As you and Emily arrive in Texas, she begins being giving you more directions on where to go. She knows the backroads you're driving down quite well, and with her help you have little trouble navigating them.
While driving through what was once farm country, you begin to see land that looks more and more worked; fields sown with crops, intact fences, and even cattle roaming about.
After some time you see your first person. There's a man in a straw and working on a tractor by the side of the road. Emily tells you to slow down so she can say hello.
"Jason! I'm back!"
The man looks at her with a smile.
"Glad to see you kid. These days it seems like nobody who up and leaves ever comes back. Who's your friend?"
"This is ####. I was in a pretty rough car crash, but #### helped me out."
Jason peers into the car to get a good look at you. He nods his head in approval.
"Thanks for helping Emily there stranger. Not often you see a good deed these days."
He and Emily spend a few minutes catching up before she suggests you continue down the road. The center of the community isn't too far from here, and she's been looking forward to a hot meal.
You drive for a few more minutes before arriving in a typical small farming community. The entire town is pretty much just along one main street, like a town from and old Western film, or a Hallmark movie. You find a nice spot to park your 2008 Honda Civic.
You and Emily get out and she shows you around town a bit. There's not too much to see, as most of the buildings are just people's homes, but you get plenty of friendly greetings from the people in town, who are all very happy to see Emily return.
It seems like overall there are about 40 people in town. Emily explains that they all work on the farm.
You saw several children as well. Every one of them had an adult holding their hand, and several had a cloth tied around their mouth. When you ask Emily why she sighs.
"Children are easy targets for the ponies. They're just kids, they're easy to manipulate. All it takes is the promise of as much candy you can eat, no more chores, or as many toys as you want, and they'll happily go with the nice pony.
"That's why we never let the kids out of our sight. You turn around for one second and you might lose them forever."
You always spent more time thinking about the adults who got taken in by Equestria Online, but countless children have already emigrated as well.
You wonder what it would be like, growing up in Equestria.
Eventually, after Emily spends some time catching up with the town and introducing you, she treats you to a hot meal. There's a vacant house on the main road. Emily let's you in and tells you you're free to stay as long as you like. Afterwards you get a nice long bath and settle in for the night.