Ah, I see. It’s my fault. All my fault. Yeah, I guess it may seem that way, but let me tell you that it’s not entirely my fault. Sure, it’s easy to point fingers now because the damage is done. But still…I never meant for this to happen. It’s not like I had pre-planned it or something.
Don’t even say it. Yes, I know what you’re thinking: Maybe he did plan it. Well, I’ll tell you something: I didn’t! I had no idea what would have happened. You want to blame anyone? Blame Belpois and that big-shot Ulrich and the rest of them. They had plenty of time to warn me about that stupid jellyfish.
Well, I guess its not really their fault either. I mean, yeah, I was kind of being a show-off. I’ll admit it! But you don’t know what its like, wanting to be a part of their lives and them showing nothing but contempt for me. I’m not completely stuck on myself or anything. I just wanted to show them that I can handle myself and that they didn’t make a mistake by letting me in on their secret.
Of course you say how well that went over.
You know what, you think you can do better? Sure. Go ahead. It’s easy to lay blame on someone that very few seem to like. It’s easy to lay blame on the guy that seems to keep Ulrich and Yumi “away from” each other.
Which brings me to a whole other point…when did Yumi and Ulrich’s problems become my fault as well? In case you have forgotten, their relationship was strained before I came along. I like Yumi…is that so bad? I guess everyone’s forgetting that I tried to leave well enough alone. I’m not dumb…I saw that Ulrich and Yumi like each other. In case you’ve forgotten, I even gave Ulrich fair chance to talk to Yumi! Yet I still get blamed. Is it my fault that I’m human? Is that any reason to lay the blame for all of this on me?
Really? Wow, that’s fair. I guess I can do nothing to please any of you. I guess saving all of their lives on multiple occasions is not enough (okay, so I don’t really remember these times, but they’ve told me about a few…like the one where I defused a bomb?).
Anyway, enough digressing…back to the point. I never willingly allowed XANA to take over me. Ever! Had I known what would have happened, I would have backed off. Jeremie and Aelita had plenty of time to warn me, but they just had to be the big-shots and tell me to get out of there. In all of the time that they were yelling me, you think that they could have said something to the effect of “Through this jellyfish, XANA will be able to control you and destroy Lyoko”? That would have taken what, five seconds to say?
Heck, they could have even told me before about what the jellyfish could do! Even if they didn’t know it could allow XANA to possess anyone other than Aelita, I would have been a little more cautious had I known.
Yeah, I can still see that you don’t believe me. I guess you never will. That’s fine I guess, because right now I have no control over my body. Instead, I, William Dunbar, reside in a tiny corner of my mind…one that can keep me concealed against XANA. Here I am safe - for now. I know what my physical body is doing, but mentally I have no control. If you think that I like it, or that I welcome it, then you obviously have never been in a situation anywhere like this.
Do you know what? If you want to lay blame on me then fine. I can’t change your mind. But what would have happened if you were me? Oh, you say you’d listen to Jeremie and Aelita and back off? Ha…right. Sure. Keep telling yourself that. Remember: you know all about Lyoko and everything else that has been going on. I knew absolutely nothing. When I was first virtualized, I knew the very basics…like about XANA, his monsters, and his attacks. Oh, and the Digital Sea. I knew about that too. But nothing else. You think it’s so easy? Go ahead and try. See if you can do better!
Author's Chapter Notes:
DISCLAIMER: Still don't own Code Lyoko nor the characters mentioned in this fic. Only own the storyline and an old pair of sneakers. That's it.
I've been so mad that everyone blames what happened in "Final Round" entirely on William. It's not completely his fault!