Kk, serious post now, and it's going to be a good one, so I really hope people don't troll me for this. It's my entire thought of the whole thing.
Seeing as how he hasn't even bothered to make an apology (Correct me if I'm wrong with a link to a certain thread he may have made regarding that.), I can honestly feel the pain he must be experiencing emotionally. He must be so ashamed right now of what he got CAUGHT for. I believe I read a post concerning what Zelgadis had said on the phone to a friend: "I'm sorry I don't know why I did it."
That's another lie. He knew exactly why he wanted the money, and knew exactly what he was going to do with it when the day was over. However, he didn't know he was lying. I find it hard to believe anyone could willingly say: "I wanted the money to do (insert here), so I took it."
Why did he take the money? $6000 dollars is a very huge sum of money. Money has the kind of power that can control a person no matter who it is and what the risks are, especially in numbers. Think about the amount; That's enough money to do a lot of things.
Now add to the fact that he was clearly not thinking about the risks he was in danger of when taking the envelope, and if he was, he was thinking about how those risks could be avoided, and easily.
"The crew is gone. No one can see me do it. I'll just take it, and the crew will just believe that it was lost while on the way to the tournament."
That was Plan A. Now for the hotel event before the cops. He acknowledges the risks which has now been clearly presented to him face-first, and the "trap" he just fell into.
"I'll lie my way out of this. The money is already at my friend's house, and there is now no way I can get caught, because If I get caught, I lose my friends and reputation."
This is why he lied, and lied, and lied until the crew would just drop the whole thing all together, they didn't. The cops arrive and present him with more risks of ending up in jail.
"This is it, I'll lose my reputation, my best friends, and I'll go to jail. I have to admit it, maybe my friends will forgive me."
And so he finally succumbs from guilt he received from his crew, especially the tears, and not to mention the fear of the risks which have grown ten fold over the course of the event, and lets it out. He's now suffering from guilt and shame. I bet sometimes he can't even go to sleep thinking about it.
Imagine yourself in his shoes, walking out of the tourney in the most shame he has ever experienced in his life. Don't say you would never do such a thing, I want you to imagine it regardless of your morals. Imagine the mass emotional pain he must be feeling. It's almost as big as the death of your own parents if you tried hard enough.
He wanted to keep his friends and the money, which he thought was best for him. He unknowingly put himself in a trap he knew he couldn't get out of without lying until the whole thing was dropped, and even that didn't work for him.
This is his crime. But, if he was truly a bad person, he would have kept lying to the police regardless of their warning. He would not be feeling any emotion from the experience. Not even, he wouldn't have went to the tourney all together, and left somewhere with his friend after taking it. That is a bad person's TRUE intentions. "Money over everything."
The point of this cool story, is that stealing is sadly part of human nature. It's common. Friends and family even do it. Why do even those type of people do it? It's the opportunity that is also granted to them. That letter containing THAT kind of sum of money sitting on a couch. Just you, and the money. No one else watching. He, like others, couldn't resist the temptation, fell victim to the money, and was "controlled" by it in a sense, barely thinking even if they get caught somehow, they would be forgiven by their family.
It happens so fast that he had no time to think about the risks he could have avoided when putting his hand on it, and he tried as hard as he could to keep his friends and reputation, by lying instead of admitting, since it was ALREADY in his friend's house. He had barely any time to think about how to solve the problem by just admitting it before the cops came, so he lied. He couldn't even accept Germ's offer of "finding the money" and covering his ***, because he loved Germ so much, he didn't want Germ to lose his trust in him because of the mistake he made by taking the money. Whether he had any more care about keeping the money or not, I do not know.
In conclusion, Zelgadis has learned an invaluable lesson from this. His acts weren't selfish enough to define him as a bad person. He did what he did out of the opportunity and the money's grasp on him (being alone with the money, then taking it). He then acted out of fear and guilt (lying, and finally confessing after a while). I, from this day, will always believe that Zelgadis deserves another chance, whether you guys give it to him or not. That is, until someone proves that he has actually tried this before, or done something tragic in the past. Don't say he does drugs. I know for a fact that drug use has nothing to do with the crime he committed.
And finally, here's my attempt at convincing for this to happen. Sit down with him and talk with him. Give him the chance to make a well detailed, formal, lie-less apology if he hasn't done so. Then hug and become his friend again. You can't let money be the reason to DISfriend someone. No matter how big the cost, and what happens to the tourney. You might as well be taking the money and a day long video game event over a family member you've known for a DECADE, not to mention a Smash Legend. Which IMO, is worse than trying to steal it all together. That's not ****ing fair and it actually pisses me off a bit. 10 Miles away from your home? REALLY?
Something can be arranged. You have the right not to trust him, but you can't just get rid of him. He obviously has learned never to do it again, specially after the amount of pain and guilt. So give him the chance. Let him find a way to make it up to you if possible.
The end.
