It was a warm spring Friday in 1895. School had just let out and all the students can enjoy their free time for the week, except for a certain twin-tailed blonde boy. Walking home along the streets of Vienna, nose deep in his favorite book, 17 year old Alois Krüger, along with his best friend Käthe Schwartz.

“I'm fed up with this!” Käthe screeched in anger as she kicked the dirt with frustration coating her shoes. “I hate our teacher and all those dumb ass tests she assigns!”. Alois, his face not even turning to meet hers, says “That test was the easiest we've had all year”. "I don't like studying, my eyes get tired when I read".

"This is why you're 19 and still in high school”. Käthe, growing visibly more upset shouts “Leck mich im arsche!”.

Despite Käthe being dumber than Alois’ left boot, he still felt a connection to her. They had been friends for about a year, and each day Alois’ feelings for her grew more and more. “Hey, Käthe I've been meaning to ask you, just out of curiosity what would your ideal boyfriend look like”. Käthe, not even questioning the oddity of what he just said, thought about it for a second. “Hmm, well He would need to be at least 185 centimeters tall, have a beard, blue eyes, and a big, fat-...”

“KATHE!”, a middle aged voice screamed. “...heart” she finished. “Get your arsche over here!”. It was Käthe’s mother, Ms.Schwartz.

“Well, so much for that” Alois thought to himself. He shared none of those traits and each word in her statement tugged at his heart more and more. Alois was an average sized, Blonde haired, green eyed boy standing at only 5 feet and 7 inches with not a hair on his face. “Well, see you tomorrow Alois”. “KÄTHE, Hurry up! These fishes aren't gonna sit on themselves!”. Käthe getting visibly angrier says “I'm coming!” as she storms into her house.

Alois stopped for a second and thought to himself, “sitting on fish? The hell does that even mean?”. Loud bells rang across Vienna, interrupting Alois thought. “Scheißen!”, Alois thought to himself as he dashed off to the hospital, “I need to hurry!¨.

After around 5 minutes of constant running, Alois arrived at the front desk of the town hospital, sweaty and out of breath, panting, trying his best to get his words out. ¨Alois Krüger, here to see Maria Krüger¨. The desk person escorted him to the room in which his mother was in. He walks in and sees his sick, dying mother laying on a hospital bed with a doctor by her side.

“How's she doing?”, Alois asked the doctor, walking over to her hospital bed. “She hasn't been doing any better, she doesn't have much time left. Honestly, it's likely she won't even make it through tomorrow”.

Alois  hung his head, holding back tears, "I see...". Maria opens her eyes, and mumbled “Alois?”. “Hey mom how you holding up?”.

Maria, using the little strength she has left, takes Alois’ hand. Feeling her weak, frail hand touch his was soul-destroying for him, making him struggle to hold back tears. “I don't have much time left on this earth. Doctor said I could possible die tomorrow”. “yeah, I know”. “So before I pass on, I want you to know something”. Alois leans in closer to clearly hear her words, “yes?”. “Those twin tails aren't a good look for you. Seriously, who told you that was a good idea?”. Alois flashes back to a couple days before, Käthe told Alois that twin tails would look cute on him; to which he of course gave in. ¨Dammit Käthe...¨, he thought to himself.

Maria chuckled, Alois smiled. ¨Even when you're dying, you've still got that joking spirit¨. Maria´s chuckle is interrupted when she begins coughing up blood. The doctor gets up and speed walks over to her. ¨It´s probably not wise to have others around her right now¨. As Alois is being escorted from the room, Maria, struggling to speak, says ¨I love you Alois. Ever since you were born, you've brought me nothing but joy!¨. Alois leaves the room, tears pouring down his face.

Later, Alois returned home late at night to find his drunk father, Johann Krüger, sprawled on the living room couch. “Alois, the hell are you doing home so late?”, Johann said in a bitter, drunken voice. “Johann, drunk again?”. Johann’s face quickly grew visibly offended. “You know it's disrespectful to call your parent by name you damn brat.” he said. “You could've visited her today... You know she'll probably die tomorrow? Yet you spent today lying around getting drunk? Bastard.” Alois said with an annoyed facial expression. “Maybe I wanted to drown a pain of my own, a pain you contribute to.” Johann muttered. Alois raised his voice, “And what pain could you possibly have even comparable to what mom is feeling?!”.

Johann didn't respond; not even a drunken mumble. Alois, irritated, walked away and began walking up the staircase. ¨You should take those twin tails outta your head, you look like a wench.¨ Johann yelled to Alois as he was walking to his room. Alois thought to himself, ¨Sometimes I wish he would just die too...¨

Alois slammed the door closed when he got into his room. He threw his bag onto his bed and stood in the center of the room with his head hung. Trying to forget about his father, his mind wandered. He couldn't stop thinking about his mother, and her narrow time limit. ¨Scheißen!¨, he thought to himself. ¨Of all people, why her? Why her? The only kind, loving person who brings me a shred of joy in my life... Why does she have to go? It couldn't be someone like my bastard father instead?¨

Alois, getting progressively distressed, repeated the word ¨Scheißen¨ over and over again, each time having more anger in his voice. Suddenly, he stopped, and all his pessimistic emotions suddenly evaporated. He heard a creak in the floor behind him. He turned around, and there, just centimeters from his face, he saw a scrawny, reptile-like being. Standing at about 8 feet tall, with eyes wrapping around its head and apparently no mouth. ¨Feel like dying?¨, Said a voice Alois heard in his head. Alois screamed and fell backwards. ¨What the hell are you?!¨ yelled with visible fear in his eyes. The same voice which appeared to be coming from his head said ¨I am what you humans call an Ausländer. I am an inter-dimensional manifestation and a spawn of all your negative emotions wailing out into the ether¨. Alois was extremely confused, and was unable to even speak. ¨I am a servant of mankind. My purpose is to change the overall flow of energy in the universe. Therefore, I will grant you one ´divine request´, anything you like¨.

¨So like a wish...¨ Alois thought tom himself. He thought about it for a moment and realized this could be his change. ¨Ausländer, my mother is extremely sick with an unknown and seemingly incurable illness. My ´divine request´, is that you heal her back to perfect health. Can you do that?¨ Alois pleaded. The eyes of the Ausländer glowed bright orange as the word ¨granted¨ echoed into Alois' head before it vanished into a white cloud of smoke. Alois, left on the floor, confused yet amazed, thought to himself ¨That couldn't possibly real. The mental stress of this situation must have really gotten to me...¨. Alois had trouble sleeping that night. But when morning arrived, he immediately got dressed and rushed off to the hospital. He decided to just go directly to the room, to which he found a group of astonished doctors huddled around a completely healthy Maria. Her hair was fully restored and her face was flooded with lost youth. Her eyes, bright green and full of life again. ¨Alois!¨ she yelled as she peaked through the doctors. ¨Itś a miracle! The doctors said I've made a full recovery!¨

Alois immediately dashed up and gave his mother the most passionate hug he had ever given in his life, tears pouring down his cheeks and a big smile on his face. They left the hospital and walked home. Alois was still in disbelief in the situation, yet elated that his mother was still alive. However this joy did not last very long. It was all shattered the moment they opened the front door to their house, where they found Johann and Käthe, engaging in adultery. ¨W-...what the hell? Käthe?!¨ Alois yelled, shocked. Maria screamed, ¨Johann?!¨. Johann stunned, he as Käthe scurried to cover herself. Alois looked her dead in the eyes with disbelief and anger, ¨What the hell... how could you?¨ he said. ¨Alois, please, let me explain!¨ Käthe pleaded. ¨I don't wanna hear it... leave¨ Alois said, holding back tears. ¨Alois, please!¨. Alois turned away from her and yelled ¨Leave, now! and don't ever speak to me again you dirty Hüdin!¨. Käthe hung her head, and paused as she flashed back to how this situation came about.

¨I don't wanna do this anymore...¨ Käthe said to her mother. ¨We've been over this, were tight on money and I am too old for it¨. Käthe yelled ¨There are other ways we can make money! I don´t want to keep sleeping with random men! Plus... there is already a boy I´m interested in...¨. ¨There are indeed other ways, but this is easier, faster, and we´re doing pretty well. The men in this town love you.¨ said Ms.Schwartz.

¨But I don´t love any of them! There is only one person I would ever want to sleep with, and his name is Alo-¨, Käthe's mother delivered an open handed blow to her face and she fell to the floor. ¨I don't give a damn what you want! Plus it's not like your stupid ass could ever get a feasible job around her. Now go out there and sit on the fishes like you were told...¨