#i need to draw her interacting with Pav

[babulekbabayaga]

My girl, still thinking about her... I need to write her. Here's some lore about her.

The Dreaded Soul: Vuk Ókiv

LORE

Born in an unnamed, rural, village in Bohemia on April 30th 1921 to Mikhail Ókiv, a hunter, and his wife Morana Bashenska, who died in childbirth, Vuk’s life wasn’t one of many joys and peculiarities outside of the accompanying forests and fields of flowers that only come by in the springs and summers, exposed to the effects that the first Great War had on her nation and her father’s approach to life. Luxuries were often limited and if not, almost non-existent, despite that, the village girl had a hopeful outlook on life.

As a child, she was considered by many in the village as a quiet tomboy who was also assertive in her beliefs and didn't hesitate to call out the inadequacies of others, she was a confident individual, just too calm to have the ability to bark at others. She was a competitive girl in athletic sports and always around to lend a hand in physical chores. So outgoing she was, she joined a shooting club where she became an amateur sharpshooter and for her developing talent, was rewarded a sharpshooter badge and marksman certificate.

Raised in a village that still follows traditions and the old religion unlike the towns and cities, Vuk was brought up in a religious environment with the followers of Ziej'anad, the old god of hope and order, whom the people, and the nation used to back then, worship and plead to bring order back to a world that had seemed to be neglected ever since the absence. Vuk was particularly praised as the possible incarnation of the god since birth because the local priest mentioned how she was born the day all the planets were aligned perfectly, for them, it was a sign.

Throughout Vuk’s early upbringing, she was taught that she was the symbol of hope for this nation and she took the symbolism seriously—dedicating herself to every good charitable work that was available for volunteers, sabotaging her self-interests for the validation of others, especially the adults and elders. She tried to look up to the image of Ziej'anad, reading every scripture of his ways and bringing offerings to an altar of him she had in the corner of her cramped bedroom where she’d routinely pray. Her entire existence when she was a youth purely revolves around him and nothing else. She was not herself, she was him.

Vuk was simply the golden child of the village. The only sense of self she still had was her marksmanship.

When the Second Great War started, the village was one of the occupied areas by the Bremen militia and immediately they hid their weapons from the army in the forest and they warned the children to not dig them up. Vuk and the other children one day took a visit there to dig in a dirt-filled trench looking for the abandoned rifles in order to join the Eastern Union forces against the Bremen just like their parents in the first war.

Vuk wasn’t the one who suggested this but was influenced by the kids to join in for the cause or else they’ll call her a coward and a false. She was the first to find a rifle and her activity was noticed by a Bremen reconnaissance aircraft, flying overhead, whom she naively assumed they didn’t notice her and simply shrugged it off, because she was merely a child digging in the dirt. What suspicions are there in that?

The next day was continuing as normal, as normal as it tries to get with the constant piercing eyes of the Bremen soldiers watching every move of the civilians. Vuk went out hunting with her father to gather more meat and fur as winter was nearing. When they returned to the village, they found the place to be oddly deserted and full of flies. As they continued walking past the buildings, Mikhail took a glance behind his shoulder naturally and noticed a pile of executed bodies stacked behind the church, one corpse stacked on top of another, even newborn infants fell victim. Vuk stopped in her tracks when she heard his footsteps lessen and turned around to ask what was wrong until she saw it and it took her seconds to comprehend what caused this to happen. She began to let out a cry to the point she almost lost her voice, looking away from the scene in distress as she clung to her father’s arm instinctually for safety despite no Bremen in sight.

So much for the symbol of hope and order.

Mikhail knew that they both had to evacuate, thus they returned to their homes to pack up their belongings and go, never to come back. As Vuk was clearing her bedroom, her father asked for her to come in and when she did, she noticed that her father had found the very rifle that she dug up from the forest, one of the weapons that the adults told everyone, explicitly to the children, to not dig up.

She knew he knew what was the root cause of this mass execution.

She sees him clenching his fists in all sorts of repressed emotions; wrath, grief, betrayal, fear and possibly more.

‘’I didn’t mean to, I didn’t know this would happen, pa, please, I was only trying to help. I just wanted to help… don’t leave me, please.’’

‘’What did you think it would have happened?’’

His voice was nonchalant yet the movement of his twitching hands was not.

‘’I don’t know, I just… I didn’t know that this would come to happen, but… pa, please, please, I was only intending for the goodness, not… this. Please, don’t hurt me, please. I didn’t mean it. You’d understand, I’m your daughter, yes?’’

Vuk couldn’t help herself, looking anywhere but her father, she was already slowly tearing up like a child she was, now trying to comprehend whether the involuntary manslaughter made her a killer or just a misunderstood folklore tale.

Was she always a false? Was she truly a good individual, an incarnation of a long-forgotten deity whose name brings hope who supposedly abandoned humanity, or evil personified who disguised herself as a child, the pinnacle of innocence? She doesn’t know what she is anymore, what is true and not true. Is any of this reality at all or was it the misjudgments that were multiplied by all the guilt?

‘’Leave, just leave.’’

The girl shook her head no repeatedly, immediately clinging herself to her father, the only family she ever had, the rest were gone to the first war, not wanting to believe the words of abandonment. Begging for him to let her stay by his side but he was pushing her away from her desperate hands and despite not wanting this to happen, he landed a blow to her face to make her get away from him but it wasn’t enough, she was still attached to his arm like a lost pup.

‘’I said leave, Vuk, leave before I’ll do something I’ll regret!’’

He wanted to say ‘it’s for your own good’ at the end, but there’s nothing good that comes out of this situation; what her fate lies behind the door is uncertain but he could sense the dread that would come to hunt a lone girl during a war, he seen it happen before, he was there, he witnessed the depravities of humanities unravelling before his comprehension when the first Great War happened, the spilling of guts everywhere, children being forced in a tied haystack then burned to death with it as they were pushed around by the soldiers like a toy, an elderly woman being stabbed to death the same amount of times that aligns with her age. Anything could happen. That is simply humanity when given the chance.

He advised her to hide in the forests and flee to the west.

Mikhail couldn’t bear to listen to the wailings of his only child as he forcibly pushed her out of the house, pushing her roughly out of the doorstep and seeing her stumble on the dirt ground with her belongings beside her, especially that rifle, he quickly locked the door before she could run for it and laid against it—finally breaking out of the repression and his face fell to his hands as he wept and listened to the banging on the door and pleas.

It was heading into darkness by now and the trees of the forests only helped to intensify the opacity. All isolated with a dried bloody nose from the hit and the very rifle she was holding onto that was the mainspring of this downfall. What had she left of now? An identity crippled to fallen petals, the realisation she wasn’t as exceptional as she was raised to believe that she was. She was bad luck, a walking misfortune who caused more torment than hopeful progress. Exceptional in the way that she brought this to happen. Or was it just destiny? She was merely fifteen, how could she comprehend of such things?

It took two days to finally reach a nearby town and as she took a rest from all the walking, she realised there was a recruitment camp nearby and immediately she went there to be recruited into the Eastern Union army. She came prepared, with virtually every high-level civilian sharpshooter in Bohemia, accrued over years of shooting as a personal hobby and necessary skill for hunting. She easily lied about her age, being a very tall child for her age.

After a rushed training, she was sent to the front quickly. She was fine with shooting living creatures, she was introduced to the concept of death since she gained awareness as a child, hunting animals humanely and skinning them, she thought it would be the same with people. Yet it wasn’t, it was completely different and the screams of pain that followed from not only her shots but others around her. The first battle changed her. This was her first reality in war. It hardened her and took away bits of childhood she had in her.

She became extremely skilled at her job. Tying cloth strips to flutter in the wind distracting enemies, rugged up store mannequins as decoys, shooting in the rain to muffle her gunfire. Her sniping became crueller, not daring to bring a singular hint of hesitation or mercy, she dissociated herself from emotions and kept her focus.

Vuk would aim for the legs so her targets would cry for help to draw out rescuers who became new targets. No matter what, when the soldiers fired upon her, when the Bremens overran, when mortars were raining, she killed and kept killing. Sympathy was not in her dictionary when it came to the Bremens. They seek and take, she’ll hide and seek.

Over the years, she had developed a renowned reputation amongst the front, nicknamed ‘’Lady Dread’’, with her infamy bringing along deadlier opponents and she was becoming heavily targeted at. Battles and sniping were the only aspects of her life that she had grown, for lack of a better word, comfortable with, and where she could truly present her value of where she’s exceptional at, which is marksmanship, for others, they consider her only talent to be at taking people’s breaths away. Nothing else but just a mere killer in a soldier's uniform to cover her acts.

However, ultimately, Vuk had lost the battle, flesh covered with shrapnel and the army was hopelessly outnumbered by the Bremen, the woman who used to be a village girl was forced to evacuate. In the end, she had taken the lives of 325 people, 325 names on her hands, 325 families weeping.

After several months far away from the front and her comrades, her body ridden with fresh shrapnel scars, she was finally given a letter from the officials and was ordered to not return to combat after the news of the Kaiser conquering Prehevil and signing the peace treaty with the Eastern union.

She was devastated. Distressed. Exasperated. Confused. Scared.

All the sacrifices, the killings, the efforts, the deaths of young men and women. It all ultimately led to surrender. This was a betrayal for Vuk, and she will never forgive the Eastern Union for this.

She gave up, was not even acknowledged for her efforts in the war and was left as a stygian veteran with nothing to come back to, to believe in and to become, she was as hollow as a clam without its pearl. A living figment of the past.

Much like her old man.

With nothing to aspire to, never received a proper education herself, she got on the train and decided to return to the very village she came from and perhaps set up a shooting club, or something else… who knows? Only fate will choose what will happen.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

So that's Vuk, granted There's more to her that I would adore to add and there's a recurring character that's important to her but I left it out of the multiple paragraphs for the sake of keeping the main parts of her lore simplified and short.

So, with Vuk's inspiration for her lore and character, she's inspired by Lyudmila Pavilchenko the renowned Soviet sniper with credited 309 kills during WW2, Jinx from Arcane, Florya Gaishun from Come and See (self-explanatory) and probably others I had forgotten about or subconsciously added.

Need to finish her 'moonscorched' form at some point...

[soft-serve-soymilk]

Low-key though everyone should have at least one (1) oc it’s good for you

[zxmickeyzx]

Mumbattan Ch.5

Barista! Pavitr x Artist! Miles

Miles came into the cafe for some chai tea, to see his friend Gwen on her shift and make some art while relaxing in the cafe. Instead he got some Barista who looked very annoyed when he tried to order and then became very passionate about ranting to him about how people say chai tea instead of just saying chai. Miles didn't mind him lecturing him on it though.

At least it was from someone so cute.

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The customer who he learned was named Miles from Gwen, did not show up the very next day again much to Pavitrs disappointment. After the talk with his Maya Auntie, he wanted to make sure he apologized properly, but it had been about two weeks since he last saw him. He thought back to their last interaction and didn't remember anything he did or say to warrant him not come back again. Hopefully he did not cause another misunderstanding and he was just overthinking it as usual. 

The cafe was less busy at the moment, as it was the middle of the day most people were either working or in school at the moment. So he took advantage of this moment to just stare into space. Honestly it was not his fault, he was cleaning but he was just so bored. He hated slow days. Maybe he could call one of his friends to keep him company, while he did enjoy Ben's company at a certain point he needed a break from the man and his dramatic flair and Gwen wouldn't come until much later. Gayatri was here earlier but she left as soon as her shift was done. ‘Hmph Traitor’ 

While lost in his train of thought he didn’t hear his name being called.

“PAVITR!” 

He jumped and froze a bit outta shock, he turned to see who called his name with such urgency. Turns out that person was Gwen. She looked frustrated with him at the moment.

“Oh! Hi Gwen!” He beams a smile at her, but she gives him a frustrated sigh in response. 

“Pav, are you okay? I have been trying to get your attention for a bit.” She gave him a bit of a concerned look. He just shook his head in disagreement. 

“No, I'm okay. I am just so bored. Are you clocking in now? I thought you worked later.” Maybe he got the times wrong. 

“Hm no. I am not working yet, Ben is covering my shift for a bit longer, said he needed the cash. I will work later though.I start when the rush starts later at around 3. You’ll be working with Ben til then?”

He groans. More Ben. 

“Don't worry I heard that Lyla is taking over more shifts when she comes back.”

“Lyla is coming back?! I thought she quit because of school?” He said in disbelief.

Gwen chuckles. “Yeah, but remember she was going to come back when her mister as TA was over. Mr. O’hara is a hard ass.” 

Lyla used to work at the cafe when she was 16 until her 2nd year in college when she became a TA for her class. Apparently Mr. O'hara, who he has heard so much about, is very strict and hard to please. It takes an extreme amount of effort to pass his classes. Before her no one wanted to deal with him, many of his former TA’s would quit within a week so it was surprising that she was his TA for a whole year. She actually recommended that they hire Gwen.

“I am excited to see her again. I missed her so much!” Pavitr really meant it, they barely saw her when she was TA but when they did it was always a joy. 

“Yeah, it’s gonna be great to work with her.” Gwen then looks around the cafe. “Hey Pav, since it's slow, why don't you take a break and hang out with us.”

“Us?”

“Yeah, me and Miles.” She points in the direction of where Miles was sitting. It seemed that he was lost in whatever he was writing, or was it drawing. He couldn't really tell. 

“Oh, um, I wouldn’t want to intrude! Besides, I am still working, never know when it needs to be all hands on deck.”

“Fine. But can you make me my usual and Miles some Chai. I swear he is addicted to it. What did you put in it to make him crave it all the time? Drugs?” She jokes.

“Of course not! I am just that good.” He smiles. “Anything you want to eat with it?” 

“You know what, can I get some strawberry cheesecake and for miles, get him two croissants buttered and toasted. I’ll pay for it now.” He nods. 

“I’ll bring it over to you guys when the order is done then.” Gwen hands him cash, and tells him thanks before walking back to where her friend was. As she seats down he goes to the coffee bar and gets started on the order. At least now he had something to do that wasn't just recleaning everything to look busy. As he started to focus on making the order, a certain someone was using him as a reference for his art studies. 

Miles was mesmerized by the way Pavitr moved while making their orders. The sun seemed to always hit him with the right lighting. His hair was so majestic, so dark and lucious, and his eyes were so bright and beautiful it pulled you in. He wanted to capture it in his art. Even though they were quick sketches, he was pretty satisfied with where the art direction was going. He was so focused he didn't notice Gwen calling him. 

“MILES!”

He jumped a bit and looked up to see Gwen just staring at him. 

“Oh! Hi Gwen, "he smiles. She gives him a sigh.

“What is up with you and Pav today?” She sits down next to him. “So what's got you all hyper focused?” She leans to look at what he is drawing in his sketchbook. A bad habit that he just accepted over the years that she will forever be nosy and can never control her curiosity.  She looks at his sketches and then at him with a raised eyebrow. “Pav?”

He looks away from her for a bit and rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah. He’s just so mesmerizing, I had to draw him. You don't think he would mind right?”

Gwen chuckles. “I don't think he will mind once he sees the work when you’re finished with it. Are you sure it's only cause he is mesmerizing?” Miles, knowing what she was implying, shakes his head. 

“It ain't like that. I just thought he would be nice to draw ya know.” He turns back to continue drawing Pavitr. 

“Yeah right. Just like how you drew me before in high school cause I was nice to draw.” She teases. 

“That was different. I just met him, plus I didnt even introduce myself. He doesn't even know my name.”

“He does. I’ve talked about you to him before.” She mentions nonchalantly.

“That doesn't count, I have not introduced myself as anything other than the customer you corrected the other day.” He looks at Pavitr making the drinks to see what new position he was in to quickly sketch. “Anyway. When does your shift start?”

“In about an hour and a half. So I get to bug you more!” She lightly punches his shoulders. He just rolls his eyes and smiles. Gwen is one of his best friends, every just flows so naturally when they are together. They just vibe. He sometimes sees her as an annoying sibling that likes to bother him from time to time. His father could attest to that, calling her an emo leech who liked to come over and eat. Even though he wouldn't say it out loud he was very fond of her, like a reluctant uncle who has an honorary niece he had no say in. 

About 15 minutes later, he started to try and add more details to the quick sketches he made of the barista while Gwen was talking to him about how her band were prepping to do more shows and the difficulty to get everyone's times synced up.

“Yeah, our lead guitarist is also very inconsistent even though he usually has the most time out of all of us. Though I will say, I do enjoy being a part of this band more than the last one.” 

“That's great you finally found one that suits you. I know you’ve been looking for one ever since I met you.” 

“Yeah, now if only we can sync up so I can play more. Margo said she could help us with our scheduling problem. I believe in her, if anyone can help us organize our messy style it's her.”

Margo was a computer science major, and was practically a tech wiz. She was also extremely detail oriented and particular with her things. It was really funny because Ganke was the opposite of her while also being a tech wiz. They would always group up together even though they clash with how they do things. If you ask them why they always partner up they’ll tell you that it's convenient because they have so many classes in common.  

“Thank Pav!” He hears Gwen say, taking him out of his train of thoughts. He looks up from his sketchbook to see Pavitr places their order in front of them giving them a smile that rivals the sun.

“No problem! I hope you guys enjoy!” 

“We will!” Gwen grabs her drink and takes a sip. “Pav, I don't think I have properly introduced you to my friend. Pav this is Miles, he’s been my best friend since sophomore year in high school. Miles this Pav the chai activist.” She teases. 

Pavitr hesitates to respond but Miles does not. 

“Hey man, it's nice to finally properly be introduced to you. I realized I never gave you my name before, sorry ‘bout that.”  He gives him a small smile. 

“That's no problem! I know our first meeting wasn’t the best, sorry about that.” Pavitr rubs his neck a bit nervously. 

Miles gives him a small chuckle. “Its no problem man. Like I said before I didn't mind being corrected. At least I won't be sayin ‘Tea Tea’ anymore. Feel free to tell me any other things I may be sayin wrong.”

“Well people like to say ‘naan bread’ which is the same as saying ‘bread bread’.” Miles groans in response.

“Youre kiddin! I've been saying ‘bread bread’ this entire time?!” 

Pavitr laughs and relaxes, he finally apologizes and it seems he really was worried for no reason. Miles was very respectful and liked to lighten the mood. He can see why Gwen liked to hang out with him a lot. 

“Well now you know.” He teases. He sees Miles take a sip of the chai he had just made.

“Man, this really hits the spot. You know your stuff.”

Pavitr’s skin turns a bit redder at the compliment. “Thanks.” 

Just then a group of teenagers walked into the cafe which caused Pavitr to sigh. He was just getting to know Miles but he guesses the conversation would be cut short for another time. 

“Looks like duty calls for me. I guess we have to cut this conversation short.” He pouted a bit.

“Don’t worry Pav, we can always talk later when I work on shift. Plus Miles will be coming here more often. He said he likes the cafe vibes. I think he is really here cause I’m so awesome he can't handle not havin our vibe sessions as much.” She jokes.

“Yeah right. I’m glad I don't have to see your face as often. Plus who said I am coming for you, if anything it's Pavitr’s Chai that’s bringing me in here.” Miles jokes back to switch Gwen just rolls her eyes. 

“Sure buddy, whatever you say. I know you love me.”

Pavitr chuckles as he walks away. “Well I’ll talk to you guys later! Enjoy your stay Miles!”

“Hey! What about me?” Gwen shouts a bit to him.

“You're gonna be working later!” He responds before arriving at the coffee bar.

Gwen groans. “He’s right. I do love working here even if not all the customers are great.”

“At least you have me here to keep you company. You can’t get rid of me easily.” Miles gives her a pat on the shoulder. 

“Yeah you're right. Are you gonna stay the whole time? You know I can go home by myself.” Miles just shakes his head.

“My parents would kill me if I don't walk you back late. I know you can handle yourself but you're like my sister I gotta make sure you get home safe.”

“Yeah, thanks Miles. I appreciate it.”

“It's no problem!” He goes back to continue his art trying to capture Pavitrs essence on paper. Gwen peeks again to see his process. 

“You sure you're drawing Pavitr just for reference?” She teases.

“Oh shut up!”

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