Champion's Confidant

On Party Crashers

"Party crashers?"

Chloe turned from Ash to Professor Kukui, who stood resolute in the classroom turned party location. Kukui, for his part, was looking at Lusamine, who was still holding onto a confused Mohn.

"That's right. Wicke must have sent the signal," she said with a serious look on her face. "It's time for the Ultra Guardians to ride once more."

Ash, and all his Alolan friends turned to Lusamine and gave a strange salute, crossing their fist over their chests. "Ultroger, Lusamine!" they all shouted together.

With that, Professor Kukui pulled up on the chalkboard, and Chloe saw it slide up along the wall, revealing something that looked more like it belonged in her father's research laboratory, not in a classroom with a giant tree growing through the building. He slapped his open palm against the middle of the technological grid, and it began glowing with a bright, multicolored light.

With that, the ladder in front of the bookcase, as well as the bookcase itself moved away and opened, revealing a secret chamber in the classroom.

Chloe stood stunned, not sure of exactly what was happening at that moment as Ash, Lillie, Kiawe, Mallow, Sophocles, Lana, and Gladion, as well as their Pokémon rushed into the chamber, each standing on different spots.

"I'm going, too!" Goh shouted, with Cinderace, Inteleon, and Grookey charging behind him.

Ash reached his hand towards Chloe, who was standing still. "C'mon, Chloe! You should join us!"

"Pikapika!"

"Eievui!"

Pikachu and Eevee cheered her on as well, and before she knew what she was doing, Chloe was standing with the rest of them in the secret compartment in the classroom.

"I'll be right here with you," Ash said, smiling. "Just go with the flow, okay?"

"A-Alright."

Just as Chloe finally seemed to be catching up, the ground gave way beneath her, and she began descending beneath the floor.

She closed her eyes for just a moment, cringing that something might cause her to fall and get hurt, but she felt a calm hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Ash there. His hand felt strong on her shoulder, and she took a deep breath and calmed herself.

Looking around the transport tube she found herself in, she saw everyone was going down on their own separate platforms, she and Ash included (theirs were close enough that Ash could reassure her, a coincidence Chloe was extremely thankful for). The only ones sharing a platform were all the Pokémon that had joined them, though she did worry that with Eevee and Grookey hopping up and down like they were, they might stumble and fall off.

Looking down, she caught a glimpse of a rubbery, purple fabric that seemed to be rising up from her platform. She saw Ash's confidence out of the corner of her eye as a blue version of what was approaching her covered Ash, and as she turned, she saw everyone else getting covered in various shades. The rubbery fabric covered her party dress, but didn't climb her body to her head. It began wrapping around her arms and legs very tightly, and soon it took the form of a tight bodysuit before it split apart into gloves for her hands and boots that went up to just below her knees.

The transformation continued, with white ceramic plates appearing on her chest and her shoulders, and the rubbery fabric continuing to change, adding details and thickening the boots to provide better protection. Finally, a small blue and gold symbol appeared on the front of this strange outfit, and they were lowered into a room that finally looked like it could be part of the Pokémon School again.