//------------------------------//
// Spike's Centennial 
// Story: Spike's Centennial 
// by CinnamonFritter 
//------------------------------//

	Sugarcube Corner had gone through its share of remodels, including a total reconstruction after one dragon birthday went wrong. The latest remodel had saw fit to expand the door, to allow the town’s resident dragon safer access to sweets. When Spike nudged the door open, the lights were off inside. 
They turned on suddenly. “Surprise!” The party space was filled with ponies. A banner towards the back declared: “Happy Centennial!” 
Spike smiled, looking around at all the ponies he recognized. There was Pumpkin Pie, who ran Sugarcube Corner with Pinkie’s help, after taking one of Pinkie’s cousins for a husband.  Mud Pie stood alongside his wife, smiling up at the resident dragon. Their children, Blackberry and Raspberry, were fast becoming the life force behind the bakery, doing most of the work as the owners got older.
Then there was Lancer, the heir to a social and fashion empire. Now aging himself, he visited Ponyville only on special occasions. Spike last saw him at Sweetie’s interment. He had with him his own daughter, Sparkler, who reminded Spike of her grandmother.
Nurse Kindheart was there, along with her brother Butterscotch and her daughter Posey. Spike hadn’t had reason to see the Nurse since the passing. 
Gravenstein stood nearby, a vision of his father’s strength even at his extended age. He named his daughter after his aunt, and she looked just like her namesake, except her eyes were blue. His cousins had moved away to work other Apple Family farms across Equestria, even found new ones. They were likely too busy to have made it to a birthday party.
Rainbow Dash had never had children, but Scootaloo had. Her daughter Firefly was getting on in years, but she still was one of the best flight coaches Cloudsdale had ever seen. Her son had passed a few years prior, but his sons were here, named for their grandfather and great uncle.
Spike sniffled softly. Just seeing ponies that were his friends brought back that dull ache of loss.
One by one, the ponies came over to Spike, and before he knew what was happening, he was all wrapped up in pony hugs, all over him. He curled his wings, and eased them around every pony. “Thank you all…”
Pinkie broke the hug first, smiling, “Time for cake, Spikey-wikey.”
Spike looked up, as a few other ponies slipped away, to reveal the largest cupcake he’d ever seen. He oohed, “Sapphire… so that recipe’s still around…”
Pinkie grinned, “Of course. And for everypony who can’t eat gemstones, we have another cake.” She gestured, and Raspberry wheeled in a sheet cake. Spike oohed at the decoration. Thousands of tiny dots of colored frosting formed a picture from a distance, of Spike standing in front of the library.
Spike carefully made his way to his special cake, and chuckled when PeeWee alighted atop it, holding a wooden dowel decorated like a candle. “Oh, so that’s where you’ve been today.”
PeeWee crooned and winked, standing atop the dowel like a candle’s flame. 
“Yes, yes, we know you’re adorable.” Spike laughed, and then blew gently, causing PeeWee to lose balance and have to take off.
The ponies around the room clopped their hooves in applause, and cake began to be served out to the party guests. PeeWee settled down on one of Spike’s tail spines, preening himself now that his role had been played out.
“Hello, Spike.”
Spike turned his head. There, standing regally in a simple black dress, stood Princess Cadance. She had worn black ever since her consort, Prince Shining Armor, passed.
“Cadance? How can you be here? I thought your duties, in the Crystal Empire…” Spike started.
“Diplomatic missions are easily brought up, especially for an occasion you can see coming.” The Crystal Princess smiled. “I will be visiting my aunts before I head back to the Empire. But I wanted to see how my brother-in-law was doing.”
Spike looked to her, and over her, before asking, “How do you deal with it? Before the Empire, you aged like normal ponies, but now you’re like Celestia and Luna.”
Cadance sighed softly. “I love. I never stop loving. The world has so much to love in it, why would anyone choose not to?”
Spike nodded. “The sun glows, the moon shines, you love.” 
“Isn’t that phrase ‘the sun shines, the moon glows’?” Cadance raised a brow.
“The sun doesn’t shine, it radiates light. Shine is albedo, or reflection—” Spike stopped himself. Cadance was grinning. 
“Sorry… but I wanted to see that bit of Twilight left behind in you.” The Princess nodded, satisfied.
“I’m afraid it’s not the best bit of her.” Spike sighed.
“Cheer up. Have some cake.” Cadance gestured with a wing.
Spike looked at the sapphire cake, and held in a smirk, “Won’t get offended over me eating crystals?”
The Crystal Princess laughed. “Crystals are a bit a bundle. We can’t stop them from growing even if we wanted to. Feel free to chomp away.”
Spike picked up the oversized cupcake in his claws. It was proportioned the same as that first sapphire cupcake was, all those years ago. The main difference in his perception was that the sapphires were so much smaller now. Spike began to eat his cake, taking his time, savoring the mixture of flavors. The frosting was sweet, and in it hid the jagged edges of the cut gemstones, prodding at his tongue and cheeks until his powerful teeth ground them down. 
He swallowed and sighed softly, taking his time. After all, he had all the time in the world.