And here it is, the "bonus" chapter (epilogue perhaps? Not sure if it counts as an epilogue) to Joy and Fury! As mentioned before, this isn't really part of the main narrative, but there was just one more scene that I wanted to get into Starfire's head for in a way that matches up a bit to the main story. It also just so happens to fit the chapter title theme I was going for, considering how Starfire does in fact have four primary and emotion-linked (at least in my interpretation) powers. Basically, I couldn't resist.

This chapter takes place during Trouble in Tokyo, in an early scene that should be easily recognized.

Insatiable Curiosity

It was, in Starfire's humble opinion, a minor miracle that she had only needed to transfer language once since coming to Earth.

She would not have made so bold a claim in the beginning, of course. The Teen Titans were, for the most part, a localized group, and there was little need to know more than the local language of English. That suited her just fine – while transfer was a gloriously simple process and one she was thankful for, the fact that the required contact had distinctly romantic connotations among humans was not. She had been too embarrassed upon learning that to ever mention the time she had "kissed" Robin that first night, and nobody else ever brought it up.

More recently, however, the Titans had spent several months traveling the world in pursuit of the Brotherhood of Evil. Starfire had been certain that her skill would be needed in some nation far from home, but the team always managed to find at least one person in the area who spoke English. She supposed she had been lucky to land in a place that used such a universal language.

Now, though, they found themselves in a huge and bustling city in the middle of Japan, and Starfire got the sense that they would need more than one or two English-speaking locals to track their quarry.

Robin confirmed her suspicions when he frowned and looked down the street. "I can't read the signs," he admitted.

Beast Boy waved the comment away and suggested they ask for directions, but when the man he spoke to answered in somewhat confused-sounding Japanese, Starfire began to steel herself. This was perfectly normal, she reminded herself. She had done it a dozen times before, and it was completely different from a kiss. Tamaraneans didn't even do kissing.

Okay. She needed curiosity. She was tempted to pull it from her k'nonaki, but associating Robin with what she was about to do would only make her feel embarrassed all over again.

Beast Boy returned defeated, and Cyborg looked like he was about to strangle the boy. Starfire calmly put up a hand to block him.

"Perhaps I may be of assistance," she said simply. She had to show the others that this was standard procedure for Tamaraneans; they would understand. It wouldn't be any weirder than it needed to be.

Starfire selected a lone boy about her age – she couldn't explain Tamaranean language absorption to everyone on the street, so it had to look relatively normal from their perspective as well. She thought of Earth – of all the weird and wonderful sights and sounds and smells, of the strange buildings and customs and foods and people. Much of what had baffled and intrigued her when she first arrived on Earth was understood and ordinary now, but the sights and sounds of Tokyo fired her curiosity all over again.

Reaching out to pull the boy closer, she pressed her mouth against his and gave a mental pull. Her lips tingled and her throat heated a little as she absorbed Japanese, and she hummed on instinct.

She held contact a little longer than was probably necessary. She had rushed when absorbing English, and upon finding out what the behavior meant on Earth had resolved to complete her understanding of the language manually rather than use lip contact again, and years later her English was still a little off. It was silly, perhaps, but if she had to do this again, she wanted to end it with an Earth language she knew perfectly.

Finally, she broke off and used the boy's language to ask him for directions. Smooth. Easy. She noticed the infatuated look he gave her, but it was far better than offence.

The others were, predictably, baffled by her display. However, a quick explanation of language transfer set them blessedly at ease. They continued on.

All except Robin. He didn't say much, but he seemed… disappointed, in a way. Starfire felt a little bad about that, but at the same time, the thought sent her heart fluttering. Did this mean he was ready to…?

Her thoughts at that moment were interrupted by the screams of civilians and the approach of a monster, but later when everything had settled down, she realized that a new curiosity had taken root. It wasn't by any means the first time she had thought of it, but now she knew for sure that she very badly wanted to give the human form of lip contact a try.