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| 109. An original character (Zaichik) |
Well, well, well, another 365 Days of Art entry! I had intended to post this one ages ago but didn't get around to it until now (I finished it back in June/July).
This time it's number 109: An Original Character (with Back Story). There's actually several drawings for him (and one of his sister too, who I've also included in the backstory) because I'm trying to make a short 3D animation at the moment, with the help of a friend of mine, and both he and his sister are in it. This character's name is Zaichik and I made him up around 4 years ago (though I'd never drawn him until this year). The rest may get a little long, so everything else is below, after the cut. Apologies if this becomes rambling and overly detailed...
This time it's number 109: An Original Character (with Back Story). There's actually several drawings for him (and one of his sister too, who I've also included in the backstory) because I'm trying to make a short 3D animation at the moment, with the help of a friend of mine, and both he and his sister are in it. This character's name is Zaichik and I made him up around 4 years ago (though I'd never drawn him until this year). The rest may get a little long, so everything else is below, after the cut. Apologies if this becomes rambling and overly detailed...
Name: Zaichik (a term of endearment meaning "bunny" in Russian; not his birth name.)
Age: ?
Status: Living
Family: Mother (researcher in the fields of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology), father (researcher in the field of Marine Biology, specialising in bioluminescence and jellyfish), and one elder sister (Rybka; four years older than him).
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| Evidently, side views are not my strong point... |
Childhood: Until they were 7 and 11, respectively, Zaichik and his sister did not often see their parents due to the extended periods of time that their mother and father spent on research expeditions in the field and the long working hours which they kept when at "home". The children spent much of their time at the family's home near the ocean, where they were home-schooled by private tutors during the day and taken care of by a live-in nanny/housekeeper during the evening.
When their father was not away, sometimes they also had lessons in basic science and marine biology at his research facility nearby, though these lessons were always overseen by one of his assistants rather than him. Zaichik was not interested in such studies and preferred to see the animals as pets or friends and to draw them, than to study them scientifically.
Rybka, on the other hand, both enjoyed and excelled in the study of science even at an early age, much to the delight of the children's parents. This resulted in their parents taking Rybka on an expedition with them when she was 11, leaving Zaichik behind as usual. However, they promised him that if he improved his anatomical drawing skills, he could be useful on the expeditions too and could go with them the next time.
Rybka, on the other hand, both enjoyed and excelled in the study of science even at an early age, much to the delight of the children's parents. This resulted in their parents taking Rybka on an expedition with them when she was 11, leaving Zaichik behind as usual. However, they promised him that if he improved his anatomical drawing skills, he could be useful on the expeditions too and could go with them the next time.
After returning from the expedition (Rybka then aged 12 and Zaichik then aged 8), the children's parents returned to work, and then conducted hours of research from books and computers at their home as part of a collaborative project on bioluminescent sources of light. Rybka returned to her studies as usual. She also helped Zaichik to perfect his anatomical drawings, particularly those of various jellyfish species, which were his favourite.
On his ninth birthday, Zaichik's parents told him that they and his sister were leaving on another research expedition for three months, but that he was still too young to accompany them, despite the improvements he had made to both his drawing and note-taking skills. He was extremely disappointed, but his parents were adamant about their decision. He received a sketchbook and a book about jellyfish from them as birthday gifts and Rybka gave him a large toy rabbit that had previously belonged to her. She said that it would keep him company whilst she was away.
The the two children went to the beach near their home, with an inflatable boat, in order to look for sea creatures to observe. As they had been around the sea from early childhood, they were allowed to be in the water at low tide without adult supervision. However, as they rowed further out, it became apparent that the water was rougher than they had expected. A large wave hit the boat and the toy rabbit fell into the water. Zaichik leant over the side in an attempt to retrieve it. Another wave hit and he fell overboard but, as he was a proficient swimmer, he and Rybka simply laughed as he swam towards the rabbit, whilst holding onto his sister's hand.
Zaichik reached the rabbit, which had been tangled in some drifting seaweed and clung onto it. He then began to swim back to the boat. Suddenly, Zaichik felt sharp pains in his left arm and more in his leg. He saw string-like tentacles floating amidst the seaweed and knew that he'd been stung by a jellyfish. Again he felt stings, this time on his face, neck, right arm, torso and again on his left arm. Rybka immediately dove into the water to help her brother, but there were far more jellies than she had anticipated and she began to be stung multiple times too.
Rybka used the little strength she had left to lift her half-conscious brother, along with the rabbit that he still clung to, back onto the inflatable boat, hoping that the waves would eventually carry him ashore and that someone would find him. Zaichik saw his sister dropping back into the sea for one final time before he lost consciousness. The boat reached the shore as Rybka had hoped and Zaichik received immediate medical attention. Although Rybka was declared dead after an intensive search was carried out, her body was never recovered.
Adulthood & Rybka: After Rybka's death, Zaichik and his parents moved to a house that was more inland, though they still owned the house near the shore. During this time, Zaichik began to refuse to respond to his birth name, preferring to be known only as "Zaichik" (the name of the rabbit that his sister gave him). He also began using the name "Rybka" (little fish) when talking about his sister, as he said that she had been "taken to the sea to live as a dear little fish". Although she had officially been declared deceased, Zaichik continued to speak of her in present tense, even suggesting that he sometimes saw or even spoke with her when he was alone.
After long periods of hospitalisation, several operations, and years of therapy (both physical and mental), and the attachment of a mechanical prosthetic limb (replacing his left arm, on which the tissue had become necrotic and so had to be removed), He often found it hard to sleep, and when he did he had extremely vivid nightmares and night terrors. Zaichik decided to leave his parents' home and return to the house by the sea. His parents were hesitant to let him leave, as he said that he could "hear the jellyfish calling" him home, but, as he was over eighteen at that point, they had no choice but to let him go.
On returning to the old house, he found the inflatable boat still lying on the floor and fashioned himself "protective clothing" from it. He also found the rabbit toy, which was the reason that he and his sister had been in the water in the first place. As he looked at the toy, anger filled him and he began tearing it to pieces. When his rage subsided he picked up the pieces that were left and attached them to his clothing (the fur collar and the rabbit eye fastenings). He also took the ears and pierced them directly into his scalp with rings, fully transforming himself into "Zaichik", so that he would never lose hold of him again.
On his ninth birthday, Zaichik's parents told him that they and his sister were leaving on another research expedition for three months, but that he was still too young to accompany them, despite the improvements he had made to both his drawing and note-taking skills. He was extremely disappointed, but his parents were adamant about their decision. He received a sketchbook and a book about jellyfish from them as birthday gifts and Rybka gave him a large toy rabbit that had previously belonged to her. She said that it would keep him company whilst she was away.
The the two children went to the beach near their home, with an inflatable boat, in order to look for sea creatures to observe. As they had been around the sea from early childhood, they were allowed to be in the water at low tide without adult supervision. However, as they rowed further out, it became apparent that the water was rougher than they had expected. A large wave hit the boat and the toy rabbit fell into the water. Zaichik leant over the side in an attempt to retrieve it. Another wave hit and he fell overboard but, as he was a proficient swimmer, he and Rybka simply laughed as he swam towards the rabbit, whilst holding onto his sister's hand.
Zaichik reached the rabbit, which had been tangled in some drifting seaweed and clung onto it. He then began to swim back to the boat. Suddenly, Zaichik felt sharp pains in his left arm and more in his leg. He saw string-like tentacles floating amidst the seaweed and knew that he'd been stung by a jellyfish. Again he felt stings, this time on his face, neck, right arm, torso and again on his left arm. Rybka immediately dove into the water to help her brother, but there were far more jellies than she had anticipated and she began to be stung multiple times too.
Rybka used the little strength she had left to lift her half-conscious brother, along with the rabbit that he still clung to, back onto the inflatable boat, hoping that the waves would eventually carry him ashore and that someone would find him. Zaichik saw his sister dropping back into the sea for one final time before he lost consciousness. The boat reached the shore as Rybka had hoped and Zaichik received immediate medical attention. Although Rybka was declared dead after an intensive search was carried out, her body was never recovered.
Adulthood & Rybka: After Rybka's death, Zaichik and his parents moved to a house that was more inland, though they still owned the house near the shore. During this time, Zaichik began to refuse to respond to his birth name, preferring to be known only as "Zaichik" (the name of the rabbit that his sister gave him). He also began using the name "Rybka" (little fish) when talking about his sister, as he said that she had been "taken to the sea to live as a dear little fish". Although she had officially been declared deceased, Zaichik continued to speak of her in present tense, even suggesting that he sometimes saw or even spoke with her when he was alone.
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| Rybka, as she appears to Zaichik. |
After long periods of hospitalisation, several operations, and years of therapy (both physical and mental), and the attachment of a mechanical prosthetic limb (replacing his left arm, on which the tissue had become necrotic and so had to be removed), He often found it hard to sleep, and when he did he had extremely vivid nightmares and night terrors. Zaichik decided to leave his parents' home and return to the house by the sea. His parents were hesitant to let him leave, as he said that he could "hear the jellyfish calling" him home, but, as he was over eighteen at that point, they had no choice but to let him go.
On returning to the old house, he found the inflatable boat still lying on the floor and fashioned himself "protective clothing" from it. He also found the rabbit toy, which was the reason that he and his sister had been in the water in the first place. As he looked at the toy, anger filled him and he began tearing it to pieces. When his rage subsided he picked up the pieces that were left and attached them to his clothing (the fur collar and the rabbit eye fastenings). He also took the ears and pierced them directly into his scalp with rings, fully transforming himself into "Zaichik", so that he would never lose hold of him again.
Despite his encounter with jellyfish, Zaichik still finds them incredibly fascinating and often walks out to the sea to be near them. He also hopes to see Rybka, whom he is convinced is still alive.
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☆Thank you for imagining another part of this paracosm☆