what had appeared to have come out of nowhere and spread like cutie pox was an outbreak of DIRT-Deadly, In-distinctively, repulsive, Tantrums that turn you into some form of changelings that are covered in slime, teeth, and smell like mold. Everypony that was a resident of Tael was cut off from all communication, or was turned into one of those "things". It was like living in the middle of the desert on a tiny patch of grass with a Tupperware filled with cell-eating egg salad, and it wasn't pretty.