The Big Departure

[ Theme Song ]

Lulu: For this last day of school before summer vacation, I've decided to take you on a tour outside the reef. The canyon is a dangerous place, so stay grouped together between Ray and I, all right? The Rockfish: Uh-huh! Ricky and Ella: Yeah! (Lulu, his class, and Ray all swim together) Ray: Did I ever tell you all about the time Sammy and I got lost in a coral forest and how wer had to take on a bunch of giant crabs? Ricky: Uh, Grandpa, you already told us that story. Ray: And what about the time I had to use the freestyle flipper chop I learned in the Sandwich Islands. You've heard about that before, Ricky, but your friends haven't. Glitz: Hey, that's true. We've never heard that story before, and we sure would. Right, pal? Babbles: Oh, yeah! It must be full of super-incredible action. (The Rockfish all laugh) Lulu: You can admire on your left coral formations that-- Ray: Then the giant crabs were coming in from all sides. There I was in the middle, barely able to dodge them all. But then I see Sammy drowning in the middle of them. (The Rockfish all laugh again) I fly to his rescue. I charge right up to the leader of the crabs, and pow! I give him the freestyle flipper chop. The rest of the group was so scared, they'd already flown the coop. We never saw those giants ever again in the whole region. Glitz: That's super-impressive, Ray. Right, Ricky? (The Rockfish all laugh at Ricky) Ricky: (swims a few feet away) Ohh. He's ridiculous with all his bragging. The scorpfish won't stop making fun of him. Ella: He doesn't realize it, Ricky. It's not very serious. Pipo: Well, I like Ray's stories. I think they're cool. The kids: Huh? (Everyone look up and sees a barracuda. They all scream, but Ray gets in front of Ricky, Ella, Pipo, and Annabel) Ray: Don't be afraid. Everybody get behind me. Ha! Now's the moment to show what the freestyle flipper chop is made of. Hyah! (He tries to chop on the barracuda, but he misses and he ends up being flipped on his back) Ow! My back went out! Ricky: Grandpa! (The barracuda snarls at the kids, making them all scream. The kids all swim as fast as possible away from the barracuda. The barracuda chases after Annabel, but Lulu grabs its tail to let her get away. He lets the barracuda's tail go, and it swims away. Annabel hugs Lulu for saving her. The Rockfish look out of a large rock and sees the barracuda have retreat) Glitz: Wow, way to go, Ray. We're not about to forget your freestyle flipper thingy for a long time to come. Ray: I could've got him by myself. (The Rockfish all laugh at Ray as he tries to turn himself right side up) Ricky: Hmm.

Sammy: Come on. What got into you? You're too old for those kind of acrobatics, Ray. Shelly: Don't you realize that one of the little ones could've got hurt, or worse? Ray: I'm sorry, Sammy. I am sorry.

Sammy's voice: You're too old for those kind of acrobatics, Ray. Shelly's voice: Don't you realize that one of the little ones could've got hurt, or worse? Ray: Hmm.

[Rita: What's better to pick up your spirits than a handful of fresh jellyfish? Two handfuls of fresh jellyfish? Ray: Hmm. Huh? (He and Rita both see Ricky snoring) I have something to tell you, and it's important. (Unbeknownst to him and Rita, Ricky has wake up) I've thought it over, Rita. If I'm not capable of being strong and sturdy like before, I'd rather leave the village. Rita: Ray! Don't be silly. You don't have to prove anything. Not to me, or to Sammy, or anybody. You may not be all that young anymore, but what does that matter? Everybody loves you just the way you are. Ray: That's not the problem, Rita. Becayse of me, the little ones were in danger. I can't be counted on anymore. And I don't want to be a burden. I've made up my mind. Tomorrow is the big departure. (Ricky groans after he eavesdrop on his grandparents)

Sammy: Hmm? Don't worry. He'll come back once his spirits are lifted. Ricky: Huh? (Near the passageways, Ray looks back at the tree) Ray: Huh? Shelly's voice: Don't you realize that one of the little ones could've got hurt? (Ray grunts, but he swims to the passageways. Ricky appears in front of him.) Ray: Huh? Ricky: Hi there, Grandpa! Ray: Ricky? What are you doing here? Ricky: Well, it's a beautiful, sunny day. Uh, I thought maybe I could accompany you. Ray: Don't you have school? Ricky: Grandpa, you know very well that today is the first day of vacation. Ray: Whatever the case, you can't come with me. You have to... watch over your grandmother. Ricky: As if Rita needed watching over. Ray: Yeah, you're right about that. Fine, you can accompany me. But only up until the great coral reef, no farther. Ricky: It's a deal, Grandpa. All the way to the great coral reef.

Ricky: Oh, no! How could I have forgotten? Ray: Forget what? Ricky: The report. For school. On the migration of whales. You wouldn't want to help me do it, would you? You must've seen lots of whales before. Ray: Hmm, Ricky, listen. You know very well I'm leaving. Ricky: Oh, come on, please? Say yes. You could come to school and tell us about one of your adventures. Everybody would love it for sure. Please? Please? Please? Ray: If that's really what you want. Ricky: Fantastic! Thanks, Grandpa! (Ray and Ricky both turn around) Ray: Wait a minute. Didn't you just tell me that today was the first day of school vacation? Ricky: Uh, yeah. But, uh... it's, uh, vacation homework. Ray: You're trying to get me to go to the village, is that it? Ricky: Me? Oh, not at all. What could you possibly mean by that? Ray: Hmm. (Ray turns around and continues to swim. Ricky follows him) Ricky: Huh? Ouch! My flipper! (bends his flipper to make it look like he sprain it) Ow! It really hurts! I bet I sprained it for sure. Ray: Which one? Ricky: The left one. Ow! It really hurts! (Ray carries Ricky away) What are you doing? Ray: What do you think? Bringing you back to the village. There, we'll be able to treat your flipper. Ricky: You're the best, Grandpa. You're a real hero. Hmm. Ray: Say, there, which flipper did you say hurts? Ricky: Uh, the left. I mean the right! Oh! Ow! Ray: It was the other one a minute ago. You're trying again to get me to go back, aren't you? Ricky: I'm sorry, Grandpa. I won't do it again. Ray: Hmm. (Ricky and Ray are almost get to the great coral reef) Ricky: Uh, could we stop and get something to eat? It's not a trick, I swear. I'm really, really hungry. Listen to this. (stomach rumbles) Ray: All right. (Later, Ray had round up three jellyfish for him and Ricky to eat) Ricky: Grandpa, tomorrow we'll make it to the great coral reef. That means that tonight is our last evening together. (Ray chomps on a jellyfish, making Ricky groans and swims away) Huh? Huh? (notices two barracudas nearby) Huh. (notices several seaweeds grow in a small cave nearby) Ahh. (swims to Ray) Ahh. I sure would like to take a little nap. Ray: Oh, no, we're in a hurry. And you know very well that when I see someone sleeping, it makes me sleepy, too. (Ricky falls asleep) Ah, kids these days. (yawns) A little nap never hurt anyone. (falls asleep) (At dawn, Ricky wakes up and sees Ray still sleeping. He swims away from him) Ricky: Help! Grandpa! Help! Ray: Huh? Huh? Huh? Ricky: Barracudas! They've got me! Aah! They're biting me! Help! Ray: Huh? Huh? He's just pretending. Manage on your own, Ricky. I'm taking a nap! Good luck! (chuckles) Ricky: Huh? (sees Ray falls asleep) Ohh. (sees a couple of large seaweeds) Huh? (sees his shadow) Oh. (picks up two large seaweeds) Help, Grandpa! I'm serious! (waves the two seaweeds to give out an illusion that the barracudas are attacking him) Ray: Hmm? Ricky: Boy, oh, boy! No! Leave me alone! Ray: Son of a tiger shark! It really was true! (Ricky drops the two seaweed) Ricky! I'm coming, little fella! (Ricky swims to the seaweed cave) But where'd they go? Ricky: They--They ran away. They saw you coming and they took off. Ray: They saw me coming? Ricky: Mm-hmm. Ray: I'm not famous all over the ocean. Ricky: It sure seems like it. You should've seen their faces. They said, "Whoa! Here comes Ray, the king of the freestyle flipper chop!" And they took off. Ray: The king of the freestyle flipper chop. Chah! Chah! Good-bye, barracudas. I guess I'm still a hero after all. Ricky: You can say that again. So, then... maybe we can go back to the village now? That sure is some story to tell everybody back at the village. Ray: And how! I can't wait to tell Sammy. (Ray and Ricky both swim back to the village. Nearby, the two barracudas have come back) Ricky: Grandpa, uh... Ray: Don't worry, kid. They must've thought we were gone and dared to come back. The king of the freestyle flipper chop is gonna show them that they would've done better to wait a while. Ricky: Grandpa! They're not afraid of all! (the barracudas charge to him, but Ricky swims into Ray's flippers) Aah! Ray: But what's got into them? I though they were afraid of me. Ricky: They're, uh, maybe not the same ones. (shudders) Ray: Huh? (Ricky looks inside a tunnel nearby and sees a crab) Ricky: I have an idea how to get us out of this. (The barracudas charge to Ray and Ricky) Ray: Ready? (He and Ricky both swim up, which lead to the barracudas swim into the tunnel. The crab pinches their nose) Uh-oh. (The two barracudas swim away. Ricky and Ray both laugh) Ricky: Look at those losers. Boo! (He and Ray both swim back to the village) I don't believe it. You weren't scared at all. And we managed to outdo them. Ray: Of course. What did you think? That I was just bragging? Ricky: Uh, about that, Grandpa... Ray: Don't wear yourself out. I figured so. Those barracudas never were afraid of me, were they? Ricky: No. But they should've been. Because, in fact, you really are a hero!

Ricky: There were barracudas everywhere! There were at least 30 of them! Right, Grandpa? Ray: Oh, I'd say about 35. We were right in the middle of them all, back to back. The turtles, Pipo, and Annabel: Wow! Ray: We knocked off the first ten of them in one blow. And then-- Ricky: And then the hammerhead sharks got involved. (Everyone all laugh in amusement)