Profile
Summary
Talula "Lula" Momose
This AU is kind of half-baked sorry... the logistics may not make sense it's all just an excuse for an older and more mature Talula who's completed her character development arc to use what she's learned to help a troubled youth LOL
Talula is a fully fledged horishi under the name Utabori III. She spends half the year in America running her own parlor and the other half in Japan at Utabori II's, which she's taken over after his death. After teenage runaway Akihiko witnesses a hit carried out on a yakuza patriarch, Talula takes him in to make sure he's not hunted down for what he knows.
Personality
introverted
optimistic
calculated
expressive
rational
Talula is far more mature than she was 17 years ago. She's still laid back and open-minded with a fondness for teasing, but she can more effectively read the room and understand when it is and isn't appropriate and tends to be less antagonistic with it. She's much more conscious of the effect her behaviour has on those around her. She's also further honed her ability to judge people's character, making her quite emotionally intelligent and empathetic as well. One of the biggest differences is that she's comfortable with herself. Talula is far more forthcoming with her emotions and understands that vulnerability doesn't make her weak, nor does doing what makes her happy, regardless of what others might think. She shamelessly adorns her phone with tens of cute Sailor Moon keitai charms, wears crop tops and short shorts, and buys whatever shoujo manga she wants. This, combined with her still upbeat personality, may make her come off as childish, but she doesn't care what people think about her anymore. She's found bliss in maturity but also recognizes that getting older doesn't mean she should abandon her "childish" interests, as being an adult goes deeper than things like that.
With age, she's also developed a maternal instinct, something she never imagined having when she was younger. Although uninterested in having her own, she feels it's her responsibility as an adult to protect children in every situation. Specifically, she thinks they shouldn't be made to partake in conflicts between adults. This is why, among other reasons, she felt so compelled to help Akihiko. Perhaps because of her willingness to not define adulthood as being devoid of anything considered childish, she's good at getting on their level and understanding the perspective of a child. Her wanting the best for her loved ones can sometimes manifest in her being a busybody or a nag, coming off a bit hypocritical at times as she herself doesn't always follow her own advice, but it ultimately comes from a good place. This caring nature extends to some degree to everyone in her life, even those the same age or older than her.
- IREZUMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Basically all music but especially hardcore
- Sailor Moon (shamelessly)
- Surprisingly fashion now
- Picky eaters
- Writing kanji
- She can cook now!
- She still has Asian flush syndrome but uses those patches so she drinks occasionally.
- She's proficient in Tagalog, Japanese, and English although she still has an accent when speaking the last two and is pretty useless at writing anything other than the most basic kanji.
- She still does Judo.
Backstory
- Basically the same except it happened 17 years earlier
- Utabori died when she was 35
- Has to look after teenage runaway Akihiko after he witnesses a Yakuza murder
i.
WIP lol
Design notes
- Still 5'5, more muscular than before + gained weight so like 200 pounds now maybe. She works out a lot but also doesn't watch her diet super closely so
- Still has big eyes but I guess I draw her with a thicher lashline and more narrow eyes? flat nose bridge, monolids, round face. Flat face in general... Cute, much to her dismay. Her eyebrows are meant to be really diagonal, think Nishiki's. Do not be afraid to give her a big ass forehead
- She's still feline. :3 FOREVERR
- She's let go of that crazy compression sports bra she's free! She's much more experimental w fashion and is more willing to wear revealing clothing she's more confident
Relationships
Akihiko Nakazawa is a runaway teenager who, after witnessing a murder carried out by the yakuza, is looked after by Talula to make sure they don't track him down. While initially, Akihiko was more reserved and shy, he eventually became comfortable enough with her to become a typical moody teenager around her. He tells her she's too old to dress how she does, grimaces at her jokes, and makes other snarky remarks. Talula takes it all with grace, not getting upset and usually responding to the comments lightheartedly by making non-inflammatory jokes back or probing him on his statements further. By letting his attempts to shut her up roll off her back, he finds himself dropping the bitchy persona and the two end up having pretty interesting conversations. While Talula openly shows her care for Akihiko through things like cooking for him, fixing his hair for him, and blatantly telling him such, Akihiko is much more indirect. He'll do Talula a favour but complain the whole time and hates when his kindness is acknowledged. Nonetheless, she's important to him, too.
Initially, Talula feels compelled to help Akihiko because of how strongly she's against involving children in matters of adults, especially the Yakuza. However, by getting to know Akihiko more, taking care of him becomes less a reflection of her morals and more a personal investment. Although he isn't forthcoming about his situation, she can pick up that something's going on even outside of the whole wanted by the Yakuza thing, for example, how his father seemed nonchalant about letting his son stay with a stranger. She herself was once a sharp-tongued troubled youth and although she went down the outwardly problematic troublemaking route, she can still see the signs in someone more reserved like him. She sees herself in him and wants to be the adult she needed when she was younger.
For Akihiko, he feels conflicted. The reason he ran away from home was to get his neglectful father to notice him. As much as his situation was terrifying, he was also certain it would get his father's attention. Surely he would worry when he vaguely texted that he was "staying somewhere else for a while," no father would be so comfortable to let their child stay with strangers! However, much to his disappointment, his father seemed nonplussed, easily accepting his absence. He was getting attention, though, from Talula. Her care frustrated him, he didn't want it from her. How could a random woman who knew him for such a short period care about him more than his own flesh and blood father? Her maternal nature also reminds him of his mother, which brings up unpleasant baggage that was never properly worked through. That being said, deep down, he appreciates the genuine interest she shows in his well-being and hobbies, even if he wishes he didn't.
See their relationship on her main profile! Before she left for America, Talula became more open with Utabori regarding her concerns about living up to the Utabori name and her fear of not disappointing him. He reassured her that he had total faith in her ability and that she didn't have to become a perfect replica of him in order to be someone he was proud of, he appreciated the unique way she approached irezumi. Utabori being so candid with his feelings towards Talula was rare, so she knew he meant it. When Utabori died, Talula started living partially in Japan again to take over Utabori's practice.
Talula herself through talking to various people who knew Kiryu came to the conclusion that he isn't the male power fantasy protagonist she and many others believed him to be. He was a lot of the things she thought he was: virtuous, strong, and selfless, but also selfish (somehow,) and sometimes careless, and he, too had failures. Basically, he was an incredible person, but just that: a person. She also found out he partook in many deeply unserious activities, which only humanized him even more in her eyes. Talula still admires him, but also acknowledges he isn't some kind of god-like flawless being.
And, no matter what kind of guy he is, the tattoo Utabori gave him is pretty sweet.
