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Jan was laying on the ground Ceri beside her. Each held a cover to the book Green Eggs and Ham. It had always been one of Jans favorites and she hoped Ceri was enjoying it as well. Slowy with little help Ceri read throught he pages. Ceri only being a child was learning to read.

Ceri:That Sam-I-Am. That Sam-I-am. I do not like that Sam-I-Am
Jan: Very nice.

Merangue pushed the door of the small coffee shop open, jingling the chimes above it as she entered. Trailing behind her, a small roundish black blob wriggled hurriedly through the closing gap between glass and jamb, muttering to itself and gazing about shiftily. Occasionally, it bumped one of merangue's feet as it bounced and lolloped about, but otherwise the two kept clear of each other. Sure, she was his caretaker, but she wasn't quite used to the little ball of mischief yet. He had hatched in her hand, almost as soon as she had received him, scaring the bejeesus out of her, and immediately setting out on a destructive rampage of her office.

Lovely.

Mer looked around the shop, scouting for life other than the little creature trailing her, and almost immediately spying someone on the floor reading a book. Smiling in a relieved fashion, she strode over to the stranger, preparing to make an introduction. "Hi! I'm Meran-" she stopped mid sentence as her eyes fell on the little creature nestled on the ground, reading green eggs and ham...

What was going on here?

Jan had heard the bells jingle and turned to see who had entered... it was no one she knew. She turned back whe there was a tugging on her arm. " What's that word?" Ceri questioned curiously. Jan glanced at it and replied,"Mouse..." as she pointed to the mouse in the book. Ceri continued cheerfully. They both or them heard Meran introduce herself, and they stood accordingly.

Ceri was the first to speak and she smiled cheerfully," Hi I'm Ceri nice to meet you Merangue." She motioned to Jan who nodded a hello merangue, "And this is Jan."

Merangue smiled a little less confidently as both new people introduced themselves..and the green and white thing spoke to her as well.

"Erm, hullo..." She gave a nervous sort of laugh. "I'm Merangue...nice to meet you." She tried not to stare too obviously at Coran or Ceri. the little black ball kept climbing onto her feet and burbling at her until she bent to pick him up. "This is...um.."

"Odin!" squeaked the beat. He had named himself, and it was currently the only thing he could really say.

"this is Odin, I guess" Merangue gave another smile. she had never been very good around strangers, and strangers with strange companions were a new thing.

At the sound of new greetings Jan and Ceri turned. Ceri smiled brightly holding her hand out and shaking the others hands kindly. Jan stepped back tugging Ceri with her so that everyone could see eachother. Knowing it was rude to keep your back to someone.

Ceri went back throught the introduction's staring at the others in a curious fashion."Hello, I'm Ceri," she repiled pointing to herself,"and this is Jan." Ceri bent over retreiving her book she looked to Odin and Merangue holding it up for them to see,"This is my book." She stated proudly before moving to show it too the others.

Jan tilted her head looking at the newcommers. First holding her hand out to Merangue then to the other two. She looked Odin over noting that there was nothing to shake so she friendly kissed the top if its head as a hello.

Odin blinked and crinkled his face, eyes narrowing as Jan greeted him. Annoying annoying annoying hurt it! He sneered at the other beats and wriggled further into merangue's arms.

Merangue smiled down at Ceri. "It's a very nice book, too!" Beat" Yes, now that she thought about it, that is what the old man had called them when he told her about the egg...

Odin rumbled a squeaky little growl as Coran began to approach, and eyed him warily.

Jan nodded,"Nice to meet you as well Braska," She gazed at Coran curiously," Thats a very nice beat you have there." Her gaze turned back to Braska and Merangue. "So have you two been beat owners for long?"

Ceri looked to Coran and Odin. She had seen Jan kiss Odins head and did the same.Oblivious to his dislike of the action. Ceri smiled innocently at Coran, "Have you read Green Eggs and Ham before? If you haven't you should. It about this guy named Sam!" She said excitedly. having never been around other beats before she didn't realize no one had ever seen a beat quite like herself before.

Merangue smiled at Ceri as she talked about her book.

"I've only had Odin for a couple of days... I'm stil getting used to him. He's such a handfull!" She laughed a little as he glared up at her then turned sullenly away and watched the other beats interacting. "Maybe when he's older he'll calm down...although he's not so bad right now."

Jan smiled and laughed nervously, "Honestly," she sighed,"I have no Idea. I've never actually met any other beats before today. My knowledge of them is basic....but beyond that I'm clueless."She turned to Merangue, "Thats odd Ceri hasn't been an ounce of trouble perhaps its because she's older."

Ceri shook her head quickly her mouth hanging open in awe,"You have other books?...I've seen some but I've never actually read any of them yet. Which are your favorites?" She noticed Odin ahd retreated into Merangues arms...pehaps Odin had felt left out."Odin Do you want us to read it to you?" She asked politely.

"Oh I see. Maybe I'll ask nairn about her kind later them." He covered his face as he yawned, it was late and he was starting to feel it. "Well, it was very nice meeting all of you, and hopefully we see you here again sometime." He headed toward the door, then called out for Coran.

"But...but we were gonna read....." he frowned as watched Braska. Then he got upset, "I don't want to leave!"

"Coran.....we have to get to bed. Say goodnight, and lets go, K?"

Coran sighed, "Ok....." He turned to Ceri, "Sorry, gotta go. Good night!" As he walked passed Odin he said good night to him and Mer. Once he caught up to Braska he whispered, "The black one scares me..."

The two left for bed.

Jynk wandered in from the backroom, chatting with Nairn as they carried supplies out. "So, I said to the guy, 'Of course I love Krillin.' and then found out I'd been mispronouncing the poor shmuck's whole species. Why would they name a unicorn after a cartoon character anyway?"

"Could be that it was right and you're just stupid," Nairn offered, setting a box down.

"Could be," Jynk replied. A Beat. "Hey." She was about to chide the Beat more when she noticed people. "We really need to get a chime set up in the backroom for that door."

Nairn sighed, looking the Beats over. "Great, trouble."

Jynk whacked him in the back of the head. "Be nice." She turned her attention to the owners. "So, Mer...how's that one working out for you?"

Jan smiled," sorry I couldn't be of much help."She looked at her watch noting the time deciding to stay a while longer. She looked tword the back door spying anoy beat and it's owner. "Hello," she greeted,"I'm Jan."

Ceri nodded enthusiasticly." Yeah, you know read..."She didn't know how to describe reading so she moved on. Opening the book for him to see the pictures. She turned her head at Braska's departure and gave a small goodbye to Coran, before a new friend caught her eye. She skipped to Nairn happily announcing herslef," Hello I'm Ceri!"

Nairn swatted at the new Beat. "Get it off! Get it off!" He held his hands up to fend off the strange Beat. "So..much..happy."

"Sorry...he's not use to perkiness. He's got two speeds: snarky and asleep," Jynk sighed, pushing Nairn into the backroom. "Sorry to run, but we've still got inventory to do. Help yourself to the biscotti and sodas."