//------------------------------//
// Lovely to See You Again My Friend 
// Story: Appledashery 
// by Just Essay 
//------------------------------//

	Knock knock knock.

Silence.

With a creak, the door to the rustic cottage creaked open.  Fluttershy peered out, blinking.  Almost instantly, her eyes lit up and she gasped with joy.  "Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow stood at the entrance, smiling gently.  "Hey, Flutters.  What's up?"

"Ohhhh...!"  Fluttershy leaned out of the door, hugging Rainbow's petite body tight.  "Giggles and cheer!  Heeeee!"  She nuzzled the mare and leaned back, eyes sparkling.  "How have you been?!"

"Eh... you know..."  Rainbow Dash shrugged.  "Same old, same old."  She gulped.  "You... uh... seem very happy to see me."

"Every time I get a chance to these days feels special and precious!"

"Yeesh..."  Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head.  "Is it really that bad?"

"Hehehehe.  Oh Rainbow Dash."  Fluttershy waved a hoof.  "Don't think of it like that."  She turned tail and trotted back into the cottage.  "Won't you come on in?"

"Big Mac isn't hiding under the sofa, is he?"

"Oh please..."

Rainbow trotted in, smirking.  "Eh, who am I kidding.  Knowing that big lug, I bet he is the sofa."

"Heehee."

"Or better yet, your sofa."

Fluttershy gave a coy wink.  "Try another piece of furniture."

"Whoah."  Rinbow Dash blinked.  Hard.  "Did that just come out of you?"

"Mmmmm-maybe."  Fluttershy flew back with a tray of tea and cups.  "I guess you could say I'm a bit less... bashful about humor these days."

"You don't say?"

"In fact, the other day when I was with the other girls... and Pinkie Pie p-passed gas."  Fluttershy looked left... looked right... then leaned in towards Rainbow Dash.  "I almost mentioned it out loud!" she whispered.

"Wow..."  Rainbow smirked, sitting down on a chair across from the tea table.  "Next thing we know, you'll be making dead foal jokes while gargling vodka."

"Huh?"

Rainbow waved a hoof.  "Eh... never mind, Fluttershy.  So long as you're still you."

"Well, I would most certainly hope so!"  She sat down, stifled a giggle, and poured some tea.  "Would you like some?"

"Sure.  Why not?"  Rainbow shrugged.  "Yobo."

"Huh?  Yobo?"

"'You only brew once?'"

"Uhhhh..."

"Seriously?"  Rainbow raised an eyebrow.  "Big Mac isn't cultured at all?"

Fluttershy rolled her eyes with a smile.  "Enough about Big Mac.  I get healthy doses of him every day."

"Yeah, I bet."

"What about you, Rainbow Dash?"  Fluttershy poured her a cup and placed the dispenser down.  "How has your life been?"  She raised her own cup to her dainty lips and sipped.  "You used to tell me every little thing that was on your mind.  I miss that."

"Yeah..."  Rainbow squirmed slightly.  She cupped the teacup and saucer awkwardly in two hooves.  The medicine was still doing its trick, thank Celestia.  "I miss it too."

"I... I don't think I've ever properly thanked you in the past for it," Fluttershy said.

"Mmmmff...?"  Rainbow hummed inquisitvely in mid-sip.  She lowered the cup, exhaled, and glanced crookedly at the mare.  "Thanked me for what?  Being the mental and emotional doormat for all of my stupid little problems?"

"They were far from stupid, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said.  "They were important to you, and they were important to me as well.  Because we're friends."  She took another sip and added, "And please don't think of me as a doormat.  I never did."

"Er... sorry..." Rainbow winced.  "I was... j-just using a figure of expression."

"And I get it.  Just... I do not ever wish to think of our wonderful history in such a manner," she said, smiling.  "You've always been so sweet and sensitive and loving underneath your gruff exterior.  For the longest time, only I knew about it.  It's... it's made me feel special, Rainbow Dash.  To be there for you.  I think that strength and sense of purpose has helped prepare me for... well... having a very similar pony in my life right now."

"You think Big Mac is 'petite?'"

"Heeheehee!"  Fluttershy shook her head.  "No no no..."  Her eyes rolled back.  "Nooooo."  She smiled at Rainbow again.  "Only that he too has such amazing depth and intricate personality beneath the surface.  It's very... precious."

"But he's a stallion."  Rainbow muttered.  "So... he's obviously the clear winner."

"Oh Rainbow..."

"Heh..."  Rainbow smirked.  "It's okay, Fluttershy.  I'm only fooling."  She waved a hoof.  "I couldn't crush on you nowadays even if I tried."

"Oh... uhm..."  Fluttershy smiled awkwardly.  "That is good... to know?"

"It's good to say," Rainbow exhaled.  "And it's good to be."  She placed the teacup down and rested back in her seat, hugging herself slightly.  "I feel like I haven't been doing much of either lately."

"Well, Rainbow Dash, you have your own reservations.  I understand that."

"Yeah, but they're stupid.  I'm stupid."

"Rainbow—"

"Uh uh..."  Rainbow shook her head and held a hoof out.  "I didn't come here to play the 'woe is me' game.  That's just not awesome."

"Well then, Rainbow."  Fluttershy cocked her head aside.  "What does bring you by my cottage on such a lovely day?"

"I wanted to ask a question, since you and I go so far back together."

"Oh!  Anything, Rainbow Dash!"  She placed her cup down and then leaned forward, eyes bright and earnest.  "Anything at all!"

Rainbow bit her lip.  She then looked at Fluttershy dead-on.  "Do you have any advice on..."  A gulp.  "...being a better friend?"