The possessive thing sounds like what I've seen with crazy anime fanatics (and other fandoms too, but I've mostly seen it with anime). People claim a character is their husband/wife/soulmate/etc and FREAK OUT if anyone else dares to like the character and stuff like that. Its absolutely insane. I stop associating with people like that really quickly.
As far as the hair brushing thing goes, it could be something really calming for her? I've picked up a pony and mindlessly combed its hair with my fingers for quite a while, I find it calming and kind of fun in a way. Its a nice way to bond with my ponies (and dolls) too.
Or maybe she's just nuts. -shrug-
The possessive thing sounds like what I've seen with crazy anime fanatics (and other fandoms too, but I've mostly seen it with anime). People claim a character is their husband/wife/soulmate/etc and FREAK OUT if anyone else dares to like the character and stuff like that. Its absolutely insane. I stop associating with people like that really quickly.
As far as the hair brushing thing goes, it could be something really calming for her? I've picked up a pony and mindlessly combed its hair with my fingers for quite a while, I find it calming and kind of fun in a way. Its a nice way to bond with my ponies (and dolls) too.
Or maybe she's just nuts. -shrug-
Ohhh yes it is incredibly common in anime fandoms, I wonder why that is? And you know, I could believe that theory about her brushing their hair, because she does have a very stressful life. We've all tried numerous times to help her out but she outright refuses our help, perhaps her ponies are the only things she feels like she can really draw comfort from? I was like that for most of my childhood with my toys. And your last comment made my night, thank you. :lol:
I knew a girl like this in high school. Nobody ever called her by her real name; she was simply Pikachu. Pikachu was the only word she would say. She'd sit at an entire table by herself at lunch (which was saying something for a lunchroom that was often so packed people would steal chairs out from others because there weren't enough) with her pikachu pokemon lined up around her. She'd eat and keep muttering "pi- pi- pi-pika! Pika chu!" to them.
Granted, she was a foster child and had probably been through some situations that nobody her age should have had to deal with. But, still, her complete retreat into the pokemon fandom was extremely offputting to a lot of people. I still can't see a single Pokemon without thinking of her.
As far as crazy pony collectors go? Drop by a brony convention sometime. You will see things and meet people who behave in ways you would never expect.
I live in pretty much the middle of nowhere so at the moment we have no established brony conventions that I'm aware of. Do tell? XD Also yikes, that's... That's pretty serious. I hope she eventually got some help. :c