I Don't own Pokemon, nor do I own anything related to it. The only thing I own are my OCs

A/N:Thanks so much to everyone who's favorited this story, and even more thanks to those who took the time to write a review!

You all probably already know what's coming next: I'm sorry this took so long. I've just been busy with school and working on this story and my new one, which I have put on my DeviantArt page. You can either go to my profile, which has a better description of the series, or you can be lazy and just click .com/ and click on the only thing in my gallery. Please leave a comment on it, if possible! And please enjoy this new chapter too!!!

Chapter 14: A Visit From an Angel!

The two exhausted young women stumbled out of the exit of Viridian Forest, relief evident on their faces. As they walked further out into the now setting sun, their destination came into sight. The city in front of them was bigger then Viridian, with many more houses in the area. Two large stone buildings stood out, though. one was pure white and had a rather regal appearance, with pillars decorating the outside.

'The Pewter Science Museum,' Mandy mused, 'I'll remember to check that place out later.'

The second building was almost the exact opposite of the previous one. The building appeared to be made out of several large boulders. The surface was rather uneven and craggy, bumps and tiny holes decorated a few bare earth and rocks decorated a small plot around the place, resembling what used to be a garden, then a stone path leading from the road to the building. The girl in red recognized the building from the anime.

"Wow, Pewter Gym..." She breathed.

"You ready to get your first badge, Mandy?" Nicole inquired, a grin on her face.

"I sure hope so," Nervousness lacing her words.

"Well, lets wait 'till morning. It's a little late and we could all use a good rest."

"Agreed, we've all been through a lot in the past few days." The two friends then walked down the path, smiling and chatting all the way. Before they knew it, they had reached their destination.

"Finally, we maid it to a Pokemon Center!" Nicole said as they strolled through the front doors.

"Yeah, the outdoors is great and all, but man did I miss fresh cooked meals and a nice bed to sleep on." Mandy added, a look of relief on her face. After the two dropped off their Pokemon with Nurse Joy, they headed down to the cafeteria for dinner. Much to the great joy of the girls, the special dish that night was cheeseburgers and fries, a meal Mandy had not eaten in what seamed like forever, at least fresh.

"So, Mandy, when was the last time you talked to your parents?" Nicole asked, popping a ketchup covered fry in her mouth.

"Um..., probably three days before I set off." Mandy replied, taking another bit out of her burger.

"You mean they didn't send you off?" Sadness and sympathy reflecting in her eyes.

"No, their was some big project at work, all they did was leave me a note." A little bitterness inadvertently seeped into her words.

"I'm sorry, Mandy." Sad silence overtook the two for a brief time.

"Well, getting off that topic," Mandy said, trying to clear the air, "How about your parents? From what you've told me they must be great people."

"Oh yeah!" Nicole replied, a smile replacing her once sad expression," My mom and dad run a salon and also work with Erica on her perfumes, so they are often busy. But they usually find a way to involve me in some way into their work. It's often a lot of hard work, but also fun."

After the two finished their meal, Nicole went over to the phones to call her parents, while Mandy took their stuff over to their room.

The teen gently set her and her friend's bags on opposite beds and sat on her own with a loud thud. She gently put her head in her hands, a small wave of guilt washing over her. She hated lying to anyone, but especially to her new friend. She knew she could not tell the truth, but no matter how many times she repeated that mantra in her mind, the guilt never lifted off her

"What am I going to do?" She thought aloud.

"You'll have to keep it up." Mandy's head whipped around to find the source of the new voice. Her eyes then landed on the cloaked figure in the corner, the same person who pushed her through that portal.

"It's you...." the girl in red breathed, surprised reflecting on her face.

"I'm afraid you'll have to keep up your story for a little while," The figure said, sympathy evident in her voice, "but don't worry, eventually, the truth will come full circle and the air will clear."

As the figure spoke, she had walked closer to the teen, then sat next to her.

"Who.... are you?" Mandy asked, an odd feeling overcoming her. This woman mad her feel a little odd, not in a bad way, though. Instead, a wave of warmth and comfort came over her. Almost as though she knew her somehow.

The woman chuckled at her question. "You could say I'm like your guardian angel, I'll come when you need me. Have you been treating my gift well?"

"Of course! I love Charmander!"

"I knew you would, you've got the heart of a loving trainer in your chest, something that not everyone is gifted with, even in this world. It's hard to believe how much you've changed in the last few days. Your up for your first gym battle already."

A warm smile spread across Mandy's face. Though she was unsure as to why she was trusting her, it just seemed to come naturally.

The door to the room then opened revealing Nicole standing in the doorway and catching Mandy's attention.

"Thanks so much for bringing my bag for me, you didn't have to." A warm thankful smile on her face.

The girl in red then turned head back to it's previous position, only to realize that who ever she was talking to previously had vanished! A perplexed look crossed Mandy's face.

"Hey, you okay?" A concerned Nicole asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm okay. Just got lost in thought."

"Well, .... okay If your sure." Her hand turned off the lamp near her bed, the other girl following suit. Within moments on the action, Mandy drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

The cloaked woman stood outside the center, peering through the two girls bedroom. A sigh escaped her lips.

"She's grown so much since I saw her last. One moment i was holding her in my arms, the next she's a full-fledged trainer. Just as she must eventually speak the truth, I, too, must speak my own truth." and with a last gaze ant Mandy's slumbering form, the cloaked woman faded off in the dark of the night.