This story reads like shit to me. Thanks for everyone you actually managed to not cringe while reading this. I'm cancelling this and if I ever reboot it I'll not make the same mistakes.

Spike is a dragon. A dragon must collect a hoard. A dragon must protect his hoard.

But what is a dragon's 'Hoard'. Gold? Gems? Semi-precious stones? A lot of ponies will say yes, and so will a lot of dragons. Only the most ancient dragons, old as the the world itself, can set you straight.

Anything. Anything at all a dragon can hold dear. Diamond, Coal, granite. Anything.

Anything he is willing to fight for. To die for.

The present generation dragons are enamored by glittery stones only because their ancestors hoarded gold and gems. Their ancestors hoarded gems and gold because an indescript dead ancient once hoarded shiny things.

Few modern dragons understand this, and thus, they waste their lives collecting worthless shiny pebbles for which they could not care less about.
Spike wasn't raised among dragons. Naturally ,his hoard is a little different.
And much more precious.
...................................
A collection. The third chapter was accidentally deleted thrice. So screw it. New story time.