[Elesa: So, who are you all picking?]
[Diantha: First, eliminate Pikachu. No matter how you look at it, that mouse doesn't have an ounce of acting talent.]
[Fantina: Ash can be ruled out too. He's just a hot-blooded boy—what acting could he possibly pull off?]
The ones chatting in the scroll were none other than three of the Pokémon world's most famous actors.
Diantha, of course, was both Champion and actress.
Elesa, Gym Leader of Unova.
Fantina, Gym Leader of Sinnoh.
Unlike Diantha, the other two couldn't afford to take acting as their main career—if they did, they'd be judged "unfit" as Gym Leaders.
Still, with their stage experience, they could all tell who had talent and who didn't.
Ash? No matter from his past clips or just from his face, he was the classic impulsive hothead. Sure, his love for Pokémon was unquestionable—but acting? Not a chance.
And Pikachu? Please. If its trainer was this reckless, how could his partner be any different?
That left only Trip and his Snivy.
[Lance: It's gotta be that boy, Trip.]
[Leon: Agreed. Just looking at him, he doesn't look like an actor, but come on—a Pokémon as "Best Actor"? Doesn't sit right.]
[Diantha: Exactly. Trip clearly has a performer's aura. You can see it in his face!]
…
In Unova, Elesa raised an eyebrow at the scroll.
Wait a second.
Trip didn't have the faintest trace of acting aura about him.
Diantha had to know that. Which meant… she was deliberately misleading everyone!
If others got the buzzer first, they'd likely pick the wrong answer.
Hiss—
So that's how it was. The elegant, upright Champion Diantha, ruthless in secret when it came to competition!
…
At the Wyndon Stadium, Diantha kept her face perfectly serious as she told the others:
"Trip is definitely the real actor here. He's still green now, but in the future, he's bound for the entertainment industry."
She rambled on about his looks, his fashion sense, his posture—
and one by one, the other Champions nodded in agreement.
Yes, it made sense! Trip was the future actor!
Even his name had "Emperor" in it! How could he not be?
…
Meanwhile, in Unova, Trip sat in his room, not yet having started his journey.
Reading the scroll comments, he suddenly doubted his dreams.
He'd wanted to be a photographer, training as a hobby on the side.
But now… was everyone right? Did he actually have an actor's gift?
Has his dream been wrong all along?
…
The sixty-second countdown ended.
Every qualified contestant slammed their buzzer at the same instant!
Diantha, having set everyone up, calmly declared her choice.
[Answerer: Diantha!]
"Yesss!!"
She leapt up, pumping her fist in triumph.
Beside her, Cynthia smiled faintly.
"See, Diantha? I told you—what's yours will come to you."
"Haha, thanks, Cynthia! If I could split rewards, I'd give you half!"
On the big screen, Diantha's chosen answer appeared: D!
[Lance: ???]
[Steven: ???]
[Bruno: ???]
[Brandon: A cunning move, Miss Diantha! You really meant to trick the whole world, didn't you?]
[Diantha: Heh. Just a little strategy, nothing more. After all… I was the one who got the buzzer, wasn't I?]
The Champions around her realized with dawning horror—
Trip was never the answer! Diantha had pegged Snivy from the very start!
"Heh. We're all competitors here. Can't blame me for playing a little dirty~"
Leon laughed heartily.
"As expected of the actress-Champion herself. You had us all fooled!"
Lance chuckled as well.
"If you ever went undercover in the League, Diantha, no one on earth would uncover your identity."
"Overpraised, overpraised, haha!"
Then Professor Oak leaned forward curiously.
"But Diantha, how were you so sure it was Snivy? Couldn't Trip have been the one?"
Diantha, smug, revealed her reasoning.
"Look at Trip's hand—he's holding a camera. That means he's a photographer. Not an actor.
And Snivy—come on, look at those eyes. That sultry, practiced gaze? Born performer! If anyone here is an actor, it's Snivy!"
Everyone gasped as they spotted the tiny detail.
They marveled at her keen observation… and also at her shameless acting.
Her earlier "Trip is the one" speech? Pure theater. And they'd all bought it!
Truly worthy of the "Best Actor" title herself!
Then—
A giant red X flashed across the screen.
[Wrong Answer! A personal "Black History" highlight reel will be shown for Diantha.]
"Wha—???"
Diantha's confident smile collapsed instantly.
Impossible! Her analysis had been flawless!
How could it be wrong?!
[Brandon: Someone went through all that trouble acting, only to flop at the end. I won't say who.]
[Diantha: Ugh!! It wasn't even me who exposed you last time! I can't believe you're this petty, Brandon!]
That was the second time Brandon had stepped in just to mock her.
Who would've thought the stoic, serious mountain man had such a dark, petty heart?
…
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