-top, chakra-powered dreadnaught—had left Asuka Island behind. Half a day of snacks, awkward love triangle silences, Gai shouting "YOUTHFUL SPEED DRILLS!" across the mess hall, and Naruto dramatically trying to escape group therapy with Shadow Clones.

Then someone looked out a window.

"Holy ramen bowls… that's not a cloud," Naruto muttered, leaning out of the observation deck's balcony.

Below them, floating peacefully like a dream painted by someone with an unhealthy love of cotton candy, was Skypiea.

A golden temple glittered under the sun. Puffy buildings floated lazily like someone had glued marshmallows together and decided that was "architecture." Waterfalls flowed sideways. Clouds shaped like spirals, birds, and even what looked suspiciously like a middle finger (Kiba's guess), hovered between giant cloud trees.

And the whole island shimmered with something… magical.

"I think I just saw a cow made of clouds," said Shino.

"That's a Sky Bison, actually," Sakura corrected, squinting. "Wait—nope, just a very fluffy sheep with wings."

Hinata's pale eyes gleamed. "The density of the cloud is… strange. It's not chakra-based. More like compressed natural elements…"

"Science talk aside," Ino said, already halfway into her tourist-mode outfit, "we are definitely taking pictures here."

Naruto floated up onto the upper deck of the ship, cloak flapping, grinning wide enough to eat a sunbeam.

Lee struck a pose. "A paradise worthy of passionate training and mid-air sparring!"

"You will not spar in a sacred floating city," Neji said, crossing his arms. "That's how property damage happens."

Tenten was already loading up her glider pack. "Too late. I call dibs on the cloud rivers."

Even Gaara, who rarely commented on scenic beauty, raised an eyebrow and said quietly, "It's… peaceful. Like sand that forgot to fall."

Naruto leaned forward on the railing, eyes wide. This wasn't just another island or town or battlefield. This was Skypiea—a literal city in the clouds.

"Jiraiya-sensei would've written five books about this place," he whispered, almost reverently. "And called them Ninja in the Nimbostratus."

Down below, the people of Skypiea went about their day with absolutely no clue that a chakra-infused flying fortress carrying more overpowered teenagers than a final boss fight was parked just above them.

Naruto's fingers twitched with excitement. He had a dozen questions already. Were the legends true? Did the city have dials and ancient weapons? Was there a ramen stand? What about sky-penguins?

"Let's descend," he said finally. "But slowly. No dramatic entrance. Let's not scare them with the stealth battleship."

Kiba snorted. "No dramatic entrance? Who even are you?"

"The guy who's trying not to blow up another country by accident."

The crew nodded.

The Azure Gale shifted silently, blending into the sky itself as it drifted lower—like a ninja in the clouds, like a whisper of myth.

Skypiea didn't know it yet, but its next chapter was about to be written by a flying ship full of legends in training.

And Naruto Uzumaki was already grinning like he was about to rewrite the sky.