"Is that the spiciest they make it?" Garnet asked, drinking her pop.

"No," said John.  "It's just as hot as I like it.  I'm not trying to be super-tough about it."

"I like it! My dad was always too wimpy to serve spicy food like this," Garnet said.

"Yeah, well, there's some pride going on here," said John.  "It's the whole Tex-Mex thing that's in back of the werewolf community in these parts."

"Oh?" Garnet asked. "You have me curious now."

John shrugged.

"We're werewolves," he said.  "From Old Mexico-- Texas that was Mexico before a bunch of slavers stole it from Mexico.  So we get Texas machismo, Mexican machismo and Werewolf machismo, which is all way too much for the likes of me.  But I'm family, so they accept me, even if they don't get me."

Garnet chuckled.

"Interesting. That must be something."

"Well, we're all a big family," said John.  "It's just how we are... what's it like for you?  Do you have a family?"

"Just my dad," Garnet said. "He's one hundred percent mundane."

"So you were only raised by a human?" John asked.  "That sounds rough.  It's good for us to be able to teach each other how to handle transforming and everything."

"I don't think it was too bad. I do have to hide it from him, mom clearly never explained things to him," Garnet said.

"And he doesn't know about any of this?" John asked.  "That's got to be hard, sometimes..."

"I guess, but it's better for him," Garnet said.

"Yeah, but hard for you," said John.  "Do you have anyone who helps you be a dragon?  Teaches you how it works or anything?"

"No, but it's all pretty instinctual," Garnet said. "I think."

"That's good," said John.  "I guess dragons don't normally come in packs, huh?"

"No, we're solo creatures," Garnet said.

"But you're still pretty social," said John.  "Which I am glad for."

"It's not like I can really go make a lair in a cave or anything," Garnet said. "I don't get any bigger than this."

"The size you are is quite good," said John.  "And you don't need a lair in a cave, surely."

"Sure, but I can't turn into a full size dragon, just grow wings and a tail," Garnet said.

John paused.

"I seriously want to see that," he said.  "I mean, damn."

"My wings and tail?" Garnet asked.

"Absolutely," said John.  "...and how they attach, maybe.  I mean, I guess the tail, I know how those things attach.  I grow one.  But wings?  I've never gotten a close-up of anyone with wings."

"It can be hard, they tend to destroy my clothes," Garnet said.