Author's Note:
No, this is not a science daydream. Okay it is. I thought of this during science, that's why it has science terms in it. Couldn't help myself. It's one-shot, just something to lighten the mood and to let you know I'm still alive. XD
Enjoy. This story has no real point to it. XD
-Raven A. Star
"Raven?"
"Yes, Starfire?"
"Why are the leaves edr, gnorea and loeylw?"
Raven lowered her book with a look of pure confusion on her face. Starfire realized her mistake and giggled.
"Forgive me, I mean why are the leaves red, orange and yellow?"
Raven rolled her eyes and raised the book again so her face wasn't visible.
"Inside a leaf there are millions of little packages of color in green, yellow and orange. The green packages are called chlorophyll. The yellow packages are called xanthophyll. The orange packages are called carotene
In the summer, the green chlorophyll packages are very, very busy. The green packages in the leaves catch sunlight and, using it for energy, they change water from the ground and a special gas from the air or carbon dioxide into sugar or glucose.
This sugar is the food for the tree.
All summer long the green chlorophyll produces food for the trees. Because the green chlorophyll is so busy, the green color covers up all of the other colors in the packages.
The green packages of chlorophyll in the leaves need the water from the ground to do their job. The water is soaked up by the trees roots, travels up the trunk and enters the leaves through tiny tubes in the leaf's stem.
As fall approaches, the weather grows colder. The tree realizes that winter is near and begins to get ready.
A thin layer of cells grows over the water tubes in the leaves and closes them up in preparation for the winter. No more water can get into the leaf.
Without the water, the green chlorophyll starts to disappear and the other colors in the leaf -- the yellow xanthophyll packages and the orange carotene packages -- can finally be seen.
The leaves don't really "turn" a certain color -- they just lose their green."
Starfire blinked a couple times with her mouth agape. "What?"
Raven wanted to leap from the tree branch she was sitting on and fall into the ground. She had spent three breaths explaining why the leaves are red and yellow and orange and the Tamaranian was still confused.
"I said..."
"I know what you have spoken, friend Raven..." Starfire began with a sheepish expression, "It is just I do not know what cells or choropyl...kloro...those little green packages are."
"Then ask Robin, he gives an easier answer." Raven smirked behind the book. She had had enough of explaining things to the Tamaranian. Why not let Star's boyfriend take care of that?
Starfire floated off the branch clapping joyfully. "Perhaps you are right Raven! I shall go and ask Robin!"
With that the Tamaranian floated off. Raven stretched her legs out onto the spot where the red-head had been sitting before and yawned.
Raven then chuckled.
"...green chlorophyll is so busy...oh dear, I've been explaining things to Starfire that I'm beginning to think that I'm explaining things to elementary students!"
Just then a shout came from over the hill. "Thanks a lot Raven! Leaving me to explain why leaves change color! I'll make sure you get dish duty for a whole week!"
Raven scoffed. "You're welcome." She leaned back with her book on her stomach. She placed her hands behind her head and a grin appeared on her features. Ah, the sweetness of leaving Robin to do the explaining...
-The End-