THE MOMENT
Beaumont tensed at the sound of footsteps behind him. It was a cool evening, and he was out exploring his new town. He had to remind himself of the new location to relax again. No one knew him here, and he didn't have to explain anything to anyone. He slowed his pace partially to window shop and partially to let the footsteps pass him.
He made the decision to act casual before he realized what the business was, and ended up staring at a menu for 'Glory's Bistro'. He was peckish enough that the vegetarian options listed sounded good. He went ahead and went in as the unknown strangers continued past. A green-haired woman in a pink uniform greeted him with a smile once he was inside.
"Welcome! Have a seat anywhere," she added as she handed him a menu. He accepted it and chose to sit at a nearby table for two. "Are you the owner?" he asked with genuine curiosity. His goal was to learn about his new town and her nametag said 'Glory Steel' ,
"That I am," she smiled. "First time here? I can't say I remember seeing you before."
"Yeah, new in town," Beaumont nodded. "Just getting my bearings."
"Goodness," Glory giggled. "Now I'm obligated to make a good impression. As a new citizen in our lovely city, I'd like to welcome you with a free meal. Pick anything you like, hon," she said.
"Oh, I couldn't..," he tried to be polite, but she shook her head.
"You'd better, it's a one-time offer. Now, if you're here, I'm sure Chroma Corp. moved you with all the amenities included. It's not a handout, I know you don't need it. But, I sure would like the opportunity to earn you as a regular customer."
"Well, when you put it like that, how can I say no?" Beaumont chuckled and nodded. "But, I don't need to bother with the menu. That veggie pizza on the window looked delicious; I'll take one of those," he said.
"Huh? Oh!" Glory giggled. "Forgive me for assuming. You're not a vampire, are you?" She directed his attention to the menu he didn't look at, and it was open to the selection of blood available.
"No," Beaumont chuckled and shook his head. "I'm actually a werebat. But, I get that a lot. Used to be too much," he said.
"Unfortunately, I think I'm proof that it's still going to happen sometimes," Glory was apologetic, but Beaumont nodded.
"That's not so bad," he shrugged. "All things considered, being a werebat is pretty easy. In my old town, I got by mostly by claiming to be a night owl and a vegetarian. But, the most annoying part was explaining to vampires that I'm not one, and am safe around humans."
"I can see how that would get annoying very quickly," Glory nodded. "Congratulations on moving here."
"Thank you!" he said. "I never would have imagined there was a city, or a world, where I didn't have to explain anything and still have people accept me. I can never thank Chroma Corp. enough for helping me move here."