# Mlp Infection

> MLP Infection is a 2023 collaborative horror fan-art trend depicting My Little Pony characters afflicted with fictional diseases, parasites, and zombie-like infections across alternate universes.

MLP Infection is a fan-driven horror trend within the My Little Pony community where artists create alternate universe (AU) scenarios depicting ponies afflicted by fictional diseases, parasites, and zombie-like infections. The trend kicked off on TikTok in December 2023 when Russian-speaking creator @osushat introduced an AU centered on a flesh-eating disease called Pestraobia, and it quickly snowballed as dozens of other artists built their own infection universes with unique lore, art styles, and rules[2]. Drawing from older MLP creepypasta traditions like Rainbow Factory and blending them with zombie apocalypse storytelling, MLP Infection became one of the biggest collaborative horror art movements in the brony fandom's recent history[1].

## Origin
On December 13, 2023, TikToker @osushat posted a photo slideshow describing a "flesh and mind eating disease" called Pestraobia infecting ponies in an alternate version of Equestria[2]. The slideshow identified Starlight Glimmer as patient zero, referred to as the "initiator." Over its first month, the post pulled in roughly 540,500 plays and 42,400 likes[2].

@osushat, a Russian-speaking creator, expanded the Pestraobia lore across multiple follow-up slideshows in December 2023. A second slideshow posted on December 14 added new details about the infection's spread and received approximately 477,900 plays and 40,300 likes within a month[2].

The trend built on a long tradition of MLP horror content. Earlier creepypasta stories like Rainbow Factory, which depicted Rainbow Dash using ponies to manufacture rainbows in a gory industrial process, and My Little Amnesia, a crossover with the horror game Amnesia: The Dark Descent, had already proven that the fandom had an appetite for dark reinterpretations of the show[1].

- **Platform:** TikTok
- **Creator:** @osushat (original Pestraobia AU creator), @bunnyizcute (Smile Virus creator), Auggy Dailey (Everfree Infection creator), Claudia Liu / Crackle Wink (Harmony Syndrome creator), Kaleb Stevens / ghxstispunk (My Little Virus creator), fhroggy (Apple Rot creator)
- **Date:** 2023

## Overview
MLP Infection refers to a wave of fan-created alternate universes that reimagine the colorful world of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic as a setting for body horror, disease outbreaks, and survival stories. Each AU follows its own rules about how the infection works, what the "zombies" look like, and which characters survive or fall. The art typically shows familiar MLP characters in decaying, mutated, or fused states, shared through TikTok photo slideshows with lore captions explaining the disease mechanics[2].

What sets MLP Infection apart from standard creepypasta is the sheer collaborative energy behind it. Rather than one canonical story, the trend spawned dozens of independent AUs, each with a unique pathogen, patient zero, and set of stakes. Some are grim with no cure in sight. Others hint at redemption[1]. The contrast between the show's bright, friendship-centered aesthetic and the grotesque body horror of the infection art is the core appeal.

## How It Spread
The first major spinoff AU arrived on December 26, 2023, when TikToker @bunnyizcute posted a slideshow outlining the Smile Virus, a different take on the infection concept. That post earned roughly 576,900 likes in its first month, and other creators quickly added to the Smile Virus lore with their own slideshows and videos[2].

By early January 2024, the trend had exploded across TikTok. On January 3, @aerofie posted a gameplay-style representation of Fluttershy encountering an infected pony, pulling in around 609,400 plays and 51,900 likes in three weeks[2]. Ten days later, @etc.etcetera dropped an original animation that became the trend's biggest single piece of content, racking up over 3.4 million plays and 409,600 likes in just 12 days[2].

Fan art slideshows kept the momentum going. On January 18, @gojosdirtysocks posted infection art that crossed over with the MordeTwi meme, earning over 2.5 million plays and 566,800 likes in a single week[2].

YouTube picked up the trend in late January 2024. Creator frommi posted a 29-minute explainer video on January 19 that broke down the various MLP Infection AUs, getting over 18,000 views in six days[2]. Two days later, Ryuji Saeki uploaded an analog horror video introducing yet another AU called Swamp Fever, which hit roughly 29,700 views in four days[2].

The trend also spread to DeviantArt and Tumblr during this period, with artists sharing their own infection AUs on both platforms[2]. On DeviantArt, creator fhroggy launched Apple Rot, an AU where infection spreads through products tainted with blighted apples and through bites from infected ponies[3].

## How to Use
MLP Infection isn't a single template but a creative framework. To participate:
1. **Design your AU's disease.** Give it a name, a method of transmission, and visual symptoms. Popular approaches include parasitic fungi, magical corruption, or tainted food[1][3].
2. **Pick a patient zero.** Choose which MLP character first contracts the infection and explain how it happens.
3. **Draw infected versions of characters.** The art typically shows decay, mutation, extra limbs, plant growth, or fused bodies. The more disturbing the contrast with the character's normal appearance, the better.
4. **Build lore through slideshows.** Most creators share their AUs as TikTok photo slideshows with text overlays explaining the infection's rules, timeline, and character fates[2].
5. **Expand with comics or animation.** More ambitious creators produce multi-page comics or short animations showing key story moments[1].

## Cultural Impact
MLP Infection tapped into two overlapping fandoms: the brony community and the broader internet horror scene. The trend drew direct inspiration from mainstream zombie properties like The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, and World War Z, applying their survival horror logic to Equestria's candy-colored world[1].

Several creators used the trend to process real-world experiences. Auggy Dailey, creator of The Everfree Infection AU, started his project while quarantining with COVID-19. "There's been several nods to how Covid affected the U.S. within the story and a lot of it is just me processing the experience," Dailey told Trill Mag[1]. His AU's infection originates from a bug disease that Fluttershy accidentally introduces while trying to make medicine, and it spirals when Discord's attempt to help backfires[1].

The trend also demonstrated TikTok's power as a storytelling platform. The slideshow format, originally designed for simple photo sharing, became a vehicle for serialized horror narratives with deep worldbuilding[2]. Creators released new lore installments like episodes of a show, with audiences following multiple AUs at once.

## Fun Facts
- Auggy Dailey cited his favorite piece from The Everfree Infection as a comic featuring Zecora and Pinkie Pie having tea, which let him experiment with comic paneling by weaving branches and hidden insects into the panel borders[1].
- In Harmony Syndrome, the flowers that bloom on dead amalgams are called "Last Hope Lillies," and Sunset Shimmer believes they hold the key to a cure[1].
- The Apple Rot AU's outbreak starts because Applejack steps away for a glass of water before sorting through a bushel containing a single blighted apple, and Granny Smith and Big Mac unknowingly press it into cider[3].
- @gojosdirtysocks' MLP Infection art crossed over with the MordeTwi meme (shipping Mordecai from Regular Show with Twilight Sparkle), hitting over 2.5 million plays[2].
- The trend's roots trace back to older MLP horror works like "The Cough," which Auggy Dailey specifically cited as an inspiration for his AU[1].

## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is MLP Infection?
MLP Infection is a fan art and storytelling trend where artists create alternate universe scenarios depicting My Little Pony characters afflicted by fictional diseases that turn them into zombie-like or mutated creatures. The trend originated on TikTok in December 2023[2].

### Where did MLP Infection come from?
The trend started when TikToker @osushat posted a photo slideshow on December 13, 2023, introducing a disease called Pestraobia that infected ponies in an alternate version of Equestria[2].

### What does MLP Infection mean?
It refers to the concept of infectious diseases spreading through the world of My Little Pony, transforming the show's wholesome setting into a survival horror scenario. Each creator builds their own "infection AU" with unique rules and lore[1].

### How do you use MLP Infection?
Creators typically design their own fictional disease, choose a patient zero, draw infected versions of MLP characters, and share the lore through TikTok slideshows, comics, or animations[2][1].

### Is MLP Infection still popular?
The trend peaked in January 2024 with videos reaching millions of plays on TikTok. While the initial viral wave has slowed, creators like Auggy Dailey and Claudia Liu were still actively developing their AUs with new comics and lore posts as of the latest reporting[1].

### What is Pestraobia?
Pestraobia is the name of the original MLP Infection disease created by @osushat. It is described as a "flesh and mind eating disease" with Starlight Glimmer identified as patient zero[2].

### What is the Smile Virus?
The Smile Virus is an alternate MLP Infection AU created by TikToker @bunnyizcute on December 26, 2023. It introduced a different infection mechanic from Pestraobia and earned roughly 576,900 likes in its first month[2].

### How is MLP Infection related to creepypasta?
MLP Infection builds on a tradition of MLP horror content including older creepypasta stories like Rainbow Factory and My Little Amnesia. The infection AUs apply similar dark reimagining to the show but with a collaborative, multi-creator format[1].

### Who are the main MLP Infection creators?
Key creators include @osushat (Pestraobia), @bunnyizcute (Smile Virus), Auggy Dailey (The Everfree Infection), Claudia Liu/Crackle Wink (Harmony Syndrome), Kaleb Stevens/ghxstispunk (My Little Virus), and fhroggy (Apple Rot)[1][3].

### Did COVID-19 inspire MLP Infection?
At least one major creator, Auggy Dailey, explicitly cited COVID quarantine as inspiration. He told Trill Mag that his AU, The Everfree Infection, contains "several nods to how Covid affected the U.S." and that the project helped him process the experience[1].

## References
1. [Infection Spreads Across My Little Pony](<https://www.trillmag.com/entertainment/infection-spreads-across-my-little-pony/>)
2. [Apple Rot - MLP Infection AU - Rarity by fhroggy on DeviantArt](<https://www.deviantart.com/fhroggy/art/Apple-Rot-MLP-Infection-AU-Rarity-1011722014>)
3. [MLP Infection - Know Your Meme](<https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/mlp-infection>)

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