He ignored her antics, finding them irrational and childlike to the extreme. She had to be around his age, judging by her appearance, but by her social skills and personality he would have guessed her to be nothing more than a child. Not only that, but her arguments were invalid about benders being oppressive and intolerant. All she did was tell him over and over that benders were bad, benders were tyrannic, benders were oppressive. He had yet to meet one of these benders she spoke of, but, then again, he had a nice childhood despite not having a father and being hit by a satomoblie. Actually, if he wanted to have a grudge at anyone, it would be against the man who made the blasted machines and submitting Yuuta to the life of the handicap.

Still, he decided not to argue his point. It was obvious she wasn't going to listen, so why bother? Besides, when you argue with an idiot, others might not be able to tell which one is the idiot. You stoop to low levels so they could understand and that kind of thing was beneath him. He already decided he was kind of neutral, not caring either way, though it seemed he did in fact slightly favor the benders. He sighed, waiting for her to stop talking, continuously sipping his tea like the ripples in the cup provided better entertainment than Shachi.

"Lovely," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as she began to ramble. Had she no filter for her thoughts? Or was this all some badly thought out plan to get him on her side. If anything, this annoyance would make him want to favor benders even more.

His food arrived and he set in quickly to eat it, thinking of it as some form of late lunch. He was planning on having a late dinner, anyways, wanting to devote more of his time self studying herbs and their effects in hopes to find something no one else has found out. "No," he replied simply at her last questions. Soft like an otter penguin? Sure, he had a soft spot for some things and would act kinder towards patients than the average person, but he was a grump inside and out. "It seems you're acting more like you're jealous that they have an upper advantage rather than those feelings of oppression.
"

Though the man did listen to her, he got caught up in the thoughts that medicine could be mass produced, his mind arguing with itself as he ate noodles and drank tea. Sure, medicine could be mass produced, but what about medicine men and herbalists like himself? You could mass produce people.like that; people that spend many years learning and studying so they won't get something wrong. You could buy medicine to treat a child's fever, but the exact dosage to help him or her? Either a mother with an extremely good intuition or someone like himself. Not only that but getting the wrong medicine to either prevent or cure something often had disastrous results.

"Glass blowing?" he asked, a little surprised. If she had told him before, he must have looked over it. A glass blowing Equalist? That was certainly a first. "Sounds like a delicate job," he commented lightly. He couldn't imagine how anyone could stand being around heat like that, needed to make glass, but to be fair he was also in an occupation where he had to have a tough stomach. Blood, pus, boils, you name it, he's felt with it. He understood that each person had what's they could and couldn't stand to work with.

Ah, yes, again with the attacking about benders. With people like her, he might as well side with the benders so he wouldn't be confused or grouped into that category. She had such a twisted sense of right and wrong he wanted to smack her. Yuuta wouldn't and not just because she would be able to deflect it but also that he pitied her negative view of the world. Yeah, he was a grump, but at least he was an optimistic grump.

"Humans are naturally selfish. Its in our very being to survive and benders aren't excluded from any of that. They are just as ambitious as we are, but to say they are in charge because they can do a few tricks is heavily exaggerated." Yuuta hoped that any of his words got through to her. "What if you met an influential bender that was kind and generous? Would you discriminate her because they are different?"

"Sure," he said, his boredom and annoyance showing obviously showing in his voice. Oh great, he was going to get flack for that without a doubt and he was trying pretend to be nice so she would go away. He just had to pretend to be nice long enough that she wouldn't see him as a charity case. Yuuta doubted he could last much longer in her presence without a bit of brain damage. Why the Equalists wanted someone like her around baffled him beyond belief.

As usual, the medicine man kept quite, letting Shachi talk on and on about her glass profession, nodding here and there to show that he was listening though he barely every other word that came out of her mouth. Sure, some of it was interesting, but he found the movement of the soup of the bowl of noodles to be far more tasteful.

Yuuta held up his hands in a defensive position. "Hey, why don't we just start talking about something a bit more pleasant?"he suggested, using a nicer tone to his voice, looking at her with his green eyes, even giving her a smile that lasted longer than a second. "What about you? How did you get to republic city? " It was a fair question; not everyone was a descendant of those that lived here before Avatar Aang and former Fire Lord Zukko established the city.

Yuuta eyed the girl as she attempted to eat the noodles. Really? This was ridiculous. And her fault. She was the one to order the same thing he did, which was a taste he had been accustomed to over a number of years and finding the type of noodles that he, himself, enjoyed. He had never met anyone with the same tastes as him. If he did, well, an instant bond would form right there, but that was becoming increasingly rare by the day. And he had yet to find someone to make his food exactly the way he liked it. Sadly enough, his own mother rarely hit that expectation. She even joked that his high standards were what made him grumpy all the time, seeing as high expectations would only leave him disappointed. And he had to admit, that was part of the problem.

"Nice," he commented absently. He didn't really care, but at least they weren't arguing. "Which water tribe?" he asked, slightly hoping it was the Northern water tribe, where his mother was. If she knew enough about her mother's side, he could ask about what it was like up there and how skilled the healers were so he knew if he was or was not getting his money's worth. It was costing him a small fortune to have his mother up there to get better. If she wasn't getting better at all, he'd rather take care of her himself back here in Republic City until she left him... for good. At least, that way, he could spend more time with her and put that money into savings for starting his own family; that is, if he could find a girl that could put up with him.

"To tell the truth, I'm afraid you'd follow me home like a stray dog," Yuutaa said. If he was lucky enough, she wouldn't take it as an insult. It wasn't intended to be one, but the last thing he needed was her on his case. He swore, he was surrounded by women all the time. Couldn't he, just once, have a conversation with a male? Except his master; that man was impossible to have a casual conversation with. "And my roommate doesn't like pets," he added, not knowing if she did or not. He was simply trying to make a point.

Northern water tribe? She must have read his mind. Was he that transparent at stuff like this? No, impossible; he was about as solid as a brick when it came to hiding his innermost thoughts. On another note, he was a bit saddened by the fact Shachi's mother hadn't managed to teach her about accepting your weaknesses. So what that they weren't benders and didn't have that advantage from birth? It was simply an excuse by less successful people wanting an easy way up to a better life. A woman from the northern water tribe, a place full of benders and nonbenders, should have taught that to her child.

He couldn't repress the urge to shake his at her words. She was like those tiny, annoying dogs that wouldn't shut up once someone did so much as walk away. At least she didn't drool and try to bite his cane. Although, at the way it was progressing, he was starting to become weary she might do just that. "I wouldn't want to waste my roommate's time," he said, purposely avoiding any pronouns. Not a lot of people would approve or see it as a safe thing for a man and woman to share an apartment despite their platonic relationship. And the last thing he needed was for her to in depth about Shuai, who was a firebender.

"I like fish. I don't have a particular favorite nor do I like them as a meal. I find their company preferable to the likes of... well, people like you." Yuuta actually said generic fish because he didn't do a whole lot with them and never paid much attention to them, but it was an easy lie. No one knew his favorite thing to do was feed turtleducks bread at the park. And he intended to keep it that way. "Green. My mother was from the Earth Kingdom."

"I really doubt it," Yuuta said, sighing, as he raised the bowl of noodleless soup to his mouth and finished the last of his meal. He didn't have to look over to know his company hadn't finished their meal. She ate the food like a toddler eating new vegetables. Then again, Shachi had dug into the food as if she were expecting something different and received quite the shock. She had literally bitten off more than she could chew. But it wasn't his problem if she wanted to waste her money by not eating the food she bought. At least he got a nice meal, though not an exceptional one. "You're too noisy," he reminded the nonbender, pointing his chop sticks in her direction after setting down the porcelain bowl.

"Exactly," he pointed out. "Precisely the reason I like them." Even if it had been a lie, it had some truth to it. If he ever got a pet, it would defiantly be something calm and quiet. As for a giant fat cat, it was possible. Fat cats don't do much besides sleep, eat and be there for affection. Maybe he would get a fat cat at some point; he'd bring up that the next time he saw Shuai. "No, she isn't." His mother was a simple woman. He had a feeling she had wanted more out of life rather than caring for a child on her own, but she never seemed to mind it. As for his father, he had no idea if he was a bender or not. Yuuta never met the man who helped give him life, nor did he intend to find out who he was. Unless he was dead, there was no reason to let a woman raise a child on her own, doing all sorts of odd jobs just to pay the bills.

A staring contest now? he thought to himself with an exasperated sigh. He gave up! He just didn't know what to do at this point. Yuuta almost felt like imitating her the gesture she made with her hands in his frustration, but managed to resist the urge. He was determined to get rid of her; copying her would show they had some... friendship or something and she would longer persist to stick to him like glue. Instead, he rolled his eyes and placed his chop sticks on the top of the bowl to show the cook that he was finished with his meal and that the dish could be taken back for cleaning. Ah, it was nice to get a meal in for the first in a while. He mostly ate whatever was around and at the last place he rented, his roommate always ate out so all he had to eat were snacks.

While a bowl of rice was on his mind, Shachi's body moved from the corner of his eye. It wasn't the type of movement like she was getting out of her chair or leaving; she was falling. It would be a lie if the idea of letting her fall hadn't crossed his mind, but he wasn't an ass. Quickly, he moved out from his chair to catch hers. Catching it was easy, but bringing it back up wasn't as so. "You're heavier than you look," he grumpily commented as he placed the chair back on it's four legs. Speaking of legs, his wasn't too happy about the sudden pressure he put on it.

He, too tired to bring himself back to the chair, flopped on the ground, his hands going to his injured leg to massage the muscle. "Damn," the dark haired man cursed. Not only was she annoying, but clumsy as well and he, trying to do the good thing, ended up being the person who got hurt.

A thanks was all he got? She should!- no. He was tired and didn't want to have to deal with something like that right now, even in his own head. "You're welcome," he grumbled in a rather unpleased tone. Yuuta's green eyes went to see if she was okay: she was. Alright, so he wouldn't have to fret about her being injured (he did enough of that at the herbalry), but what was with the blush? From his dealings with women, she was either extremely thankful or really embarrassed about her little fall. In all truth he didn't blame her for such embarrassment. If he was in the same situation and had to be rescued like that, he would just be embarrassed but humiliated as well. Needing to be saved by someone else just felt so wrong to him. Perhaps that why he wanted to help others.

"Might as well take it as one," he murmured. "It's fine, it's fine." Yup, he definatly hated being helped. It took a bit of his integridy away every time someone felt like they needed to help him, like it was some sort of responsibility because of his disability. It was annoying and not at all helpful. "No!" he said in a harsh whisper. Yuuta pushed her shoulder lightly with his own as he rocked himself to his side - the side with his good leg - and then pushed himself up. With a plop he landed himself on his chair and heaved a heavy sigh. "Sorry; I don't mind helping, but I don't like being helped. Just leave it at that."

He hid his eyes with his hand, his head leaning back and supported only by the back of the chair. "Just pay and leave me alone. I've tried to be nice," he said without having removed his hand from his eyes or lift his head. "But that isn't something normal for me. Go." Mr. Nice- Guy was no longer around; hurting his leg was the tipping point for him. Why wouldn't she leave him alone?

Yuuta looked at her in surprise, removing his hand from his eyes and opening them. So she really did want to take responsibility for this? Fine. He'd let her help though he would have preferred her to leave him be, even if it meant limping home by himself. Actually, he would have loved to limp home all by himself. At least he would have been alone. "Fine," he grunted, "But stay quite." If she wanted to settle her conscious then she was going to do things his way. Not that he would try anything perverted or take advantage of her, but he really couldn't take much more of her and her ongoing antics.

"You," he spat, "Have not been 'making up' anything. I tried to be nice and showed you to you book club but you followed me. And followed me. You are trying too hard. You seem desperate." He didn't really have a point or goal to those words, but needed to get them out there and over with. Usually, he tried to act nice, but keeping in his thoughts always seemed like something that would eventually destroy him from the inside out. With girls like her, everything seemed to be a challenge, even eating a silly bowl of noodles!

He helped himself up, leaning on the table with both of his arms. "Pay," Yuuta said, his breath a bit heavier as it took more out of him to stand with his leg hurting like that. He didn't even bother to wait for her to pay before grabbing his cane and walking out the door and down the street, knowing she'd find him easily. He walked slowly, limping to keep the most weight off the leg.