Glug, glug, glug.
"Do you think we'll ever find one of those 'ancient relics' he talks about?" Lucky asks.
"I have no idea," Noland replies. He was channeling magic to alter the direction of a bubbling geyser, releasing blue liquid into a metal canister he held.
Together, on Fenrik's boat, they hovered near a rusted, broken-down construction poking out of the Chemical Sea. It was a place they frequently visited to collect these various chemical liquids.
Both of them wore layers of clothes to shield themselves from bubbling sprays from the Chemical Sea. Anything was better than nothing, Fenrik taught them. Noland himself wore heavy cargo pants, multiple shirts, and a jacket with a hood and goggles. Lucky was the same, except he also had a strap to cover the lower part of his face.
Lucky, Noland, and Jade, who stayed behind to tend to Fenrik, had all just become adults.
"Do you really want to risk it?" Lucky said.
"As long as we make it back before the sun hits the sea, we'll be fine. We're old enough. Nothing is stopping us."
"Jade will be mad when we get back..."
"She's always mad at us. Does it matter?"
"More like she's always mad at you."
The atmosphere shifted away from their boring routine. They grin at each other with bubbling excitement.
Lucky peered out from their boat, squinting across the horizon. The sun had risen on the far side of the mountains but had yet to crest the peaks.
"We have half an hour, maybe?" Lucky muttered.
"Enough time for us to check it out," Noland replied, pausing the stream of liquid to remove the canister and seal it. He places it under some straps at the rear of the boat next to two others. One had a clear liquid, this one was light blue, and the last was red, which bubbled harshly inside its container.
Swapping places, Lucky takes to the rear of the boat. He extends his hands, and a current of air flows out, pushing their boat forward across the Chemical Sea.
Noland stood at the helm like a captain, making callouts to steer clear of any signs that might indicate an eruption. It took ten minutes, and they arrived without any problems.
Rusted with metal pipes dripping liquid, it stood on four thick metal beams. There was an indication that there were once walls at a lower level, but no more. Its floor hovered a mere few feet above sea level.
"What are the chances?"
"Not very high," Noland admits. "Fenrik probably got to these when he was younger."
"So why-"
"To make our mark. To start exploring. Come on, do you really want to scavenge forever? This could be our chance to make it into the middle city!"
"True. Or we can get Fenrik some medicine..." Lucky said.
"Yeah, that too!"
After tying the boat off, Lucky continues with a frown. "You don't seem very worried about him. He's been a father to us, you know."
"I'm worried, I'm just not THAT worried." Noland shrugs. "He's made it through worse. Remember the time he was spitting out orange and the doctor said he would croak?"
"But what if this isn't that time?"
"Don't be so negative. Besides, it's as you said- we can use the profit to get him fixed up if he gets worse. But why not think about what kind of lives we can have if he doesn't need it? Real meat, access to a better life. Can you imagine it?"
Lucky nods. They were one of many crews that would depart every morning in separate directions to scavenge the Chemical Sea. The number of mutilations, tears of grief, or boats that never came back, was often unnerving and put them on edge.
But they could never find the danger. Never spot what was really all that dangerous. Outside of a few bubbles.
Bubbles like the one rising next to them. Noland raised his hand, and a large blue wave erupted from his hand in a crescent arc. The bubble shimmered ominously before bursting, spraying the shield with harsh hisses, but it didn't touch them or get into the boat.
A faint shimmer attracts Noland's attention. Lucky is trying to do the same, but it is the size of a dinner plate in front of his palm. Lucky frowns and shakes his head, and Noland snickers.
They haul themselves up and in.
The floor has a film from chemical sprays, painting the floor like a petri dish with different colors. Outside of that? It's barren. Dusty metal cabinets, scrap metal hazardously strewn about, nothing all that awe-inspiring.
"I feel the profits raining down on us," Lucky says sarcastically.
Widening his pouch, Noland returns an annoyed glance before they begin searching the place. All of the cabinets and drawers were openable. Some were noticeably broken into by force.
Nuts, bolts, screws, rollers- that was the most they could find.
"Jade's going to be mad," Lucky commented, jingling his pouch of metal bits and bobs.
"Yeah," Noland sighs as he kicks a drawer shut. It doesn't even remain on its rollers as it falls inward, crooked. "This place has already been scavenged."
Their attention snapped to as they heard dangerous creaking coming from the cabinet Noland kicked, and they backed away quickly as the floor beneath it partially caved in.
They fully expected to hear the sound of debris falling into the chemical water. There was nothing, however.
Exchanging glances, they carefully approached and realized it was some kind of caved-in compartment underneath the cabinet. Noland grabbed the cabinet on one side, and Lucky pushed from the other to pull it off.
"What... are these?" Lucky asks.
"Pills?"
"Oh god, not more pills."
"Shut up, I doubt they're the same as ours."
Several pristine-looking bottles, unmarked, were next to a book. Lucky picked up the book and opened it, but shook his head. "I can't understand any of it. Maybe Jade can."
"Hurray! I'm not going to get my ass beat!"
"You still are, probably," Lucky grinned.
"Why me, though? She never beats you up."
"I'm just Lucky."
Noland snorts. "Yeah, sure. I guess you are. Anyway, let's split it in case one of us drops some."
"You hold onto the book," Lucky nods, handing it to him.
After pocketing the pill bottles, feeling a touch of pride and excitement with giddy conversation, they eventually make their way out.
"We stayed a little too long," Lucky said in a more serious, concerned tone while pointing at the approaching light on the Chemical Sea.
Several hundred meters behind the exposed sea, the chemicals were beginning to bubble and sizzle furiously. And further out? Boiling chemicals bubbling several feet high that could tip the boat if they were caught in it.
"Shit, let's go. Full speed ahead, I'll block the sprays."
"But Fenrik said-"
"We can slow down once we round the scrap hills!"
Exchanging brief nods, they took off. The sharp edge of the sunrise was closing in as Lucky propelled as much as he could. Noland stopped repeated sprays as they edged too close to geysers with his magical shields.
Unfortunately, what couldn't be stopped was what came from underneath as a geyser rocked the boat. The two of them gripped the edge firmly as the back of their boat was sent several feet up before landing. Noland broadened his shield as much as he could, but some of it still got through.
"Lucky!"
"I'm Lucky! Clothes saved me!"
"You sure?"
"Yeah!"
They patted themselves down nervously before resuming. After rounding the massive mound of scrap that served as a marker for the two-thirds waypoint, their careless speeding stopped.
In the distance, the piers and city edge could be seen through a growing smog. The remainder of the trip was done as usual. Noland navigating without needing to use his magic to shield them, and Lucky propelling the boat.
At the pier, two heavy metal ropes with hooks dropped down. They attached it to both ends of the boat before Noland shouted, "Clear!"
A sharp click and a rough jolt. The boat began to rise, clearing the Chemical Sea and rising up to the pier. Just in time, too, as the sun had reached them and the sea was beginning to sizzle and bubble more furiously.
Noland and Lucky looked at each other with triumphant grins, their giddy excitement returning.
"Mention the stuff?" Lucky whispered.
"No, not yet! Let's wai- Hey, Jade!"
Their boat jolted to a violent halt. Jade stood on the pier next to a pulley system, hands on a giant handle, glaring at them furiously.
"We're back!"