The first thing Renji noticed when he opened his eyes was that the sky was too blue.
Not the ordinary, cheerful sort of blue—no. This one was sharp, almost crystalline, as if the heavens had been polished until they gleamed. Wisps of silver clouds twisted lazily, reflecting the light in ways that made the entire horizon look alive.
The second thing he noticed was that something warm and heavy was pinning down his left arm.
"Ow, ow, ow—hey!" He twisted his head, only to see Sakura sprawled beside him, still unconscious, her braid tangled in the grass. "You—you could've picked literally any other patch of ground on this island, and you chose my arm? Seriously?"
Her only response was a faint groan.
Renji sighed, staring up at the alien sky again. "Well. Guess I should be grateful we're not fried, vaporized, or, you know… dust scattered across the multiverse. Silver linings, Renji. Always look for the silver linings."
He tried to wriggle his arm free. Bad idea. Sakura stirred, eyes fluttering open.
"…Renji?" Her voice was hoarse, dry. Then her azure gaze snapped into focus, sharpening with the same intensity she used when lecturing him in the lab. "…Where are we?"
"Would you believe me if I said heaven?"
"No."
"Good, because it's more like hell, except prettier. And possibly tropical." He gestured weakly at the endless stretch of jungle surrounding them. Trees arched high, their leaves glowing faintly with veins of luminescence. Vines thick as ropes draped down, coiling in patterns that felt just a little too symmetrical.
Sakura sat up, rubbing her temples. Her braid fell forward, and Renji instinctively pulled a leaf out of her hair. "Careful. You look like you lost a fight with a bush."
She batted his hand away, eyes scanning the horizon. "This isn't any mapped island. The vegetation doesn't match Earth's records. And that—" she pointed at the shoreline just visible past the treeline—"that water's refracting light in three layers. That's not normal ocean."
"Great. So we're on a mystery island, in a mystery time, with mystery water. Love it."
"Idiot." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "We need to assess resources, find shelter, and—"
"Food. Don't forget food." Renji's stomach growled as if on cue. He grinned sheepishly. "What? Near-death experiences make me hungry."
Sakura shot him a look that could've frozen magma. "Survival first. Complaints later."
They pushed through the undergrowth, the jungle alive with sound. Birds—or what looked like birds—darted between branches, their feathers catching the light like shards of stained glass. Insects hummed in strange, dissonant rhythms. Every so often, Renji swore the air shimmered, like heat haze bending reality for a split second.
"This place feels…" He hesitated, searching for the right word. "…off."
Sakura agreed, though she didn't say it. Her scientist's mind catalogued everything: the impossible flora, the bioluminescent vines, the ruins half-buried in moss. Yes, ruins. Cracked stone pillars etched with spiral patterns, some glowing faintly as though they remembered their creators.
"Renji." She crouched beside a broken slab, running her fingers across the carvings. "…This isn't natural. Someone built this place."
He leaned over her shoulder. "Cool. So ancient civilization, lost technology, hidden secrets? We're basically in an adventure anime right now."
"This isn't an anime," Sakura muttered.
"Tell that to the glowing vines."
Hours passed. They argued over directions. They bickered over whether that fruit Renji found was edible (it wasn't; it exploded in purple slime when he bit it). But beneath the banter, tension coiled.
They were stranded. Alone. Possibly not even in their own timeline anymore.
And Sakura… Sakura couldn't shake the thought. Father, if this was your vision, what did you drag us into?
By nightfall, they had gathered sticks for a makeshift fire. Renji struggled with flint; Sakura finally sighed and did it herself, sparks catching on dried leaves.
"Why do you even keep me around?" he asked, collapsing onto the grass beside her. "I'm useless."
"You're not useless."
He blinked. "…Wow. First time you've ever said that."
"You're an idiot. That's different."
"Gee, thanks."
But her gaze softened briefly, the firelight catching the weariness etched on her face. He almost asked what was weighing on her, but she turned away, and the moment passed.
The jungle didn't sleep.
Somewhere in the distance, a roar split the air.
Renji froze, half a berry in his mouth. "…Please tell me that was thunder."
Sakura was already on her feet. "No. That's not thunder. That sounds like a wild animal's roar."
The undergrowth rustled violently. Something massive moved between the trees, too fast, too deliberate. Then glowing eyes flickered in the dark—amber, feral, hungry.
The beast emerged.
It was huge. A twisted hybrid of reptile and mammal, scales layered over corded muscle, claws that gouged deep into the soil. Its head resembled a wolf's, but the jaw unhinged too wide, rows of serrated teeth glistening.
Renji choked. "…That's not in any biology textbook."
The beast growled, low and rumbling, then lunged.
"Run!" Sakura shoved him aside. The creature's claws slashed down where he had been, earth exploding under the impact.
They sprinted through the jungle, branches whipping their faces. Renji stumbled, nearly fell—Sakura yanked him upright without breaking stride.
"This thing's fast!" he gasped.
"Don't state the obvious!"
Behind them, the beast roared again, closing the distance. It was toying with them.
They burst into a clearing. Dead end. A sheer cliff dropped into mist below.
Renji's heart hammered. "Uh, Sakura? Options?!"
Her mind raced. No weapons. No tools. No chance against that thing. The beast prowled forward, saliva dripping, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
For a split second, something strange flickered in Renji's vision. The beast leapt—then suddenly, he was back two seconds earlier, heart pounding, the creature still crouched to pounce.
"…Déjà vu?" His voice trembled.
Sakura didn't hear him. Her focus tunneled on the monster, on their impending death. No. Not like this. Not now.
Her chest burned. Her thoughts blurred. In the firestorm of fear and desperation, an image rose unbidden: a shield. Strong, unbreakable, wrapping them in safety.
And then—
Light.
It burst from her hands, coalescing into a shimmering barrier just as the beast struck. Claws screeched against impossible glass, sparks flying.
Renji's jaw dropped. "…You—you just—"
Sakura stared, horrified, as the glowing shield held firm. Her pulse thundered. "That's… impossible."
The beast snarled, rearing back for another strike.
Sakura's barrier flickered. Cracks spiderwebbed across the surface.
Renji stumbled to her side, panic and awe battling in his expression. "Sakura… what did you just do?"
She couldn't answer. Because deep down, she already knew.
And it terrified her.