I watched at the human picked up a stout glass and took a drink. The heavy smell of liqour came off his glass as he set it down. "How many?"
I rubbed my nose with a hoof. "Sixty, maybe more eventually but--"
The man scribbled onto a few forms. "Just need starting. You can work this out with the zoning board later, I don't think they're gonna give you too much shit though." He set his pen down and took another drink. "Hell of a thing you're trying to do." He sipped his glass loudly and left two large icecubes sitting alone in the glass. "Can't really tell if you're brave or stupid, but dear Jesus you picked a hell of a place to start."
I looked over at the office wall. A big map with the spots we'd talked about sat bright on the otherwise clean beige panels. "Why? It looked nice--"
The man leaned back in his chair, the loud creaking causing my friends to shift uneasily. "Well, you're gonna be out in the sticks wherever ya pick. Uh, you're really looking at a bit of a rural area, might not exactly like your kind too much. Now, I don't think you're gonna get beat on or nothing, but there's gonna be some weird looks." The man clapped his hands together. "But hey, you pull this off I can see some nature getting nice and comfy with urban areas." He rubbed his hands together and leaned back. "I wouldn't mind. I ain't a big fan of that whole, one with nature bull--shit, but it'll be interesting if ya can pull it off."
I nodded heavily. "We did it back in Equestria. I mean--"
The man nodded slowly. "We live *in** the trees.* I read the letter." He looked over to the map. "I don't think you'll be pulling that off with a birch or an aspen, but I'll give ya the benefit of the doubt." He picked up his glass and brought it to his mouth. It sat there against his lips for a bit before he pushed it back and looked into it. "Damn." He slid the glass across his desk and tapped his fingers against the wood tabletop. "And I have to be honest, impressive you're trying this, even more so that they let ya bump borders with a park. But I'm not a huge fan of the name."
I rubbed the back of my neck with my hoof. "New-Ponyville is fine.... You have New York--"
The man cringed and shook his head. "Yeah, that ain't gonna fly." He interlaced his fingers. "Little EQ, Equestria.... Already talked with the boys doing the funding on this and they agreed with me."
I scratched the floor and looked back to the herd. Five of us had come to talk with the man, everypony else was waiting or getting food. "Well--"
The man shook his head. "Look, it's been decided. Now, you just gotta pick your state and I can sort you out some land. I'll do what I can to do you a big favor and get you some non-gmo seeds and whatnot, you just have to pull the trigger."
I looked back to my herd. "GMO?" My herd shrugged or otherwise gave off confused looks. I turned back to the man. "Uh, what's a--"
"Long story, not worth talking about given what I know about ya'll." He pointed to the map. "Now, I'd say stick north, further towards the Mason-Dixon you go the more cold the reception gonna be."
I turned to the map. "Well, where do you think--"
"Penn...but, it's your call." He slapped his desk. "And everything's in order, manifests you gave me are all figured out and tools from your little ponyland were already brought over." The man scratched his back. "Boy, ya'll would get along great with the Amish."
I looked back towards the map. "So, the boxy one?"
The man laughed loudly. "Uh, yeah, the boxy one."
I nodded slowly. "Alright. We'll make it work."
The man extended a hand over his desk. "Oh I'm sure you will."
I lifted a hoof to meet him. "I don't-- Uh...." I waggled my hoof at his hand. "How--"
He withdrew his hand and patted his desk. "Yeah, sorry." He looked over at the map. "Alright, I'll give you a call when it's all ready. Shouldn't take more than a week."
