"As tempting as it is to continue with Derek and the Dominoes, I'm not going to take that route and instead be mature and make no jokes when Layla shows up."

::Erin nods to herself, staring into a mirror. She's going to be grown-up about this. It's about time she started taking her job seriously. Yes it is. And then a glow in the reflection shows the arrival of Layla. The guide turns around.::

"Hello! Welcome."

::She smiles.::

:: Layla spins around to face Erin ::

"Uhm... Hello? Who - uh - who are you? And where am I?"

(Note to self: Clichéééééééééééé...)

:: She smiles weakly and looks apologeticly at Erin ::

"I'm Erin, your friendly guide."

::She holds out her hands in front of her, palms facing up.::

"And you, my dear, are a firestarter."

"Erin..."

:: She repeats flatly, slowly conprehending what's going on ::

(whatthehellwhatthehellehatthehell?)

"I'm Layla."

:: She holds out a hand to greet the strange new lady but hesitates ::

"And by firestarter you do mean wild, right? Not that I am. Or am I? No, I'm not. I'm confused."

(Relax. Don't babble. Count to ten.)

::Erin takes Lalya's hand and squeezes it with a smile.::

(How nice to see someone with manners.)

"No. By firestarter I mean that you have the magical ability to start fires. At times of high emotion you'll feel the energy building up inside you, and it will be released when you set something on fire."

:: Layla stares at Erin with her mouth slightly open ::

(...magical ability...fire... emotions...I need to pee)

"Oh...that's... grand all together, then."

:: She smiles weakly and tries to clear her throath, but fails as she only conjures up a sound that could be compared to the one of a mouse being tortured ::

"But - Erin, right? What do I do? And why? And how? And do you have a bathroom?"

"No. So it's best if we make this quick. When I say you can create fire, I do, indeed, mean literally. Say something happens and you experience tense emotional trauma then fwoom! something's gonna burn. For example NYARRRRGH!"

::Erin has just jumped right at Layla's face, screaming.::

::Layla shrieks like the girl she is and takes a step back, raising her arms in defence. In the process lighting her right sleeve on fire ::

"Ah! Getitoffgetitoff!"

:: She beats her arm with her free hand and franticly tries to put the fire out ::

"Aww, you set fire to yourself."

(So proud!)

::Doesn't help.::

:: Layla stops jumping around and takes a long, deeply forced sigh ::

(Calm. Be. Calm. The shiny stuff...fire, will go away. Breathe. Think of something else. Leprechauns. Diamonds, kittens, warm wollen mittens.)

:: She holds her non-firey arm over the other to choke the last bit of fire and panic ::

"That's.... fascinating. Yet somewhat masochistic of me...."

"Hey, it wasn't my idea that you set yourself on fire."

::Erin raises her eyebrows and gives Layyyyylaaaaaa (you got me on my knees!) a good-natured-yet-pitying shake of the head.::

"A little hint, from me to you, would be to set other things ablaze. Ablaze, I tells ya."

:: Laaaaaaayla nods slowly ::

"Ablaze. Got it."

(Or did I?)

"So I'll just concentrate on other things than my arm, then. I'm just a bit shaken, that's it. I mean, setting fire to stuff isn't exactly normal is it? Or is this just another Hollywood trend?"

"You're the Hollywood trend."

::Erin retorts, and then shrugs.::

"Don't be silly. It's all a big secret anyway. So don't go blabbing to people about what you can do. At least wait until you've 'accidentally'-

::Air quotes.::

"-set them on fire."

:: Layla coughs and gives Erin a 'deer-getting-hit-by-car' look ::

"I will accidentally set people on fire?!"

(Cool.)

"But where will I go from here? I mean, are you going to send me out on some kind of mission to save the world, or what?"

(I do ask a lot of questions.)

"Dunno and no. In fact go that way."

::She points to a door that's randomly appeared.::

"It'll take you to the book shop in the mall because I feel like sending you there. Now get!"

:: Layla looks from Erin and the two doors ::

(All right. Here goes nothing.)

:: She heads for one of the doors but stops and turns towards Erin ::

"Thank you miss."

:: Then she heads to the book shop ::