Shauna was vaguely aware of light, sound and movement around her as she began to surface from the blissful darkness that unconscious oblivion had gifted her with shortly after she'd sunk to the cobbles in the Marketplace. She remembered the battle, what little part she'd had in it; she remembered the girl - what was her name" Lirissa" - and a lot of monsters and water and bodies strewn about the place. And then ....no, that was pretty much it, she decided fuzzily, wincing as her body rushed to inform her it was not happy with her.

Her eyes opened slowly, blinking and squinting in the artificial light. All around her, she could hear people in pain, others administering to them. It seemed the attack on the concert had taken down most, if not all of the party-goers, and medical-looking people were wending in and out of the groaning masses.

She herself seemed to have been laid on a mattress by the wall, probably because she'd been unconscious when they'd removed the wounded from the Marketplace. Her body protested wildly at any attempt to sit up, the slightest movement making a dull flash of throbbing, angry pain slice through her side. Oh yeah, she remembered that now ....one of those magic-hungry beasties had caught her one hell of a whack in the ribs. Hello pain, my name's Shauna - how long will you be staying"

She slumped back down, wincing again, and reached down to touch her thigh, which she did clearly remember as having been cut open. There was a loose bandage over it, and she belatedly realised she wasn't wearing her own clothes anymore. In place of the bedraggled mess of fabric she recalled as having been wearing when she passed out, she was now in a clean, crisp hospital gown type-thing, and covered with a blanket to boot.

Great, just great. Her first day here, and she had to get caught up in minor warfare. Her head dropped back against the mattress, and she winced again, feeling the beginnings of a monumental headache saying hello.

Her throat was dry, and she ignored the lancing pain in her side to push herself onto her elbows, hoping to flag down one of the professional-looking people.

"Eh ....'scuse me" Any chance o'a sup o'water?"

"Like someone picked me up'n threw me 'bout th'place," Shauna grimaced, managing a grateful smile to the silver-haired woman. "How'd I get here?"

With no little difficulty, she pulled herself upright, leaning heavily against the wall as the bandage pulled on her thigh, and her ribs protested once again. Reaching out with shaky hands, she somehow managed to pour a little water into a cup, and lifted it to her lips, sipping gratefully. Her eyes travelled over the busy area.

"D'ye know if'n a wee lassie come in?" she asked. "Think her name were Lirissa - she was banged up bad, tae."

"Fam'ly?" Shauna looked startled for a moment, before realising that no one here actually knew her at all. She laid the cup down and sank back onto the mattress with a low groan. "M'Shauna O'Donovan ....I dinnae think I've any fam'ly here, unless this is where m'sister's been hidin' out fer nigh on a year. Her name's Niamh, Niamh O'Donovan."

Her ribs throbbed painfully as she drew in a deeper breath. "Will I live, d'ye think, doc?"

After leaning back to be examined, Shauna pushed herself onto her elbows again, ignoring the pain in favour of looking quizzically at the doctor.

"Ye think she may be here" Small world." Drawing the gown back over her ribs, she sighed in relief. "S'good tae know m'nae goin' tae be wond'rin' 'bout broken ribs, thank ye. What 'bout m'leg?"

She lifted the blanket over her leg, displaying the bandage wrapped about her thigh. "Och, an' I wouldnae say nae t'a painkiller or summat like it."

Shauna's eyes almost bugged out of their sockets at the sight of a ....was that a gecko on two legs" With bandages" She didn't have a chance to ask, finding herself on the recieving end of a very professional inspection. It was heartening to be in the hands of someone who obviously knew what they were doing.

"Actually, jus' arrived here yesterday ....s'only one person I know, an' I doubt she remembers me," she admitted, feeling her body relax as the pain became muted. "How'd ye do that?"

"I didnae catch her last name, but the first was Elizabeth," Shauna offered helpfully, trying not to stare at the walking lizard. "Tall lassie, taller'n me, an' wi' purple hair. English, tae, if'n that means anythin' tae ye."

Hearing that magic was being used, brown eyes grew wide once again, this time in delight. "Ye're kiddin' me ....that whole magic thin' actually works here?"

She still had no idea what had actually been going on the evening before, nor exactly what sort of place she had come to. But magic ....now that was a powerful incentive to stay.

"Nae, ye stick wi'th'magic, doctor," she grinned happily. "Will it wear off when th'pain goes awa'?"

"Aye, I will," Shauna nodded, relaxing back against the bed once again as the exhaustion of the night before caught up to her. "Thank ye, doctor. Ye look like ye should get some sleep yerself."

She smiled sleepily, drawing in a deep sigh as she pulled the blanket over herself once more. At least she had somewhere to stay while she recovered. She could worry about somewhere to live when she got out of here.

It was rather easy to slip into the clinic. She did exercise enough courtesy to stop by reception to find out which room was housing her new friend. People would see her, but then would not really pay attention to her presence. A minor suggestion, more so that she did not disturb others than anything else.

She located the room and slipped inside. The concern was on her face. She was only one person and had gone to help someone in imminent danger. Her friend was hurt and she was feeling guilty.

What good is being a hero if you can't save people. The whole night weighed heavily on her soul. She save who she could and it wasn't good enough.

No, she would make it up to Shauna and others.

So here was the 5'11" Brit in the Asian body with the purple hair watching the show rather amused.

"There is a full moon out tonight, eh?" She quipped as she leaned there. Dress had been exchanged for a comfort pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a bomber jacket.

The doorway took up the brunt of her lean. Her hips were cocked at a relaxed angle.

The laugh at the retort was good natured and friendly.

"Aye, I made it out of that mess. I stuck around to make sure people got out then crashed at home."

Oh look there was a bag in her hand. "Figure you would want to look presentable when you got sprung."

The bag was handed over and she took a seat on the armchair in the room for visitors.

"Bullocks, you and that kid held your own longer than some of the more experienced fighters out there. You both figured out what the weakness was and found a way to exploit it." There was something earnest in her tone.

"The fact of the matter is, I am trained for that sort of situation. I have been fighting for so many years, I have lost track." There was a haunted look in those violet eyes. "Yes, I was a Charter Pilot. Then my powers woke up when I was forced to attack my twin brother. I was a model and a covert agent for the British Government..."

She pause a moment to gather her thoughts, "Most of all I was a hero where I came from."

She gave a shrug and tapped her head, "Because of my abilities I am also reviled by the people I have been working to help."

She smiled at the young woman before her, "The fact remains you stepped up when others would have and did flee. Not many people would have thought to help a complete stranger like that."

There was a thoughtful look on her face, "I was not prepared for it and had to improvise. Apparently I should have been lunch for them myself."

She steeples fingers before her face in thought. How to explain...

"One man's magic, eh' I was born with an extra gene that gives me Psychic abilities." She said softly. "Back home, I was called a mutant. Some people called us heroes, others....menaces."

She looked up at Shauna. "I have been to hell to back more than once. In some ways I would like to be normal. Yet, when the chips are down, I would not change a thing."

There was a half smile on those lips, "Queer is it not?"

She laughed at that, "You have to admit though, this place is better than most. My hat is off the person that runs this place. Tight ship, no breakdowns when it came to the emergency."

She had caught on to the just arrived comment. "You staying with your sister?" She had a feeling on this one what the answer would be.

She looked thoughtful at that, "The inn would be a place to crash, though a lot of strange things occur there."

She leaned back in the chair with a chuckle, "That's if you do not mind the noise, the drunks and the dragons at all hours."

A manicured index finger came up to tap on her lips. "That is a thought." She caught the look and grinned a bit. "Though where would be the question."

She was teasing the girl a bit and enjoying it. "Unless you do not mind rooming with me for the time being."

There the offer was out there.

She laughed at the first part of that. "I am a British woman that attracts some of her own trouble." Funny how she don't look British, but sounded oh so proper.

"I think we shall get on very well indeed. The idea is to give you a chance to get on your feet and I have plenty of room at my townhouse."

She felt relief the young woman would be at least stay somewhere reasonably safe. Though she wasn't kidding about attracting her own problems.