Replacement [RK1700] -ENG-

Chapter 5

"I see you weren't picky choosing drinks." Kara joked, looking at the bottles standing nearby the table.

"We're celebrating your return, why'd we should be?" North said, taking a couple of mentioned drinks.

They clinged each other's bottles, like glasses of wine in a gesture of toast. They took a few sips and looked at each other with a smile. If something ruined that moment, it would be sad, wouldn't it. Luckily, it didn't look like something was going to interrupt, they could enjoy one another's company, slowly downing their bottles. An alcohol based on thirium couldn't damage anything in their biocomponents, they couldn't get drunk too, but the taste alone gave them feeling of being more human.

"Damn, North, isn't it too strong?" Josh pointed out.

"Huh, mr. not fun. You won't be drunk anyway." She answered.

"But this thing's burning." He announced, putting his bottle away.

The rest of them only laughed warmly.

"Josh's right." Markus said, smiling in amusement. "It's really burnig."

"You're weak." She answered, ending the topic and laughing as well.

Markus and Simon talked happily, visibly enjoying each other's company. Kara and North danced to the rhythm of music, but even being alone on the home made parquet, the atmosphere was nice. No one thought it was stiff, because it wasn't. Ralph found himself in Luther's and Josh's company. Alice was eating sweets, which were bought specially for her, and Connor was leaning towards the wall, slowly sipping his drink.

· · ·

"Okay, right. So I have something fun for us. Nothing too fancy, but at least something."

North gathered everyone in a circle to sit and explain what she invented. Alice has already fallen asleep in a spare room, leaving "adults" by themselves.

"Kara can change her hair colour, so we all can do that, can't we?" She said, smoothly reaching her aim. They looked at her impatiently. "I thought we could have a little fun with it. We'll be changing our hair colour one by one, we're gonna check what suits whom. Who knows, maybe someone'd like to leave something?" After the last sentence, she laughed, seeing her companions' faces.

There was silence for a moment, interweaving with music still coming out of the speakers.

"Of course, we've nothing to loose." Markus told with a smile.

Right, what could go wrong? Discovering new colours could be very interesting experience, nobody thought about it earlier. Only Kara had some idea about this.

"If I weren't changing my appearance because I had to run, I'd probably be fascinated." Kara announced, smiling widely. "Come on, it's really fun."

"Alright, I'm first." North said fast.

Her hair after a moment smoothly went from strawberry blonde to platin and she watched her friends with smile, showing her new face proudly.

The first person to react was Josh, laughing aloud. Markus and Simon repeated. However, it was sincere laugh, which didn't mean to irritate North. She chuckled herself.

"Guess, it's not for me."

"Definitely, believe me." Josh said, pretending to wipe a tear of amusement.