After a storm, the sea smells different.
There's probably some reason for that. Technoblade remembers reading about it in a journal way before the water started rising. But he can't recall exactly what the explanation was, how it had to do with the ozone or the blue-green algae or the splitting of atoms by lighting. It's information he might have registered once, since shoved aside in favor of more practical knowledge.
Like how to untangle a jellyfish from a net without getting stung.
Truth be told he's still not much good at that, but Techno has been stung so often he hardly feels it anymore. The scars wrap along his arms and around his fingers, though he has more on his shoulder from when an unfortunate diving trip in deep water went wrong.
"How's the port side looking?" he calls to Ranboo. The other man is leaning at the opposite side of their raft, checking the netting on that end for anything that got caught in it during the storm. A lot of it is useful to them: scraps of wood and metal, tattered pieces of cloth, even a fish or two. But if they don't untangle it now, the weight starts slowing them down or risks sinking the vessel completely. So clearing them out is an important job after any storm.
Phil is already working on any needed repairs where the raft got damaged by hail and strong winds. Niki is checking the engine. Hopefully, they'll be off again by nightfall, because right now they're at the mercy of the tides and whatever fickle wind wants to blow into their sails. The engine is the only thing that makes it so they can actually go where they want to go, as opposed to being carried along wherever.
"It's hm…" Ranboo stops, considering his answer. Techno knows this is a bad sign. "It's pretty bad, really. Pretty solidly in the realm of being bad."
"On a scale from one to unfixable, where are we?" Carefully, Techno pries the last jellyfish from their net and pushes it back into the water, only wincing slightly as its tentacles brush his skin and there's a faint prick of the sting.
"Fixable, for sure." Ranboo meets him in the middle of their floating farm, retying the bandana around his head. His hair is getting so long it's unmanageable, but he hasn't asked Technoblade to cut it yet and Techno definitely isn't going to offer. Last time he tried that, Ranboo looked like he'd been struck by lighting for a week before it grew out enough for Niki to cut it into a halfway decent shape again.
"We'll have Phil take a look at it later. Animals first?"
"I'm not on chicken duty again."
Techno hates those darn chickens. They're dumb enough to walk right off the raft if you let them. Between the four of them, it took forever to make the edges high enough for the chickens not to escape, while still balancing the vessel. The only reason Techno hasn't abandoned these birds on the nearest island yet is the eggs they provide, a vital source of protein.
Meanwhile, Ranboo is having a jolly good time fawning over Carl. The llama tilts his long neck and enjoys the scratches he's getting, fur still damp from the rainfall.
"I don't think any of them fell into the water…" Techno counts the chickens a third time just to be sure, but shrugs. "Steve would have gotten them anyway. Did you see him yet?"
"I believe so?" Ranboo leans to the side, looking past Carl at the horizon. "Over there."
Techno follows the direction his finger points in and smirks. "He was waiting for us to fall in too, wasn't he?"
Ranboo nods. "Oh, absolutely."
Against the shimmering of the sunlight on lazy waves, the fin of a great white shark that trails them is nearly invisible. None of them would ever forget about Steve though. Not after last time.
"Guys!" Niki ziplines down from the middle level, landing on her feet easily right beside them. "I fixed the engine, but you should come take a look at this."
They follow her up to the platform again. Phil has been called down as well, leaning heavily on his cane to keep standing.
"Is your leg bothering you, old man?" While the teasing edge to his voice would make it easy for Phil to dodge the question if he wants to, Techno knows the actual concern hiding beneath it is plain as day. Phil smiles at him, even while he uses the cane to whack him against the knee.
"I would love to see you climb three ladders with chronic pains, you little shit."
"That would require me to get bitten in the leg by Steve first. Couldn't be me." Phil shoves him and Techno laughs. Ranboo shakes his head, ignoring them while he addresses Niki.
"So what did you find?"
"I'm not sure yet, but it's big. Bigger than the radio tower. I think it could be an island, there might even be a settlement on it. The signal is not a distress signal."
"That's odd," Phil says. "It's not Manburg, though, is it?"
Niki seems to think it over before answering. "That's further south, I think."
" Good. I'd rather not go back there again," Ranboo says wryly.
"Me neither, but if it's something else we should check it out. See if there are any survivors." Niki's conviction is clear. She will not be swayed on this.
There's a moment of silence, just a beat. Techno looks at Phil, who makes eye contact and looks back. It's different for the two of them. They have been on the raft together for so long, never considering they even needed anything or anybody else. Even before the water swallowed the world, they spent almost every waking moment together, isolated from civilization. The only thing that changed with the end times is that their living arrangements got slightly smaller. Phil fiddles with the piece of green sea glass he has dangling from his hat. Techno feels the weight of the matching one hanging from a twine cord around his throat.
For Niki and Ranboo, things are different. And Techno knows they still crave some form of community - society. Despite all his misgiving and how badly it went last time, Techno wouldn't be able to deny them a chance at getting that. And he knows Phil wouldn't want to either.
"How far away is it?" he asks.
"Thee days, give or take." Niki wipes a thumb over the sonar screen. The dot blinks unsteadily but never fades. "Two if I push the engine."
"Let's get going then."
Whether things will turn out this time, Technoblade can't tell. But for them to be happy, he's willing to give it a shot. Live would undeniably be safer on land. And even if things turn sour, they could always return to their raft.
If there is one constant in this world, it's the sea.