//------------------------------//
// Parasite 
// Story: The Last Heroes of Equestria 
// by ZeroStar 
//------------------------------//

	The journey back to Ponyville was uneventful, riddled with long silences, save for the creaking of the wagon as War Heart dragged it along. They finally reached Ponyville once more, looking the same as it usually did.
“We’re back. Sweet Heart, maybe you can go ask the Cakes for a job at their store?”, War Heart called back to his sister.
Sweet Heart gasped, “Oh right, Yeah I’ll do that right now!”, she flew out of the wagon and looked around Ponyville.
Dash raised her eyebrow, “Does she know where the Cakes are?”
“Nope…”, War Heart chuckled, knowing his sister wasn’t the brightest pony.
Dash smiled and rolled her eyes. Dash was suddenly overcome with a wave of nausea, shivering slightly as she felt like she was going to vomit, “What the-?”, she whispered as she felt the contents of her stomach rise up her esophagus. She quickly covered her mouth with her hooves and flew off the cart to the side of the road where she let out the contents of her stomach, “I don’t feel so good…”, she groaned, feeling even more sick from the smell of stomach acid.
War Heart quickly ran over to her, “Are you okay?”, he asked urgently.
“I don’t feel too good…”, she replied weakly.
“I’ll take you back to my cabin, get you some water, something to eat, okay?”, War Heart patted her back gently.
“Okay… That’d be nice.”, she smiled at him.
War Heart returned the smile and walked her back to the cart, then kept pulling. He went a bit slower now, not wanting the cart to move around too much and upset Dash’s stomach more.
Dash laid down in the cart, still feeling nauseous, but not as bad as before, “Maybe going to Caneighda was a bad idea… I think I got sick from the cold…”, she spoke to War Heart.
“If that’s the case, I’ll take care of you until you’re better. It’s my fault for letting you come along.”, War Heart soon came back to his cabin, helping Dash off the cart and bringing her inside, letting her lay down on his bed, “I’ll be back soon with some water.”, he told her as he ran out of the room, soon returning with a bucket and placing it next to the bed, “Just in case you need to puke…”, he said before running off again.
Dash had still been wearing her saddlebags, she got up and put them on the floor, taking the Jewellery box that Wild Heart gave her, she opened it to behold the polished wood heart inside. Dash smiled and took it out of the box, noticing that it had a chain attached, making it out to be some sort of amulet, Dash put it over her head and slipped it on around her neck. She smiled looking down on it, a moment which was short-lived as the wave of nausea returned, forcing Dash to expel more of the contents of her stomach into the bucket beside the bed. She groaned again, then looked down at the polished, wooden heart, “Worth it…”, she whispered as she rested her head on the pillow.
War Heart entered the room with a bucket of water, he placed it on the floor next to the bed, “How are you feeling?”
“Not so good…”, Dash said before drinking some of the water War Heart brought for her.
“I’ll bring you something to eat, probably some bread or something.”, War Heart turned to leave before Dash stopped him.
“Actually, could I have some Apple Sauce and a cupcake?”
War Heart stopped in mid step and slowly turned his head towards Dash with a face that said, ‘Are you serious?’.
“Please?”
“Okay…”, War Heart replied before leaving the cabin, “Pretty odd request…”, he said to himself as he flew off to Sweet Apple Acres. He soared overhead and landed in front of the house. He trotted up to the door and knocked, “Anypony home?”
An orange coated mare with blonde mane answered the door, “Well howdy there, War Heart, what brings you over here?”, Applejack asked, knowing War Heart never had visited before except the time he bucked over their tree.
“I need some Apple Sauce, do you have any?”, War Heart asked, looking down at Applejack.
“I don’t know, Granny Smith usually makes it, but I s’pose I could whip up some.”
“Thanks, I also have to go into town and grab some cupcakes. So I’ll be back later to pick up the sauce.”
“Apple sauce… ‘n’ cupcakes? What kind of meal are you makin’?”
“I don’t know, Dash wanted Apple Sauce and cupcakes, so I’m getting her what she wants.”
“Mighty kind of ya, but I’ve never seen anypony eat those at the same time.”
“She’s feeling a bit sick from the trip to Caneighda.”
“So that’s where she was, I was wonderin’ where she went off to.”
“Yeah, well , I gotta go, I’ll be back.”, War Heart said as he flew off once more. War Heart glided over the orchards of apple trees, flying in the direction of Ponyville. He landed in front of the Sugar Cube Corner and walked inside. He looked around to see the front desk was unattended, “Hello?”, War Heart called out. He walked over to the desk and waited.
Pinkie Pie heard somepony enter the store and came bouncing into the room, “Hi, War Heart!”, she shouted as she stopped behind the desk, “What would you like?”, she asked.
“I’ll take a dozen cupcakes.”, War Heart said while taking out some bits from his saddlebags.
“You sure you don’t want some butterscotch too?”
War Heart froze for a moment and looked at Pinkie, “Butterscotch?”
“Yeah! We got a new pony working here, making butterscotch!”
War Heart sighed, “Yeah, that’s my older sister, Sweet Heart.”
“I was wondering why I didn’t know who she was, now we can have a party tonight! You wanna come?”
“Can’t Pinkie, I have some things to do.”
Pinkie frowned, “You don’t want to come to my party?”, she said in a saddened tone.
War Heart was startled at Pinkie frowning, “No, I wish I could but, I have to take care of Dash.”
Pinkie’s eyes widened in surprise, “What’s wrong with Dashie?”
“She’s feeling sick from the trip to Caneighda.”
“Aw, poor Dashie! I should make her a cake! Or throw a ‘Get well soon’ Party!”, Pinkie sounded very enthused about the party idea. She quickly grabbed a dozen cupcakes and put them in a box for War Heart, she placed them on the counter and bounced into the kitchen, “Sweet Heart, We have a cake to bake!”
War Heart stood there for a moment, imagining what kind of trouble those two could get into. He shook his head and left the bits on the counter, taking the box of cupcakes and putting them in his saddlebag, “Now to get that apple sauce.”, he told himself, taking off towards the Apple Family’s home, “I can’t help but feel like things are going to change with my sister being here…”, he said to himself as he landed in front of the Apple house. He went up to the door, knocked, and waited.
Applejack answered the door once more, “Howdy again, here’s that sauce ya wanted.”, she held out a jar of mush, which did not look very appealing to War Heart.
He took the jar and put it in his saddlebag, “What do I owe you for this?”
“Nothing, just make sure Rainbow Dash gets better.”
“Thanks.”, he said and turned to leave, “By the way, Pinkie is throwing a party tonight, thought you might have wanted to go.”
“Thanks for the memo, seeya, War Heart.”, Applejack waved to him as he flew away.
War Heart tried to get home as quick as he could, thinking Rainbow might have gotten worse while he was gone. He walked up to the door and jogged over to the bedroom where Dash was leaning over the bed with her head in the bucket.
Dash looked up from the bucket, “Oh… Hi.”, she smiled weakly at War Heart, happy to see he was back.
“I got the sauce and cupcakes.”, he said as he put down his bags and put them on the bed for her.
“Thanks.”, Dash stated weakly. The aroma of the cupcakes and apple sauce reached her nose, she felt a lot better, and hungry from the fact that she had expelled most of the contents of her stomach in the last little while. She took a cupcake from the box and dipped it into the jar of apple mush. She quickly shoved it into her mouth and began chewing.
War Heart stood there with a confused look on his face, “That’s new…”
Dash smiled nervously, “I just sorta… wanted to try this. It’s pretty good, you should try some.”
“I’ll pass, I’m not very hungry…”
“Alright then.”, she said as she dipped another cupcake in apple sauce and devoured it.
“Well… I’ll be out there, just call if you need me.”
Dash nodded, her mouth full of apple sauce and cupcake at the time.
War Heart walked into the shield hall and closed the door to the bedroom, “That was weird…”, War Heart whispered to himself. He paced for a bit in his shield hall, “Maybe she has a flu… I really don’t know what I’m doing here, I’m no doctor…”, War Heart spoke to himself, “Maybe I should take her in to the clinic to see if she does have the flu, and what to do if she does… Yeah, I’ll do that after she’s done eating.”, he told himself. He waited for a few minutes before walking into the bedroom to see Dash had finished the box of cupcakes and the jar of applesauce, “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, just tired now.”, Dash replied.
“That’s good.”, War Heart said as he laid down beside her and draped his wing over her, “Just get some sleep now, I’ll be here if you need anything.”
Dash nuzzled her nose against War Heart’s, “Thank you.”
War Heart smiled at her, “No problem.”, he said closing his eyes, thinking he could take her to the doctor tomorrow instead.

War Heart awoke the next morning, seeing Dash draped over the bed, her head in the bucket, emptying her stomach. He put his hoof on her back, “I’m taking you to the doctor today, okay?”, War Heart said to her, still half asleep.
“Oka-”, Dash vomited again as she replied, “… Let’s go.”, Dash took the other bucket full of water and took a drink, then got out of bed, feeling weak.
War Heart got up and walked beside her, letting her lean on him for support. He walked her all the way to Ponyville clinic. He sat her down on a chair in the waiting room while he went up to the desk. He approached the nurse at the desk, who looked somewhat surprised to see him.
“You? Weren’t your wings…?”, the nurse could scarcely believe what she was seeing.
“I got better, I’m bringing somepony in, she’s feeling rather sick and I have no clue what I’m supposed to do with her.”, War said as he pointed to Rainbow Dash.
The nurse looked over at her, then back to War Heart and nodded. She got up and went into one of the back rooms.
War Heart went back to Dash, “How you feeling?”
“Not so good…”
The doctor walked in, dressed in a white coat as doctors usually wear in the office, “Hello, would you come with me?”, he motioned for them to follow him.
War Heart walked with Rainbow Dash, trailing behind the doctor and into his office.
“Please sit on the table here.”, the Doc instructed as he tapped the table with his hoof.
Dash slowly got up on the table, feeling a bit dizzy.
The Doc was a unicorn, he used his magic to levitate a thermometer to Dash and stuck it in her mouth. He pressed the stethoscope receiver against her chest and listened for a moment. He retracted away from Dash, “Pulse is normal…”, he took the thermometer from Dash’s mouth and looked at it, “As is her temperature…”, he floated a popsicle stick over to him, “Say, ‘Ahhhhh’.”, he instructed Dash.
Dash opened her mouth, looking up at the ceiling, feeling the popsicle stick press down on her tongue.
“Nothing wrong in there either… What kinds of problems has she been experiencing? Any unusual behaviour?”, the Doc turned to War Heart, who thought for a moment.
“Well, she’s been feeling weak and been throwing up a lot, and the other day she asked me to get her cupcakes and applesauce to eat.”, War Heart explained.
The doctor’s face grew serious, “I know what’s wrong now…”, he turned and faced away from them, “You have a parasite in you…”
War Heart and Dash looked at each other in confusion.
The Doc spoke up again, “But don’t worry, ponies get these all the time, eventually it’ll burst out of you. Some ponies like to name them, dress them up in cute clothes, and whatnot.”
Dash spoke up, “A-are you saying… I’m…?”
“Pregnant, yes.”
Dash felt another wave of nausea and ran to the sink to empty her stomach.
“Strange, usually the mares are thrilled to her they are going to be a mother.”, The Doc looked to War Heart, who was frozen in place. The Doc looked at each of them, “Maybe I should go, I’m sure you’re fine.”, he said as he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Dash pulled her head out of the sink and looked at War Heart.
War Heart walked over to Dash and hugged her, not knowing what to say. He felt excitement at the idea of being a father.
Dash couldn’t help but tear up, she never knew her parents, she knew she wouldn’t do the same thing to her child.

The morning they were at War Heart’s house, sleeping in. Dash always felt sick in the mornings, but she puked less often. They heard a knock on the door.
“I’ll get it…”, War Heart said as he rose from his sleeping place. He walked out of the room and towards the front door, opening it as he got there.
“SURPRISE!”, Pinkie and Sweet Heart screamed in unison as the door opened.
War Heart stood there, unflinching as confetti exploded through the door, “I forgot you two were probably going to show up…”, he turned from the door, “Dash! Pinkie and Sweet Heart are here.”
Dash walked out to see them holding a cake, her ears and wings perked up, “Hey Guys, what are you doing here?”
“We heard the news and we came to throw you a party!”, Pinkie said enthused for the party she was throwing for Dash.
“You know? Who told you?”, Dash was confused how Pinkie would know so quickly.
“War Heart did, we felt so bad for you that we made a cake for you!”
Dash threw on a look of confusion, “Felt bad for me?”
“Yeah! He told us you were sick!”, Pinkie said as she held out the cake that read, ‘Get Well Soon’.
Dash laughed a bit, “Pinkie, I’m not sick.”
“You’re better already?”
“I wasn’t sick in the first place.”, Dash said as War Heart stood next to her.
“Then what was War Heart talking about?”
Dash looked at War Heart then back to Pinkie, “I’m pregnant…”
Pinkie froze in place, a bit of confetti shooting out of the confetti cannon on the back of her head, “Oh my gosh, Dash!”, Pinkie jumped over and hugged Dash.
Sweet Heart bounced up and down, “I’m going to be an Auntie!”, she squealed excitedly and she tackled War Heart with an embrace, War Heart still not flinching at the impact.
Pinkie gasped, “This calls for a Party!”, Pinkie shouted excitedly and zipped out the door.
War Heart looked to Dash, who returned his glance, “She’s gonna invite all of Ponyville… isn’t she?”, War Heart asked.
“Well, if I know Pinkie Pie, and I do, she will.”, Dash told him, nodding her head.
Sweet Heart let go of War Heart and looked at Dash, “So, how far along are you?”, she asked excitedly.
“Ummm… We’re not sure…?”, Dash smiled nervously, honestly not knowing.
“Oh well, only a matter of time, I should tell Mom and Dad to come down!”, Sweet Heart said jumping up and down.
“Maybe we’ll wait until later. I think they’d want some time before dealing with new ponies for a while.”
“Aw, fine, if you say so, I’m going to help Pinkie plan the party, Bye!”, she said as she trotted out the door.
War Heart walked to the door and closed it, “Another Party, should be fun.”
“Pinkie’s Parties are always awesome!” Dash commented.
“They sure are, and now you’re the guest of honour.”
“We are, this is yours too.”, Dash told him while rubbing her belly.
“Well, you’re the one that is carrying it, I figured you deserve more credit.”
“I guess you’re right.”, Dash rolled her eyes and smiled.
“How about we head to Ponyville and get some breakfast?”, War Heart said as he walked over to his saddlebags.
“Sure, I think I need some air…”, Dash’s stomach growled, “… Some food would be nice as well.”
War Heart put on his saddlebags and opened the door for Dash. Allowing her to exit before him. After she was outside he followed her out and closed the door behind him.
They walked together into Ponyville.
War Heart looked at Dash, “What do you feel like eating today?”
Dash pondered while walking with War Heart, “I think… Butterscotch… and maybe some hay fries.”
War Heart nodded, “Sounds good.”, he replied as they made their way to Sugar Cube Corner.
They arrived at Sugar Cube Corner, War Heart entering first and holding the door open for Dash, allowing her to enter before closing the door. They both walked up to the counter, where Mrs. Cake was standing.
“Well hello there, how are you two doing?”, Mrs. Cake asked them.
“Doing great, we’re really excited.”, Dash replied to her.
“Oh? What for?”
“We just found out that… I’m pregnant.”
“Aww, how adorable, Carrot and I had two of our own recently, I’m sure you remember, Rainbow Dash.”
“I sure do.”
“Now, what would you like then?”
“Well, I was craving butterscotch.”
“You’ll start to crave all sorts of strange things, let me tell you.”, Mrs. Cake said as she took out a plastic bag and put some neatly wrapped butterscotch candies inside.
“I know what you mean.”, Dash said and chuckled.
War Heart reached for some bits out of his bag.
“Oh no, this is on the house.”, Mrs. Cake insisted.
“Thank you.”, Dash said as she took the bag of candy and put it in War Heart’s saddlebag.
The couple turned and left the store, heading to their next destination. They stopped at one of the local restaurants, deciding to sit outside to eat their hay fries. The waiter put their plates of hay fries in front of them.
“Can I have those butterscotch candies now?”, Dash asked War Heart, who already knew where this is going. He reached into the bag and gave her the candy. Dash proceeded to unwrap each one and put them onto the plate on top of the hay fries.
War Heart at his fries as they were, watching Dash come up with another new combination of food.
Dash started eating now after a minute or two of unwrapping candy and putting them on the fries.
They soon finished their breakfast and were starting to head home, only to be stopped by Pinkie Pie in the street.
“Hey! Where are you going?”
Dash looked at War Heart for a moment then back at Pinkie, “Home?”
“Well why would you go home when there’s a party going on for you?”
“Already? I thought it wouldn’t be until tonight.”, Dash replied to the hyper, pink pony.
“Nope, It’s happening now, at Twilight’s place!”
“Okay, well let’s go then.”, Dash said and followed Pinkie, War Heart walking beside her.
The three ponies arrived at the large tree that was Twilight’s library. Pinkie opened the door to the nearly pitch black interior. The three walked inside, the door closing as they reached near the center of the main room. The lights were suddenly switched on, many ponies all shouting in unison, “Surprise!”
Dash’s wings and ears perked up in the excitement, her best friends all crowding around her and congratulating her.
War Heart only smiled, standing there as if nothing happened, then going over to the punch bowl to get a drink.
The ponies spent the rest of the day at the party, in a celebration of life.