At first, there was darkness... then the smell of fire made him open his eyes. It wasn't until he did that he found out his face was on a stone brick roadway. He pushed himself up off the ground and picked up his glasses. As he pushed them back onto his nose, he ran a hand through his dirty blond hair, pushing it out of his face.

."...Where am I?" he muttered, holding his hands close to his chest. Looking down, he noticed he was wearing a deep crimson sweater, dark gray shorts, and no shoes. How peculiar...

He looked back up and around the small area. Things looked way different here than they did back in Canada.. More.. old.

Thatched roof houses.. brick walls.. stone roads. The sky was darker, yet so bright and full of stars. Not like you could see back in Canada. There were so many of them. So bright. It was wonderful! "Maybe when i figure out where I am, I can return and stargaze... It's so nice here."

"HEY COME BACK!" shouted a male voice in the distance. Matthew jumped back. It sounded so loud, yet so quiet.. then it reminded him of the smell of fire. That's what woke him up. He looked around for the flames, as he saw no orange glow.

Footsteps.. and they were getting closer. "COME BACK!" yelled the voice again. It sounded angry..

"Wh-" Matthew started, before a small figure ran around the corner of the roads. The small one was cloaked in black, hiding most of his features from the world, and he was running. Running in fear and panting hard, but he never stopped running. On the walls of the buildings on the road that he came from, a faint and familiar orange light started to paint the gray bricks, and Matthew knew right away that was the source of the fire.

The child came closer and closer to him, almost as if he was unseen, before colliding head on the Matthew's form, and they both were sent backward. the cloak fell away from the child, showing his bright silver hair. "Vhat are you doing, you idiot! Don't just stand zhere in zhe middle of zhe street! You could get hurt!" The child shouted, his crimson and indigo eyes glaring him down.

"GET BACK HERE DEMON!" shouted the voice again, and this seemed to make the child grow fearful as he stood up and covered himself again, bolting past the fallen Canadian.

Matthew was still in shock from the initial fall to notice the group of white cloaked men running after the child.

That hair...

Those eyes.

Only one person he knew matched that description. But it was impossible.. Gilbert was..

...asleep. Was he in the past? Was this just a dream? What did that potion do?

Once the crowd was gone and after the child, Matthew finally stood back up. His first instinct was to follow them to find out if the albino they were chasing really was Gilbert. But, if it was, why was he a child?

Collecting himself, he started to run after the crowd, catching up easily. Though the crowd of white cloaked men didn't seem to notice Matthew, which was something he was used to. Nobody ever saw him.

...but that's what made Gilbert so special. He saw him. He wasn't invisible anymore.

He huffed slightly, taking a path that led to the roofs. He had to get in front.. he needed to know.

Even if it wasn't Gil, it was still just a kid, and the looks on the men's faces told Matthew they intended to hurt or kill him.. It was just a child.

Once up there, he remembered running along roofs with Gil, and remembering what he learned from his races, he kept his balance, and refrained from using his whole sole, instead pushing himself forward with his toes to keep his momentum.

It wasn't long before he caught up to the head of the group, and he jumped down between them, just as the child tripped.

Matthew faced the group holding their pitchforks and torches, a rather cliche element if he had to say anything, but he threw his arms out protectively behind him, standing between the child and the group. His blue-violet eyes were seething with anger, and he wasn't scared.

Not when it came to protecting children, he refused to be scared. "What the hell is your problem! Attacking a child!" he yelled, surprising even himself.

The albino child behind him stared both in fright, and in curioisity, his gaze moving between the oddly dressed man, and the group in front of him. "Vhat are you doing! You really are stupid aren't you.. Zhey are after me, not you! Get out vhile you can!" the child hissed.

Matthew ignored him, staying focused on the crowd. "Answer me!"

One of them, dressed in a dark gray cloak, glared him down. "Hand over the demon. We must save his soul. He has been kissed by the devil and the only way to save him is to hand him over. He is to be burned today."

Matthew's hands shook. "Burned! Just because of his albinism!" He growled a little. "I'd rather die myself than let you harm him!"

The child seemed to stop breathing. "v...vhat...?"

The man only grinned. "It's not your soul we're after, stranger, but if you get in our way, we have no problem saving your damned soul as well. One more chance to hand him over bef- " his words were cut off by Matthew ramming his fist into his face.

The child looked just like Gilbert.. He wouldn't let any harm come to him. And if these people would hurt the child just because of how he looked, then they shouldn't look at all.

He must be protected.

"Why you-" the man growled, pulling out a sword. the child stood up and ran to grab Matthew's hand.

"Just come on, stupid, ve need to get out of here." He said, pulling on his arm. Matthew oblidged, starting to run again.

"AFTER THEM!" The man shouted, and the group ran again.

The child was fast, thankfully, and Matthew kept up with him as he was led through the streets and alleys, until the both of them were no longer in sight of the town. Yet still they ran, until the trees hid their forms in the night sky.

Once he felt he was safe, the child let go of Matthew and turned to face him. "Zhat vas eizher brave, or stupid of you to do. Zhey vere after me, and yet you stood in zheir vay. Nobody has ever helped me like zhat before.. Not vizhout somezhing in return. So vhat do you vant, stranger? Hmm? A medal? Cause I von't be your servant, you can guaruntee zhat!" He said, his piercing gaze so familiar..

Matthew panted a little. "..Just answer me some questions... okay... First off, where...am I?"

The kid looked confused. "Vhere... you really are from somvhere different. It isn't just your garb..Ve are in Prussia.. Closer to ze borders of Poland."

Prussia... there's no way. "...and what's your name?"

The kid frowned. "By God, you are so nosy! So many qvestions!" He turned, his back to Matthew. "If you really must know, my name is Gilbert. I'd ask for your name but I really don't vant to know."

Matthew's heart stopped. So this... this was Gilbert. His Gilbert... "How long have they been like this to you? Is it always this bad?"

Gil's posture dropped and he looked off. "...Nein... It is not alvways zhis bad.. It's usually small zhings, like zhings being zhrown at me.. I am used to zhe rocks and knives.. but zhis... Today vas zhe first time zhey decided to come after me.. "

"Who were they?" He was almost afraid to answer.

Gil turned his head back to him, looking at him as if he's grown a second head. "...You don't recognize zhem? Vis zhe white cloaks and black crosses...?"

"...no?"

"Zhey are zhe Teutonic Order..."