Chapter 13: Securing The New Home

River Person fussed over his new daughter as she rested. "Father, I'm doing a lot better," she said.

"I know, but still, that fight drained a lot of your magic, my little one," he said, gently running a cool cloth over his daughter's forehead. "Besides, this allows me the chance to dote on you."

Hannah chuckled as he reminded her much of her father that had passed away. "You're so much like how my birth father was," she said before looking sad.

The cloaked being gently hugged her. "I know you miss him," he said gently. "But I know that wherever he is, he's smiling down on you and he is very proud of you."

Tears sprang to her eyes as he said that. "Thank you," she said, snuggling closer to him and he smiled, kissing her forehead in affection, vowing that he'd be the best father he could be to Hannah, to honor her birth father.

Back at the skeleton's home, Rebecca was laid down on the bed by her husband, who looked so worried about her. "My love, are you sure you're okay?" He asked her.

"Papyrus, I'm alright," she reassured him. "A bit drained from the battle, but I'll live."

"Still, your magic reserves are low and your HP is steadily climbing back up," Gaster said before he had an idea. "Rebecca, can you absorb magic?"

She looked horrified when he asked that, to which he noticed. "I'm guessing from that reaction, you can," he continued.

"Gaster," she said, her face still a look of horror. "To absorb magic from someone else is not something done lightly."

"Whoa, calm down, sis," Sans said, sensing she was getting really worked up. "Take a deep breath and then explain what you want to to us, okay?"

The dark-haired mage took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Absorbing magic is not only one of the most difficult things to do, but the person one is absorbing magic from must trust that person without fail or condition."

"So it's based on absolute trust?" Papyrus asked.

"Yes," she said.

"In other words, that person would trust you with their lives and you would trust them with your life," Gaster said.

Rebecca nodded and Sans stepped closer, taking her hand. "I trust you, Becca," he said. "Take some of my magic."

She looked afraid. "Sans, I can't," she said. "I could hurt you if I do so."

"Nah, you won't," he said confidently. "Trust me, takes a lot to hurt me."

Papyrus placed his hands on his wife's shoulders. "Absorb some of my magic, my love," he said. "I trust you with my life."

Nodding, Gaster took Rebecca's free hand. "Take some of mine too," he said.

"But...," she tried to protest, but they shook their heads.

"We trust you, my love," Papyrus said.

"You proved we could when we first met you," Sans said.

"Now trust us, my dear," Gaster said.

Taking a deep breath, Rebecca closed her eyes and opened them, revealing them to be white. "Trust is a precious gift to be given, never to be taken lightly or otherwise. To my family, I love you all and trust you more than anything, be any time day or night and I am awake," she said in a peaceful chant.

Blue, orange, and purple magic flowed into her hand and around her in a hazy mist as she took some calm breaths. Kano, who had just arrived, looked a bit worried before he saw how calm the skeletons were and saw the magic fade after a bit and Rebecca opened her eyes, smiling. The three skeletons looked at her in surprise while Sans gave her an accusing look. "You didn't take much," he said.

"I didn't want to drain you guys," she said. "If a mage isn't careful while doing a magic transfer like that, the person they are getting magic from could fall ill or worse."

"You worry too much, my dear," Gaster said, kissing her forehead in affection. "Our magic recovers fairly quickly."

"I know, but still, if any of you fell ill because of that, I would never forgive myself."

Kano smiled before going over and taking his master's hand, his own magic going into her and she jumped in shock. "Kano," she said in surprise before catching him as he fell limp in her arms.

"I'm okay," he said, but his words were slurred and his eyes were dim. "My old masters used to drain all my magic, but when they created me, they made sure I could recover fast by eating."

Papyrus at once gave him some of Toriel's butterscotch pie that he had and the puppet ate it gratefully as Rebecca held him. "Next time, Kano, warn me before you do that," she scolded gently. "I know you meant well, but please."

"I will," he promised.

Sans fondly shook his head. "Becca, you worry too much," he said, reaching up and wiggling his fingers into her neck, making her giggle and push his hand away.

"Because I care," she said, noticing he didn't make a pun.

"And I'm glad you do," he said. "We're free because you didn't give up and you banded us all together to break the barrier."

"Not just me, but Hannah too," the dark-haired mage said. "Tomorrow, I'll check the forest to make sure it's good enough to protect us from the outside world. At least until the world is accepting enough."

"It'll be a start," Gaster said with a nod as he smiled.

The next day, true to her word, Rebecca went out into the forest, looking around and seeing it was built well enough to keep them hidden. Even the village was ready for them to move in to and live peacefully. While she was at the edge of the forest on the mountain, she saw an elderly woman, who turned and smiled at her. "I knew a good mage would stop the evil mages," the woman said. "You did well, Rebecca."

The young woman blinked. "How do you know my name?" She asked.

"I knew your teachers, dear," she said. "Continue on the path you follow from your heart and all will be well. Monsters will one day be fully accepted. Until then, just know, there are quite a few villages around the mountain that accept the monsters for who they are and are not afraid."

Rebecca gasped as she recognized the woman. "You're the flower lady," she said as the lady was known to grow the most beautiful flowers with her magic.

The lady nodded. "Good luck, dear Rebecca," she said before heading away.

Smiling, the mage headed back to the mountain, finding Asgore and nodding. "All is well," she said. "We can start moving whenever everyone is ready."

"We'll get to see the sun for real?" Snow Mound asked.

"Yes, young one," Rebecca said, doing a check on him and she was pleased to see he was recovering. "I'm glad you're recovering so well."

"Thanks to you," he said. "You're my hero, Mage of Light."

"And our hero too," Chara said with a smile.

All the children hugged the mage and she returned the hugs happily. "I couldn't have done it without all of you," she said. "Not just because of the traits you represent, but also because you believed in me. I'm proud to be your aunt."

The gathered monsters all smiled before heading home to start packing their things to move. Hannah came out and smiled at Rebecca. "We did it, Becca," she said.

"That we did," the dark-haired mage agreed before looking somber. "I'm just sorry our victory came at such a high price."

The other mage nodded. "Yes," she said softly before taking a deep breath. "But we won't let their deaths be in vain."

"No, we won't," Grillby said, coming up to them, placing a hand on Rebecca's shoulder. She looked at him and hugged him, sniffling and he hugged her back. "You've done a lot, Rebecca. You and Hannah both. Your teachers would be proud of you both today, as would your father, Hannah, and the two people you deemed to be your parents, Rebecca."

Hannah smiled at him before looking at Rebecca curiously. "Is Grillby like your dad?" She asked curiously.

Rebecca chuckled a little. "I think he took on that role when he and Muffet helped me not long after I arrived in the Underground," she said. "I doubted myself and they helped me see things clearer, along with my family."

Grillby chuckled. "Guess I did kind of step into the role of father for you, didn't I?" He asked.

"You did," the dark-haired mage said. "And I'm grateful for that. You and Muffet both helped me a great deal when I first arrived and I'll never forget that."

Carmen came up to them. "Hey, we're ready to start moving," she said. "Everyone's excited about going to their new homes."

"Then gather close," Hannah said as she and Rebecca nodded and teleported everyone and the belongings they had decided to take with them on the first time around to the village. The village was big and spacious, allowing everyone to have a home. "We'll do a few more trips over the next few days so we don't exhaust ourselves or our magic."

"Good idea," Rebecca said as the children began to play outside, feeling the sun for the first time in a long time. Even the monsters were enjoying the sun, having not felt it in so long.

The dark-haired mage smiled, vowing that her family would never be deprived of the sun like they were before ever again.

Their new home is secure. :)

Next chapter is the epilogue.

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