Kyle and Jenny lay together underneath a tree, their clothes drying out over the fire beside them. They wore t-shirts and sweatpants borrowed from Tanya, sorry this is isn't going to be one of those chapters. But they were certainly feeling that kind of way, cuddled up and cozy under a blanket. It was the fact that everyone else was just a stones throw away that kept their hands mostly out of trouble. Jenny rested her head on Kyle's shoulder, looking up at the stars.

“I wonder which constellation is a duck,” she said.

“Oh not that,” Kyle sighed. “No more ducks today.”

Even Tanya's father had given up on the ducks for the time being, back in his human form. The only one still focused on ducks was Betty, who was holding some kind of tea party between her cat and her new duck in an attempt to help them get along better. Kyle wondered how it was going, but not enough to call across the clearing. And definitely not enough to get out from under a nice warm blanket with his nice warm girlfriend under it.

“Alright no ducks,” she said. “What did you think of the training?”

“It's all wet,” Kyle said.

“That's horrible.”

“No it's dry wit, so it's actually a double pun.”

“Is this what I can expect in the modern era? Puns?”

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“And lots of them,” Kyle sighed. “You know, you asked me if I regretted summoning you...but I never asked if you regretted being summoned.

“What?” Jenny gasped.

“Don't be like that, it's a legitimate question. This has all been a huge change. And now your soul is stapled directly to mine, and you're living in a strange world...”

“A wonderful world,” Jenny said. “I know that's not popular to say. And I won't say there aren't things I don't miss about my time, when magic was more common and there were dragons and street corner magicians everywhere. But the places you have advanced...the things any ordinary person can have without magic are incredible. And I know you don't always do it perfectly, but you're a lot better at things like, I dunno, not jailing people because their horns are the wrong shape.”

“Nobody has horns anymore,” Kyle said.

“You know what I mean. Overall, things in this time are a lot better. Of course maybe things in my time were a lot better than before too. Maybe we're always getting better, we just don't notice it because we have to deal with the problems we have right now.”

“This is getting deeper than I expected,” Kyle said. “Maybe I should have stuck with the ducks.”

“Hey Dr. Myrden!” Jenny called across the fire. “Is there a duck constellation?”

He pointed to the sky.

“Wild Duck Cluster,” he said. “It's part of a constellation called the scutum.”

“The what?” Evan laughed.

“It means shield you deranged pervert!” Dr. Myrden shouted, and Goldie slapped him on the back of the head.

“Look what you started,” Kyle said.

“Oh no,” Jenny grinned. “I take no responsibility for this. This is all your fault.”

They lay in silence for a moment.

“I wish we weren't training to fight,” Kyle said.

“Me too,” Jenny said. “That it could all be nights like this, cuddled up and looking at the stars. Or watching anime. I miss that Garden one.”

“Well if nothing else school starts up in a few weeks,” he sighed. “College. That'll be an experience.”

“Yeah!” She said. “We can start school together! And maybe we won't have a problem. Maybe we can just live quiet lives from here on out.”

You have probably noticed by now that this installment of their adventures is shorter than most, and there's a reason for that. Because this moment itself is brief, and fleeting. Back in town the government is already cleaning up the debris of a crazed treant attack, the hospital parking lot lies in smoking ruins. Their next enemy has already arrived, and already drawn blood.

But for tonight let them lie back against the grass, and look into the stars, and dream of days of peace.