Early the next morning.
After the four of them finished breakfast and fed their Pokémon, they headed to the Silver Conference Hall and entered the lounge.
Pheobe excitedly turned on the display, eager to see today's matchups.
On-screen, the host stood atop an Aegislash, with an enormous screen behind him.
"Welcome to the Pokémon World Championships, everyone!"
"After three days of battles, only thirty-two competitors remain in our Pokémon World Championships."
"Today, our thirty-two competitors will be paired with their opponents through a computerized draw."
"All right, enough talk. Let's start the draw!"
As soon as the host finished speaking, portraits of the final thirty-two competitors appeared on the screen behind him, with their entry numbers beside them.
A moment later, the thirty-two portraits began shuffling randomly. Pheobe was the first to have her opponent decided.
But when Pheobe saw who she would be facing, she froze on the spot, her face full of disbelief.
Chen Shi took one look and quietly shut his mouth.
Steven and Cynthia fell silent too.
Because Pheobe's opponent today was...
-Cynthia!
Chen Shi shook his head and sighed, looking pityingly at her.
"I guess it's just fate!"
"Pheobe, it looks like you were never meant to make the top sixteen!"
Pheobe wanted to cry but had no tears. She collapsed onto the couch in despair.
Making her battle Cynthia? Was this some kind of joke?
She had already seen all of Cynthia's Pokémon. Never mind Lucario, Milotic, and Glaceon.
That Garchomp alone, already at the middle stage of Senior Elite King, could grind her into the dirt over and over again.
She had absolutely no chance of winning!
Forcing a battle would only get her Pokémon hurt for nothing!
"Don't worry," Cynthia said solemnly. "I'll give it everything I've got, as a sign of