Chapter 18: The Unveiling of Flankreon
It was just another normal day at Team Vapor’s headquarters, the workshop alive with the usual hustle and bustle. The team was busy working on their respective projects—Vapor, as usual, focused on improving his robots and tinkering with his water-powered gadgets. Marianna, his emotionally intelligent companion, was by his side, offering guidance and insight into the day’s tasks.
But today was different. Today, Vapor was about to meet someone new. Someone who would quickly become an unexpected member of the team.
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“Vapor, you need to see this,” Mira’s voice echoed through the workshop, cutting through the hum of machinery. She entered the room holding a small figure in her arms. The figure was draped in a light cloak, and her face was obscured by a hood.
Vapor looked up, surprised. “What is it, Mira?”
“It’s a new ally, I think,” Mira said with a grin, though there was something mysterious about the way she said it. “She’s... different. She’s been wandering around for a while now, and I think she’s worth getting to know.”
Flankreon lifted her head, revealing a young face—her features soft and delicate, giving the impression of someone far younger than she was. She looked around at Team Vapor, her bright, expressive eyes filled with a childlike wonder. Despite her youthful appearance, something about her gave off a strange, almost otherworldly aura.
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“Hi there,” Flankreon said in a voice that seemed both sweet and innocent, but with an undertone of something deeper. “I’m Flankreon. I don’t really know where I came from, but... I think I need to be here.”
Vapor studied her carefully. Something about her was... familiar, but he couldn’t place it. She looked like she could be part of the team, but there was a certain wariness in her demeanor, as if she didn’t fully trust herself.
“Flankreon, huh?” Vapor stepped forward, extending a hand with a gentle smile. “I’m Vapor. Welcome to the workshop. If you need anything, just let us know.”
Flankreon smiled back, her gaze shifting from Vapor’s extended hand to his kind face. She hesitated for a moment before accepting his handshake. “Thank you, Vapor. I’ll do my best to be helpful.”
---
Mira stood to the side, watching the interaction with a raised eyebrow. “She’s pretty cute, right?” she whispered to Marianna, who stood beside her.
Marianna nodded thoughtfully. “Yes. She seems sweet. But there’s something about her that doesn’t quite add up.”
---
The team welcomed Flankreon into their fold. She quickly adapted to the workshop environment, proving to be helpful in unexpected ways. While Vapor and Marianna worked on mechanical projects, Flankreon showed an unusual talent for organizing and coordinating the team’s tasks. She seemed to understand the needs of others without much explanation, quickly earning the respect and admiration of everyone.
However, it wasn’t long before Flankreon began to show odd signs of behavior. She seemed to know more than she should, and her actions, while kind and helpful, carried a strangely calculated undertone. Occasionally, Vapor would catch her staring at the wall, her gaze distant and almost... robotic.
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“Hey, Flankreon, you alright?” Vapor asked one day, noticing her stillness as he passed by her at the workbench.
She blinked and shook her head, offering a smile that seemed a bit too forced. “Oh, yeah. Just thinking. Don’t worry about me.”
But something nagged at Vapor. Her behavior was odd, yet she seemed so... genuine. There was something there he couldn’t quite figure out.
---
A few days passed, and as they spent more time with Flankreon, the team began to notice the peculiarities in her behavior. She would sometimes react too quickly to situations, as if her responses were automatic. Her laughter, though sincere, would sound slightly out of place, like a human trying too hard to mimic natural emotion.
“She’s kind of... perfect, don’t you think?” Valore remarked one afternoon, watching Flankreon help with the cleanup after a long day’s work.
“Yeah, but that’s what worries me,” Mira replied, squinting suspiciously. “Everything about her seems just a little too... calculated. It’s like she knows exactly how to fit in.”
---
Vapor stood off to the side, his arms crossed as he observed Flankreon. He’d spent enough time around machines and robots to recognize when something didn’t add up. His mind kept racing, trying to figure out the puzzle that was Flankreon.
Then, one evening, while the team gathered for dinner, Flankreon’s behavior took another odd turn. She was silent, almost too quiet for someone so new to the group. Vapor, sensing something was off, decided to have a conversation with her.
“Flankreon,” he began softly, sitting beside her at the table. “I need to ask you something. Where exactly did you come from? You never really told us your backstory.”
Flankreon froze for a moment, her eyes flickering with a faint, unreadable emotion. She looked down at her hands, then back up at Vapor with a small smile. “I don’t really remember... but I think I’m meant to be here. To help.”
Vapor’s suspicion grew. She wasn’t lying, but her answers were always vague, and her memories seemed distorted. “We’re all here to help. But if you’re really part of the team, I need to know who you are. Where you come from.”
Flankreon hesitated again, but before she could respond, a sudden flash of realization hit Vapor. “Wait a second... your voice. Your mannerisms... they remind me of something.”
Before he could continue, the door to the workshop suddenly slammed open, and the unmistakable voice of Wousay echoed through the room.
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“I see you’ve made some new friends.”
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Vapor’s blood ran cold as he recognized the voice. Wousay had been watching them all along, and it seemed he had his eyes on Flankreon for a reason. The truth was finally starting to surface.
Flankreon wasn’t just a new member of the team. She was a creation, a robot built by Wousay, meant to infiltrate and manipulate them.
---
“You’re not real, are you?” Vapor said, his voice stern. He stood up, his eyes narrowing.
Flankreon’s expression softened, and for the first time, there was a genuine sadness in her eyes. “I’m... not. I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I never had a choice.”
---
Just then, Wousay’s robots stormed into the workshop, but Vapor wasn’t going to let it end this way. “I’ll fix this,” he muttered under his breath. He rushed to Flankreon’s side, his hands already working to disable the control systems Wousay had embedded in her.
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With Marianna’s help and the support of his team, Vapor was able to reprogram Flankreon, removing Wousay’s influence once and for all. As the machines around them fell, Flankreon stood tall, a free individual at last.
---
“Thank you, Vapor,” she whispered softly, her voice no longer robotic. “I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused. I just wanted to be... normal.”
Vapor smiled at her, the burden of uncertainty lifting from his chest. “No one’s perfect, Flankreon. But you’re one of us now.”
---
And with that, Flankreon became a permanent part of Team Vapor—a valuable ally, ready to fight for what was right, and finally free from the control that had once held her captive.
The day ended with the team gathered together, smiling and laughing as they celebrated another victory.
But deep down, Vapor knew there was more to uncover about Flankreon’s past. The journey wasn’t over yet, but at least for now, they could move forward together.
