22. A Sad-dle State Of Affairs

[continuousgroaning]

[There's a brief video clip posted to the network, which is mostly air and hay-filled ground, along with some of the mysterious rocks that have fallen from the sky, and the sound of loud, happy whinnying. Then, there's a glimpse of a horse- Jake, to anyone who's familiar with Tina's precious hoof child- except he's not a miniature pony any more. He's quite large. And... is that... is his neck stretching?

Soon the feed switches off, and there's nothing but text:]

HLEP

HOPSE STRETCH

Comments

[honeybadgered]

STRETCH

where r u maybe i can help

can u even read this right now

[continuousgroaning]

phone smushed near face

hopse hug me

text

[irwins]

Uh.

What?

[Horses man. What the heck.]

Did...

...

Did a horse type this?

text

[continuousgroaning]

hoprse find rock

can stretch

hug me

text

[irwins]

Rock? What rock?

I think I'll have to pass on the hug. Too far away. Sorry, dude. Maybe next time.

[Or one hundred percent never.]

text

[continuousgroaning]

[The reply comes later, after she's managed to free herself. Tina sends along a picture of a blue-colored rock.]

I meant he was hugging me :) that's why it was so hard to type

anyway, these fell out of the sky and several of the horses touched them and ended up with powers. it was a mess for the stable staff

text

[irwins]

Oh thank fuck the horses aren't texting. I'm not ready for the livestock uprising.

You okay?

Magic space rocks. Great. That's... great.

text

[continuousgroaning]

not unless one of them gets hands, and as much as I love horses that would be way too weird for me.

I am now, thanks! he let me go once he was offered a carrot and the powers faded after a while. which is good because other horses at the stable were affected too.

YEAH. they're falling from the sky and there's no rhyme or reason behind it. i'm afraid to touch them

text

[leatherboots]

[ fellow horse girl enters stage right, not taking this seriously AT ALL: ]

Your pony seems to have evolved. It was the same way with the giraffes, you know. Long necks.

text

[continuousgroaning]

he stretched his neck out like a giraffe first

then hugged me with one hoof

then finally let me go

[leatherboots]

Sounds rather charming, actually. There are worse things he could have done.

Is he your horse? Is he always so... curiously proportioned?

[continuousgroaning]

yes, he's mine!! i've had him for over a year

and no, it seems to have to do with those rocks that are falling from the sky

He found one and lipped it a little then suddenly he was able to grow and stretch

[leatherboots]

Now isn't that just the devil in these smaller breeds, they think they can eat whatever they like! Even rocks.

Is he alright? Not in pain, not afraid?

[continuousgroaning]

yeah, he didn't actually swallow it, thank God. he just likes to explore things with his lips, since it's kind of hard to with hooves

he's really happy! I wonder if he's seen humans hugging and wanted to imitate it or something

he's in therapy horse training so he's had a lot of exposure to humans

[fursleuth]

[Oh wow.]

Are you still alive, kid? Type incomprehensible gibberish if you are.

[continuousgroaning]

HROSE STRETCH

HUG ME

phone smshd to fcae

[fursleuth]

All things considered... Not where I was expecting that to go.

[continuousgroaning]

NO KIDNG

LOVE HIM

STRECH BAD

[fursleuth]

Do I need to come over and encourage him to love you less?

[continuousgroaning]

please????

text

[h2no]

[yeah guess WHO IS ALREADY ON HIS WAY TO JAKE'S STABLE...]

TINA WHAT

text

[continuousgroaning]

hE touched strange rock from sky

sTRECHED OUT AND HUG ME

Re: text

[h2no]

WHY????????

[continuousgroaning]

bc he loves me????

BUT IT'S FREAKY

[h2no]

heartwarming
but also horrifying

i'll be there in ten. i got carrots to bribe him.