The night was colder than usual. The wind was crashing into the large glass panel windows, like waves into the bow of a sailing ship. The moon was gleaming through the windows and creating a street light effect on Ajani's face. He was twisting, turning and mumbling something in his sleep until the moonlight irritated his eye lids long enough to wake him. 

Ajani sat up with a thin layer of cold sweat covering him. Another one of these strange dreams again. He didn't understand what these meant, nor did they make sense. He stepped out of bed and poured himself a glass of cold water. He walked over to the window and peered outside into the night sky and raised the glass to his lips, but then stopped.  He wondered to himself, maybe there is something in the water that is making people delusional. This can't be the case though as not everyone is seeing things.

Ajani went downstairs later that morning with Elspeth and piled into the black 1929 Buick. They made their way to one of the local coffee shops in town and parked the car outside. The cafe was located in front of a railway that delivered goods into the heart of the business districts. They went inside together and sat at the counter to enjoy a morning cup of coffee. Ajani took a sip of the smooth aromatic liquid when it arrived, then turned to his friend and asked. 

Elspeth, is this a umm..... Game? Uh, never mind..

She turned confused and stared at him like he had developed two more heads. 

Ajani got up after his cup of coffee and made his way outside of the shop. The streets were lively with many people around. Ajani paused and figured now was a good time to figure this crazy trend out.

People if I may have your attention. I have been noticing lately a weird, strange and disturbing trend. I am just starting to put the pieces together now, but am still a bit puzzled. I would like some other persons take on this, as I think either I am going nuts, or Barry has been slipping something into the water.

Ajani paused to light a cigar rolled with fresh tabacco.

I have been hearing for a while off and on about this real life, this so called game. What is this? Maybe I am not drinking enough smuggled whiskey. Or is it people are becoming to think the life of crime is just a game? That is a scary thought... We all are very busy people in this thing of ours. Sometimes, our business takes us out of country like my old friend Spunky. The poor man just came back from a very long business trip back home in Australia. Call me crazy, but the day we lose sight of what is truly important to us, which is our way of life and how we choose to live, all will be lost. 

So what is it that is causing this problem? Is it just tradition being lost in the mob and mobsters forgetting how to act? Or is this just a case of a few freak incidents and a few to many drinks. Or maybe, it's the new comers not understanding how serious and important our streets are to us. Maybe I am just crazy..

Katniss listens to GodFather Ajani's concearns and she thinks back and recalls a few times when this life has been referred to as a game. She pauses a bit gathering her thoughts and then walks up to Ajani.

Pulling out a few dice she holds them out to him and with a smile she throws them lightly against the wall. She watches as Ajani looks oddly at her and then back down at the dice with two ones showing.

"Now that Ajani is a game.." She gives him a wink and picks up the dice. "Many people haven't grasped the difference between game and life sometimes old friend. Many people just view life itself as a game. Sometimes it works for them other times it doesn't. I suppose in a sense they are right that it is a game, but what they must realize is that in this life of crime you get but one shot." She hands the dice to Ajani and watches as he rolls them between his hands.

"We live but once in this thing of ours and we die but once. Truth be told everything goes with us when we do. During our short time here we make friends, and have people that we care about and in our cases Ajani care for." She gives him a pat on the back and then a warm smile not knowing if she truly answered his question or just puzzled him more.

Denam listens carefully to the discussion between Katniss and Godfather Ajani. He dips in to offer his two cents on the matter.

It's erosion. There's a foundation of traditions and principles, and over time it erodes. If we don't bolster that foundation or maintain it actively, it loses its efficacy and influence until there's no foundation left. What's eroding it? The tides of new bloodlines showing up on our shores. I'm not implying that we need fewer people showing up on our shores; just that when they arrive they either bring their own ideas, principles, and traditions or simply have no knowledge of ours. It goes back to something I've been saying for weeks: education. Education bolsters the foundation of traditions that we truly do value, and reduce the effects of those tides. But as I've stated it must be maintained actively.

I'm not talking about hand-holding and walking an associate to the post office for his first petty. I'm not talking about how to barter down a good price for drugs by moving around between districts. That's the "game" shit that you're talking about. What I mean is the real stuff; teaching you how to walk, how to talk, how to carry yourself around associates, button men, Dons, and Godfathers. Teach about loyalty, honor, and respect. That kind of education is hard to find. I mean, leaders can come out here and express their concerns but do you talk to your men like mafiosi? Do you talk to them like they're cutthroat killers? Criminals? No. No one does. Stroll into a coffee shop; those aren't mafiosi. Start up a conversation with passerby; those aren't mafiosi.

Denam felts himself approaching rant-levels of discussion, so he took a moment to calm himself.

That's erosion. It's no wonder people treat our world like a game, even their leaders talk to them like players instead of criminals. You have to start there, not out here in the Streets. You could yell, argue, and discuss day and night and not a damn thing changes. What you need is active maintenance to fight the erosion. The worst part of all this is that we have leaders in place now who are more tide than foundation; and when leaders passively ignore the traditions or make no effort to bolster them, they're just as guilty of the erosion as the new blood.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; we need a renaissance. But that takes effort, more effort than just coming out to the Streets to talk about it; so no one's going to do it.

Conor_McGregor listens along to the conversation being held, and takes a nice long drink of his imported Irish whiskey, he always keeps a flask in his coat pocket. A few things caught his attention, particularly a few things spoken by Denam.

Denam, I must agree with you. In most cases, sponsorship doesn't really extend beyond vouching for a member to gain access to working for the family, and tossing some money his way to get to work. That's not how it should be. When a sponsor takes that step, is a trusted button man for the family, they are taking a larger role than most realize. I liken it to becoming a father to a child. It is your responsibility, at the moment you're given that privilege, to walk with your associates hand in hand. To make sure they do everything they are supposed to, to make sure they know right from wrong. To ensure that they give button men respect, that they respect fellow associates, that they honor history, and to bolster their loyalty with the family that you have brought them into. 

Conor takes a moment to gather his breath and takes another sip of his nice warm whiskey.

You talk of erosion, and this is where it starts. I struggle to see any liability on the part of the sponsors. If you sponsor an associate, and he completely fucks up, the sponsor just grabs another and starts the cycle anew. Why? It makes no sense to me. If you have been given the obvious privilege to sponsor someone, then they fuck up, you fucked up too. Is it just a one-off thing, that will never happen again? Doubtful. There should be accountability with the sponsor when their associates fuck up, because they are not teaching them properly. If your child were to mess up, they would be taken away. Perhaps therein lies the answer. If your associate fucks up, you can't sponsor again until you prove yourself again worthy of the honor. Prove your capability to teach young minds, and mold them into something better. 

I believe that this would be a great Renaissance of sorts. But, it all starts from that initial contact. It should be a relationship that is built, not something that happens for "numbers."