Ep 17. Going for a Spinda

Ash, May, Max, and Brock are travelling through a forest on their way to Fallarbor Town when they stumble upon a group of Spinda dancing joyfully. The group is amazed to see the Spinda dancing in symphony and soon they realize that these Spinda are training for the annual Spinda race which is held in Fallarbor Town. Upon hearing about the race, Ash, May, Max, and Brock decide to participate with their respective Pokemon in the race.

The next day they arrive at Fallarbor Town where they are greeted by a Spinda race official named Mr. Sukizo. Mr. Sukizo gives them some information about the race which includes that the winner will receive a trophy and some other rewards. Mr. Sukizo also informs them that the race involves running through an obstacle course and that winning the race requires not just speed, but also agility and intelligence.

The group spends the day exploring the town and preparing for the race. They also learn about the history of the Spinda race which has been held in the town for over 200 years. The race started as a way for farmers to show off the agility and intelligence of their farm animals to potential buyers. However, over time, the focus shifted from farm animals to Spinda which were found in abundance in the forest next to the town.

On the day of the race, the group enters with their Pokemon. Ash enters with Pikachu, May enters with Torchic, Max enters with Mudkip, and Brock enters with Forretress. The race starts and all the participants sprint forward. However, they soon realize that the race is not just about speed. The obstacle course includes numerous hurdles which require the participants and their Pokemon to be flexible and agile.

The group navigates through the hurdles and moves ahead in the race. However, they soon realize that the real challenge lies ahead. In the middle of the race, there is a puzzle section where the participants and their Pokemon have to solve a riddle to progress. Ash and Pikachu manage to solve the riddle and move ahead in the race. However, May and Torchic get stuck on the puzzle and lose valuable time. Max and Mudkip also find the puzzle challenging but eventually manage to solve it.

The final stretch of the race involves running through a maze to reach the finish line. The maze is filled with traps and dead-ends which can confuse even the most intelligent of participants. Ash and Pikachu navigate through the maze smoothly and reach the finish line in record time, winning the race. Max and Mudkip come in a close second. May and Torchic finish in third place while Brock and Forretress finish in fourth.

The Spinda race concludes and the group celebrates their victory. Mr. Sukizo congratulates Ash on his victory and hands him the trophy and the rewards. The group also learns that the Spinda race helps in preserving the ecology of the forest as the organizers use the funds generated by the race to maintain the forest.

The episode ends with the group bidding farewell to Fallarbor Town and continuing on their journey. They reflect on the fun they had participating in the Spinda race and the valuable lessons they learned about agility, intelligence, and preservation of nature.