After looking over some feedback, I made some edits to chapter two. Plot-wise everything is still the same, but I changed Ash's reactions and some dialogue to have him be more in character.

Chapter Three

Ash's mind was a clouded mess as he limped through the halls of Cameran Palace, the poison rushing through his veins somewhat numbing the pain of his bruised body. His vision was still limited to a narrow view, his gaze locked on the gleaming blue crystal in front of him– the only thing that was in focus in his blurring sight. The crystal rested atop a staff, which was strapped across the back of the man he was following.

Sir Aaron.

Ash's mind seemed to refuse to accept what he was seeing. Sir Aaron was a legend to him, a distant figure of the past. Someone that seemed more like a character in a fairy tale rather than an actual person. But here he was, standing right in front of him, leading him through this ancient castle.

At least Ash knew just where in time he was.

Sir Aaron glanced back at him, watching as Ash lagged behind. The Aura Guardian paused at the end of a hallway, waiting for a staggering Ash to catch up. He looked up into Aaron's eyes as he approached, the humorous gleam he had when taunting Charles was gone, his gaze now unreadable.

"A bit farther," He said simply, tone reflecting his eyes.

Ash shuddered, the poison sapping the little strength he had left. He closed his eyes, voice hoarse as he spoke. "I c-can't..."

He couldn't take another step, everything just hurt. He wanted to do nothing more than sink down to the cold stone floor, and to let the lingering darkness overtake him. His consciousness seemed to be dangling by a thread, it being a mere struggle to stay awake. He staggered a few steps, not aware he was even doing so until he collapsed up against the wall.

"You need to keep moving," Sir Aaron said, grabbing his shoulder to keep him from slipping down to the ground. The man then frowned, scanning Ash, before grabbing his wrist. He pulled the limb up, looking closely at his hand. His skin was clammy, a purple tinge spreading across his palm and up towards his fingers. "How long have you been poisoned?"

He heard the question, and the urgency beginning to enter the man's tone, but yet it took a moment for Ash to actually process what was being said. How long he had been poisoned? The question felt almost mocking– was the idea of time something he could even quantify right now? He tried to form a reply, but the words in his mind seemed to refuse to escape his mouth.

Aaron didn't wait for an answer though, taking in a sharp breath as he looked more closely at the purple splotches of the poison dotting his arms. "This is not recent," He muttered, a scowl forming over his face. "They really did just find you poisoned then..."

Ash didn't bother focusing on what he was saying, just sagging against the Aura Guardian as he struggled to keep himself awake. While still painful, the poison was dulling his senses, luring him further into the dancing darkness. Everything was starting to merge together, the grayness of the hallway a blurred void about him.

He flinched as he found himself being pushed to his feet, legs being forced to bear the full brunt of his weight once more. Gloved hands grabbed his shoulders, keeping him balanced as he teetered in place. He blinked a few times, hearing a voice, and after a moment he forced himself to listen to the echoing words.

"I need you to focus," Sir Aaron said. "You need to stay awake– do you understand?"

He closed his eyes, voice a grunt. "Y-yes..."

Stay awake, that was the last thing he wanted to do, but the voice sounded urgent enough for his mind to register it as important. He gritted his teeth, the man shifting at his side, and he leaned against him for balance. His muscles were stiff, chest aching with bruises, but he forced himself to shuffle forward down the hall as Sir Aaron supported him. The reality of his situation now seemed so distant, the thoughts present, but yet not urgently pressing down on him as they had just mere minutes before.

"In here."

His vision was now a tiny sliver of light, the rest of his view a blur of blackness, but still he could make out the doorway in front of him. He dragged himself into the room, or perhaps Aaron was the one to drag him in, he didn't know. His ears faintly rang, and he could hear his own heart echoing in his head. His lungs only drew in short breaths, the bruises covering his chest made even breathing a chore for him.

The room was nothing special, a small sitting room if anything. The walls were made of stone brick– the same as the rest of the castle. Ash took in no other details however, his focus only settling on the two chairs in the room, which seemed to awaken some remaining strength within him. If he could sit then he could rest.

He frowned as he heard some mumbling, which briefly became words as he focused. Ash tilted his head slightly, catching the last of what he was saying. "...succumb to the poison..."

"H-huh?"

"I cannot give you something to counteract the poison if you are not awake," The voice seemed to become more forceful, a strange feeling running through Ash, yet there was no shift in the way he spoke. "Stay standing, and stay alert."

"...Yes," Ash coughed after a moment. He did not understand exactly what was happening, but he did understand the words. The blackness pressed down more heavily on his vision as he was guided forward, his hands being pressed against something, which instantly became his new support as the man pulled away.

He heard footsteps growing faint, the owner of the voice now leaving. He swayed in place for a moment, his sight now completely gone. Everything was aching, but yet the pain didn't feel quite as potent.

Standing... when had something so simple become so difficult? It was the last thing he wanted to do, but the urgency in the voice had stood out to him. No, it hadn't been the voice, he had felt the urgency. He didn't know how to describe it, but it had been more than the tone.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there– it could've been anywhere from a minute to an hour– it just all seemed to blur together. Sweat dripped down his face, the surface of his skin feeling like it was boiling, and several coughs escaped him. Why was he doing this to himself? Even thinking was starting to hurt. It would be much simpler to give in to the desire to sleep and spare himself the struggle.

That thought seemed the clearest in his mind– just wanting to sag to the ground and sleep.

He could no longer see anything, but still his head jerked up as the sound of footsteps reached his ringing ears. They echoed in his mind, overlapping into a strange song. Something brushed against him, but Ash gave no reaction save for sagging against the figure as he was pulled back.

Words were now just strange mumbles, unimportant and uncomprehended. A hand roughly grabbed his chin, forcing his mouth open and head up in the same action. He didn't fight, though somewhere in the back of his mind he wanted to pull back.

Something was pressed to his lips, a liquid sliding into his mouth– the taste sweet. At first he gagged on the liquid, but with his head forced up it slid to the back of his throat, and instinctively he swallowed. More of the sweet concoction was pressed into his mouth, pleasantly cool compared to his feverish skin.

He was gasping like a Magikarp when it was finally pulled away. He coughed and sputtered, legs no longer making an effort to support him. Arms wrapped under his shoulders, carefully guiding him forward. He didn't even realized he was being set down, the darkness having completely taken over his vision.

And with no fight left in him, Ash slipped into unconsciousness.

A strange sense of urgency hung about Ash as he awoke.

It was like an itch in his mind, one that stubbornly wouldn't go away as he pushed it aside. He was absolutely exhausted, and he wanted to do nothing more than drift back off into the blissful rest he had been in moments before– but instead the sense that something wasn't right hovered over him. He groaned, twisting in his bed, trying to get more comfortable.

It was then he quickly realized he wasn't in a bed– a knot in his neck flaring up as he shifted. This seemed to pull him from the half-sleep he had been in, eyes flickering open for a moment. A blurred mess of gray met his vision, and he closed it just as quickly. His mind hummed, trying to remember just where he had fallen asleep. He was sitting in a chair, but yet he couldn't recall just when he had drifted off.

He rubbed at the knot in his neck, and that was when he slowly became aware of the dull throb than ran across his entire body. His arms felt heavy, aching as his moved them. His breaths were short, because his chest hurt if he breathed too deeply. His skin was clammy as if he had gotten a fever while he slept.

"I see you're awake."

Ash jumped at the sudden voice, his bruises flaring up, his eyes flicking open once again. His heart hammered in his chest, having thought he was alone. It took a moment for his vision to focus. He slowly sat up a bit, blinking as he looked at the room around him– which wasn't familiar in the slightest.

A solitary window stood in the corner, the thick glass warping the view outside. The center of the floor was covered with a woven carpet, bringing little color to the dull room. Several unlit candles hung on the wall, the sun currently providing all the light. The only furniture in the small room were two chairs– the one that he was sitting on, and one across from him, a table between them.

The person that had spoken was sitting in the other chair, watching him with an unreadable expression. For a moment he was a stranger to Ash, just as forgien as everything else in this room.

His mind picked up on the familiarity of the man's apparel before he recognized just who was wearing them. A hat sat upon the man's head, a golden symbol embroidered into it. Blue gloves covered his hands, blue gems resting on the back of the cloth. A gleaming blue crystal of the same color sat atop a staff that rested next to the man– and it was this very staff that took all of Ash's focus.

It was the staff of Sir Aaron.

Ash's gaze then returned to the man himself, slowly recognizing just who he was– even if his mind was telling him that was impossible. This was a man he had seen in paintings, had watched through visions in time flowers– a man that most certainly shouldn't be in front of him right now.

"You have been out for quite some time," Aaron said as Ash gawked at him. "Much longer than was comforting, though I have only myself to blame for such. Your body was strained for the state it was in, but had you lost consciousness before an antidote could be given the poison would have killed you."

Poisoned– that Ash remembered. His hand pressed against his stomach, the sensation of the Nidoqueen's Poison Jab fresh in his mind. He fingered the tear in his shirt from where her claws had hit, and slowly he began to remember what had happened. His pursuit of Team Rocket into Mt. Moon, and the battles that had taken place from there.

The memories felt less and less real the further he pressed through him– Celebi, the ruins, and being dragged into the Time Stream. They were more like a remembered dream in his mind, vivid, but far too much to be something he should consider as reality.

But the pain was most certainly real though, and the soreness he was feeling now most certainly wasn't his imagination. Ash just sat there for a moment, slowly taking in everything his mind was telling him. He knew it had happened, but yet actually believing it seemed to be a daunting task of its own– but how could he deny what was right in front of him?

He was in the past.

He finally let his mind return to Sir Aaron, looking at the man that was sitting in front of him. He was watching Ash in silence, seemingly waiting for a response, but he had none to give. He was still trying to fit all the pieces in his mind into place. The guards. Charles. Sir Aaron arriving.

It was faint, but Ash could dimly remember coming into what he now gathered to be this room. He remembered the words that had told him to stay awake, and the taste of Pecha berries on his tongue as the poison dragged him into unconsciousness. Had that all been today? How long had he been here?

He looked down at his hands, his skin pale, but now lacking the purple tones that had been there before. The poison was now gone, though his body still felt weak.

He looked back up at the Aura Guardian. He didn't know if it was the way the man held himself, or if it was simply because of the confusion in his mind, but he felt small as Aaron looked down at him. Though his gaze was harsh, Ash wouldn't described Aaron as looking angry– suspicious perhaps, but not angry.

"Why did Charles have you?" Aaron asked.

Ash blinked, the sudden question yanking him from his racing thoughts. He just stared as Sir Aaron waited for an answer, their eyes meeting. The Aura Guardian held his gaze for a moment, a slight frown crossing his face, before his gaze slipped away. Ash slowly took in the question, letting the memories surface in his mind, and his stomach couldn't help but twist at the memory of Charles.

"Those guards brought me to him," Ash was startled by the sound of his own voice as he broke his silence– quiet and hoarse. It seemed that even with the poison gone some of its effects were still there.

"And why did they do that?"

Ash blinked at the question, his mind taking a moment to register it. When Sir Aaron had taken him from Charles it had seemed like someone had seen past the guards' lie about him– but yet as the man sat here questioning him that no longer seemed to be the case. Did Aaron think he truly was a thief? But if so then why would he have saved him from Charles?

These questions joined the parade of other questions in Ash's mind, dancing between the realization that he was in the past. The mere fact that Sir Aaron was in front of him seemed just as daunting as the prospect of the man not believing him.

"I'm not a thief," Ash said, fighting against the desire to cough.

Sir Aaron's expression didn't change. Ash shifted uncertainly, not quite sure of what the man was thinking of him right now, but his gaze portrayed nothing.

"You have good fortune," Aaron said after a moment of silence. "If you would have found yourself in Charles' hands at any other time, he would have eventually killed you," Ash swallowed, and Aaron continued speaking. "I just so happened to have returned from a long journey this very day, and I would have departed once more tomorrow. I would not have been here to interfere and save you had he taken you another day."

Silence took hold of the room once more, no words passing between them. Ash fell into a small coughing fit, but the silence lingered even after the final cough. Aaron sighed, and then began speaking once more.

"What I would like to know, however, is how you came to be poisoned. I first suspected that Charles' men were the ones, but it was clear you were in that state for sometime."

"It was a Nidoqueen," Ash said softly. "I got hit by a Poison Jab and... yeah."

Blue eyes narrowed. "A Nido in its final stage? That is most certainly not a common sight. I would presume she was protecting her young, which would be more than enough reason for her to attack..." He pressed his lips together. "But what brought you this close to Cameran Palace? If the guards knew what you were it would be of no surprise that they would bring you from afar to Charles, but clearly that is not the case since he did not kill you immediately."

He seemed to be speaking more to himself than to Ash, quietly musing aloud. Ash made no effort to correct him on why the Nidoqueen attacked him, not eager to speak about what had happened with Giovanni and Celebi, but he made no effort to keep them from his mind either. Were Pikachu and the others safe? Was Celebi okay? Would she be strong enough to come and find him?

"What is your name, lad, and where do you hail from?"

Ash felt his mouth going dry as he took in the new questions. Where did he come from? How on earth was he supposed to answer that?

"My name is Ash..." Ash muttered, as that was the easiest to answer. But where he had come from... 'Kanto' wouldn't be a suitable answer, because the idea of Kanto didn't even exist yet.

Ash's stomach twisted as he realized just how far from home he was. If Sir Aaron was in front of him that meant he was centuries, if not a thousand years, in the past.

"'Ash'?" Sir Aaron frowned, lips twisting. "What sort of father would name their son after something as pitiful as ashes?"

Ash wasn't sure how to reply to that, so he simply shrugged, gaze flicking down.

"Very well then, 'Ash'," He spoke slowly. "Where do you hail from?"

Ash shifted as the question was asked again. What was he supposed to say? Should he lie? Ash didn't like the idea of that, and staying silent probably wouldn't help Aaron's clear suspicions. He could tell the truth of what had just happened to him... but he doubted that his story would believed.

"Aaron?" Ash hesitantly began. "I- I just wanted to thank you for saving me from Charles... And for treating the poison, if you hadn't come I would probably be dead... so thank you."

Even if it was just a mere attempt to shift the topic, he really was grateful for being saved. Being in this room was more than preferable to being in the presence of Charles. Aaron's gaze narrowed however, and Ash was positive that the man was only going to repeat his question once more.

"How do you know my name?" Aaron snapped instead, and Ash froze up as he realized his mistake. Ash hadn't even considered that he shouldn't know who this was... He desperately cast his mind about, searching for any excuse.

"Um- that man- Charles, he said your name..." Ash couldn't recalled if the captain had said Aaron's name or not, but it was the best thing he could come up with in the moment.

Ash wondered if his lie would be seen through. If so, where would that land him? However, after a moment, Aaron sighed in acceptance, clearly seeing no other explanation on how Ash would know. Sir Aaron adjusted his hat, looking over Ash with a scrutinizing eye, a minute passing before he broke the silence.

"Are you aware of how I knew you were with Charles?" Sir Aaron asked.

"Um... chance?" Ash replied after a moment, shifting in his seat. He had assumed that Aaron had just happened to walk in at that moment.

"No," Aaron was watching him closely, taking in his every movement, but Ash wasn't quite sure of what he was looking for. "I sensed your aura."

"My... aura...?" Ash asked quietly, shivers racing up him. He was well aware of Aaron's auratic abilities, but the thought of someone recognizing it in himself only brought back Giovanni's words in his mind. His unused powers had singled him out once, leading to him coming to this time. Perhaps he was overreacting, but he was not keen for his abilities to be brought up once more.

"It has been sometime since I've directly encountered another aura user," Sir Aaron continued, eyes narrowing as Ash drew back. "One of the last ones would be my master, and it has been many years since he has passed."

It was becoming clear that Aaron encountering him had not been chance, but Ash still wasn't sure what he wanted. Nothing seemed to escape Aaron's gaze, but yet never once had he questioned Ash's clear unease. Was he looking for something, or just simply observant?

"You are aware of what aura is, correct?" Sir Aaron asked, frowning slightly at Ash's silence.

"Of course!" Ash said, sitting up. "I mean– I know what it is, I, um, don't really know much about it–"

"Are you saying you are not aware of your own auratic abilities?" Sir Aaron raised a brow. "I sense them within you with ease– there is no denying that you are an aura user."

Ash shifted, once more not quite sure of how he should respond. While he didn't like the idea of lying, he knew that saying whatever he felt would not help him in this moment. As much as he didn't want to discuss aura right now, this was clearly going to be their conversation.

"Um... I've been told I have them, but I've never really done anything with them."

"So you have not been apprenticed then?" While it seemed like a question, Sir Aaron's tone came across more as a statement. Ash shook his head in confirmation, while Aaron relaxed in the slightest.

Apprenticed? Ash supposed that made sense for learning about aura– he was pretty sure apprenticeships was how most trades were mastered in this time. Ash of course had never had the opportunity to learn more about his aura, only coming across one other human aura user in his life, until now of course. However, Riley had seemed to know little as well, even if he was far more skilled than Ash had been. Ash recalled the auratic shields Riley had made on Iron Island, and they had been an impressive feat. Ash had never bothered expanding on his powers though, he'd much rather focus on his Pokemon and training.

Ash closed his eyes, wishing that the conversation would end. He had barely gotten a moment to himself since coming here– and he just needed a moment to think! To fully understand what he had just been thrown into, and how he was going to fix it. While he couldn't deny what he was seeing, his mind was still struggling to accept the reality of what had happened to him. He just needed a chance to make sense of everything.

Aaron leaned back in his chair, continuing to speak. "As I told you earlier, I have just returned from a journey. The purpose of that journey was for me to find an aura user still in their youth. Just as my master apprenticed me, my time has come to find someone I can apprentice myself. My searches so far have yielded nothing." He locked eyes with Ash. "Until today– where I sensed a surge of aura coming from the castle."

"...Me," Ash said quietly after a moment.

"Correct, you," Sir Aaron squared his shoulders. "Your words have made it quite clear that no one has taught you the ways of aura, which leaves your powers as useless– forgotten. I have been searching for one to apprentice for some time now. While a bit older than the ideal age, you are the only young aura user I have encountered since I've entered my adult years."

Ash took these words in with silence, slowly beginning to realize what Aaron wanted from him.

"I would like to take you on as my apprentice," Sir Aaron finished.

Ash felt himself tensing as these words were said. Aaron watched him, gauging his reaction. Ash felt his panic rising– he had no idea of what to do! This most certainly wasn't something he had expected, but then again today hadn't in anyway gone according to plan.

An apprenticeship? The answer in his mind was simple– say no and then figure out what he should do next. Aaron had saved his life, and because of that Ash didn't want to outright reject him for no reason. But this was no simple bargain that he could just accept and then move on, but rather an offer that would require his full commitment and time– and an offer he knew little about.

But at the same time Ash had nowhere to go– if he somehow could just walk away from all this he would still be trapped with nothing in a dark age. But if he were to just jump on this... what if Celebi came back for him? Ash wouldn't want to promise something that he couldn't keep...

"Well?" Sir Aaron's voice snapped him out of his racing thoughts.

Ash looked up into the impatient gaze of Aaron. He couldn't just decide right now– he was barely comprehending what was happening! He had barely started to accept that he was in a whole other time!

Time.

Ash sat up, gathering his thoughts.

"Um... Sir?" Ash began, "Thank you for this opportunity, and thank you for saving me, but could I possibly have some time to think over this... offer?" Ash asked meekly, and Sir Aaron's expression didn't change– Ash hated how unreadable he was. "So much has happened today, and the poison just threw me off completely... if I just could have some time to gather my thoughts and..."

He fell silent, Sir Aaron staring at him. Had he done something wrong...? Was it impolite to try to put something off in this time or–?

"Sundown," Sir Aaron said after a moment, suddenly standing up. Ash watched him as he turned to leave the room once more, not looking back at him as he headed for the door. "You have until sundown to decide, I will return then."

"Thank you–" Ash began, but Sir Aaron was already out the door. The snap of the door shutting cut Ash off, leaving him alone. A lock clicked, and he heard the echoing steps of Aaron as he walked down the hall.

Ash glanced towards the window, he knew the Tree of Beginning was to the north, so that must mean this window was currently facing west. The sun was still traveling high in the sky, which meant he had several hours until Sir Aaron was due to return for his answer. Ash let out a sigh of relief, slumping down in the chair, free at last to his racing thoughts.

He was in the past. He was in the past. He had just spoken face to face with one of the most powerful figures in Kanto lore.

Sir Aaron, the noble knight who had given his aura and life to Mew, his heroic sacrifice saving Rota from the wrath of two merciless armies. He was a man of honor, one who would do anything for the people he served. A human that his Lucario had admired so much that his apparent betrayal had torn him apart, and the truth of his sacrifice had sent the Pokemon into the deepest of guilt. Aaron was what many considered to be a true hero.

And Ash wasn't sure if that was the same man he had just met today.

But there was still the possibility that Sir Aaron considered him a thief of some kind, and in that case it made complete sense that he didn't trust him... But if that were so, then why had he even offered an apprenticeship to him in the first place? Were aura users just that rare in this time?

An apprenticeship. The Sir Aaron had offered him an apprenticeship. Chills raced through Ash at the thought. He hadn't even been back in time for a day, and the most legendary figure of aura had offered to teach him. The mere idea sent a rush of excitement through him.

But if Celebi came to take him back to his time then he couldn't remain here...

Celebi. Ash flinched as the image of the shiny pink legendary entered his mind, drifting helpless and wounded through the Time Stream. She had been weakened, and Ash had failed to save her. In the end she had been the one to save them from Giovanni's grasp, even if he had been flung to a whole other era in the process, he was still alive thanks to her. Celebi had been taken by Dialga once they had entered the Time Stream, so at the very least Ash could rest knowing that she was safe for the time being.

But would she come back for him?

They barely knew each other, he had only come running to her rescue because he couldn't bear the thought of an innocent Pokemon being harmed by Team Rocket. In the end that information had been a trap set by Giovanni– and by responding to it he had put her life at risk. Celebi was also hurt, she would need to rest and recover. And of course Ash had failed to help her– so what reason did Celebi have to come and help him now?

A heavy feeling settled into Ash's gut, the realization hitting him– he had no way home. This may have not been his first time experiencing time travel, but this time around he was stranded. Ash felt his mouth going dry– he was trapped in the past.

A glimpse of red caught his eye, and with a frown he leaned down and carefully picked up his hat. It must have fallen off of him when poisoned– but the fact that it had made it all the way up here was impressive on its own. It was one of the only things he had from home, but he just stared down at it. Who knew what he would be facing in the future... Well, technically in the past... The future of the past? Ash ran a hand along the rim of his hat as his thoughts continued to settle in his mind. Ash had always loved traveling, exploring places he had never been before. But the thought of never going back... the idea made him truly feel homesick.

His mind wandered back to Aaron's offer. In his time an apprenticeship was merely a way to learn the ropes of a career, a head start for one's job. But that was very different here, wasn't it? He racked his brains, trying to gather what he knew of this era. An apprenticeship would require his whole dedication, it would tear him from his old life– not that he had one here anyways.

That was why the offer seemed almost appealing to Ash– he had nowhere to go, and this would give him something, a place to start, a foothold in what was basically a whole new world.

The hat crumpled as he closed his hands into fists, confusion and frustration gnawing at him. Ash bit his lip, trying to drown out his racing thoughts. He opened his hands, staring at his hat once more. He brushed it off, hesitantly placing it onto his head.

The sense of familiarity it brought wasn't enough though.

He buried his head into his arms, truly feeling at a loss of what he should do.