Chapter 54: "Operation: Surprise the Bug Guy"
In which Naruto plans a party, Shino almost ruins it with logic, and nobody can find the cake knife because Choji ate it.
Kakashi:
On the quieter side of Skypiea—far from cloud-chucking cafe brawls and airborne shopping sprees—Kakashi Hatake and Viola sat together under a half-moon parasol made of woven sunroot leaves, the kind that adjusted with the brightness of the sky.
Their table was nestled on the edge of a sky veranda overlooking the soft expanse of the cloud sea. It was the kind of place people came to whisper secrets, share a fruit cocktail, and definitely pretend they weren't spying on each other while doing it.
Kakashi sipped calmly through a straw poking out of his mask. Viola, ever elegant in her off-the-shoulder gown and gemstone pin, stirred her dial-cooled drink like it was a goblet of intentions.
"So," Kakashi began, his lone visible eye squinting with something between curiosity and classic Hatake mischief, "what does it actually taste like?"
Viola raised a brow, lips curving ever so slightly. "The Devil Fruit?"
Kakashi nodded. "I've read that they're supposed to taste like someone mixed battery acid with regret."
Viola laughed—quietly, a velvet sound. "More like seawater and spoiled mango, if I'm being poetic. And yes, I gagged. But the worst part wasn't the taste."
He leaned forward slightly, eye intent. "Oh?"
"It was the sensation. Like… the sea inside you panicked and flipped upside down." She tapped her collarbone lightly. "I felt hollow for a moment. And then everything I saw was in layers."
Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. "And now you can see people's thoughts?"
"Emotions," she corrected. "But sometimes thoughts are just loud emotions with words attached."
He chuckled, setting his drink down. "You'd be a terrifying teammate in the Chūnin Exams."
She smiled back, but her fingers toyed with the rim of her glass. "You seem like someone used to hiding things."
Kakashi raised a brow under his headband. "Wouldn't be a ninja if I wasn't."
Viola's gaze softened, and for a moment, the air between them settled into something less sharp-edged. "You make me feel safe," she admitted quietly. "That's rare in my life. Even when I was a princess, I felt like a pawn."
Kakashi tilted his head. "And now?"
"Now I get to choose which games I play." Her eyes met his. "And maybe who I play them with."
He leaned back in his seat. "Not a bad philosophy."
"You?" she asked. "Do you believe in choices like that? In building… something?"
Kakashi glanced out at the cloud horizon. His voice was soft. "I think if you live long enough with nothing but orders… the idea of choosing anything feels revolutionary."
They sat in companionable quiet for a moment, interrupted only by the whoosh of a passing waver-bike and a gull that sounded mildly offended by its existence.
Viola smiled gently. "So, do you always ask women about foul-tasting fruits on the first date?"
He smirked behind the mask. "Only the ones who can read my feelings."
"Then you're lucky I'm not reading you now."
"Am I?"
She leaned forward. "What are you feeling, Kakashi?"
He paused, considering. "Curious. Comfortable. Mildly concerned about the cloud shrimp I ordered."
Viola laughed again, and this time, she didn't stop herself. "You're strange."
"And you're fascinating," he replied, with an almost playful tone.
It wasn't love. Not yet. But it was… a beginning. A kind of partnership forming through sharp eyes, mutual respect, and shared understanding that both of them had danced through darker pasts and still somehow found themselves here—floating above the world, sipping drinks, and wondering if maybe, just maybe, the next choice could be theirs.
And maybe… not so bad.
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Tenten:
The skies of Skypiea shimmered like morning dew over a pearl, and the floating marketplace was absolutely buzzing. Quite literally—someone had released a swarm of Bubble Bees near the fruit stands again.
Tenten, however, was in her own kind of paradise.
She moved between the stalls like a magpie in a gemstone store, her eyes gleaming with giddy interest. Everywhere she looked there were strange devices powered by clouds, dials humming softly with potential, and swords that shimmered like mist and reshaped with a flick of the wrist.
"This place is dangerously cool," she said, clutching a tri-folding blade that was part air, part steel, and part mystery.
Behind her, Neji watched with the patient exhaustion of a man who'd expected a light sightseeing stroll and instead found himself trapped in a weapon nerd's fever dream.
"You're going to bankrupt us," he said mildly, raising one brow as Tenten began negotiating with a vendor over a Jet Dial-powered propulsion gauntlet.
"I am investing in our future," Tenten corrected. "Besides, we've been running everywhere. It's time we stopped looking like exhausted peasants. We're future clan leaders, remember?"
Neji blinked. "You're not a clan heiress."
"Well, you are," she shot back. "And Gaara definitely is. And Lee is the honorary motivational speaker of Konoha, which almost counts. And Naruto's literally planning to become king of friendship. So yes. Prestige demands transportation."
She pointed to a hovering vehicle nearby. It looked like a Harley Davidson had collided with a cloud and come out cooler on the other side. Black and orange, sleek and loud—Naruto would definitely want it.
Neji sighed. "You're not wrong."
Tenten beamed, practically sparkling. "Besides, the idea isn't just style—it's practicality. Look at this." She held up a pamphlet for an Axe Dial-powered sword. "Stored slashes. Instant-range attacks. Now imagine that plus chakra infusion."
Neji tilted his head thoughtfully. "Stronger than traditional weapons?"
"Double the power at least," she said, now speaking faster, her hands flitting between notes and samples. "And then we add Impact Dials for defense—absorb blunt force, redirect it. Even explosions."
"Sounds useful for Lee."
"Exactly. Give him jet dials for speed bursts. Put one in his shoes. Boom—Sky Rock Lee."
Neji actually cracked the tiniest smirk. "You're dangerously creative."
"Thank you."
They moved toward another stall, where a small display of mechanical beetle-like drones was whirring lazily. Tenten tapped one on the head.
"These could be our defense fodder," she said, practically bouncing. "The enemies never waste their big attacks on fodder units, but they slow things down. And they explode! For extra dramatic flair."
Neji folded his arms. "Naruto's rubbing off on you."
Tenten paused. "...He might be. I was the one who told Shino to try prison life."
Neji stared at her. "You what?"
"Never mind."
They browsed further, Tenten collecting notes and diagrams, Neji occasionally asking smart questions about balance and chakra compatibility.
When they reached the showroom for luxury aerial vehicles, both stopped.
A floating car hovered in place. Sleek, obsidian black with sand-gold trim. Its cabin had a reclining chair, a built-in hydration system, scroll storage, and reinforced chakra barriers for shielding.
"Gaara needs this," Tenten whispered reverently.
"He is a Kazekage," Neji admitted.
"It's an embarrassment that he's been floating around on raw sand like some sort of cloud-less pauper. He should descend from the Hell Carrier in this."
"I agree. Also, he would be harder to shoot from a distance."
Tenten clapped her hands. "Exactly!"
They continued plotting, dreaming of combining chakra with technology, of building new weapons, new armor, even mech suits that could fly on dial power and channel jutsu with built-in seals. The possibilities were endless.
By the time the sun began to dip low over the horizon, they had a full schematic in mind:
Dial-enhanced weapons for Lee, Neji, and Tenten.
Flying drones for defensive formation (explodable, of course).
Jet-Dial Gauntlets for rapid hand-to-hand.
Dial-powered bikes and vehicles for transportation.
A floating armored chariot for Gaara—fit for a desert king.
"This," Tenten said, her arms full of blueprints, "is going to change everything."
Neji looked at the floating car again and then at the determined girl beside him.
"I believe you," he said.
And for once, he really meant it.
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Naruto:
I've seen a lot of amazing things in my life. Giant toads that can breathe fire. Talking skeletons who play the violin. A ramen cart that always smells like home.
But nothing—nothing—prepared me for what happened when Gaara and Conis floated back down from the palace like a desert prince and a bazooka-slinging cloud angel.
Conis looked… dazed. But in a good way. Like someone who just discovered that their favorite café now served eternal happiness with whipped cream. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw her shop, and I swear her jaw nearly fell off.
"This is my café?" she gasped, stepping forward as if she didn't believe it.
It was packed. Tourists from all over were lining up outside, the smell of cloud-baked dumplings and roasted thunderfruit wafting out the door like a siren's song. Inside, Choji was moving like a jutsu-armed whirlwind, flipping pans, dishing out pastries, and somehow managing not to eat the entire stock.
"I've never seen it this busy," Conis whispered.
Naruto Uzumaki, culinary assistant #3 (a role I gave myself), flashed her a grin. "We might've… improved the menu. A little."
"I added lightning spices," Kiba said proudly from behind a cloud-cookie tower.
"And I made a teacup explode," Lee added with a sparkly thumbs-up.
Choji turned to her mid-sauté, utterly in the zone. "You've got a good setup. Great ventilation. Terrible dial alignment near the oven—don't worry, I fixed it. You should consider a fusion layout with the dessert line."
Conis blinked. Then bowed. "Please become my cooking master."
Choji dropped his spatula. "Wait, what?"
"I want to learn from you," she said, absolutely serious. "This—this smells like joy."
Kiba leaned over to Naruto. "Are we in a food anime now?"
"Let it happen," I whispered back.
Gaara, meanwhile, had landed next to us as silently as ever and dropped the news like a well-placed sand bomb. "Shino will arrive shortly. Gran Fall has released him."
I gave a relieved sigh and fist-bumped Lee. "Told you he wouldn't get exiled."
"But he did say something about wanting to try prison soup again," Gaara added, very flatly.
"That guy's weird," Kiba muttered.
And then—just as everything was settling into its nice chaotic normal—I heard it.
Whoosh. Thunderclap. The cry of a giant whale-bird hybrid.
Everyone turned to see the sky shimmer as a very dramatic (and slightly sparkly) Laboon descended from above, flapping his majestic wings like he was the final boss of a romance novel.
Riding him?
Three girls. Three radiant, Skypiea-style-outfitted, absolutely-smug-looking kunoichi.
Sakura jumped off first, landing like a movie star with a hot-pink bomber jacket and cloud-blue jeans. "Hey, Naruto."
Hinata followed with a softer thud, dressed in an elegant Skypiean robe that looked like it belonged in a royal temple. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. "We got you something."
Ino somersaulted off Laboon's head and landed with a flourish—skirt, boots, and confidence enough to start a revolution. "Close your eyes, whiskers."
I had an intense urge to bolt.
But then I saw their faces. Excited. Proud. Slightly terrifying.
I closed my eyes.
And then I heard it. The low purr of chakra-boosted cloud-engine dial tech.
"Open!" Hinata chirped.
I did.
And standing in front of me was a bike. No—a beast. Sleek. Orange and black like a tiger on vacation. Glowing seals on the handlebars. A custom jet dial engine that roared like a dragon's purr. It looked fast enough to outrun fate.
Sakura leaned on the seat. "Custom-made. Skypiean-dial powered. Can hover. Can drift."
"Can explode if you don't treat it well," Ino added.
I was too stunned to speak.
"We figured," Hinata said softly, "you deserve to ride like a hero."
"And it matches your jumpsuit," Ino said proudly.
There are moments in life when you feel seen. Not because someone patted you on the head, or bought you a bowl of ramen—but because they went out, found something you didn't even know you wanted, and made it perfect.
This was one of those moments.
I stared at the bike. Then at the girls. Then at the bike again.
"…Do I get to name it?"
Sakura smirked. "You'd better."
Choji peeked out from the café, apron still on. "Can it deliver pastries at Mach 3?"
Lee was crying. "The flames of youth shine bright today!"
Gaara looked at me and nodded once. A silent approval from one kazekage to one hopeful Hokage.
I swung a leg over the bike and grinned so wide my cheeks nearly broke.
"I name you… Destiny."
Ino blinked. "That's… actually kind of cool."
"You're surprised?" I said, revving it once. The engine purred. Tourists swooned. Somewhere, a baby bird hatched in awe.
Conis clapped her hands together. "I've never seen a better marketing stunt."
"You should give rides around the café!" Sakura added.
"I am a Hokage-in-training," I said dramatically. "And a part-time food delivery ninja. Respect the hustle."
And just like that, we rode off in a circle around the plaza, laughing, wind in our hair, half the island watching us like we were in a music video, and me—me just thinking:
Life was good.
And yeah, I was totally gonna crash this thing within the hour.
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"Alright, everyone!" I yelled, clapping my hands together like I actually had a clue what I was doing. "It's time to throw the greatest party in all of Skypiea history—for the quietest ninja in all of Konoha!"
Kiba blinked. "You mean we're throwing a party… for Shino?"
"Yeah," I said, arms crossed like I was announcing the world's greatest tactical mission. "He just got out of Sky Jail. We need to celebrate that."
Lee pumped his fist. "YES! THE FLAMES OF FRIENDSHIP BURN BRIGHT IN OUR HEARTS TODAY!"
"Okay, tone it down," I muttered as Lee began flexing dramatically in front of a very confused cloud tourist.
Choji raised his spatula from the kitchen window. "I already baked the 'Welcome Back From Jail, You Creepy Bug Genius' cake. It's triple-tiered. And stuffed with honeycomb."
Kankuro peeked over his shoulder. "Did you actually use honeycomb or like... actual honeycomb? You know, bugs."
Choji shrugged. "Why not both?"
Sakura, arms crossed and eyebrow raised, said, "You know he's going to logically dissect the entire party, right? Like, 'Why is there a banner? Why are there balloons? Why are there approximately 2.3 grams of confetti on my shoe?'"
"That's exactly why we're throwing this party," I grinned. "To overwhelm his logic circuits with so much love and chaos, he'll short-circuit."
"I'm in," Ino said immediately.
Hinata nodded too. "He did say prison was… 'a unique ecosystem worth documenting.'"
"…That sounds way too on-brand," Kurenai said, walking by with crossed arms and a fond sigh. "Just don't let him talk the cloud cake into developing sentience."
One Hour Later: The Party Begins
The plaza outside Conis' café was transformed into a glowing cloud-top party zone.
Lee strung rainbow dials along the roof like festive lightning bugs. Kiba was testing the durability of balloon animals by throwing them at walls. Sakura and Ino were setting up a music dial, which played something dangerously close to boy band pop.
Naruto? I was standing on top of a podium made of two stacked waver bikes, wearing a sky-blue party hat and a grin that said "This is either going to be amazing or result in structural damage."
"He's coming!" Hinata whispered, peeking from a lookout perch on Laboon's back.
"Places, everyone!" I shouted.
Lee somersaulted into the punch bowl. Kiba shoved himself under the cake table. Choji armed himself with a frosting cannon he may or may not have invented five minutes ago.
Then… Shino walked in.
Calm. Composed. Wearing the exact same outfit he went to jail in. Sunglasses still on. Bugs still humming softly beneath his coat.
"Surprise!!!" we all screamed.
Shino blinked once. "Statistically, given the build-up of confetti dials and the smoke trail of frosting in the air, I calculated a 97% chance this was a party."
"…Dang it," I whispered. "He detected us."
But then—then—Shino did something no one expected.
He smiled.
A small, almost invisible twitch of his mouth. But it was real.
"This is… acceptable," he said.
Ino nearly fainted. "Did he just emote?!"
Sakura was clutching her chest. "I'm gonna cry. Actual tears."
Kiba jumped out from under the table with a party blower. "We love you, man!"
Shino turned slightly. "You are… also adequate."
And just like that, the party kicked into full gear. Gaara even showed up with Conis, who had somehow convinced two Skypiean chefs to make "beetle-shaped sushi." Gaara nodded at Shino, who nodded back.
"This was a good idea," Choji said around a slice of honeycomb cake.
"Right?" I beamed.
Shino stood near the fountain, sipping thunderfruit juice, listening to the chaos around him—and for once, not analyzing it.
"Just one thing," he said suddenly, turning to me.
"Yeah?"
"…Next time, warn me. I almost vaporized the punch bowl thinking it was a trap."
"You're welcome," I said, and tossed a handful of confetti into the sky.
Shino blinked as a glitter beetle landed on his shoulder.
"…I am keeping this."