"Ok, Creativiti, we're going to operate two tests on you. After which you will receive your crown payment and prestige" The female knight said from above the large pit the Knight-in-question was standing in, continuing to push buttons or type something on her computer like many of the other knights in the testing chamber were doing.
The Knight-in-question, Creativiti, was about to be the first Knight to test two new features the Spiral Order were sure to revolution how Knights fight in the Clockworks. He nodded solemnly in the direction of the speaker.
"Ok, first test; We're going to activate a new piece of equipment codenamed 'The Bag of Holding'. Basically it will allow Knights to access their arsenal anywhere in the Clockworks, eliminating the need for Arsenal Stations. If you were to place the bag out in the open, Creativiti, we would continue" The female Knight said as Creativiti unattached the flapped bag from the side of his armor, and placed it in the center of the former-Arena pit.
"Ok, activate the laser," One of the knights murmured as a pinpoint laser activated above the floor and squarely hit the bag as digital symbols started surrounding it,
"We have connection" Another responded,
"Good, connect the bag to the Arsenal Servers" The female ordered as the laser intensified onto the bag before the laser shut off. Nothing about the small bag had changed.
"Ok, now reach into the bag and pull something out"
Creativiti picked up the small bag, and reached in, and kept going, and going, and going until his entire arm was impossibly inside the small cloth bag, and he pulled out a Graviton Charge, a bomb he was sure wasn't on him.
Instantly some of the Knights up-top high-fived at the success of Test #1
"Ok, everyone get ready for the big test!" One of the knights shouted while Creativiti put away the bag
"Alright, this next test is a biggie. We're going to try out a new teleportation system. It'll be real simple, you'll be pulled through a portal for a few seconds, after which you'll be transported to Haven in a specific designated area. Understand?"
"Fully." Creativiti responded
Immediately all the knights at the terminals started typing in code and input Creativiti was sure he didn't understand much about, he was a 'Mission Knight' as the term is, one of countless knights who brave thick and thin down in the Clockworks. He enjoyed doing research about anything he can but for the love of Isora he could not understand all the techy mumbo-jumbo the Scientist Knights knew about.
Still, it intrigued him when the steady hum from the generators behind the terminals began to generated a more profound hum as an oval shaped ring of sky blue light appeared above Creativiti
The oval grew and intensified as it began to twirl and spin, a deep purple swirling inside the oval as it began to try and pull whatever was under it into itself.
One of the Scientist Knights turned toward the female leader, "Everything's smooth so far, the portal is stabilizing on it's destination and- wait."
"What? What's wrong?" She asked,
"I'm detecting an anomaly in the files, shouldn't be too hard to get rid of-AHHH!" The scientist shouted as he was hit by an electric shock while the image of a nine toothed gear with a red wrench under it flickered on the screen.
The female scientist gasped at the event before yelling to the other scientists, "Quick! Shut it down!"
As fast as they could every knight tried to abort the test but each screen either flickered to the icon of the red wrench or one with a brown spiked hourglass with a nut in the center. All the while Creativiti was being sucked into the portal.
And as quick as it started, the portal closed with Creativiti now traveling to wherever it would take him.
The female knight pounded onto one of the terminals, "Dammit! The Crimson Order must of knew what we were up to. I want all of you trying to figure out where that Knight has gone, now!" She said to the other knights who quickly went to work, meanwhile she left the area to go make a call to HQ
I fell from the portal with an unceremonious thud. Landing right on my back on the hard ground. With my Snipe gliding down onto the top of my hat with such grace and poise, looking up I could see the portal shift and wobble before closing.
Looking around, I couldn't help but notice that I wasn't in Haven, or anywhere that looked familiar to be honest. All I could find were rolling green plains to my right, and a dark forest akin to The Gloaming Wildwood on my left.
"What a peculiar place, much more bright and colorful then Haven...which is saying something" I said to myself and Quora as I picked myself up. "Definitely a much quieter place then Haven, huh Quora?" I asked her, with a cheerful chirp in response I adjusted my wide brimmed hat and armor before looking over and remembering the Bag of Holding
Curiosity getting the better of me, I instinctively reach in and start rummaging through, after a few seconds I take out the long mechanical Spur-sword, "Hmm...still connected, good, good" I say as I put the Spur back in, but not before I hear a loud roar coming from the dark forest. Thinking carefully I slowly take out my Vile Striker and start walking along the edge of the forest.
The sun was setting by the time we came to a pristine lake, Quora jumped off of my hat and landed in a small bushel of leaves before I went off toward the edge of the dark forest to grab any sticks.
After coming back I laid the sticks in a pile, puled out my Pepperbox handgun and fired away. One of the bullets did it's job and lit the makeshift campfire as night fell over the lakeside. Taking time to look for any hostile creatures I reach into a back pocket and pull out a small notebook and pen and begin writing on what has happened recently. Afterwards, I take out a Gel Core and started munching on it. The sour watermelon taste wasn't pleasant, but I had to keep my strength up. I douse the dieing fire with a few shots from a Frost Gun and was lulled to sleep by the waves of the lake.
The next day I woke halfway into the morning with Quora pecking at my head. I dispersed the twigs from last nights campfire and the two of use continued to walk next to the dark forest, hoping to find something to civilization today.
About an hour later we stumbled upon an apple orchard, but not one that I've ever seen, these apples were squarish in shape and had every color of the rainbow shimmering on it's skin. I was about to try and pick one when Quora flew off of my hat into the trees far from us. I thought to myself what she was getting herself into.
Zap Apple Season. One of the few agriculture seasons Applejack looked forward to, that and Cider Season, Apple Season and pretty much any other Season that had her working. Of course, this time she was truly confused, the Zap Apples weren't scheduled to bloom for another two weeks, yet most of the trees had fully grown Zap Apples.
"Somethin's up with these here Apples." The farmer thought to herself, "Maybe Twilight can help, that is, iffin she ain't the reason behind this" Applejack was about to leave the orchard when a small filly's voice came running from the orchard,
"Applejack! Applejack!" The small yellow, red-maned filly yelled in excitment as she ran toward her big sister,
"What's up, Apple Bloom?"
"You'll never guess what new bird I found in with the Zap Apples!" The small filly said as she held up a very frightened small blue Snipe