Stagestruck Starly (Japanese: VSムックル: パールとダイヤ, Hepburn: VS Starly: Pearl and Dia) is the 1st chapter of Pokémon Adventures: Volume 30.
Synopsis[]
In Sinnoh region, Diamond and Pearl are two upstanding comedians. In a strange occurrence of fate, they win a trip towards Mt. Coronet. The two meet a girl, unaware that she's a daughter of a noble family, who was looking for two guys with a red and green scarf.
Chapter plot[]
In the Berlitz House, a young girl's butler brings her clothes for the day. Plantinum remarks the weather is perfect for an occasion by wearing a diamond and pearl ring. In Jubilife City, two boys Diamond and Pearl from Twinleaf Town with their Chatot and Munchlax putting up a performance called Red Gyarados. Pearl performs, imagining if he was at Lake Verity, and orders his Chatot to use Fury Attack on the grass to find the Red Gyarados. He intends to let Diamond and his Munchlax come out, dressed as Magikarp, and hit them for being fake posers. As Chatot attacks the grass, it unveils Munchlax, who is eating the rice balls. Pearl shouts him for eating on stage during the play and Diamond states he is a "MUNCHIKARP", and joins Munchlax on stage. The audience is disappointed, forcing Pearl to drag Diamond away and apologizing everyone for the bad performance.
Outside, Pearl and Chatot are angry with Diamond and Munchlax for ruining the play. Diamond says his Lax found the rice balls before the play, and before he could stop it, Lax went to the stage. Diamond still thinks the audience loved their performance, but Pearl yells out they were laughing at Diamond for the failed performance. Pearl is in distress, while Diamond thinks it's his fault for not having a break during their rehearsals for some lunch. Pearl admits he thought he'd join part in professional contests, and shows how the judges love others' performances. When he turns around, he finds Diamond sleeping near Munchlax and wakes him up. Pearl reminds Diamond of the oath they made at the garden of the nursery: they swore to be as good as the comedian duo "Blue Sky Cleffa and Jigglypuff", who came from Johto to Sinnoh one day. Diamond still remembers that day, when they promised to train to fulfill that dream. Thus, Pearl admits his current defeat, and pushes Diamond for some rehearsals for the next performance.
At the mansion, the young girl has dressed up. Prepared for her journey, the butler commends her saying the dress fits. He starts crying and begs "Missy" to stay, in which she laughs, saying she will return. The butler reminds her that there are dangers in the world, but missy reminds him of the two bodyguards that were hired to protect her, even as she feels she won't need them. The worried butler reminds she shouldn't be put in harm's way, and they should guide her to the peak of Mt. Coronet. He confirms that they'll be waiting in front of Jubilife Building, and they'll be wearing red and green scarves. Missy confirms this and departs, while the butler wishes her to be safe. On her way to Jubilife Building, Platinum sighs in relief to be away from the mother-henning of the butler and opens the case she was carrying alongside her bag. In the case are multiple devices, and takes one of the Poké Ball in the middle: she calls out a Piplup.
Diamond and Pearl are practicing their double-act: Pearl asks what type of trainer Diamond is - a catcher, a trainer or a battler. The latter answers "shocker", which causes Pearl to punch him, for it is related to the move Shock Wave. They do another act: Pearl mentions moves like Softboiled, Egg Bomb, Egg Gather or Egg Display. Diamond comments how Pearl likes eggs, causing him to punch him. Pearl is assured they got the act right, even if Diamond is hurt from all the punches. The producer from the competition finds them and tells them that they've won the special merit prize. This shocks the duo, while the producer presents them with travel tickets. They rush to the stage, and in the ruckus, they bump into two men. The older one becomes angry and yells at the duo, to which the boys apologize and leave. The professor is annoyed how young people have a lack of manners, while the other guy tries to comfort Professor Rowan. Rowan admits it has been some time since he returned to Sinnoh, and remarks that the place has been turned into a circus. His assistant reminds it is a stand-up competition, hence why many people showed up, and is why it's good for "her" to travel the low key. Rowan is surprised how calm his assistant is about letting his only daughter roam around. He reminds himself how the assistant and his daughter, the miss, are members of Berlitz family, who are known to be wealthy and powerful, but they also raise scholars.
Rowan explains per tradition, heirs of the Berlitz family must journey to the peak of Mt. Coronet to gather materials in order to create a personalized accessory with the family crest for themselves. In fact, he and his daughter helped Rowan in his research, and is why this day is important to him as well. Rowan thinks it's early for her to be doing this. Mr. Berlitz agrees, but tells Rowan that his daughter insisted on going, and how hard it is to dissuade her once she sets her mind on something. Still, he is at least pleased that their butler managed to convince her daughter to take bodyguards. Professor Rowan is also thankful, because she has offered to record down the Pokémon she meets along her journey on the Pokédex. He reveals then that he had delivered items to the missy's mansion for the case: a Pokédex, a Pokétch and a starter Pokémon. The two meet up with the bodyguards: they give them their mission written in an envelope. After receiving the letter, the two bodyguards disappear in a flash. This convinces Rowan and Mr. Berlitz that these are professionals.
Meanwhile, Diamond and Pearl are announced as the special prize winners. They open the prize, thinking it's just travel tickets. When they open it, they find out that their goal of journey is Mt. Coronet. Diamond believes the reward is better than the Grand Prix prize, even if Pearl admits that's a place far away. Still, they are convinced that this is the proof of their talents being recognized. The producer is surprised to see them being excited about the prize, which is actually a free bicycle ride around Sandgem Park. At the time of what's written on the letter of the boys' reward - 17:00, September 28 - missy is waiting in front of the Jubilife Building for her bodyguards. She lets the other two Starter Pokémon out to welcome the two companions. Platinum tells them to give the Pokédexes to her two companions who will be arriving shortly. She spots Diamond and Pearl, who are wearing red and green scarves, respectively, and directly assumes that they are her bodyguards. At the same time, Diamond is questioning the prize: a mission that begins on the exact day they receive their reward. Pearl disagrees, and tells him it's a hidden camera show, and that they are trying to surprise them. He thinks a camera team is already recording them for laughs. While they're talking, Turtwig and Chimchar jump on them. As they fall down, Pearl and Diamond accidentally activate the Pokédexes.
Diamond spots missy, and remarks her pretty and elegant look, as if she's a princess. At the same time Pearl is fighting for his life against Chimchar. Suddenly, a flock of Starly attack them. Missy orders them to get rid of them, which makes Pearl angry. Turtwig, Chimchar, Munchlax and Chatot battle against the Starly and beat them. After that, Pearl assumes that missy is their tour guide. Oustanded by their quick victory against the Starly, missy thinks her father and Professor Rowan chose those two because they are good and they are almost the same age as her, so they wouldn't stand out. She asks for their codenames, and is told the two are Diamond and Pearl. She turns away which makes Pearl angry, who tries to get her by her shoulder. He asks her for her name, but she simply tells him that her butler warned her to not give her name out to commoners, which drives Pearl and his Chatot insane. Without further ado, missy sends a Ponyta and rides it, with Pearl being angry at her while Diamond being lovestruck.
At the same time, the original bodyguards are on a seesaw at Sandgem Park, waiting for missy to show up.
Debuts[]
Character[]
Pokémon[]
- Piplup (Platinum's)
- Platinum's Ponyta
- Chatot (Pearl's)
- Chimchar (Pearl's)
- Munchlax (Diamond's)
- Turtwig (Diamond's)
- Starly
- Shinx (silhouette; explanation)
- Budew (silhouette; explanation)
- Bidoof (silhouette; explanation)
- Pachirisu (silhouette; explanation)
- Buizel (silhouette; explanation)
Gallery[]
