So, I got on the bus today, and some guy starts freaking out and whispering to his friend about werewolves—I guess he's never seen sideburns before or something. I just sort of smugly ignore him, as I have better things to do.

Then, at the next stop, a werewolf gets on. He's in battleform, fully nine feet tall hulking mass of sinews covered in thick, pale-grey fur. The bus tilts visibly when he gets on, and I know it's not the "kneeling bus" system at work. It takes several seconds of fumbling with inch-long claws to extract his wallet, made of pale, curiously familiar leather, from the ruins of a pocket still attached to the shredded remnants of trousers that cling tenuously to his loins. I doubt he really needs them for modesty, either, given the thick fur. (Actually, at this point I realize that it might not even be a he. I'm not sure if female werewolves have breasts like some giant murderous furry or if they're like pretty much every other member of the animal kingdom save humans.) In any case, the guy and his friend are really quiet.

The werewolf lumbers to the back of the bus, hackles brushing against the ceiling, and sits down next to me. The bus pulls away from the curb with a familiar squeal, though perhaps tinged with terror this particular time. I don't see why the other passengers seem so concerned. I've never heard of a werewolf mauling people after showing a bus pass and pointedly not sitting in the "special needs" section despite his rather obvious ability make a convincing argument as to having said needs.

As the bus rumbles along, he turns and says, "Bitchin' chops!" I thank him for the compliment, and the back part of my brain wonders about the proper usage of the term "bitch" in werewolf society.

"So, what's with riding the bus in wolf-man form?", I inquire casually.

"Had a midterm today. It stressed me out. Stress always does this shit to me. I'll probably be back by evening, but might keep it up to go hunt some frat guys or something."

"Ah…any problems with the picture on your bus pass, not that most drivers will hassle you about that?"

"Nah," he says, showing me an id with his slavering lupine face stretching past the bounds of the tiny picture frame. "Freaking flash on the camera made me go berserk on 'em."

"Bummer…how do you get by normally? Seems they're more likely to hassle you when you look human?"

"They never look at the picture. They don't care."

"I suspected as much, but you're the best evidence I've seen yet."

"Anyway, who's crazy enough to ask for a demonstration? Either I'm a real werewolf or I'm a loon who hacks his bus pass with a picture of his crazy dog. Either way, it's a lot easier to ignore me and push the button than to hold up everything and annoy the other people on the bus."

"True, true."

"Well, here's my stop. Catch ya later!"

"Bye!"