The Melville flooded with activity as the words echoed through the wooden planks. It was all hands on deck as a newly energized crew took to do everything they could to catch up. Their counterparts were still a distance away, however it was still there on the tip of their tongue. It was their oasis in the desert, and they weren't going to give in now. Big, taking command, called out orders. "Hey, Calypso! Need you guys on the oars! Edmund! Release the third sail! We need all the power we can get!" Looking around, the gorilla looked around for Scurvy, who had suddenly disappeared. "Hey, hey! Billy, come on now get on the oars, you have time to eat later!" the ship sliced through the sea like a knife in hot butter. The combined strength of forty Toons together with a strong wind was more than even the ocean itself could stop. No, there was love at stake, and nothing could be more powerful than that. Yet, Scurvy was nowhere to be found. Big jumped down to the lower deck and searched. The few Toons not on oar duty were mostly contracting and releasing sails as needed for maximum efficiency. "Hey, Scurvy! Scurvy!" burrowing down into the lower deck where the quarters were, Big's calls echoed even louder. If anybody hadn't heard him before, they certainly could now. A few minutes of searching and yelling were stopped when Big walked into Horsenado's room where the blue captain was sitting on the bed, face in hands, hyperventilating. In the short time Big had known Scurvy, he hadn't seen them in a stable mood. It seemed back and forth. Were all Toons from Toontown this erratic in their behavior? "Scurvy? Scurvy are you okay? We spotted the ship! We're about to catch up!"
The blue cat looked up, face covered in smeared salty tears. "Arrrgh. I can't do it, Captain. I can't do it."
"Can't do what? Row? Don't worry we have plenty of Toons on the oars! However it would be nice to have you up there to help out!" Big eagerly leaned back and forth from the door frame, antsy and ready to continue their progress.
"I can't be seein' him again, Big. It's been so long. Do ye think he even be wantin' to see me? What would I say? What would I do? It be my fault where we are now, Big. If I hadn't taken him out on that ship that day, none of this be happenin'." the pain in Scurvy's voice was palpable "What if... what if he don't love me anymore?"
Big closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Walking over he sat down and placed his hand on Scurvy's shoulder. "Captain. You have to let that go. You can't hold onto the past. I've never met somebody with a stronger love for another Toon. My own wife of fifty years gets on my case about it. You're in your own head. You just need to close your eyes and live in the moment. Let out that inner captain. When the time comes, you will do great. Now come on, the crew needs us." Standing up, he grabbed Scurvy's hand and pulled them up. Nodding, Scurvy sniffled and wiped away the tears.
"Let's do this, matey!" Scurvy screamed and bumrushed the door, hauling butt up the stairs, the cat was blinded by the light from outside. The sound of grunting with pained Toons dragging the last morsels of strength to pull the ship a few inches closer, again and again. Overridden by guilt at their selfishness, Scurvy used that emotion to power themselves. Running to an empty seat, Scurvy took a free oar and began to stroke. Like the legendary Cupcake Doggenbottom, Scurvy seemed to envelop a new energy, with a brightening blue glow. Like a machine, the salty old captain rowed like their life depended on it. Toons stared in awe at what they were witnessing. "Come on buckos! Just a few more minutes!"
Horsenado and Melville relaxed out in the sun. The pair of horses had decided it may be best to try and keep Melville's mind off of things. The two had made small talk and lounged around. Most of the crew had decided to relax and let the strong winds carry them. Other than Cloud who was busy steering, it was peaceful and quiet. "So Mel, you land in Toontown. You have a pocketful of jellybeans. Where are you going first?"
"Well I'm assuming you're talking about after I go find my family and friends, and Scurvy of course... Well I think I want to go and get myself a nice dinner. I haven't sat down in an actual restaurant for thirty years. Take the family and Scurvy with me, you know? Just really get to connect again." the brown horse closed his eyes and imagined a nice Valentoonian dinner of Doodle-Noodle-Caboodle, a personal favorite. "What about you? I'm sure you have much to do back at the council... Have you given it any thought?"
"Yeah, yeah I have. It's not an easy answer. I mean, when they know we have other Toons they're going to want to know where they came from. There is going to be questions. I can't just hand-wave that away. But I do not wish to ruin anything either for the Islands. I'm honestly worried. What do you think I should do?" Horsenado used his forearm to cover his eyes as the sun came directly into his line of vision.
Melville chuckled. "I guess both of us have a problem that the other one may be unable to solve. However I say rather than searching for the answers in my wisdom, you search for it with some of our friends here. I think one thing I find most frustrating about Toontown is the inability to change. Well, that's not true, I guess more to learn from others? I remember when Valentoonia was starting to be known to Toontown. At the time, they were well ahead of us technologically and scientifically. Yet I remember Mayor Mickey was quite stubborn in taking their ideas. It wasn't until Mayor Flippy was put in charge that things began to change, and even then there were things I wish he had done. Even cogs, as despicable as they are, probably have things we can learn from them." clenching his fists, Melville grunted. "Ugh, how could I forget about cogs. Why can't they just leave Toontown alone?"
"Hmm. Funny you mention that..." Horsenado started to explain everything when he was cut short by the lookout Toon.
"Captain, we have a ship on our tail! Probably about half a league! What steps should we take?" the turkey gobbled in anxiety.
The pair of horses leapt to their feet. How was another ship out here so far away from anybody else. Running up the stairs to the second deck, Melville scratched his head. "Strange thing to see. Doesn't look like any ship I've ever seen."
Falling to his knees, Horsenado felt a pit in his stomach. "It's the Melville!"
"What are you talking about son? I'm right here!" Melville called out.
"No! The ship! It's the Melville! It's Captain and the crew!"
As the distance between the ships closed, Big smiled as he saw more Toons lining the outer edge of the ship and looking towards them. Hopping up and down, the old Toon waved his arms and laughed. "That's definitely them! Look, there's Goober! Hey and it's Bananas... and it's... it's..."
"Horsenado!" Mariner cried out. Jumping from his post, the remaining crew from the Melville abandoned their spots and run to the front of the ship. "Oh my cog, he's really alive! I can't believe it!" euphoric, the blue dog followed suit with the gorilla, and soon the other Toons from the crew.
"That son of a gun! Never count that horse out of a race!" Calypso wiped a tear away. Even though Big had confirmed Horsenado's status, seeing his friend again in person was overwhelming.
The crew of Melville's ship reacted to the Melville first with caution and soon with their own excitement. Many were friends with crew on the Melville. Cloud, the proud captain he was, immediately took action. "Everybody, take down those sails! We need to reverse oars! Slow this boat down! We have company and it isn't Pineapple's family!" Horsenado didn't understand the joke, but it seemed to be a hit with the rest of the group. Legs trembling, the red horse clenched to the railing to avoid falling over. Like an anchor dropping, almost immediately the boat fell to a crawl. Toons rushed with long planks up to the upper deck to prepare for boarding. Others began running for supplies. Melville however, Melville dropped to his knees and buried his face in his hands. It was all coming to fruition. Yet something inside of him was panicking. Struggling to breathe, he reached out and clenched Horsenado's shoulder.
"Hey, hey! Is everything okay, Mel?" Horsenado looked at his friend's pained face. "Do you need me to get a medic?"
"No. No. It's just. They're so close. It's all real. I don't know what to do... What do I say?" Melville began to curl up and clenched his legs to his chest.
The red horse in a moment that surprised even him reached out and slapped the older horse lightly. "You're going to finally see them again! Mel, Scurvy has been searching for you for thirty years! You're going to be okay!"
"Thanks, Horsenado. You're right. You're right." standing up, Melville exhaled and closed his eyes. "I need to go change! I can't see them looking like this!" rushing off before Horsenado could stop him, the horse had turned to a puff of dust as his friend shook his head and chuckled, voice cracking.
"Cloud! Cloud, it's me Big!" the excited gorilla was now just a few hundred feet from the Melville, and he was going to let them know it. "Everybody tone down those sails and prepare to board!" mirroring their counterpart ship, shortly the pair of massive boats were now side by side, drifting along like a Sunday stroll. Dozens of Toons rushed to the sides, placing planks and sliding them towards the other. Nobody really knew what to do as both sides waited with bated breath. Who was going where? Sitting in a stalemate, Big walked over to the edge, matched by Cloud and both nodded and laughed. "Cloud, it has been too long old friend!"
"Too long? I felt that way before we left! Come on over here so I can give you a hug!" the fox grinned evilly.
Big turned and looked at Scurvy who was standing anxiously just a few feet behind him. "Hey, Cloud. Actually, I think we have a few captives on your ship that you owe us! Surrender now our embrace the fear of the Melville!"
Cloud, who was unaware of Melville and Scurvy's relationship nodded and pointed to Horsenado. "Listen. I know he's a bigger boy but he's still just one Toon!" drawing a roar of laughter from the ship.
"I think he's talking about me." a firm, yet warm voice hushed the crowd as the brown horse stepped out from the lower quarters. Dressed dapper in his finest clothes, Melville stood confidently as a hundred pair of eyes were planted firmly on him, as well as one single eye. "May I?" Melville felt one foot follow the other as the horse approached the edge of the ship. The old fox quickly released the silly look on his face. He had never seen such a seriousness from Melville. Closing his eyes, Cloud nodded and stepped out of the way.
On the Melville, Scurvy felt like their heart was about to stop. It was really him. A moment they could have, and had dreamt of for many years. Big Monkey stepped aside, leaving a singular path for the two lovers to finally embrace after an eternity apart. "Melville..." Scurvy whispered. Peg leg clacking against the wood, Scurvy climbed up the stairs and up to the plank. "Melville... is it really you?"
"Scurvy..." the brown horse was unable to speak. This was mostly the same Toon that he had loved so long ago, although they were about one foot short. "Stay there, I'm coming for you, love."
Helping the senior horse onto the wood, Melville carefully watched each step as he crossed the bridge. Just several feet away was his reason for living for so long. The reason he pushed through those terrible weeks at sea. "Melville..." Scurvy whispered again, hardly able to contain themselves, the cat ignored the horse's order and scrambled up to the plank. Now just feet apart, the pair looked at each others. Every Toon stood silently. The moment was captured in time as the pair suddenly embraced in a tearful reunion. Not a single word was spoken, or needed between the two. Just pure, unadulterated love. Cheers broke out from each side. After thirt years, Melville and Scurvy were once again united.