Trixie's Run: Prologue
 
>Your took in another short, shallow breath.
>Your hooves clopping on the tiled floor, their ringing echoing throughout the hall.
>You could hear a faint laugh in the distance.
>"Runner.... I'm coming... for... you...."
>Your pupils had long since shrunk to pinpricks, but had they been able too, they would've shrunk more right there.
>They knew where you were, who you were... but not where you were going.
>You could feel the Ankh pressed against your flank, your saddlebags hiding it from sight.
>Ankh.
>Sanctuary.
>Freedom.
>A new home.
>A home where you would be able to live out your days.
>That thought gave you hope, a renewed sense of... you don't know what.
>But it made you feel good inside.
>"You can't hide forever... RUNNER."
>You dare a look over your shoulder....
>There!
>You spot him.
>One of the Sandmen... a special kind of killer.
>You kept running, destination... The Arcade.
>You didn't have much time.
>The shouts of 'RENEW!' could be heard even here.
>Carousel was going in full swing.
 
>"I've got you now... Runner."
>You feel the burn of the magnesium rounds as they slam into the wall, inches from your head.
>You scramble away from the heat and light.
>"Why do you run... Runner?"
>You look around, adrenaline making your movements quick and concise.
>You stopped at a pillar, placing your side against it and taking in deep, gulping breaths.
>"Oh Runner... come out... come out, where ever you are!"
>You feel the magnesium rounds burst into light and fire against the wall behind you.
>You gallop off, hooves almost breaking the tile beneath them with the force of your fear.
>The laughter of the Sandmen echoes through out the hall.
>A terrifying addition to the shouts of 'RENEW!'
>You drone it out, your heart beat the only thing you hear.
>You scramble to a stop, hooves sliding over the tile at more magnesium rounds burst into life ahead of you.
>You can't pull the air into your lungs fast enough.
>"Run faster... RUNNER!"
>You slowly back away from the two Sandmen.
>A wall the only thing behind you.
>You cringe as Magnesium rounds flare into life around your form, their heat searing you.
>You look out over the ledge... now or never.
>You gallop over and jump, extending your wings and gently floating down.
>The Sandmen just smile.
 
>You land, the tunnel to The Arcade dead ahead.
>You gallop down it, the Sandmen laughing as you do.
>You gallop around a corner, the last corner before The-a gun.
>One of the Sandmen had doubled around and cut you off at the tunnel.
>"No more running, Runner."
>You rear back, your fore hooves lashing out.
>The Sandmen just smiles as he triggers the gun mounted on his flank.
>The blast takes you full in the chest, the world going dark instantly.
>Your dead body flies back a few feet, sliding into a sickly wet pile of flesh on the floor.
>The shouts of 'RENEW!' go on unperturbed.
>The Sandman pulls his communicator from his belt, flipping the switch.
>"Runner terminated 0.45. Ready for clean up."
>The Sandman holds his communicator next to your body.
>An image appears of a blue unicorn.
>"Request identity check."
>The words 'Ident. Affirm, New Pony #273, Race Change' appear on the screen.
>"Affirmative."
>The Sandman rummages around your saddle bags, pulling out a blanket, some bits, and a strange object.
>It was your Ankh.
>With a shrug he throws them in his saddle bags and leaves.
>The cleaning crew wings over, spraying down the body before flying away.
 
>The Ankh falls from the Sandman's saddle bag, landing on the floor with a quiet metallic ring.
>A baby blue unicorn stealth's from the bushes and picks up the Ankh with her magic before galloping off.
>The body slowly dissolves from the cleaning crew's spray and leaves no trace it was there.
>The masses pour out from their daily Carousel.
>Chatting noisily, life continues on.
>Yellows, Blues, Greens, Reds and finally Blinking.
>The stages of life as Celestia saw fit to let her subjects live.
>No one questioned, no one changed, no one... almost no one... ran.
>Those that did... didn't get very far.
>The Sandmen did their job... and they did it well.
>The masses just went about their business.
>No one would miss a runner.
>Well... one pony would miss him.