KO tolls the bell

We knew ye well, once upon a time!

'Tis a sad day folks, for today is the day we finally mourn the loss of creativity in our world, the final nail in the coffin being the originality amongst our leadership in 'divvying up the power' post-war. It will come as no great surprise to most of you as creativity had been on life support for quite a while. The streets have become more of a 'story time with Aunt Betty', the population (in terms of rank/power) decimated and a lot of mobsters simply 'exisiting' in this world with no real purpose other than habit.

It is said they went out peacefully, with barely a whimper.

GRHS. 

tips his hat and lays a black rose on the coffin

Single file please!

Paisano, I'd recommend getting your shit together and making something of yourself. Become someone, make the rules and show us how it's done. 

I very much look forward to your future on these streets.

Claudia steps in wearing her fur coat. She slides it off and hangs it over her right arm walking lightly over the threshold to enter into the dimly lit room. She walks towards the coffin and as she nears it she reaches with her left hand to pick up the black rose and take in it's deeply intoxicating smell. She hands it back to Kevin who at this point is completely speechless and nods her head.

"I am so sorry if you feel as though I am stepping out of line being a simple thug at this time. You see, if you pardon me...I do vehemently disagree with your statement. I do not believe in the death of our truest and beloved creativity. Perhaps there have been hard times or times when no one could truly say or do what they wished, but the foundation of this soil and these people is completely built on creativity even if some of it is as you say...habit. So with that..."

She gestures towards the cherry wood coffin, looking at Kevin Owens.

"May I?"

When he doesn't respond she does the unthinkable and flips open the coffin. Before anyone can react she reaches in and slaps creativity, pulling it out from where it lay. She heads towards the door with creativity in her arms and looks back inside before making her exit.

"I will do everything in my abilities to bring the creativity and perspective back to our streets if I have to bleed it out of myself."

Leaves the room before anyone can stop her, heading towards her vehicle. A smile softly reaching her lips.

Gato watches in slightly aroused awe at the young woman, her ability to drive a message home with an air of grace and lethality was stunning. Sammy watched her leave until the smoke he had held between a finger and his thumb scorched his hand.

"Ignore what I said, signora Devine makes a much better case."

Credits lights a candle and starts to sway gently in the breeze.

Duplicity decided to meet up with this KevinOwens gentleman where he was now taking the conversation for hopefully a more broader audience than those who may just be ignoring the other speech.

"Well, KevinOwens, I am not going to lie, I enjoy story time with Aunt Betty. That is honestly something I find that is creative also. For someone to come up with a story and to share it to the world. Sadly, most people don't care for these stories, as this world is far more about politics and shooting, with the cash flowing in the background."

"Yet, for me I think that is where a lot of what I find creative shines. Some people spend hours trying to create their perfect story or speech. I think they should get some points for doing that."

"Although, I know the creativity you are looking for is more so found in how we run things. I'm not sure if people realize, but the mafia doesn't really get too creative except for how they try to cover up their selling of black market goods, drugs, and money laundering. They might even try to get creative on how they kill someone. Maybe next time we should remove their skin from head to toe, sorry if that is a bit gross for most. Yet, that is really how the mafia, us, get creative."

"Their world is built on family, the next man in line works his way up or is a son of the most powerful man. Not some random person they get off the street and say, 'Hey! Go set up shop over here and start selling drugs n' shit!'"

"You're looking for something to break up the monotonous cycle we have. I get that, but if we are living by the codes and ways of the mafia. You won't be seeing much of that." 

"Now trust me, you have me wondering what is there that could be done, but yet still holds to a mafioso style of living. When I come up with such a thing, that may hopefully excite you and others, I will look into trying it out."

"I'm sorry you find us giving out the power to those who worked hard in the current war was not creative enough, but neither is setting up a bloodbath city. It has been done, it probably will be done again, and honestly such cities turn into the 'boring' ones we have right now with a dominant leader. Even when the whole when more than five leaders are set up and another wants to join, one steps down, that eventually goes right back to one person becoming a dominant leader."

"Whatever cool and hip-new thing is introduced into a district or city, it all leads back to someone eventually becoming the dominant leader and ruling that district or city. Which turns into the not so creative life you wish we would change right now."

"I am not saying we shouldn't try to find something, but in the end I believe the outcome will be the same. I am just thinking your soul may need to find a more modern place to live."

"Till then I will be doing my best to think of something nifty to do, if anything, for the city of Chicago."

Duplicity pauses and then realizes what she said.

"The past war is what was meant, not current. Apologies, friends."

Listens as the sound a two dozen pro shots fades.

Creativity has many forms my friend, the fact that you cant see it being all around you makes you look like a narrow-minded person.

It's not that I disagree with the sentiment that the announced outcome of the crewleader meeting is, as you say, uncreative... I think you're just hoping for something radically different at not quite the right time.

The last week bought an absolute shit storm of events and to be blunt, it's been quite the clusterfuck of pandemonium, which quite a lot of the lower members of our communities are still being punished for.

The sale of cement has sky rocketed as assclowns all over the nation fall over each other to give the unassociated and homeless new shoes and a swimming lesson.

It is my belief, that right now, attempting to rein that shit in, and have everyone just calm the hell down for a minute, in a little same ol' same ol' normality kind of way, will be more beneficial to everyone.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, with so many people still running around all red-faced and giggly, spastically shooting at anyone who is still being screwed over by the war, the last thing we need is added confusion with things.

I agree with you in principle; I just think we should let shit calm first, before we start losing new faces because we're willingly adding to the chance they'll get iced before they work out what the hell is going on.

On your point about "Story time with Aunt Betty", I can't agree that people's stories aren't at least creative. They're not always my cup of tea, however, I appreciate the effort and time people put into coming out to tell their tales.
 

Madara listened to the sighs between each word that came forth from KevinOwens. He wondered for a moment if Kevin had considered the possibility that in a time of such upheaval, tension and negative energies whether his demands for new and drastic alterations were really appropriate. 

The coffee shop meeting between the leaders of the families, wasn't a "this will be it from now until we all die - and that's the final decision" flex. This meeting was simply needed to establish order to bring an end to hostilities, confusion and so everyone understood the basic foundations from which we are all agreed to be happy to build from.

I heard you mention down the street there.. "Oh I dunno. How about one of you guys coming out here and throwing your district open to anyone at a price per week?" ... that's actually an amusing idea. Pray tell, how would you see this "open to anyone" business working exactly?

Handsome Jack sees a fellow crew member in the streets and decides to see what's up. He listens and once the others are done sharing their views, he steps up to share his own.

Since when are stories not creative? Just because you may not find them to be creative doesn't mean they're not. Stories take time, care, and love to create (in most cases) and it's not something everyone can do. If everyone could do it I'm sure more people would be out here doing just that. At least I would hope they would be. Also if nothing else, at least a story is an attempt to be creative, and is a good way to try to get people thinking and talking.

As for the point about divying up the crew among the cities, what else do you propose? Running yet another experiment in a city so it can fail like the rest? I think what we need right now it to get back to some stability and work from there. I think what they're doing is a good thing, at least for the moment. We'll see how things turn out, but I have faith things will turn out well enough. 

Having said what he wanted to say, Handsome Jack steps back allowing others to speak.

"even an bold suit like you could understand." Implying bold suits are inherently durpier than the average durp? or just bold suits like me? Madara smiles

So hypothetically, you'd pay $x to allow your stay in a district of the city...

what happens when the rent comes late, or it's decided the rental of the district needs to come to a close because our family has another baby and we need the room back?

Where would the set up family then move to?

No, it makes you resourceful. Being a Tyrant is killing people just to add another notch to your gun. You've said no one wants to become a Tyrant, but I'm sure one of more of you will be a tyrant before your run is over. It is the nature of this business.

Duplicity frowned.

"Resourceful? Making someone pay you just to be set up? You just said if rent is late they die. How is that not a Tyrant? You get to kill them just to add another notch to your gun all because they didn't pay you. Sorry, sir, but that just screams Tyrant to me. They come in all shapes and forms. That being one of them. "

"I get this world is ran by greed and money, but I'll be damned if I charge a pour soul just to have the joy of being a leader. That is something they should be honored with. They should focus on taking care of them and their family. Not worry about paying taxes to another leader who is controlling whether they live or die. Sorry not sorry, but I don't support such a thing. Take your greed elsewhere."

I'd like to make it clear here, being told that because I wont fling my family into random schemes (which apparently include violent endings) without serious consideration is because I'm a tyrant, I lack creativity and oppose new ideas isn't really fair.

If, when I hear of an idea or suggestion that I believe to be practical and beneficial, I absolutely will give it a fair listen and think about it. However, sticking to the method of keeping things simple and then gradually building upon the basics is what I personally feel is needed at this time.

How about coming up with your own ideas Madara? You're the bold suit. You're the one supposed to be leading. You're the one that's supposed to have the know-how and intelligence. You're the one people are supposed to look upto. You're the one people look to for ideas.

I think a lot of folk got wrapped up with what I've said in Madara's speech. This wasn't just about the leaders situation... a couple of you have mentioned you quite like the 'stories' and that they ARE creative... yes they are if used correctly! But when that's all that fills the street, that's not being creative in the slightest, that's jumping on the bandwagon. It's funny how quickly some things about bloodlines can be forgotten but others can't. It was only as short a time ago as my grandfather that my bloodline used to sit in the #roleplayHQ coffeeshop religiously, I've gained some good friends from my ancestors time in there and I find most of the people's bloodlines who went there to be quite fun and interesting people. So, again... I'm not slating them, I enjoy them from time to time and my blood has run WMOB radio for God knows how many years, which is along the same lines as what currently fills the streets. It's the lack of variation that makes for zero creativity.