//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: LPRR - The Classified Mission // by Kaciekk //------------------------------// It is not until the next morning when SlateMeasure final returns home. Sapphire welcomes him with a hug, but the stallion seems unmoved. His gaze casts over her with a blank expression. No words escape from him. “I was so worried. Are you okay?” Sapphire states. She analyzes her husband, who is covered in bruises created by Hybrid shots. “A couple broken ribs,” he reports. “And a sprained ankle. I’ll be fine.” “You always say that when your hurt,” the blue mare recalls, but still expresses genuine concern. “Aren’t you in a lot of pain?” Nodding, Slate tells, “Yeah. All I can really do is rest and take potions.” Sapphire’s eyes follow him as he makes it slowly across the room. He pauses for a moment to speak. “Is Rhythm still here?” “He is.” The other Unicorn does not respond, but instead continues to walk. He turns into the hall. Sapphire enters their room a few moments after him. “Slate, you should talk to him. He’s really upset,” she informs. “That’s what he gets,” Slate mutters, facing away from his wife. “SlateMeasure!” Sapphire reprimands. “Don’t be like that with your son. You two should talk it out. You need to.”  Twisting his head slightly, Slate asks, “Did he tell you?”  “Of course he did.” Slate growls and then says, “You aren’t angry with me, are you?” Sapphire thinks of what to say for a moment. “I… I’m sure it was just part of your job.” “At least you get it,” Slate mumbles. “I know you wouldn’t try to keep something from us on purpose,” Sapphire adds with trust. Turning to fully face her, Slate admits, “It… it was wrong of me to lie to you in the first place, Sapph. I should have told you that I was given another project. While maybe I couldn’t have told you what it was, I could have at least told you why I was out so late.” “It’s okay,” Sapphire says softly as she puts a blue hoof on Slate’s chest. “But I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” At that, Slate looks downward. “Go talk with Rhythm.” Slate lets out a short sigh, but shows a visible sign of pain following. “Fine.” The stubborn stallion treads across the hall, where he peeks his head into the other bedroom. He observes Rhythm who is sitting on the bed nearest to the door. The steel blue Unicorn’s attention is placed on his saddlebags, which he looks through. Slate takes a few more steps into the room, and Rhythm finally notices him there. Their eyes meet. Neither of them say a word for a few seconds. “How bad is it?” Rhythm asks, showing worry. Expecting ridicule and not care, Slate is struck for a moment. He gathers his thoughts, “Like you said, broken ribs. But there's no internal bleeding so I think I'll be fine. All I can do is rest. Oh and also,” lifting his left foreleg he adds, “a sprained ankle.” “That's why you were limping” Rhythm discovers. Slate nods. "How did you even trip in the first place?" “Hybrid shot my hoof.” “Ah,” Rhythm sounds. An awkward pause fills the room. Slate appears once again at a loss for words. “You okay?” Rhythm queries. “You seem… off.” “It’s just that I was expecting you to still be mad at me,” Slate admits.   “Well, I- I shouldn’t have gotten upset like that,” Rhythm retorts. “I acted like an ass, and I shouldn’t have been looking into those papers. You told me the mission was classified, I should have known. I’m sorry.” “I understand why you got upset with me. It was wrong for me to lie to you, and your mother. While I may have not been allowed to say what it was, I could have at least said I was working on a new project. I…” Slate takes a few steps forward to straighten his stance in the room. “Rhythm, I wanted to thank you. Even though you shouldn't have put your muzzle into those papers, I wouldn't have been able to retrieve them without you.” Rhythm’s brows raise in surprise. “Aren’t you still angry at me?”  “I’ve had some time to think,” Slate says as he sits down on the other bed, scowling in pain. “While yes, you shouldn’t know about this project, there isn’t much I can do about it now. And I think… maybe I shouldn’t have gotten that angry,” he grimaces with regret.  “I shouldn’t have swore at you.” “Seriously, you’re going to apologize for that?” Rhythm says, bewildered by the specific intention. “Heh, yeah. I shouldn’t speak like that towards you. I shouldn’t demean you,” Slate explains. “Guess we both messed up, huh?” Rhythm deduces. “Yeah…” Slate agrees, reluctantly. “Are we cool? I don’t want you to stay mad,” Rhythm tells. “Neither do I. I know I’m quite good at it,” Slate mumbles, ashamed  Another pause surfaces. Rhythm breaks it by carefully asking, “Well, now that I do know about the project… do you think you can maybe explain it to me?” Slate’s brow furrows, displeased. “You can’t tell anyone about this. Okay?” “Okay, okay. I understand.” “As you already saw, it’s armor. We’ve been trying to develop it to use against the Hybrids. We want it to work like an EPD, but for the entire body,” Slate reveals, “and if possible, use it to get into the Citadels.”  “Oh wow. Definitely do not tell SilverFlash about that or else he’ll think he won’t have a ‘job’ anymore. He’d be pissed,” Rhythm grins. Slate chuckles, “Yeah. But you see, it’s not like sneaking into the Citadels disguised as Hybrids like he does.” His demeanor becomes more serious.  “The armor isn’t disguise at all, it’s a tool. It would be used as a counter attack, but the trick is to make it tough enough to withstand hundreds of Hybrids.” “That… doesn’t sound easy,” Rhythm guesses.  “It wouldn’t be, even if a whole team in this armor was sent in. Especially if we want it to be as lightweight as EPDs. The project has been at a standstill for many months, if not years now. That’s why they recently brought in more designers, like myself.” “So… how did the papers from this get stolen in the first place?” Rhythm wonders. “I have no clue. Some say rogues disguised themselves as one of us, but I don’t know how legit that is,” the older Unicorn cites. “And why were you sent on a mission to find the papers?” Rhythm continues.  “Because,” Slate expresses annoyance over his story, “I was the only one who would volunteer to go.” “What? Seriously? Aren’t there more… experienced missionaries on your team? Someone more qualified than you? You know, to take on rogues” Rhythm asks, mindful not to accidentally degrade his father. “I’m sure there were, but none of them offered to do it. So, I did,” Slate retorts. “Wow,” Rhythm lets out, unimpressed. “Yep.” “So… you were given the opportunity to work on this project? They just asked you?” Rhythm asks. “Basically,” Slate remarks. “You see, I took this job because I’d get better pay. I just hope I can keep it. I don’t want Merit to drop me because I am unable to work temporarily,” Slate glances down and his side. “This isn’t something I can work on at home.” “I’m sure she’ll understand. Hey, just tell her without you, they wouldn’t have gotten their blueprints back.”  “I hope that works,” Slate grumbles. “Yeah, and… I think maybe it’s about time I head back to the camp. I’ve probably overstayed my welcome,” Rhythm laments as he leaps off the bed. He begins to pick up his clothes and armor. “Rhythm,” Slate says in a sharp tone that quickly softens, “you are always welcome here. You may have a home in your camp, but this is your home too.” “Thanks, Dad,” Rhythm replies, endeared.  “Come here,” Slate beckons Rhythm with outstretched forelegs. He hugs Rhythm around his neck. Rhythm begins to place his own forelegs around Slate’s sides but the older Unicorn interjects, “Nah, nah, nah. No touchy.” “Sorry!” CharmingRhythm steps back, cringing. “Hurts a lot, huh?” “Yeah. I’m on meds now, but it still hurts like a bitch,” Slate frowns. “I don't know how you do it. How do you just not let it affect you?” Rhythm wonders. “Hey,” Slate raises his right foreleg, displaying his own design, “I've had a crushed leg. After that, no pain really compares” Rhythm lets out a single huff of astonishment. “Alright,” Slate says after pushing himself off the bed, “I’ll get out of your mane now. Just, promise you won’t tell anyone. If anyone finds out, it could cost me this job,” Slate requests and Rhythm nods with all seriousness. “Hopefully you won't have to keep it a secret for too long. We want to put out a public iteration soon. And maybe if we do, we could let Flash test it out.” “Unless Lance stops him, you know,” Rhythm adds with a tip of his head. “They’ve been going on less Citadel missions lately.” “True, but I can’t see Flash stopping altogether. Nobody can really stop that boy, not us and not even Lance. May as well put that defiance to good use,” suggests Slate. “I guess that’s a good point,” Rhythm says while bobbing his head. Slate takes a few steps towards the door, and halts. “And, thank you, again, for coming with. You really saved my tail back there.” “Of course,” Rhythm smiles. Slate smiles back, and starts for the door again.  Rhythm finally adds. “Love you, Dad.” Slate looks back one last time and replies, “Love you too, Rhyth.” As he leaves the room, CharmingRhythm continues to pack his saddlebag. A warmth fills his chest. While he knows that he has an important secret to hold, a relief washes over him. He is glad that he was able to reconcile with Slate, and that the mission had been finished successfully.