Finding Bailey Chapter 3

After three days on the EAC, Dory, Hank, and Bailey arrived at the same littered area that was just a couple miles away from the Marine Life Institute. This place was populated by hermit crabs with trash for shells, such as coffee mugs, bottle caps, and even rubber duckies!

“Does anybody know how to get to...” Dory began, before she was interrupted by Hank.

“Are you trying to get us killed?” He asked. “Who knows what predators lurk here!” Crabs then came out of the ‘shells’ and gave out a loud shush.

“You need help?” Said a voice. “Down here.” Dory looked down at the seabed and spotted something in the sand, and soon, a California halibut popped out of the sand.

“What’s wrong with your face?” She asked.

“I was born this way.” Said the halibut. “The name’s Alf. What are you doing here? You look like you came from the Great Barrier Reef.

“Technically,” Said Hank. “She was hatched in an aquarium. The Marine Life Institute in Morro Bay, California, to be exact. However, we’re actually on our way to Alaska.”

”I don’t know where Alaska is,” Replied Alf. “But I do know where the Marine Life Institute is. Just keep swimming East until you end up in a kelp forest. There are some lazy but friendly sea lions there at the gate, and I’m sure they’ll help you.”

“Barely!” Said Dory. “Could you use your echolocation to locate the sea lions?”

“I’ll try.” Said Bailey, who still had a nasal accent. “Oooohh! I see what appears to be a kelp forest. Oooohhh! I also see some long things lying on the shore. They must be sea lions!”

“Then let’s go!” Said Dory, and the three kept swimming until they ended up at the kelp forest. However, Bailey started feeling nervous.

“What’s wrong, Barney?” Asked Dory.

“The aquarium-keepers might be looking for me!” He said. “They might put me back in the aquarium, or worse! Send me to fish jail!”

“You’re on the run?” Asked a black Sea Lion lying on a rock. “No need to worry. You and that whale fish got replaced by a manta ray and a sea turtle.”

“But there are no manta rays in California!” Said Hank.

“The ray was bought from an aquarium in Georgia.” Said a brown sea lion. “The name’s Rudder.”

“And the name’s Fluke.” Said the Black Sea Lion, who then looked at Dory. “Hey, you’re the one who drove that truck into the sea!”

“That would be me.” Said Hank.

“What brings you here?” Asked Rudder.

“We’re here to ask if you know the way to Nebraska.” Replied Dory.

“Alaska!” Said Hank in a frustrated tone.

“Alaska?” Asked Fluke. “What for?”

“We need to return our whale friend here to Alaska, or else, he may not survive.” Replied Hank.

“Really?” Asked Rudder. “If that’s the case, we know something that may help you. Gerald!” Another sea lion swam over with grey skin and a big unibrow carrying a green bucket.

“We need one of your treasures to help our friend.” Said Fluke. Gerald knocked over the bucket with his nose, and out came several strange things, such as a dog bobble-head, a compass, a pack of gum, and an action figure of a Canadian stuntman on a motorcycle. Rudder picked up the compass with his mouth and gave it to Hank.

“This is a compass.” He said. “This thing always points North, and Alaska is all the way up North!” Suddenly, they started hearing a boat motor, which made Bailey nervous.

“Oh, no!” He said. “Someone hide me!” Dory hid in some kelp, Hank camouflaged himself on another rock with mussels and barnacles, and Bailey hid under a dock. As soon as the boat approached the sea lions, one of the humans was revolted at Gerald’s ‘treasures’ and grabbed every one of them, except for the compass.

“No respect for ocean life.” She said, and the boat took off. Gerald was upset that all his treasures were taken.

“It’s alright, Gerald!” Said Fluke. “You can start a new collection!”

“We’d love to chew the fat with you,” Said Hank. “But we have a journey to embark on! To Alaska?”

“To Alaska!” Said Dory.

“To Alaska.” Said Bailey with his nasal accent, and he let out another sneeze.

Author's Notes: All of Gerald's treasures in this chapters are, in fact, Pixar Easter Eggs. The pack of gum is a nod to TripleDent Gum, a brand of bubblegum from Inside Out that has a catchy commercial jingle. The gum has since then appeared in Cars 3 and Onward.

The dog bobble head is a nod to the many treasures that the titular robot finds in the trash in WALL-E.

And finally, the Canadian stuntman action figure is a nod to Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4.

As you probably noticed by now, I did lots of research to make sure that the new characters that appear in Finding Bailey are endemic to the locations Dory and the gang visit. The California halibut, as one would expect, lives in California.