Your Diagnosis Came Back, You Have a Serious Case of Cheese

Her feet still blistered, Jarel carried Quinn back to the apartment.

They’d decided to leave shortly after the cheese ran out - much to Quinn’s disappointment - but whatever had come over her earlier had vanished the moment she’d teleported away.

Jarel still hadn’t asked exactly why she’d disappeared like that.

He could almost guess the answer.

So he didn’t bother.

It was barely midday when they walked down the hallway toward their apartment.

Just as they approached, Sayang’s door began to open.

A thought suddenly struck him.

Where was Jinxia?

Surely she’d finished searching by now.

But when Sayang stepped out wearing the brightest, most innocent smile he’d ever seen, the answer clicked into place.

The conclusion became even clearer when Jinxia stepped out behind her, smirking.

Sayang spoke first.

“Did you have a nice time, dears?”

The smile told him everything.

He sighed.

“How much did you see?”

Jinxia’s smirk widened.

“Everything.”

Jarel groaned, feeling his heart start pounding again.

Sayang gasped softly.

“Dearie, you’re blushing so much.”

Quinn shifted on his back.

But instead of making the kind of excuse Jarel expected, she snapped back.

“Why were you watching?”

Sayang chuckled.

“It was your special moment. I’m so glad I got to witness it.”

Jarel sighed.

The argument wasn’t worth it.

But Quinn was clearly furious.

“Exactly! That was our moment! Not yours!”

For a brief moment, something passed across Sayang’s face.

Remorse.

Almost.

“Maybe I overstepped a little.”

Then her smile returned.

“But you were so cute!”

Quinn slumped in defeat.

“You’re mean, Aunty…”

Jinxia snorted.

“You’re learning too fast, Quanlin.”

Then she casually walked past them.

“But I’m off now. I have men to woo.”

The moment she finished speaking, she simply stopped existing.

Gone.

Vanished to wherever demons went when they were apparently searching for “men to woo.”

Sayang waved them over.

“Come in, come in. I finished the quiche while you were out.”

Quinn looked horrified.

“But… I was making that!”

Sayang wagged a finger.

“You won’t be cooking with cheese again for a while, dearie. Not until you can control yourself.”

The demon on Jarel’s back suddenly seemed to gain extra weight as her shoulders sagged in defeat.

Jarel frowned.

“Did you use something else instead of cheese, Aunty?”

Sayang shook her head.

“I want to test something.”

Her smile widened.

“So come on in!”

Jarel sighed but obeyed, following the old woman into her apartment with Quinn still clinging to his back.

Sayang’s apartment looked fairly normal.

The walls were covered in framed photos. Small trinkets and mementos filled every available surface, each one probably attached to hours of stories. And of course there was that unmistakable smell that seemed to exist in every elderly person’s home.

Otherwise, the layout was identical to his own apartment.

Just with different furniture.

The scent of fresh pastry drifted through the air.

Quinn’s legs tightened around him as the smell of cheese reached her.

The source of the aroma sat proudly on the dining table.

The freshly baked quiche.

The table was already set for three.

Jarel placed Quinn gently in one of the chairs and sat beside her.

Her eyes locked onto the quiche immediately.

But something was different this time.

She wasn’t completely consumed by it.

Instead she looked more like a child staring at an unattended chocolate bar than a predator stalking prey.

Jarel decided to test it.

“Quinn?”

She turned toward him, though her gaze lingered on the quiche for a moment before finally settling on his face.

“Yeah?”

He scratched his chin thoughtfully.

“So cooked cheese is different from raw cheese? Or maybe it’s the quantity?”

She scowled.

“You’re testing me.”

He chuckled.

“That’s the point. We can’t have you diving at anything that contains cheese for the rest of your life.”

Her ears drooped.

“I’m sorry…”

Before he could answer, Sayang sat down across from them with a warm smile.

“Don’t worry, dearie.”

She folded her hands on the table.

“We’re going to exorcise your fondness for cheese.”

Quinn looked horrified.

“E-e-exorcise?”

Sayang nodded proudly.

“Does that word hurt you, dearie?”

Quinn nodded again, almost shakily.

Sayang shrugged.

“Good to know.”

Jarel felt uneasy.

There was too much he didn’t understand.

And he knew exactly where the feeling was coming from.

The old woman sitting across from him.

Less than a week ago she had been someone he found comforting, her constant presence grounding. But now it was different. Now there was a very real urge to avoid her.

And that scared him.

But there was little he could do except watch as she reached into her pocket and pulled something out.

It was a plastic toy slice of Swiss cheese - the kind toddlers used in pretend grocery store sets.

Her intentions were immediately clear.

Jarel began cutting the quiche into slices, one glance from Sayang all it took to convey the silent instruction.

Meanwhile Sayang held the toy cheese in front of Quinn’s face, wiggling it teasingly.

“Interested?”

Quinn looked utterly unimpressed.

“No.”

Sayang tossed the toy aside and plated up a slice of quiche. She held the plate out instead.

“What about this-”

Jarel looked up at the sudden sound of ceramic shattering.

Sayang stood frozen.

The plate in her hand had been reduced to shards scattered across the table.

Quinn looked completely normal - except for the crumbs of pastry around her lips and the tiny flakes still drifting down onto the table like dust.

The quiche slice was gone.

A moment passed.

Then Sayang cleared her throat and composed herself.

“…Well.”

Quinn suddenly seemed to realize what had happened.

She panicked.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

But Sayang was already thinking, muttering quietly to herself.

“And the threat of the cookie recipe doesn’t work either… I wonder…”

She stood and walked to the fridge.

Opened it.

Pulled out a carrot.

She returned and held it out toward Quinn like someone offering food to a rabbit.

“How about-”

The carrot vanished.

For the briefest instant Jarel saw Quinn’s outline blur before snapping back into focus. The carrot was simply gone.

Sayang said nothing.

She stood again, rummaged through the fridge, and returned with a green bean.

She didn’t even get a chance to speak before it disappeared too.

Still unfazed, she reached into the fridge again and pulled out a new item.

A head of lettuce.

She held it out, wiggling it like it was a treat.

“This one?”

Quinn shook her head.

Sayang grinned and returned the lettuce to the fridge.

She was still smiling when she sat down again.

“I’ve worked it out.”

Both Quinn and Jarel leaned forward at the same time.

“What is it?”

Sayang giggled.

“Dearie is part wolf. I had a dog a long time ago who behaved just like her.”

Quinn looked offended at the comparison, but Jarel had already spotted an opening.

“Your dog?”

Sayang nodded.

“My dog loved cheese, carrots, and green beans. Hated lettuce. There were other foods too, but those were the strongest reactions.”

Jarel blinked.

“What did you do about it?”

Sayang shrugged.

“Nothing. My dog couldn’t move faster than the eye can see… and couldn’t open the fridge.”

Quinn stared miserably at the broken shards of plate scattered across the table.

“But wolves are good for laziness…”

Jarel sighed.

“Did you just copy the aesthetic features, Quinn? Or did you copy the brain as well?”

She awkwardly poked her fingers together.

“I didn’t think there’d be any harm…”

Jarel groaned.

“Is this permanent?”

Sayang shrugged.

“Healing magic would solve the problem.”

Quinn bit her lip, her fangs peeking over it.

Jarel looked at her.

“Why don’t you have healing magic again?”

She refused to meet his eyes.

“I didn’t think I’d need it-”

Sayang frowned.

“You can drop the act, dearie.”

Quinn nodded slowly, then tried again.

“…It’s too dangerous.”