<a class="postlink" href="https://creativefreedomrpg.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&amp;t=41297">OOC</a><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="color: #00BFFF">Isidore Lionheart</span></span></div><br/><br/>Isidore watched the rock he just threw skip on the water. It actually made it quite a bit before finally sinking down into the lake.<br/><br/>"Yeah," he sighed, "I know how you feel. Always trying your hardest, but never quite good enough. Never can reach far enough."<br/><br/>A long time ago, when his parents had still been alive, Isidore knew for a fact that he would never have to worry about the lottery. He was well above the Wortherance Line. That changed when they died and he was moved from his comfortable home in the Century District to the Holm District, one of the northern farming districts. It wasn't a very easy move. Adjusting to the countryside and his uncles weird hunter ways was something Isidore rebelled against. He wasn't some kind of country farmer. He was a well adjusted, civilized citizen. That was how he had thought. How he'd seen his move.<br/><br/>In reality, it was the sadness of losing everything he knew. He learned to appreciate his uncle after a while, though he never quite got the hang of being a good hunter. He didn't really like killing animals himself. His uncle had told him, "If you like to eat it, then you should be willing to give it the respect of killing it yourself." Isidore didn't really quite like to see it that way.<br/><br/>He picked up another rock and skipped it across the lake as his communicator chimed. His alarm.<br/><br/>"Lottery time," he said to the lake. "I might never see you again." He looked around at everything. At the trees and the grass. At the grazing cows and the chickens far off in the distance. He realized, in that moment, that this farm was his home. It has saved his life.<br/><br/>"Welcome home, Master Isidore," the house said.<br/><br/>"Thanks Alvie. Is the-"<br/><br/>"TV is already on and tuned into the Oldin Citizen Network."<br/><br/>"You seem excited to get rid of me," Isidore said, smiling jokingly. He tossed his jacket on the sofa as he sat. In front of him, was a large fireplace with a large thin TV. There was no sound as reporters spoke and news tickers read, "Lottery Day Upon Us Again: First Citizen Council Considering Expanding the Lottery Program To Include Larger Numbers of Unworthy Citizens." Isidore scoffed.<br/><br/>"Simply ecstatic sir," Alvie said, in that voice that at once sounded like it was serious but also sounded in a way that you knew he was joking. If...computers could joke.<br/><br/>"Where's Uncle?"<br/><br/>"Master Vey is on a horse tour."<br/><br/>Isidore took a glass of lemonade when a kitchen robot brought it.<br/><br/>"Thanks Pixie," he said.<br/><br/>"Pleasure, Sir," the robot said in a high pitched female voice.<br/><br/>"I'd like one too," Alvie's voice said.<br/><br/>"Sure, let me just splash it on your CPU," Pixie chuckled as she rolled away, back into the kitchen.<br/><br/>Isidore got back to the matter at hand, "Who in Wall's name would take a horse tour on Brave Day?"<br/><br/>"They're family owns Sky Boards," Alvie said.<br/><br/>"Oh," Isidore simply responded. "I guess being a part of the family that invented hover-boards has its perks."<br/><br/>"Indubitably, Sir."<br/><br/>When the whole shindig looked like it was starting, the volume on the TV went up to a comfortable audio level.<br/><br/>"Here we go," Isidore said, absentmindedly.<br/><br/>On the screen, a man, the First Citizen of the Century District, came up to a podium in the middle of the stage. Behind him, were the First Citizens of each of Oldin's districts. Isidore briefly wondered who ran the districts when all their heads of state were at the drawing. In front of the stage, was an audience, most likely made up of high aristocrats. It was mostly to show support and they were all most likely above the Wortherance line.<br/><br/>The audience quieted to allow the man to speak. "Dear Citizens, those present at this wondrous special event as well as those watching or listening from all over our great city of Oldin. We made it, again, to another great year. Here we are, healthy and happy beyond measure, proud of our beautiful city. Today, the bravest of us all will provide a great service so that our city may continue to live on in their name and memory."<br/><br/>Applause and woofs from the audience and Isidore rolled his eyes.<br/><br/>"My dear people, I present to you, our most forgiving and great leader, Cornelius Halfheart, Prime Citizen of Oldin."<br/><br/>The applause here was so loud that Alvie had to lower the volume. A young looking man with shocking white hair stepped up to the podium after the First Citizen bowed to him. Isidore still found it disturbing that the Prime Citizen didn't look any older than thirty. He was much closer to ninety. It fascinated quite a few people how the man managed to stay looking so young. It had also probably lead many competitors for the seat of Prime Citizen to underestimate him. The volume went up again as he began talking.<br/><br/>"My people," he raised his hands and the people went crazy again for a few seconds before he quieted them down again. "I am here again, not to wish you a farewell, but to reassure you that I care about each and every one of you. You are all in my heart and your names will remain in my memory for as long as I shall live." A pause, "which, let's face it, might be a while." He chuckled and the audience chuckled along with him.<br/><br/>Isidore rolled his eyes again, this time, Alvie saying, "You're going to turn that into a nasty habit."<br/><br/>Isidore stuck his tongue out in no general direction and Alvie responded, "Lovely. Such a gentlemen."<br/><br/>He smiled and took a sip of his drink as the Prime Citizen continued. "The four years you will spend out there in the world will allow us to continue to thrive. If you are worthy, and I feel sure that each and every one of you is, you will be able to return a better citizen than you were before." Sure, Isidore thought. No one had ever returned in his own lifetime. A small handful have ever returned in the entire history of Oldin's lottery. "I am here, to personally pick your names from this bowl because I will always be there for you whenever you need me. He smiled, and then it was off. He said a few more things and then began to pick out names, old fashioned style from folded slips of paper in a bowl. He began to speak the names.<br/><br/>"The first brave soul to provide us with their great sacrifice is...Chandra Starr," Prime said, holding up the slip of paper like he was going to give an award. Whoever and wherever this Chandra Starr was, Isidore felt sorry for them.<br/><br/>The rest of the names started coming quicker and with less ceremony. It was a hundred names they had to get through after all, that must be a tiring job. He realized he was waiting for his name to be called with his jaw clenched and his hand gripping his glass very, very tightly. This was the first time he had to sit through the drawing with the possibility of his own name being called. Finally, he stood and decided he would go serve himself some more lemonade.<br/><br/>"Hey!" Uncle Vey said, slamming the front door. He tossed his jacket onto a bench and smiled at Isidore. "Good news, no more tours booked for the rest of the day. Hows the Reaping going." Uncle Vey liked to call the drawing a Reaping. It was kinda morbid, very appropo Isidore thought.<br/><br/>"How was the tour?"<br/><br/>"Snobs. The people, not the tour. The tour was quite nice I thought." Alvie greeted him, and Pixie brought him a lemonade, and replenished Isidore's. "So, what you wanna do today?"<br/><br/>"A movie? I hear that new one is good," Isidore said, taking a sip.<br/><br/>"The one about the Outwaller Invasion? I'm kinda getting tired of those movies."<br/><br/>Isidore smiled.<br/><br/>"Isidore Lionheart."<br/><br/>His smile left him, slowly.<br/><br/>There was absolute quiet for what seemed like hours. Uncle Vey's grin slowly faded away. There was a look of disbelief on his face. Isidore just felt like his stomach was sinking. Like his insides were disappearing into a dark dark hole.<br/><br/>When it seemed that Isidore could not sink any lower, his Uncle smiled sadly, "Let's go see that movie then."