Lukes admission of mutantness firmly took Tris's mind away from any regret her slightly snappish words might have cause her. As Luke freely listed his gifts and his ability to blend in, Tris became even more intrigued- Luke didn't really seem to be involved in or know much about the mutant community of the city, she wanted to wet his appetite want to know more.

"Very cool,"
she commented, complimenting the sonar thing, going on with;
"Kinda reminds me of this other guy I sorta know, he's totally blind too, but see's like auras or something,"
she shrugged;
"He's real handy with a sword too."

She might have expanded more about some of the other more intriguing personalities she'd seen, weren't for the fact that she happened to glance over at Victoria- who had silent tears streaming down her face. She sighed, but represed the 'oh what now!' that wanted slip out- she wasn't great with crying people, and instead went with another sypathetic;
"Awwww hunny....."

Luke listened carefully as Tris spoke but something caught his ear, so to speak.

Plop... plop... plop...

Turning his attention away from the more outgoing woman the blind man focused on Victoria and in just a moment he knew what was causing the sound. The occasional drip of tears falling to the table. IT was a faint sound but with his enhanced hearing it was loud enough to notice.

"Awwww hunny....." Tris spoke up as she apparently noticed the same situation that Luke had just been drawn to.

Reaching over carefully Luke attempted to touch and gently grip one of Victoria's hands as he offered a kind smile. "It will get better Victoria... you'll learn control over your power and you'll learn to have a life without your parents. As I said you'll always remember them but you can still find a life for yourself now." Really, he was at a loss on how to handle the crying young woman... this was just not something he was experienced with.

Awwww hunny....."

Victoria blinked in surprise at the sympathy in Tris' tone, in stark contrast to her earlier words or at least to how she had interpreted them. And Luke was trying to help. Victoria felt it was churlish to carry on so but it was very difficult. She didn't know how to respond.

"Your entree, Miss." The waiter had reappeared, interrupting her thoughts.

Victoria looked up at him, her eyes still moist and her face tear stained.

"Thank you." she replied and moved her napkin out of the way so that the waiter could set the plate down.

Having put the plate down in front of Victoria, the waiter looked nervously between the three of them and, deciding that discretion was the better part of valour, backed away. He hoped it wasn't the tea but had been too distracted to ask if it was alright and on reflection, bad tea didn't usually have quite such an extreme effect.

Victoria looked at the plate suspiciously, temporarily, at least, distracted from thinking about what to say by the appearance of the food and the reminder of how hungry it was. Despite her hunger it didn't look particularly appetising.

Nevertheless Victoria spread a little on a piece of the toast and took a cautious bite. The texture in her mouth was unusual and the taste.... she wasn't sure about the taste but she took another bite. Hunger got the better of her and she ate a little faster.

"So what does this training involve?" she asked , having polished off her entree.

Luke's words and the timely arrival of food seemed to sooth the water works of the, in Tris's opinion, to vulnerable, skinny girl. Tris smiled to see the younger girl tuck into her food, unsure at first, then with greater relish.

It was odd, but, sitting there watching Victoria eat and thinking about that day, reminded Tris of some of the strongest vulnerable aspects of her four siblings all rolled in one teary package. It made her feel protective- is seemed that had been why she found herself at this strange yet interesting and informative luncheon.

"So what does this training involve?" she asked , having polished off her entree.

"Oh its kinda awesome."
Tris answered, enuthused in the memories of her topic;
"See, having a power is like- but way cooler than, being an athlete, all you need to do is practice and practice and practice some more and develop that mental control that will that you see what you have is cool, not a curse. There's many different ways you can practice obviously, like mediation/ yoga/pilates stuff, and simulations things that make you feel you've been sucked into a video game, oh and you can do like obstacle courses straight out of a reality tv show...... Its changeling, but fun. "

After grabbing his glass of tea and taking another sip, Luke turned his attention to the food that had now been set out. The Philly Steak & Cheese Sandwich smelled so tantelizing but for the moment the blind man restricted himself to beginning with the at least somewhat healthy side salad. Poking his fork into the crisp iceburg and romaine lettuce Luke made sure to also spear a tomato before placing the bite into his mouth and chewing thoughtfully. There was something special about the cripsness and freshness of a salad that just made Luke feel better and healthier even though he knew a lot of it was just in his mind.

"So what does this training involve?"

"Oh its kinda awesome. See, having a power is like- but way cooler than, being an athlete, all you need to do is practice and practice and practice some more and develop that mental control that will that you see what you have is cool, not a curse. There's many different ways you can practice obviously, like mediation/ yoga/pilates stuff, and simulations things that make you feel you've been sucked into a video game, oh and you can do like obstacle courses straight out of a reality tv show...... Its challenging, but fun. "

For the moment Luke just continued with his eating, choosing not to comment on the subject. All of his training had been private and self-motivated meaning that he was no expert on the kind fo training she was talking about. He wasn't even sure that he could really instruct someone else on how to train but he was quite happy to just eat and listen while the two ladies talked.

Victoria frowned, not at all sure that Tris' description of what the training involved sounded particularly awesome to her. Nevertheless she felt beholden to at least show some interest, though the only thing she could think off was more of a negative.

"Is it expensive?" She asked, "Only I don't exactly have a lot of money and I have just lost my job."

Victoria had calculated that the pay from the job she had just lost would cover her board and lodging and leave her with about enough left over for a coffee about once per week and now she didn't even have that. Assuming she could find another job that paid about the same it wasn't going to leave her with enough to pay for even the most minimal of tuition.

She sipped the last of her tea and put the mug down.

"I had had it such a long time too. I've been employed at that shop since...." She paused for effect, demonstrating that she had a sense of humour, "Eight-thirty this morning."

Victoria grinned wryly, "I wonder if that is a new record.' She looked suddenly embarrassed as she admitted, "It is the longest I have held a job."

"Is it expensive?" She asked, "Only I don't exactly have a lot of money and I have just lost my job."

Tris smiled, thinking Victoria might not be too averse to training if her main concern was expense, and Tris was glad, Victoria seemed to be in a place Tris had been in afew years ago, hating her powers and thinking them a curse- training had saved Tris's sense of self, why not Victoria's too?

"I had had it such a long time too. I've been employed at that shop since...." She paused for effect, demonstrating that she had a sense of humour, "Eight-thirty this morning."

Victoria grinned wryly, "I wonder if that is a new record.' She looked suddenly embarrassed as she admitted, "It is the longest I have held a job."

Tris chuckled;
"Well personal best records are always worth congratulating,"
she said, toasting Victoria with her water glass and sipping from it.
"But if its a job you want, I'm sure between the three of us, we could think of something."
She addressed her next comment to Luke;
"You heard anything?"
But thought of something else, and so added an aside to Victoria;
"but if you were worried about getting money for doing training, you wouldn't have too- its free."
Anticipating Victoria's look, Tris grined, and continued;
"Because we belong to a certain special group, some interesting things- like training, education, and even accommodation can be free..... if you know where to look."

(OOC- Moved with Victoria's permission)

The food was good and for the moment, that's what Luke was focusing on. The smell of the Philly Cheese Steak was so tantalizing that he ate his salad much faster than he normally would have. I mean, the salad was good but if the scents wafting through his nostrils were any indication that sandwich was going to be a little piece of heaven.

"But if its a job you want, I'm sure between the three of us, we could think of something. You heard anything?" Tris suddenly addressed Luke, just as he was finishing the last bite of his salad. Finishing his last bite the blind man prayed he wouldn't salivate to much as he carried on a conversation for a few brief moments before turning back to his sandwich.

"Well, I have some ideas about where you might find a job but the big question is what do you wnat to do and what do you have experience with?" Luke replied, turning his attention first to Tris and then over to Victoria. "My guess is that some type of office work may fit your personality better so you can keep from dealing with irate customers but that's really up to you. Do you have much experience with typing or inputing data?"

Victoria was surprised that there might be the opportunity for not just free tuition but accommodation as well and it showed on her face. But there had to be a catch. There always was.

"But they will only be interested in people with useful talents." she said morosely. She couldn't think of any way her talent could be put to productive use.

"I can find my way around a computer and can touch type." Victoria's voice was quiet, only just audible above the background noise of the restaurant as she responded to Luke's. "Though I don't have any experience, as such, of data entry. When I said that it was the longest I had held a job.... it is actually the only job I have ever had."

Their main courses arrived and Victoria looked at it, wishing now that she had ordered something a little more substantial and possibly even a little more adventurous. Like everything else, Victoria had virtually no experience of dining out, it being something that had been reserved for very special occasions.

She was silent for a while as she started on the chicken salad. Victoria was at a loss as to how to advance matters and so she hid behind the consumption of her food, hoping that Tris or Luke would come up with a concrete suggestion. She was accoustomed to having her life directed, lovingly though it had been, by her parents and Victoria was finding the experience of the past few months and this situation rather daunting.

Tris looked at Luke and smiled, even if he couldn't see it- grateful for his sensible suggestions, thinking that even though she had just met Victoria, the general impression she got from the vulnerable thing was that, while she might be alittle suspicious of an all out free pass, she might be more open to gentle helping hand nudging her along.

Tris bit into her own BLT, savoring the good, yet humble taste as she listening to Victoria's reply- it seemed she'd been right, though after listing her skills in a very not interview savvy kinda way, she didn't even try and go any further, asking about positions and what not....... very sheltered it seemed.

"Though I don't have any experience, as such, of data entry. When I said that it was the longest I had held a job.... it is actually the only job I have ever had."

...Tris said nothing, continuing to munch on her sandwich as opposed to responding to that leading question, imagining the conversation:
"Oh really, why ever would that be?".....loving parents said so....blah blah....lose contol.....blah blah.....collapse in tears
...and Tris, as she knew, wanted to avoid tearful scenes if she could, so instead she say nothing, instead casting a pleading look at the blind man sitting at their table, ironically enough, silently nudging him to start a new topic.

So she had never held a job before... Luke wasn't greatly surprise. From how she reacted to the world around her as well as her aparent age she had probably never had much of an opportunity to work before.

"Well, if you're interested in work I may have another option for you." He said slowly before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a business card. Sliding it across the table, Luke paused for a moment as he waited for Victoria to take it, then he began speaking again.

"'Jacobs & Jacobs Security' is my families company. It's been around for a while and though I'm not directly involved anymore, I still have a few contacts as well as the ability to pull a few strings. Along with my name and number you should see Miss Deborah Langstan. She's my secretary at the firm and she can get you into an entry level filing or data entry position. It won't pay a huge amount but it'll be fair wages and a steady paycheck."

Sitting back against the cushions of the booth, Luke turned his attention back to the sandwich that still sat on his plate. "It's not the most glamerous of work but it'll keep you out of the public eye if that's what you're looking for." Luke said as he picked up the sandwich before taking a bite and chewing thoughtfully once again.

"And that's about as much help as I'm going to be able to provide." The blind man thought to himself as he waited to hear Victoria's thoughts on the offer, "I'm not experienced in training or anything but I can offer employment."

Victoria looked at Luke in surprise. It perhaps wasn't a concrete job offer but it was definitely an opening and very much more than she was expecting. An office environment, where the number of people was predetermined and who could be briefed on her problem seemed to be a much more suitable environment for Victoria than a shop assistant in the sort of establishment that regularly had difficult customers.

She wanted to hug him and this time she didn't let knowledge of Luke's likely reserved response get in the way. But she couldn't find a way to do so and instead had to content herself with placing her hand on his.

"Thank you, Luke." She held her hand on his a little longer before picking up the card and putting it carefully in her purse.

Victoria's hair was still a mess and her face tear-stained but she looked altogether much happier than she had a few moments before.

Tris looked with interest from Luke to Victoria and back again and smiled;
"Well that is just dandy, looks like there's a knight in shining amour to the rescue and you are all sorted Victoria dear."
Tris commented in a bright tone, adding in more ways than one in her head as she took in the body language the young thing portrayed......but she could just be imagining things, an entirely possible occupation for Tris's head, so instead of making smug little internal remarks about crushes and a girl she hadn't known long, she decided to jump in with another offer;
"And I would seriously think about some training if I were you, it is a great comfort to control your gift and not let it control you- I could so hook you up with some very cool teacher types."

"Thank you, Luke." Victoria said as she reached out and touched his hand.

"My pleasure." Luke replied with a smile, "Just take care of yourself and you should be fine. And the instruction with your power would probably help."

"Well that is just dandy, looks like there's a knight in shining amour to the rescue and you are all sorted Victoria dear. And I would seriously think about some training if I were you, it is a great comfort to control your gift and not let it control you- I could so hook you up with some very cool teacher types."

The blind man nodded again, agreeing with Tris as he turned his attention back to the sandwich. There were still two or three bites left and there was no way he was going to waste something that tasted this good. Biting into it again Luke began to chew as he listened to the two ladies talk about training. A job he could offer but training was not something he could offer for someone else. He had practiced with his own power before but he didn't know anything about other people's abilities. It was deffinately better to just stay out of it and let Tris talk.

Victoria smiled at Luke before returning her attention to her chicken salad. "He really is a very nice man." she thought as she continued eating.

"I really should have ordered something more substantial." Was her though after she had eaten everything on the plate. Going to pieces wall all very well but it did leave her hungry afterwards; three times in a short space of time had left her ravenous.

Victoria looked from Tris to Luke and then back to Tris, wondering how to advance matters, both in terms of the job and the training. She was shy and unsure of herself and so left it up to Tris to make the next move.

A couple of times she did find herself eyeing their plates and wondering if they were going to finish or leave a bit that she could steal. She was accustomed to living in an environment where money was tight and food never got wasted, never got left for 'manners'. Victoria felt that she had prevailed on the generosity of Tris and Luke enough and thus felt that she couldn't ask for the desert menu or another look at the main menu. There would be the opportunity to buy some bread later, she was sure. Bread was a relatively cheap way of filling up her stomach.