It was strange for Scurvy to not captain their own ship, rather to concede power to Big Monkey after running the Melville for almost thirty years. However it was likely for the best. The blue cat was having difficulty focusing on anything. Their mind was full of how their reunification with their estranged lover would play out. Daydreams of awkward silences, tearful hugs, and everything in-between. The crew that Big Monkey had cobbled together seemed quite experienced and very friendly, much to the delight of the Melville's crew who quickly had to intermingle. For most of the crew, interacting with different species was its own experience, none more than for Calypso who was having a field day interviewing the other Toons. The blue duck had hunted down Big Monkey's navigator, a kiwi named Dodongo, a behemoth of a Toon and a bright blue that Calypso had not seen on Toons in Toontown. He had wanted to ask about the lack of arms, but wasn't sure if that would be considered disrespectful. "So, Dodongo. You must have a quite bit of experience with the waters around here. Could you tell me a bit more about what is around? Other islands? Interesting fish? Anything like that?"
The kiwi, despite his size, was quite shy and soft spoken. Finding it difficult to talk to a stranger, he rubbed the back of his head and tried his best to be as useful as he could. "Well, I am from Island Four. We are the smallest island and it is where most of our sailors and other crew members live. It is the furthest right, so we have the best access to the quicker jet streams. I have traversed the sea for never more than one week, and have never run across another patch of land outside of the islands. Although for sea life. We have quite a wide variety of fish, however I'm not sure what would be considered interesting. Maybe Piano Tuna?"
"Hey, you two. Big needs you guys to help him up there. It looks like the winds aren't as strong as we had anticipated so he'd like some input on what course to take." John called down to the pair of blue Toons, interrupting their conversation.
"You go ahead, Dodongo. I'd be less than helpful around here. I'll leave this to the expert. Plus I'd like to continue doing my research. Thank you again!" Calypso pocketed his word-laden notepad and waddled off to search for another helpless crew member to poke and prod for information.
Cross had run into her first koala, a bright pink beauty named Esmeralda who was part of the upkeep team. She didn't see where Big Monkey had confused her for a koala. They looked nothing alike! However she found her counterpart to be quite charming, and the pair had snuck downstairs so Cross could show her "work area." The pair had taken a small cake that the kitchen had put together for lunch and sliced it into two large halves and began shoveling large forkfuls into their mouths. Between words, Cross and Esmeralda traded hilarious stories about boys. "It's kind of nice to know that the guys where you're from are just as thirsty as the ones in Toontown. I swear, if one of these guys just crossed the desert and had to choose between a glass of water and me? I don't think he could choose!"
"Thirsty? What does thirst have to do with unfettered attraction?" Esmeralda chuckled at the ridiculousness of the mouse's words. "However I must tell you about this elephant that I used to live close to. Every day he would come into my work and try his best to impress me with his jokes. One he would often bring up was about how he was about to "drop his trunk." Well one day he walks in and right as he's stumbling through words, he actually DID drop his trunks, but it wasn't the one on his face if you know what I mean!" the two roared with laughter as the pink koala held up her hand with her two fingers spaced a few inches apart. "Anyways, after that I never saw him at work again!"
"Girl, where have you been all this time. I've been on this ship with a bunch of guys! Well and Captain Scurvy, but they always want me to work. It's so nice to just have another girl i can talk to, y'know?" Cross spoke candidly.
The koala tilted her head and shrugged. "Strange is what you say. Where I'm from everybody is expected to contribute regardless of species or gender. I'm sure most of the crew knows that I could outwork them in a heartbeat!"
"That's good to know coming from a cake thief!" an orange Kangaroo stood with her arms crossed and stomping her feet to avoid bouncing through the ceiling in frustration. "That cake was for everybody! How did the two of you scarf down the entire thing! I hope you know what this means!" the marsupial reached out and grabbed each of the Toons by their large ears and began dragging them up the stairs. "You're on kitchen duty and I will personally oversee that you two do dishes for the next two days!"
"But Kandace, we were just taste testing! Have to be sure that the cake is good, you know!" Esmeralda tried to play off the pinched pastry, but it was to no use as the pair eventually gave up and confronted their fate as they followed the kangaroo to the kitchen.
Edmund and Mariner had taken the opportunity for a break to find their own counterparts; a Turkey named Jive and a fox named Rex. The two were significantly older than the pair of dogs, however from the way they acted nobody would suspect such a thing. "You know, I met Rex when we were actually put on a job together! Worst day of my life!" Jive joked as he elbowed his friend who was tying the sail's rope around the mast to show the pair how to tie a stronger knot.
"Worst day of your life? What a coincidence. I'd say that's the day I died on the inside! Now I just follow this fool around to haunt him for the rest of his life!" the fox burst into laughter, nearly losing grip onto the knot, before catching himself and finishing up. "Can't say we've ever been through anything as crazy as blood-thirsty cannibals. I guess you two have us beat there! Can you guys do the dance again?"
The pair of dogs nodded to each other and stepped back. Perfectly in sync, the pair of dogs masterfully danced away, hopping, stepping, and clapping with rhythm. "Should have seen old Mariner here. Blended right in with those crazy kooks. If I didn't know that was him, would have sworn he was another one of those monkeys." Edmund spoke between heavy breaths as he tried to keep up with his friend who was much more proficient after his previous experience.
"Well my mom always used to call me more fun than a barrel full of monkeys! So I guess her prediction came true?" Mariner joked, slapping his hands together twice and spinning in a circle, reaching out and grabbing Jive and pulling him in. "Come on, you two aren't old enough to get out of this."
"Ha, take that you old coot!" Rex laughed, before quickly being roped in himself. It was a sight to behold for the rest of the crew, watching the four Toons crazily dancing around and laughing away. Even Scurvy who had been so focused on their own worries was able to break out of the stranglehold on their thoughts to clap with the crew and laugh along as more and more Toons headed to the middle of the ship to take part in the excitement. Although the group had been together for only a short period, the natural cohesion that the pair of crews had built up over weeks, months, or even years of being on the open sea. For Big an Scurvy, it was a huge relief to each of their greatest fears. This trip was going to go smoothly.
"Dis ish delishes" Melville spoke through a mouthful of pizza, his fourth slice. Eating through the pain, the brown horse was unable to prevent himself from treating his stomach. The pizza had proven to be a massive hit among the crew who had already gone through most of the pizzas, sending the trio of chefs to continue their unenviable task of feeding such a frenzied feast of beasts. "Can't bee lee I din't hav pizza so long." Melville rushed a bite back and forth as the scathing hot pizza sauce punished him for digging into the new pizza so soon after it was brought from the oven.
"Yeah, I think someone is going to have to ask Melville here how he kept all of this from us so long!" Cloud joked, holding up a glass of pineapple seltzer and posing a toast. "To Horsenado, once again proving that the divine is possible from outside horses!" the rest of the seated crew held up glasses and called out in unison. "Waters are still looking real good, might even get there a day or two early if things keep up like this."
Horsenado, wiping the sweat from under his newly implemented chef hat breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure how many more of these he could make, and now that the crew had a blood-thirst for his food, he feared he wouldn't sleep again until the ship docked in Toontown. "Whew, well I'm glad you all like it! I made sure to put a lot of love into it. After all it is the least I can do for all of you!" Stepping back down into the steps that led to the kitchen, the red horse was struck by the damp heat that overwhelmed the small kitchen. Both bat brothers were busy bulldozing their way through another proper pie, before turning and facing their new lead. "Come on guys, you can take a break!
"Take a break? Have you seen the stomachs on this crew? We're going to be here all night!" Souffle grabbed his stomach which rumbled with hunger."
"I agree with Horsenado. I think you guys deserve it! Go get yourself a bite, a break, and maybe some sleep. I can handle things down here!" at the top of the stairs, Melville stood, wiping away early building sweat from the boiling room. "You guys have been fantastic, but won't be much help to anybody if you keel over. Come on, up and attem!"
The pair of brothers stared down at the ground, unwilling to argue against the words of their presumed leader. "Absolutely, Leader. Thank you so much!" Eclair exclaimed. Almost before anybody else could act, the pair grabbed a pizza and ran upstairs, off to their own devices. Laughing and shaking his head, Melville walked over and sat down on a sack of flour a few feet from Horsenado.
"Sorry about that Five-o. Really just wanted to talk to somebody who could give me an unbiased opinion. I love everybody here but you see how they act when they see me. They're just going to agree with everything with everything I say." Melville rubbed his arm anxiously, struggling to express the words he had been so eager to say just minutes ago. "Horsenado, have you ever wanted something two things at the same time?"
"Um, I guess. I mean, what do you mean?" the red horse scratched his head confused.
Melville thought for a moment and responded. "Have you ever wanted two conflicting things? Like you can have one or the other?"
Immediately Horsenado knew what Melville was returning to. The pair of horses had an understanding that transcended spoken word. "You're worried about leaving Old World, yes?"
"You're almost fifty years my junior, yet wiser than most I have ever met. You would be right there, Five-o. It isn't that I don't want to return to Toontown, I do! I do very much. Yet part of me feels this immense guilt for leaving everything behind me. Then the other part remembers I can finally see Scurvy again. It's... just it's... I don't know how to explain. It feels like there are a pair of Toons inside of me, pulling back and forth on my heart to gain control. I just wanted to ask you what you think I should do." Melville gazed down at the ground where a single droplet of water had slowly drifted across the floor towards his foot. With the edge of hies shoe, he pushed the water to the left, sending it down a different path.
"I don't think I can answer that, Mel. I mean, would I be any less biased than anybody else? However, I think that decision will be made for you when you arrive at Toontown. Maybe the crew can hang out for a few days and you can see how you feel, yeah?" Horsenado and Melville had swapped roles, with the younger horse now taking on the role of the wise elder. "We also want to make sure to find Scurvy, yes? I think that will really help to make your decision."
Nearly a week had gone by for the old and new crew of the Melville. Many of the Toons had struck new friendships with their counterparts. Things had been going smoothly and Big Monkey was feeling confident. There had been no signs of the other ship, but he was certain it would be soon. Scurvy and Big Monkey had taken a respite from captaining in their quarters as they laid out the next steps. "So, if my calculations are correct, and they did take the route I anticipated, if we keep up this weather we will be due to cross paths with them tomorrow, Scurvy!" Big pointed to a hand-drawn map he had scribbled on the back of a napkin. "Just to be safe I might need everybody who isn't essential to be on oar duty. We can do it in shifts. We really want to make sure that we aren't taking any chances. if they took a different route we might be further behind than hoped. However with this weather they aren't going to be wasting anybody on the oars. Captain Cloud is quite loved by his crew and he wouldn't put them through unnecessary labor. Any thoughts?"
Scurvy broke out of the spell that had been cast on their thoughts, shaking their head, the blue cat smiled anxiously. "Ain't nothin' I can be addin'. I'll be lettin' the crew know to get a good night rest that isn't on rowin' duty..." pausing, they put their clenched fists together and closed their eyes. "Big, do ye really think we're gonna see them? I just have this bad feelin' things ain't right."
"No need to worry about that, Captain. The worst case scenario is we just catch up to them in Toontown. They're probably going to spend a few days there at a minimum. Just like the Islands were for you, Toontown will be for them. Except without the requirement to quickly leave. I imagine that they will want to take it all in. I'd say if we can keep within three days, we should be okay." Big grabbed Scurvy's hand and clenched it tightly. "We're going to see him again. I promise."
Nodding, Scurvy smiled and stood up. "Guess I best be lettin' the crew know what be goin' on. Thanks much matey. I know he'll be happy to be seein' you too."
The Captain's orders were taken with immediate enthusiasm when they heard how close they were. For many, seeing their Leader again was all the motivation they needed. For some, seeing a new exciting world, and for others just to help a fellow Toon. Everybody had their own reasons, but all of them knew the importance of this. Through the night, in shifts of two hours, the crew rowed strenuously. The non-rowers would come by and pass food, drinks, sing songs, or do anything they could to keep up the energy and motivation. Into the next day, even the most weary of Toons refused to give into their exhaustion, knowing that they would be close. John, along with a pink alligator named Akinari, who was a writer back in the Old World before a near death experience turned him into sailing had become quick friends. The two had been oar buddies and when they weren't rowing, they were generally chatting. Akinari looked just like John's son, and in so seemed to bring the unrelentless wisdom that John had stored up inside of him. As the pair sat down to eat breakfast on the lookout, they discussed a book that Akinari had started writing. "Well, I was hoping that the main character would be end up finding their true love at the end. But, it kind of felt too cliche. So I ended up having them meet their true love at the beginning and then working backwards, so it ends on him being super depressed and lonely."
"You know, that is a great idea. Although have you considered that sometimes the reason things are cliche is because of how well they work? Sometimes Toons just want to read something familiar to bring them out of the horrible parts of life. Like rowing for two straight hours. Hoo boy are my hands so-" the crocodile stood stunned, dropping his fork. "Oh my! Hey! Hey everybody! Ship ahead! Ship ho!"