Why did everything always have to end like this when Bennie was around? All Alfonso had wanted was a chance to seduce a new soul for his collection, and maybe some nice time with his daughters. Instead, his sister had to show up, chase Life away, and activate her obnoxious powers. For once, Alfonso wished Bennie would just keep out of his life.
He was seconds away from just punching his sister in the face when he heard Ludovica's voice.
"W-wait, can't we settle this in a different way? Does it always have to end in aggression? I don't want to see my family fight."
"Yeah, Alfie, we're family. Let's not fight," Bennie urged. The urge to punch her swelled exponentially.
But still, Ludovica was right. Huffing, Alfonso released Bennie's arm, and she rubbed her wrist.
He had to do something. She couldn't be allowed to chase Life down. Bennie had to be kept away from her--Alfonso would not allow her to win.
He grabbed the map. Shocked, Bennie tugged on it. The two tussled over the cloth map, yanking and pulling, neither one quite willing to give up.
Then Shoe approached, caught the map in her fangs, and yanked hard. The map tore.
Shoe barked once, dropping the piece of the map that had come off in her sharp teeth. Bennie stood, frozen, while Alfonso acted quickly and snatched up the missing piece of the map. He stuffed it down the front of his pants for safekeeping.
Bennie stared. "...I really don't want to get that myself, but I will if I have to. Give it."
"No." A smug grin crossed Alfonso's features. Ah, the sweet scent of victory.
Bennie looked at her map and grinned. "It's still intact enough, loser."
Alfonso's grin faded.
Without missing a beat, Shoe sprang up, chomped on the map again, and tore it out of Bennie's hands. Bennie cried out in shock and went to retrieve it.
Shoe ate the map.
Alfonso had never been more proud in all his life.
"I'll be blunt too. I'm Life..."
Malin didn't hear the rest of what she said.
This was Life. This was Life? The legendary entity who had granted beauty to the earth? The one entity who didn't insist on killing everything they touched? This little girl was that creation?
Malin was starstruck. He opened his mouth, closed it, flicked his pencil up and down between his fingers, and began pacing. This was Life. This was Life.
This is Life.
"I-I--you're actually--you're Life." Malin tried not to act on his growing desire to crawl into a hole deep in the earth and die of humiliation. Stuttering in front of the one entity he loved the most? The one who might understand him? Pathetic.
"Sh*t. Sh*t. My stupid family probably knows you're here." Malin ran a hand through his hair, kicking a rock. "This sucks. They suck. Death sucks. Okay, listen, look. D*mmit, Mal, focus, stupid. You get it, right? Why humans are way better than stupid entities and--shut up, Mal, stupid, of course she does. She made them. You made them. Holy--I'm such a fan. Wait, just...I'll figure out some way to keep them away from you. You're Life. Holy sh*t. You're Life."
What was that word the humans used for moments like this?
"Fangirling".
Malin was effectively "fangirling".