The Centerpiece Of My Collection

The Centerpiece Of My Collection and Collection Of My Centerpiece are two related short stories written by Geldon. Both stories are preceded by a warning that the story contains mature themes - though neither sex nor violence are explicitly described - and close with writer's notes regarding the origins of the pieces. According to those, the initial story has its roots in a ponychan discussion on the future of a possible Spike/Rarity relationship. As it was written, the story changed tone from "black comedy with a grimdark twist" to something "more touching" yet also "a little creepy". The sequel was written about three weeks later within a couple of days. Both stories are narrated in the third person, mostly from a grown-up Spike's perspective.

The Centerpiece Of My Collection
Many years after the events of Friendship is Magic, most of the show's main characters have died. Only Spike remains, having grown into a large and covetous dragon. He has an extensive hoard, but he is not evil; his years growing up with ponies have left him with a soft spot for the equines, and he occasionally helps Celestia - still the ruler - by fending off other enemies.

From time to time, he entertains curious pony visitors, showing off the various treasures in his hoard. The story sets in with one of these visitors pointing out a beautiful statue, prompting Spike to launch into its origin. The statue, he says, is based on the likeness of Rarity. A childhood crush turned into a desire to "possess" her much like other dragons covet jewels. But what with their many incompatibilities, not the least of which was Spike's expected longevity, commissioning a statue of her seemed like the best way for Spike to "have" her. After some hesitation, Rarity agreed, says Spike, her vanity piqued by the idea of her beauty becoming immortalized, if only in statue form.

Spike does not tell his visitor, but the narrator does reveal to the reader, that his story was only partly truthful. The statue is not a statue at all, but the real Rarity, petrified by the gaze of a cockatrice. Rarity agreed to undergo the "procedure" so she would never experience withering away in old age and so her beauty would be preserved forever.

Collection Of My Centerpiece
Many more years after the first story, Spike has grown old. He is a dragon, but he is not immortal. He senses he is near death, but only realizes how near when he is repeatedly unable to summon up a routine magical maintenance spell for Rarity's "statue". Spike knows that failure to bathe the statue in the spell will eventually result in its destruction, so he decides to finally wake Rarity up from her cockatrice-induced slumber. He sends a letter to Celestia, and she arrives at his cave the next day. They have talked about this day before, and the Princess knows what to do: she uses her magic to reverse the petrification, freeing Rarity from the stone for the first time in millennia.

Rarity is not very pleased initially, accusing Spike of not honoring the agreement that Rarity would be "a masterwork for the centuries" and that Equestria would never forget her. Spike reminds her that he never promised it would be forever, and that after all, she has been around for a very, very long time. The pony calms down, and over the next three days, Spike and Celestia regale her with the statue's "history". When they are done, Rarity thanks her dragon and lays down next to his stomach, suddenly very tired.

When she is fast asleep, Spike asks Celestia how long it will be until the end: Rarity's, and his. The Princess cannot reassure him: without the spell, Rarity would have died a long time ago, and time is catching up with her. Spike, too, does not have long.

As he ponders this revelation, he notices a multitude of shimmering figures entering the cave, barely visible. Five of them are ponies Spike remembers. Celestia explains that they are not spirits, but reflections of those who have already passed in the "cycle of life". From the perspective of an immortal being, life is the endless repetition of similar patterns; Spike and his pony friends were part of one such cycle, now coming to a close. Rarity, seemingly awake, has also noticed the specters, stands up, and joins them. Her body remains behind, having grown still. Not long after that, Spike, too, breathes his last.

With great concentration, Celestia casts a spell that melts everything within the cave together: Spike, Rarity, and what remains of the dragon's hoard. The result is a large, purple-and-silver dragon's egg. Celestia smiles to herself as she leaves the cave, egg in tow. She is ready for the cycle to begin anew once she can find a pupil who can hatch the dragon inside.