Operation Friendship

[ Theme Song ]

Mika: Why don't you stop by and we'll have some seaweed together one of these days? (The shell school bell rings) The kids: Yeah! (Ricky, Ella, Pipo, and Annabel all swim out of the school) Ricky: Whoo-hoo! School's out for the day! Ella: Yippee! (Suddenly, Leonard arrives, holding Norbert on his pincers) Villager: Am I dreaming? Aroun: What's he doing here? Ray: Normally, he never sets his pincers out of his aquarium. (Sammy swims to Leonard, who's on his way to César's diving helmet) Leonard: Don't you worry, we're gonna get you fixed right back up. (Sammy arrives) Sammy: Hello there, Leonard. Welcome to the reef. Leonard: Hmm? Yes, of course. We'll go right back home, Norbert. Ray: (to the kids) Leonard's always that way. He only speaks nicely to his little garden gnome. He couldn't care less about anybody else. Ricky: Yeah, he's the crabbiest crab I know. Sammy: You know, Ricky, for him to be like that, Leonard must be very unhappy. Ella and Ricky: Hmm? Leonard: My Norbert has an unsightly crack on his hat. I need some seaweed glue in order to fix it. César: I'm sorry, but I'm fresh out. On the other hand, if you stop by sometime next week, I-- (The kids are all watching Leonard talking to César) Leonard: Next week? That's insane! (Leonard walks past the kids and heads back to his aquarium)

(The kids are all hiding behind a steering wheel) Annabel: It's still kinda strange that Norbert is his only friend. Maybe Norbert is actually really nice. Ricky: Annabel, Norbert is just a little statue. He's not a living being. (The kids all hide behind a rock to spy on Leonard in his aquarium) Pipo: Are you sure? Maybe Leonard also thinks that Norbert really is alive. Ella: Hmm. (Inside Leonard's aquarium, the crab places Norbert in his place) Leonard: Huh? Ella: If that's the case, we have to tell him the truth. You heard what Sammy said. Deep down, Leonard must be very sad. Ricky: No, wait! If you tell Leonard that Norbert is just a statue, he'll be even more sad. Ella: You know, you're right, Ricky, but Leonard just can't go on like this. What he needs is some real friends.

Leonard: (laughs) I don't need any other friends. I already have Norbert. He's better than all of you put together. The kids: Huh? (The kids all swim out of the aquarium) Annabel: Whether he's alive or not, Norbert holds a very important place in his life. Ricky: Huh? Why, of course. We're gonna take Norbert's place. He's gonna go away on a little vacation. Ella: If it's for his own good, all right. Annabel: A statue going away on vacation? Make up your mind. Is he alive or not? Ella: Huh? (giggles) (Later at night, the kids are sneaking into the aquarium) Ricky: Shh. (Ricky and Ella both get inside the aquarium) Annabel: Shh. (Annabel and Pipo accidentally bump into each other before they get inside) Pipo and Annabel: Ouch! Ricky and Ella: Huh? (Pipo and Annabel fall down inside the aquarium, causing them to land on Ricky and Ella, and knock over a couple of mushroom decorations) Leonard: Huh? (looks around the aquarium, but didn't see the kids) Bless, you Norbert. (Leonard falls back to sleep, unaware that Ricky, Ella, and Pipo are all hiding behind the decorations while Annabel camouflages herself. They all come out of hiding.)

Ella: Easy now. Watch out for the crack. (The kids all place Norbert safety on a rock) Ricky: First part of the mission accomplished. Annabel: I hope Norbert isn't gonna catch a cold in that cave. (Ricky, Ella, and Pipo all glare at her) Oh, yeah. I forgot. It's a statue. (The kids all swim out of the cave, unaware that Big Boss, Marco, and Philippe are all hiding behind a large boulder nearby. Big Boss, Marco, and Philippe all swim inside the cave) Big Boss: This here statue is just exactly what we need. (He laughs, but Marco and Philippe both laugh, too) You mind telling me what's so funny? Pick it up and let's go.

Leonard: No! Ella: (wakes up) Huh? (Ella swims out of the habitat and meets up with her friends) The kids: Leonard the Crab.

Leonard: You find that funny maybe? Who did such a thing? Give me back Norbert! I want my Norbert! (The kids all swim inside the aquarium) Ricky: Calm down, Leonard. Nobody took your Norbert. Pipo: Yeah, um, maybe he simply, uh, went away on vacation. Leonard: Impossible. Norbert is just like me. He can't stand vacation. But why did my Norbert leave? Why? (sobs) Why? Ella: I'm sure he'll come back soon. Until then, how'd you like to come to the village with us? Ricky: Yeah, come on. And we could even help you make lots of new friends. Leonard: N-n-n-no. I won't set foot outside my aquarium. (walks inside his rock den) Without Norbert, I'm afraid. I'll wait for him here until he c-c-c-comes back.

Ella: Rats. We didn't expect that to happen. Ricky: If Leonard the Crab stays cooped up inside his aquarium, he has no chance of ever making any real friends. Ella: Then what if we went to live with him to prove to him how great it is to have real friends? Ricky: Super idea. And afterwards, he will have even forgotten about Norbert when we return him. Annabel: Poor Norbert. I hope he doesn't get too bored there all alone in that cave. Ella: But we still have to persuade him.

Ella: Sammy, you saw for youself that Leonard the Crab was sad. He needs to be comforted. Ricky: So will you let us? Can we spend the night at his place? Sammy: All right, but only because I know you'll be safe and sound inside his aquarium.

Leonard: Okay, you can stay here on condition that you clean up the house. I want everything to be spic and span when Norbert comes back. And of course, you have to obey by my rules without question. Ella: You'll see, Leonard. You won't regret it. Pipo: Mm-hmm. (Later, the kids are seen bouncing onto the mushroom decorations) Leonard: Rule number one: Make no noise during my nap. (Pipo falls down from the mushroom) Pipo: But that's the fourth rule already today. Ricky: If we can't make any noise, how are we gonna play? Leonard: Rule number two: No playing allowed. Because playing is a waste of time. (Later, the kids are seen cleaning up the aquarium) Rule number eight: Clean the mushrooms morning, noon, and night, going from top to bottom, never from bottom to top. Ricky: Sorry, but I don't see what difference it makes. Leonard: Rule number nine: Raise your fin before speaking. Ella Don't insist, Ricky. You're forgetting rule number five: Don't ask any questions. Leonard the Crab hates that. Leonard: Very good, Ella. You'll get a double ration of seaweed. Ricky: (to Ella) Nah nah nah nah nah nah. (Later, the kids are eating some seaweeds) Leonard: No, no, and no. That's not how you eat seaweed. It's much more refined to suck it up in one go like this. (Leonard slurps on the seaweed. Pipo does the same thing, but he accidentally causes his seaweed to hit him the eyes) Pipo: Help! My seaweed is attacking me. (Pipo bumps into Annabel, who bumps into Ella, who bumps into Ricky. Ricky spits out the seaweed in surprise, and it lands on Leonard's eyes. Ricky and Ella both laugh) Ella: Sorry, Leonard, but why can't we eat like we normally do? Leonard: Because in my aquarium, we do as I say, and we follow my rules. Ricky: Even if those rules are, uh, a litlte absurd? Pipo: Mm-hmm. Annabel: Uh-huh. Leonard: If you kids aren't happy, you don't have to stay. Norbert never had any problem with my rules. I miss him so much. Norbert. Please excuse me. I'd rather just go to bed. (walks back to his rock den) Ella: It's impossible to live with him. Leonard the Crab is just too demanding. Ricky: That's for sure. Norbert is the only one who could ever put up with him. Annabel: But how did he accept all of Leonard's rules without ever saying anything? Ricky, Ella, and Pipo: Because he's a statue! Annabel: Oh, yeah, that's right. I forgot. Again.

Ella: There is no other solution. All that's left to do is to recover Norbert and bring him back without being noticed. Ricky: And when Leonard wakes up, he'll find his garden gnome and he'll no longer be sad. Huh? (sees that Norbert is missing) Hey, where'd he go? Annabel: Norbert ran away? Ella: I'd say more like he was kidnapped. Ricky: Maybe he's still in the whereabouts. (The kids all swim out of the cave) Huh? There. Look. Ella: It's a piece of Norbert's hat. (picks up the piece) Pipo: That way! (Pipo picks up another piece) Annabel: This way. (Annabel sees another piece on top of a sleeping lobster) Ella: Over there. Ricky: Of course. Another one of Big Boss's s tricks. (The kids all look up and see Norbert on top of the shipwreck's mast) Annabel: But why would he kidnap Norbert?

Ella: Above all, don't make a sound. We mustn't wake up Big Boss. (Leonard suddenly arrives) Leonard: My Norbert! (grabs Norbert and hugs him) The kids: Shh. Leonard: When I woke up and didn't see you in my aquarium, I panicked. First Norbert disappeared, and then you guys as well. I had to do something. Ricky: Thanks, but not so loud. Leonard: You know, Norbert, it took a lot of courage for me to come out of the aquarium without you. All right, let's go. Ella: (tries to grab Norbert) You'll tell us all about it later, okay? Leonard: Please stop sulking about your broken hat. I promise I'll glue it back together. So now, are you ready to go back to the house? (Big Boss, Marco, and Philippe all arrive) Big Boss: Put that down right now! Leonard: Huh? (Marco and Philippe both start chasing after Leonard) Marco and Philippe: Grrr! Ella: What does everybody want with that garden gnome? (Marco pulls Norbert by using his tail, and Philippe helps him pull it back) Leonard: Get your scales off of him! (The kids all help Leonard by pulling him back) He's my Norbert! Big Boss: Oh, yeah? Well, I need him. He scares away overly curious fish from approaching. Leonard: In your dreams. I'll never abandon him! Never! (Everyone in the tug-in-war accidentally launch Norbert up) Big Boss: Catch him! And tie him to the hull of the ship. If that's the way it is, he'll be my litlte scare-fish. (laughs) Ricky: Quick! We gotta be fast. (The kids are about to swim away, but Philippe appears in front of them) Philippe: Surprise. Ricky: We're doomed. (The kids all gasp when Norbert falls back down and bounces itself onto Marco's and Philippe's heads. Norbert lands to where Leonard is, and he catches him) Leonard: Good going, Norbert. (Marco and Philippe are both knocked out, and the kids and Leonard all escape from the shipwreck) Big Boss: All right, then, which one of you two shall I tie to the hull of the ship?

Ella: See? Nothing like a bit of seaweed glue to do the trick. Thanks to who? Thanks to your friends. Leonard: Norbert is tired. All right, shoo, you all. Go, go, go. (The kids all swim out of the aquarium) Thank you, my friends. (The kids all swim back to the reef) Pipo: It's as if Norbert actually swam all by himself to save us. You think that maybe he really is alive? Annabel: Don't you understand a thing? We've been telling you all along. Norbert is just a statue. Oh, Pipo. (The kids all laugh)