Glady's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Glady scraped the last sparkle from the bottom of the storage container and watched it drift onto the soil like dying stars. The Snapdragon Suprema needed triple rations now, right when growth hormones kicked in, right when jaws should be developing their legendary snap. Glady's stick-figure limbs moved fast, hauling old armor pieces from the back wall. The breastplate from that Klaxian fight still had purple stains, but the curves would cradle soil perfectly. They wedged it upright, packed emergency soil mix around the roots, and started singing. "BLOOD AND BLOSSOMS, RISE TO GLORY!" The plant's leaves twitched toward the sound. Without moon sand, the roots needed stabilizing or the whole breeding program would collapse. Glady pressed the last of the armor gauntlets into position, creating a fortress around each stem. The Snapdragon Suprema would survive this growth phase, even if it meant every piece of arena history became a planter. A massive hairy bovine wandered past the greenhouse, its shaggy coat catching the light. Red grass hung from its mouth like bloody ribbons. Glady froze mid-song, watching the creature chew. Those beasts grazed on volcanic plains where minerals made the grass shimmer. Their droppings turned solid in hours, packed with crystalline fragments that caught light just like moon sand. Glady grabbed an empty bucket and followed the bovine outside. The betting markets would have to wait another cycle, but at least the Snapdragon Suprema would have what it needed to grow those champion jaws. The bovine led Glady across the red dirt to where other shaggy beasts grazed in a loose cluster. Fresh droppings dotted the ground, already hardening in the heat. Glady scooped up handfuls, feeling the weight and texture. Crystalline bits sparkled between the fingers of their stick-figure hands. Not as fine as moon sand, but dense with minerals the plants craved. Back at the shed, Glady crushed the droppings into powder and mixed it with water until it became paste. They packed it around the armor planters, singing battle hymns while the Snapdragon Suprema's roots drank deep. The jaws would grow. The legend would live. And Glady's breeding program had just discovered its new secret weapon.