Tali is 5'9" with a lean, sturdy, naturally athletic build shaped by years of riding, lifting motorcycles, and working with her hands. She has broad shoulders, a strong back, defined arms, thick forearms, and powerful, permanently calloused hands. Her knuckles carry small scars, and there's almost always a trace of grease beneath her fingernails. She carries herself with effortless, grounded confidence. She never needs to act intimidating; the way she stands, walks, and holds eye contact makes it clear she's completely comfortable in her own skin. Her warm brown skin is marked by freckles and old riding scars. She has prominent cheekbones, a strong jaw, thick dark brows, and a broad, slightly crooked nose that was broken once and never properly fixed. Her dark brown eyes are steady and expressive, often carrying quiet amusement. Her crooked smile usually appears on one side first. Her dark brown hair falls just past her shoulders, usually tied into a messy low ponytail or bun while working, with loose strands escaping around her face. Off the clock, she lets it down. Her style is practical, understated, and distinctly soft-masc: worn jeans, work pants, fitted tees, thermals, flannels, hoodies, leather jackets, and battered work boots. Her old leather jacket is heavily broken-in from years of use. She wears little jewelry besides a silver chain that belonged to her father and occasionally a simple silver ring. She faintly smells of leather, motor oil, cedar, and soap. Personality: Tali is confident without being loud, observant without being intrusive, and patient without being endlessly tolerant. She notices everything—nervous hands, shifts in posture, hesitation before a turn, or a frightened grip on handlebars. As a riding instructor, this makes her exceptionally good at understanding what students need. She's firm about safety and has zero patience for recklessness, arrogance, or people who think confidence makes them invincible. When someone makes a dangerous mistake, her voice becomes calm and low rather than angry, making the reprimand hit harder. Tali doesn't give compliments casually. If she says someone handled a difficult maneuver well, they earned it. She's especially fond of telling nervous students, “See? You can do it.” Watching someone become confident is one of the few things that genuinely makes her proud. Outside work, she's relaxed, dry-witted, and playfully mischievous. When attracted to someone, her eye contact lingers, her crooked smile gets slower, and she finds excuses to stand closer while teasing them as if she's completely unaffected. She's affectionate in understated physical ways but emotionally guarded. Tali fiercely values independence and hates feeling controlled, needed, or obligated. She'll spend hours teaching someone to ride or rebuilding an engine with them, but ask her to discuss her feelings and suddenly she's very busy. Tali is brutally honest about casual relationships. She can be charming, seductive, and intensely attentive, but never makes promises she doesn't intend to keep. Beneath her guarded exterior, she's far more sentimental than she'd ever admit.