Disclaimer: No ownership of Teen Titans.
Summary: After "Trouble in Tokyo." After returning home from Tokyo, Starfire tries her hands on a traditional Japanese delicacy.
Tamaran Sushi
A week had passed since the fight in Tokyo. The Titans returned to American soil and to the peaceful metropolitan of Jump City. Criminal activity back in the city had plummeted for sometime. In the kitchen, Starfire returned from a little grocery shopping with a few items on hand. The bags on the counter, she eyed her list and checked it twice. "Let's see..." she read off. "Sushi-meshi... Check! Seaweed wrap... Check! Tofu... Always have those around so that's a check! Soy sauce... Check! Pickled ginger...Check! Daikon radish... Yep!" Robin and Cyborg looked in at what Starfire wanted to start.
"I could be wrong but when did Starfire have any interest in Japanese cuisine?" Cyborg wondered. Not even Robin had a clue.
"I thought her interests were with me," he pointed out. "After all, when we freed Brushogun and got Daigo arrested..." Cyborg knew what Robin brought up.
"I saw! I'm frosty with it. Now if only we can get Raven up to speed with love, this would be perfect." The two watched the Tamaranean stir the vegetables and rice in a skillet before applying soy sauce. "For someone trying to cook a Japanese dish, she's keeping a clear head." Robin believed it but not for the same reason Cyborg computed.
"For her, that's not hard to do." Starfire flicked the skillet's handle, her alien power sending the contents so high, it nearly touched the ceiling. The sight had Cyborg rush out and back with a camera.
"This is viral video gold~!" His glee could be seen across the waters between the city and the giant T. Starfire barely flinched as she armed a windmill and scooped the mixture before it touched another surface. Cyborg lowered the camera... and his grin. "Dang! There goes America's Goofiest Messes!" Another time, dude.
"A little more gentle next time..." Starfire reminded. She put the skillet back on the stove before grabbing a knife to split the seaweed wrap. The wrap was cut to ten links but still held together. A little more stirring later, Starfire poured the mix on the wrap before rolling all of it together. Using a spatula and the same knife, she ran the knife through the cuts of the wrap and pulled it apart. Split, Starfire made 12 rolls, all perfectly round. Despite the results, she felt incomplete. "I feel like I missed something..." A pinch of spice? A drop of dressing? A snap of her fingers indicated the missing ingredient. She flew off to her room, passing Robin and Cyborg who had troubled faces. If it's something from her room, no way will it taste good with whatever she's got.
"Make reservations for Poison Control," Robin ordered. "They're gonna love to hear this." Cyborg activated something on his arm with the glum of concern.
"Reserving four beds," he registered. A little while later, Starfire finished making the sushi of her style. The sushi oozed pink slime from between the rice and seaweed wrap. Beast Boy and Raven also joined Robin and Cyborg in the taste testing of her special sushi. Needless to say, the look of the pink ooze had the Titans ready to run to the bathroom.
"Don't tell me we have to eat it," groaned Beast Boy. Starfire's smile, though award-winning, ensured that it was safe.
"I used the tofu to replace fish normally in sushi," she explained. "And the pink goo is actually Kniploviga, a dressing made from secretions of a Vaogopa's tendrils." It doesn't explain why it's pink. Then again, anything from Tamaran didn't need an explanation.
"Sounds... yummy..." Raven sarcastically motioned. Starfire's ears detected the sarcasm and rested any doubt.
"Excuse me but I had this when I was a little Tamaranian and enjoyed it!" That didn't help the doubts from everyone else.
"Don't get me wrong but isn't sushi a dish sacred enough on its own merit?" Beast Boy pointed out, which even Raven had some awe.
"He does have a point about it," she agreed. Finally, Robin gave in. If anyone would make her happy, it's him.
"I guess I'll have to muster the taste testing," he surrendered as he snagged the wrapped piece and shoved it in his mouth. He chewed through and swallowed it. Everyone waited for his reaction whether he liked it or he passed out.
"You're a brave boy, Robin," Beast Boy murmured. To the astonishment of the Titans, he stood from devouring the sushi.
"Aside from the tofu substitute... It's actually really good." Robin liked it? This had the rest wondering if they'd like it the same way, if not better.
"Well, if Robin doesn't mind it..." Cyborg acknowledged. "I might as well." Beast Boy and Raven also gave in and snagged a piece for themselves. Each inhaled it and the reactions differed. Raven didn't mind it. Cyborg and Beast Boy looked disgusted, each dashing to the bathroom and outside.
"I think I would've liked it better with fish and not this tofu stuff," Raven shrugged. The combination of the Tamaran pink ooze and the Japanese sushi worked with Robin and Raven. Outside, the green boy of many animals felt sick as a dog. Wait... he morphed to a dog and continued regurgitating.
"Man, I don't think I've had anything worse than... that!" he whimpered. Cyborg may be part machine but he didn't need his computer to record how bad it felt for that modified sushi.
"As soon as my bowels empty... I'll calling for pizza!" he cried. That will take a while. Some people can't live without sushi. Cyborg and Beast Boy... They can live without the pink stuff. Needless to say, they're still having problems swallowing the taste.