The Rarest Gem

Dragons generally hoard treasure out of pure magpie instinct, but Spike had a better reason. They were all means to an end, the end being acquiring the one treasure he ever really wanted, throughout the years of being held as a servant and plaything in Ponyville, where his growth and natural instincts were suppressed by magic. When he finally managed to break the bewitched bonds, he had but one goal left.