//------------------------------//
// Stinger 
// Story: Heritage 
// by bahatumay 
//------------------------------//

	There was a knock at the door. Rainbow Dash lifted her head, snorted derisively towards the door, and then placed her head back down on Applejack’s flank. Whoever was there could wait. She was busy.

Applejack stirred. “Who is it?” she asked.

“Don’t know, don’t care,” Rainbow Dash mumbled into Applejack’s cutie mark.

“Rainbow?”

“What?”

“That was the bedroom door, Rainbow.”

Rainbow grunted. “So? You don’t smell that bad.” She sniffed in Applejack’s general direction. “Actually, you smell pretty good.”

Applejack bucked her hips, knocking Rainbow Dash to the floor. “That means they know we’re in here, Rainbow,” she said as she got out of bed.

Rainbow rolled over and reached up for Applejack’s leg. “Says you.”

Applejack rolled her eyes and lifted her leg just out of Rainbow's reach as she picked her hat up off the nightstand. She walked over towards the door and slid it open.

Her eyes widened. “Hi,” she said.

Rainbow Blaze reached a hoof up to his head respectfully. “Hey,” he said. “I, uh… I was going to bring this over as soon as I finished, but in hindsight…” His nostrils flared subconsciously. “Maybe I should have waited for after breakfast or… or something.”

No thought, just action. He really was Rainbow Dash’s father. “Hey, no worries,” Applejack said. “We were gonna get up soon anyway.”

“Great,” Rainbow Blaze said, shifting uncomfortably. “I, uh… I brought you this.” He held out a wrapped canvas.

Applejack took it. “Hey, Rainbow? Get up and look at this.”

Rainbow pushed herself up, and quickly oriented herself. She raised an eyebrow. “Dad? Did you paint something?”

“I did,” Rainbow Blaze said proudly.

“And it’s finished?”

Rainbow Blaze snorted indignantly. “I’ll have you know that I finish things all the time, Dashie.”

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, Dad.”

Applejack finished unwrapping it. Her eyes widened. “Well, butter my buns and call me a biscuit,” she murmured. “That’s amazing.”

Rainbow Dash peeked over her shoulder and her jaw dropped.

It was a painting. Rainbow Blaze had painted them, together. Applejack was running along a hill, and Rainbow Dash was flying alongside. Though they seemed to be facing towards their destination, their eyes were on each other.

“Blaze, this is beautiful,” Applejack whispered.

“Yeah, Dad,” Rainbow Dash added. “This is… whoa.”

Rainbow Blaze shrugged. “Thanks. I’m glad you like it. Just never lose sight of what makes each of you special.”

“Never,” Rainbow Dash promised.

And then she looked her father in the eye. 

She extended her wing.

And she brushed the full length of it against Applejack’s cutie mark.

Applejack squealed and jumped out of the way. “Rainbow!” she scolded, blushing redder than the apples in the painting.

“You were right,” Rainbow Dash laughed. “That is more fun in front of other ponies.”

Applejack pulled her hat down over her eyes and grumbled under her breath as both pegasi laughed, as if at an inside joke.