Prescott swaggered down the bopping city streets. It was always flooded, yet people moved together at a good pace. He watched and smiled at their lack of awareness as they minded their own business, making them vulnerable to be pickpocket'd. Not he however, he was far too observant for that to ever happen to him. It was this ability to study and watch people that had brought him to the streets today as he wanted to discuss a topic that he had been mulling over the past few days.

As he strode down the streets, still trying to get his words straight and in order, he spots a soapbox ahead and heads for it, taking his position on top of it. A small crowd starts to gather wondering who he was and what he was doing. He smirks, pleased by their curiosity. His eyes scan the crowd over as he swallows a ball of spit to clear his throat.

"Ah-hem... Good evening ladies and gentlemen!"

"Loyalty in this thing of ours is very essential, we all know this yes? (With the exception of the newly recruits of course.) But like anybody here we all have our own ways or views of things which may sometimes lead to differing of opinions amongst those we're with. Yet loyalty sets aside these differences."

The small gathering had grown into a medium sized crowd, giving Prescott a lot more confidence as he got to the main points of the speech.

"...However sometimes loyalty does not conquer. When there is this much discord in a family this may lead to one party suiciding or retiring this life for better pastures. Leaving this way is forbidden by many, but surely those that do this have their own reasons? Or some kind of belief that may of not been shared with their own leader/upper structure? A martyr is one who dies for what he or she believes in. In some countries, the act is praised upon."

"Not everyone go out this way, some may take others with them. We call this act going rogue. Now I don't want to sound like I'm supporting any of these.. erhm.. actions but here's where I question all of you; when is it wrong? Is there a thin line between beliefs and loyalty? Are mafiosos not entitled to have their own beliefs? Must they always agree with their Leader?"

"I think beliefs and loyalty should go hand to hand, like a matched in strength arm wrestle challenge.. balanced. Totally abandoning your own standard/views makes you more of a follower than a respected member. On the other hand totally abandoning your Crew Leader's rules doesn't make you a member at all. If you are to join a crew, it's your responsibility to be sure they're who you want to be with, that they match your standards and share some of your views too. People tend to join a family on impulse, rather then exploring all the actions and then find themselves questioning their loyalty throughout their journey with the crew. Hopefully I've shed some light on my own thinking and would like to hear from you guys! Any thoughts or questions?"

Prescott steps back from the spotlight to hear from those in the crowd.

Mercury sees a bright light shining upon her old friend. The glare hurt her eyes! What has brought him to the streets? She listened as he spoke about beliefs and loyalties, stating his views. He opened the door for Mercury to say what she thinks and that she did. When he was done, she walked over, picked up the soapbox and slammed it into the ground smashing it into bits.

Those damn things are soooo overrated! Mercury mumbled before addressing Prescott.

Hello old friend. I believe that beliefs and loyalty must go hand in hand. One should be true to their beliefs. I could never be loyal to someone I did not believe in. The way I operate, that would be an impossible task.

As for rogues, well, I am sure they have their reasons and might even be making their own statement with their actions. They are often being true to their beliefs. It may be at one time they were loyal and felt taken advantage of. It may be that they woke up one morning and decided to start shooting. We will never know all of the reasons. A rogues mind can be rather warped, for sure.

Selection for who you work for is essential. One must be loyal to their Boss. Their boss should hold many of their same beliefs. IMO without these connections things just don't gel. I never want anyone following me. I want to work with them hand in hand.

Regards old friend. I shall see you soon.

With that, Mercury was finished with her input. She stepped back and watched, listened.

Ziva smiles at Prescott.

Hey. Nice to see you out here today.

Now, beliefs and loyalty, an interesting matter. I'll start first by directly answering some of your comments.

...However sometimes loyalty does not conquer. When there is this much discord in a family this may lead to one party suiciding or retiring this life for better pastures. Leaving this way is forbidden by many, but surely those that do this have their own reasons? Or some kind of belief that may of not been shared with their own leader/upper structure? A martyr is one who dies for what he or she believes in. In some countries, the act is praised upon.

Yes, to suicide in our world is often frowned upon. It is often looked more kindly upon to allow yourself to be shot and therefore benefit your crew. But, in reality, how exactly is your former crew leader to punish you for this? How exactly are they to enforce it as thought it was a forbidden act?

As for the part about martyrs... this is more difficult to answer directly, because how many people do we actually see suiciding for a genuine reason, one they aren't afraid to explain publicly, one they truly aren't afraid to back, to fight for, to believe, to follow through? Very few, compared to how many disappear off into the night without so much of a whisper, only for their son or daughter to return to our shores in equal silence. And the most notable "martyr" examples perhaps aren't always fighting battles between their leaders and upper structures and their own beliefs. Orithyia retired as a Don Crew Leader with a fairly impressive gun and a good crew behind her, and the potential to become a Godmother in her future, due to a disagreement over acts of the Gods. I can't think of anybody notable who's suicided or retired over belief issues. My bloodlines journals don't seem to recall anybody in a similar position to Orithyia acting in a similar way in our time, at least. So I think that for truly somebody to act in the way of a martyr, their cause has to be something beyond their abilities to affect change, something far, far out of their hands and something irreconcilable. Otherwise, I think it's just people wanting a change. Either in their way of life, or to escape this life, but rarely in protest of the ways of this life.

Not everyone go out this way, some may take others with them. We call this act going rogue. Now I don't want to sound like I'm supporting any of these.. erhm.. actions but here's where I question all of you; when is it wrong? Is there a thin line between beliefs and loyalty? Are mafiosos not entitled to have their own beliefs? Must they always agree with their Leader?

When as a rogue, you shed the blood of innocents in order to take your revenge for something you perceive as an injustice, I believe that you become in the wrong. If you can't hit the people you're actually meaning to target, why bother? You're hurting people who don't deserve to be hurt. 

I think mafiosi are entitled very much to their own beliefs. I think the sensible mafiosi either joins a leader they discover to hold similar beliefs, or a leader willing to allow them to still express their own beliefs to an extent. Having responsibility, wanting the power over that responsibility, involves making a responsible decision on to whom you intend to pledge your life and loyalty. I don't believe in hurting innocents because you fucked up too badly at that. If you're gonna rogue, at least do it to further your cause, not to throw your toys out the pram.

Totally abandoning your own standard/views makes you more of a follower than a respected member. On the other hand totally abandoning your Crew Leader's rules doesn't make you a member at all. If you are to join a crew, it's your responsibility to be sure they're who you want to be with, that they match your standards and share some of your views too. People tend to join a family on impulse, rather then exploring all the actions and then find themselves questioning their loyalty throughout their journey with the crew. Hopefully I've shed some light on my own thinking and would like to hear from you guys! Any thoughts or questions?

I've never been the sheep kind. Myself and my last few ancestors especially have become more assertive and more confident in our ability to present our viewpoint to the world. I'd rather die for daring to disagree and stand up for those viewpoints than die defending something I don't believe in without saying a word against it. If Dan told me tomorrow that we were going to do something that I thought was a bad move, or was something I disagreed with, he and I both know that he would hear about it from me. But at the end of the day, I am loyal to him, I would back him. But blindly loyal, to the point that I can't even articulate the fact that I disagree? That's just not me, and I don't think that makes me disloyal.

"...However sometimes loyalty does not conquer. When there is this much discord in a family this may lead to one party suiciding or retiring this life for better pastures. Leaving this way is forbidden by many, but surely those that do this have their own reasons? Or some kind of belief that may of not been shared with their own leader/upper structure? A martyr is one who dies for what he or she believes in. In some countries, the act is praised upon."

There's all different types of loyalties, they're not always to a living person. If you choose to go the suicide/assisted suicide route over your beliefs, you're staying true/loyal to your beliefs. You don't help those you don't believe in.

"I think beliefs and loyalty should go hand to hand, like a matched in strength arm wrestle challenge.. balanced. Totally abandoning your own standard/views makes you more of a follower than a respected member. On the other hand totally abandoning your Crew Leader's rules doesn't make you a member at all. If you are to join a crew, it's your responsibility to be sure they're who you want to be with, that they match your standards and share some of your views too. People tend to join a family on impulse, rather then exploring all the actions and then find themselves questioning their loyalty throughout their journey with the crew. Hopefully I've shed some light on my own thinking and would like to hear from you guys! Any thoughts or questions?"

You never truly know a person, questions cannot compare to actions. Maybe that's why everyone blindly chases each others dicks/bloodlines around here. Stick to the dick you know, eh? The only way you can ever gauge a person is by taking the ride, get a new one in your life. Maybe I'm getting carried away with the whole analogy there...

Anyways, you never fully know what someone stands for until you've been with them awhile. The answers to your questions don't mean shit, the actions taken when your questions become reality is all that matters. If they differ from your beliefs then you have a choice to make...I know which one I'll always take.

Personally, my bloodline has a certain set of core principles that they won't allow to be stomped on. I live by them and keep them to myself until they're crossed, no friendship or CL is above them. They revolve around respect, a lot of people preach about it but fail to understand it.