Once upon a tide, when the morning was warm and the sea was the colour of a forgotten swimming-pool, a whale called Agapi bumped her nose against something wooden. The wooden thing made a polite, surprised noise. It was the back of a small Greek café, sitting half on the sand and half in the water.
Inside the café, a girl with messy curls and a louder imagination was busy explaining to a raccoon why the lemons were upside-down. Her name was Eleni, and she was, more or less, in charge of everything. The raccoon — Plexoulis — was in charge of disagreeing.
"Did you hear something?" Eleni asked.
"I always hear something," said Plexoulis. "It's why I'm so tired."
They went outside, and there she was: an enormous, gentle, deep-blue whale, looking quite embarrassed. The sea, helpful as always, had decided this was a fine moment to flow into the café. Cups slid sideways. The lights blinked hello. And the espresso machine, which was magical when it felt like it, drew a little heart in the steam.
Eleni sat down on the sand, looked Agapi in the eye, and said the only sensible thing she could think of: "Would you like a coffee?"
Agapi said yes. They have been friends ever since. ~ The end of part one.