//------------------------------//
// Fluttershy 
// Story: For Want of a Nail 
// by Arandur 
//------------------------------//

Fluttershy

All in all, it was a very nice funeral.

I think my friends were surprised when I volunteered to put it together. I understand why, though. I've always been very fragile and scared -- I guess they thought I would want to stay as far away from the funeral as possible.

But this isn't the first time one of my friends has died. Some animals don't live very long, after all.

There's a special place near the edge of the Everfree Forest where I have a little graveyard. I go there sometimes, by myself, to remember all the little friends I've taken care of over the years. Sometimes I cry, and sometimes I laugh. It's always nice to visit with them.

So when I heard that Rainbow Dash had died, I knew that I had a choice. I could either lock myself in my house and never come out again, or I could give her the send-off she deserved.

It was a hard decision, but in the end, I was strong enough to do it for her. I'm glad that I was.

We held the funeral outside Cloudsdale. Twilight used her cloud-walking spell again, so all of our friends could come. A lot of Ponyville was there. I was surprised. I guess I had always thought that everyone had just a few friends, like me. But it seemed like everyone I'd ever seen in town knew Rainbow Dash, and wanted to say goodbye.

There was a flight of gryphons there, too. I'm not sure why they were there; I didn't know that Rainbow Dash had any gryphon friends, except for Gilda. I saw her there, but I didn't go near her.

Pegasi don't bury their dead -- the ground is too far away. We burn them instead. I always preferred burying my friends; that way, I could visit them after they were gone. But I didn't think that Rainbow Dash would have wanted to be buried in the ground. She would have hated the idea of being trapped. So it was cremation.

The ceremony was beautiful. A lot of people gave speeches about how much Rainbow Dash had meant to them. Her dad stood up once, and thanked everyone for coming, and started telling stories about when she was young. Most everyone laughed when he told us about how she had tried some crazy scheme to change the Games Inspector's mind, back when Cloudsdale was passed over the the Equestria Games.

Rarity sang a song, but I don't remember what it was. It was very beautiful, though. Rarity has a wonderful voice. Pinkie Pie talked for ages about what a great friend Rainbow Dash had been, how she was always willing to have fun with her, and how she was always there when you needed her.

Twilight read a poem. It talked about how even though ponies come and go, friendship lives on forever. I think everyone was a little stunned to be in the presence of a princess; even though the coronation had been months ago by that point, it was still a novelty to several of the pegasi. I don't blame them -- it was still very new to me, too.

I didn't say or sing or read anything. Neither did Applejack. I think she was hurting too much. I know I was.

At the end, when everyone had said their piece, Spitfire got up. She gave a speech about how Rainbow Dash was the best flier she'd ever seen, and how she would have been proud to fly alongside her. She told us that she had made Rainbow Dash an official Wonderbolt, and laid the uniform across her casket. One of the other Wonderbolts gave the pin that would have been hers to her father. Then they suited up and flew overhead, honoring her with their official farewell salute. I think Rainbow Dash would have liked that.

I think she would have liked the whole thing, although maybe bits of it were too sappy for her taste. That's all right, though. I liked them.

At the end, I went home. I didn't really want to see anyone, or talk to anyone. I was okay. I just felt like being alone.

I didn't see anyone for a week afterward, either.