Broken Faith

Observation 25: Panic makes you feel everything

"Is that a fucking elephant?"

It was a silly comment. You knew that. You'd all but demanded answers when a couple of years ago, Spandam had gotten really obsessed with elephant imagery. So much so that he commandeered the budget (before Kong had realised you should be the one to manage it) to build dozens of elephant statues to go around Enies Lobby. Some had even been carved into the pillars, causing the in-house engineers to reach out begging for someone to do something about the Tower of Justice's structural integrity. Of course you'd demanded answers. And then made him sign off on the devil fruit. So you knew that Funkfreed was originally a sword. You knew that.

But seeing a literal elephant with a bladed trunk for the first time was enough to wipe all sense from your brain.

In short. Yes that was a fucking elephant. And it had been very close to stabbing you if it wasn't for...

Shit!

Dropping your pistol to the ground your hand went to your shoulder, only now remembering the loud clang a few moments before. It was hard to tell under your gloved fingers, but even with the extra layer of fabric you could feel a dip.

A small gash cut into your cloak.

Right where your metal shoulder was.

Hissing, you hastily gripped the fabric over the cut. Praying against all hope that someone hadn't seen... or smelt the metal. It wasn't big... it was probably fine... but even then... dammit. Eyes not once leaving Funkfreed, you minutely tilted your head back towards Spandam, "Was having your ankles broken not enough for you? I have been... extraordinarily patient with you, but you are testing my limits."

"Then do a better job!"

Everything went still.

...what?

"If you weren't so pathetic," Spandam obliviously continued, "then none of this would have ever happened! We have someone chasing us down this tunnel because you're so bad at your job!"

"I'm sorry, what?"

You were quiet. So quiet even that Spandam completely ignored the stillness in your voice and blasted forwards. "The Straw Hats would've never managed to get this far if you did a better job managing everything! If you cooperated with my efforts to get an ancient weapon then we would be able to stop them in their tracks!"

Your teeth dug into your lip. Attempting to quell the wave that was threatening to boil over within you.

"But no! You just kept trying to stop me! You wouldn't let me mount cannons to the Tower of Justice, or-or-or let me do missions that I wa- that we needed to do! You've been such a thorn in my side that you couldn't even let yourself be kidnapped!"

A trickle of blood dripped down your chin. Staining the collar of your shirt.

"Wait, no, I get it! You couldn't stand watching me be better than you, could you?! You said you were helping but instead you're working against the government and destroying every plan I-"

Using the last dredges of your sanity, you tuned out the noise. Instead focusing your energy on your heartbeat as it thudded rapidly within your chest.

It was pure restraint and practice that stopped you from reaching out with your oversized metal hand and crushing that blathering idiot into the bloody mess he rightfully was. It was tempting. So... so... tempting. But...

Without looking away from Funkfreed, you could feel that fierce stare bore right into you.

Lucci hadn't come to your defence once. In fact the only thing he had done was keep a firm grip on Robin's arm as she tried to sprint off the moment you got distracted. He hadn't stopped the blade from hitting your shoulder, nor had he done anything about that madman screeching at you from his shoulder. That combined with his dismissal of you from earlier...