Part One: Johto (1-8)
Part Two: Kanto (9-21)
Part Three: The Masters (22-?)

Here is the long-awaited first ep of Part Three. Ash and co. are in the Registry Office, on the right track to the Masters. But tradition threatens to derail them, in...

The Great Race

Disclaimer: Idon'townPokémonONWITHTHEFIC!

"Why did I steal this mallet anyway?" said Brock to himself. "I won't use it for anything, so I guess I can just throw it away." At least, he thought he said it to himself, but evidently not, as a small mole got up and walked away.
"Hurry up, Brock, and come to the counter. I need three witnesses to prove I did not steal these Badges. You, Misty and Ad," said Ash. Joy was looking over his shoulder.
"Coming!" Brock pulled out a PokéBall. "Geodude, bury the mallet!"
"Geo!" Geodude set to work at digging up the floor. Brock went over to the counter.
"He didn't nick them," he explained. Joy thought.
"I don't trust you. I can't let you in, I'm afraid."
"What?" cried Ash. "I won these fairy-squarey!"
"He's right," said a group of voices from the side.
"Huh?" said Ash.
A grown man placed his hand on Ash's shoulder. He picked up the IQ Badge.
"He definitely got this off of me."
"That from I," said a female voice, prodding the Dark Badge.
"I recognize those voices," thought Ash. He turned around. "Simon! Mercy!"
Simon closed his eyes. "Hi, Ash."
"Did no me say meet at Alternative Masters place?"
"So all the Gym Leaders are here?" asked Ash.
"Yup, and it seems that they're willing to prove you're validated. I can let you through, after the tradition's done." Ash's eyes widened. "What tradition?"

Ash. Misty and Brock were lined up behind a white line. In front of them was a long obstacle course.
"This is so obviously nicked from The Flame Pokémon-athon, eh guys?" said Brock.
"Remind me why we're here again," said Ash to Ad.
"Tradition dictates that every Gym Leader and the challenger must take part in a race before the Masters tournament. Only if the challenger wins can they go through."
"I was afraid of that," said Ash, gulping.
"Oakey dokey, the second ever Great Race..."
("Second? Has only one person ever got through before?")
("Yep. You'll face him at the end. He's the fourth master.")
"...will now begin. In the first, second and third lanes are the challenger and his supporters: Ash Ketchum and Furret; Misty Waterflower and Starmie; and Brock Stoneson and Golem; one of whom must win for Ash to go through."
"In the fourth lane is Ad Adhill and Misdreavus, first Alternative Leader."
"Fifth lane is Mint and Mantine of the Ilex Forest Gym; sixth, Simon and Xatu of Goldenrod Passage; seventh, Mercy and Murkrow; eighth, Archibald and Slugma; ninth, Bernard on Nidoran; tenth, Barbara on Sandslash; eleventh, Robert and Ponyta; twelfth, Chelsea and Bayleef."
"The race is an obstacle course. Every so often, the person or people in last place will have to drop out. Start as soon as you hear me say so. The commentator will instruct you on what to do. On your marks – set – go!"

The group sped off. Archibald was in last place on Slugma, which was slowly crawling along. Bernard and Barbara were neck and neck in fourth, Mercy was flying along in third, just behind Ad in second, but out in front of everyone else were Robert and Ponyta. Ash was in sixth.
"Come on Furret, you can beat Bernard and Barbara!"
"I'm going – as fast – as I can!"
"Perhaps you can catch them on the first obstacle," considered Ash.
"Which is," interrupted the commentator, "a pool of water."
Ponyta ran across the pool, its feet not even touching the water. Ad and Mercy flew across, but Nidoran and Sandslash screeched to a halt.
"Suckers!" said Ash as Furret leapt over the pool. Following him: Mantine glided over next to Starmie (Misty and Mint clapping hands); Xatu flew over; Bayleef surfed on a leaf; Slugma hardened immediately, and Archibald used him as an raft; and Golem ground to a halt.
"Brock, Bernard and Barbara are dropping out, with Robert in first; Ad, second; and Mercy, third. Will the order stay the same after the huge pit, though? Huge pit? Since when was that an obstacle?"
At the bottom of the pit, a black man grinned. At least, he looked like a black man, but this may have been because he was covered in mud. Above him, a flaming horse leapt over the pit. Smirking, the man in the pit clambered out and took a plunger box with him. Two Pokémon flew over, and a small ferret-like Pokémon fell into the pit.
"Whoooooooooooooaaaaaa!" cried Ash, doing an impression of George W. Bush. He looked around.
"How are we going to get out?"
"You're not," said the man. Misty, Chelsea and Archibald fell in as well.
"Drat!" exclaimed the man. "I wanted to deal with Ash alone. You leave me no choice."
He pushed down on the plunger. A barrel exploded under Ash's feet, and propelled him upwards. He landed on Simon, pushing him into the pit, then crawled over.
"Go!" cried Archibald. "We'll deal with this madman!" Starmie shot a bullet of water at the man, and the mud was washed off.
"Trig!" said Misty.
"Drat! I'd better run!" said Trig, vaulting out.
The commentator boomed, "Archibald, Misty, Simon and Chelsea are now out! The lead is the same, and the first three are under the large beam. And Mantine is just...wait! Who's this? Ash and Furret are thundering past Mint and under the beam, and Mantine has bolted. Mint is out!"
"What happened?" shrieked Mint as the rocket-propelled Ash and Furret sped past.
"The race is almost over, and Mercy and Ash are neck and neck as they face the wrong-way travelator!" Trig stood under the pavement, where the conveyor belt was being powered by a man turning a handle.
"Get off!" he said, elbowing the surprised man out of the way. Trig started turning the handle with all his might. The belt started turning even faster.
"Come – on – Furret!" said Ash, leaning down. The air resistance was building up, and Ash's ba of clean underwear caught fire. Little did he know there was a little explosive left...
It exploded, and Ash and Furret were fired like a cork through the air. The belt snapped, and an expanse of rubber flew up and smacked into Murkrow.
"Mercy and Murkrow are out! In other news, Ponyta is refusing to climb the great hill. So it looks like it's up to Ad and Misdreavus to keep Ash and Furret from winning!"
"That's a big hill, but I know you can climb it. Go, Misdreavus!" shouted Ad, and Misdreavus flew upwards. The finish line was just behind the hill.
"I can't muck this up!" said Trig. "If Ash wins, I'll have to keep following him around and wandering!" He held a small box in his hand. He had buried an explosive charge at the top of the hill. Ad passed over it. Not long now. Ash was climbing the hill. Ash passed over the charge. Trig pressed the button.
Ash was blown into the air. He fell limply to the ground. Furret curled sadly up over its unconscious master's body. It heaved the body onto it, and started to roll downhill.
Ash squinted. He was rolling downhill. He looked up. Ad was behind him. Suddenly, he was yanked off of Furret. He grabbed for the thing that had pulled him. It was a red tape. It had one word emblazed on it over and over again. The word was "FINISH".

Ash took the final Badge: the Pass Badge. He returned the other Badges to the leaders, and tucked the Pass in his pocket.
"If you go in through there," explained Joy, "there's a teleporter. Put the Pass in the slot, and you'll activate it. You'll get another Pass to use in another teleporter from the first Master. Then, you'll reach the fourth and final one. You'll get a prize, a phenomenal prize. Then you can resume the Johto league."
Joy opened a door, and the group entered.
And so, in the immortal words of John Cleese...

"The parrot...is dead!"

GOODNIGHT!