''Friendship Is Magic: The Adventures of Spike'' is a ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfic by Awesome [=McCoolname=].

Official summary: "After the Dragon Migration, Spike realized that he's a special kind of dragon. Now, he's learning his own lessons about friendship, love, and magic as he grows into what he's destined to be."

NOTE: This story is now being completely rewritten from scratch.

The original version can still be found [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/19741/friendship-is-magic-the-adventures-of-spike here]], and the new version can be found [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/201031/friendship-is-magic-the-adventures-of-spike here]].

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!!Tropes featured in this story:

* AbortedArc: The "Spike Party Anthem" arc was cut unceremoniously short, and the arc that was meant to come between it and the "Canterlot Wedding" arc was cut out altogether. Both were a result of the author's computer crashing and losing all his notes for those arcs.
** The author has promised that the rewrite will include these elements this time around.
* AlmostKiss: At the end of Spike and Fluttershy's NotADate. Interrupted by Shining Armor's arrival.
* AnachronicOrder: The Sneak A Peek chapter posted between the "Canterlot Wedding" and "When A Good Dragon Goes to War" sub-arcs, by definition of being a preview that's set what appears to be several years after the latter.
* AlternateUniverseFic: Runs parallel to the last few episodes of season 2 until the "Canterlot Wedding" arc, where it ultimately diverges completely from canon.
* BarBrawl: In the Sneak A Peek preview chapter, an adult Spike gets into one with some Diamond Dogs in a tavern.
* BattleCouple: Soarin' and Spitfire, as shown during the changeling invasion.
* BettyAndVeronica: Spike ''insists'' he still only has eyes for Rarity, but is definitely attracted to Fluttershy as well. At the very least, 'Shy seems to like him too.
* BigDamnHeroes: There's one early on when Spike saves Fluttershy from a group of Timberwolves.
** Rainbow Dash and [[spoiler: Princess Luna]] save Spike from the Diamond Dog grunts harassing him.
** The Doctor saving Ditzy from a group of changelings during their invasion.
* BloodKnight: Played for laughs with Luna's... excitement during the changeling invasion.
-->"Huzzah! The body count has been doubled!"
* BreadEggsBreadedEggs: Spike hopes the Elements of Harmony send Chrysalis to the moon, or turn her to stone, or preferably both.
* ClimaxBoss: Chrysalis, whose [[spoiler: murder of Celestia]] ends the first part of the story and convinces Spike to begin WalkingTheEarth in order to learn more about himself and his powers.
* ContinuityDrift: In the earliest chapters, Spike, with Dreamy's help, realizes Twilight is like a mother to him. Then, he views her as a mix of mother and sister. And by the "Canterlot Wedding" arc, he sees her only as a sister and Celestia as his mother figure.
* CrypticConversation: Most of Spike's dealings with Dreamy. He lampshades it.
* CurseCutShort: When the Elements of Harmony confront Chrysalis:
-->'''Chrysalis''': Ah, Twilight Sparkle. How did it feel, having all of your loved ones lose faith in you?
-->'''Twilight''': Not as bad as you're going to feel, you dirty, rotten bi-(''dodges magic blast'')
* DidIJustSayThatOutLoud: During his NotADate with Fluttershy, Spike's mind starts wondering and Dreamy has to remind him he has a hot date. He repeats that part out loud, to his embarrassment; fortunately, he muttered it and she didn't hear him.
* DiedInYourArmsTonight: [[spoiler: Celestia, after being mortally wounded by Chrysalis, dies in Spike's arms.]]
* DistaffCounterpart: Dreamy, Spike's SpiritAdvisor, is originally just a {{Palette Swap}}ped version of him. Then she takes on a more mature form and turns out to be a girl.
* DreamSequence: Spike has one about him apparently living with Rarity... ''and'' Fluttershy. He's flustered when he realizes this.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The PreviouslyOn segments at the beginning of each chapter, and the stylized scene breaks, were both dropped at reader command after the first few chapters.
* FantasticRacism: Spike starts facing this when he begins WalkingTheEarth.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Sneak a Peek naturally has plenty of it.
* HesJustHiding: In-universe, this is Twilight's initial, denial-heavy belief in regards to [[spoiler: Celestia's death]] -- she's convinced that [[spoiler: Celestia]] is just recovering power and will return. However, her research eventually proves her wrong.
* HopeSpot: The Equestrian military manages to start winning against the changelings, and the Mane Six reach the Elements of Harmony. [[spoiler: Then changeling reinforcements show up, and the Elements of Harmony refuse to activate. [[note]] It's implied to be due to the others not trusting Twilight earlier.]][[/note]]
* HurlItIntoTheSun: [[spoiler: What Luna does with Celestia's casket. She says it feels appropriate.]]
* ItsAllMyFault: Spike blames himself completely for [[spoiler: Celestia's death]].
* MamaBear: Celestia for all of her subjects, but ''especially'' Spike, who she sees as a son. Hence the TranquilFury when she confronts Chrysalis.
* MomentKiller: Shining Armor walking in on Spike and Fluttershy's AlmostKiss.
* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler: Celestia's death]] for Spike.
* MysteriousBacker: Dreamy to Spike, who eventually realizes that she ''can't'' be his subconscious, when she knows things he doesn't.
* MysteriousWatcher: Two of them, viewing Spike remotely, are introduced in the Spike of Saddle Arabia arc. And judging by their comments, they're on the malevolent side of things.
* NotADate: Spike and Fluttershy go on one when they're in Canterlot for the wedding.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Chrysalis implies that Spike's purple scales are an indication of something special.
* ParentalSubstitute / LikeASonToMe: Celestia and Spike's relationship.
* PleaseWakeUp: [[spoiler: Spike, when Celestia dies.]]
* PlotRelevantAgeUp: After the initial power up from Dreamy, Spike's physical age advances to that of a teenager.
* PrecociousCrush: Spike apparently had one on Cadence when he was younger.
* PreviouslyOn: The earlier chapters started with these, until readers complained about them being distracting, at which point they stopped.
** The "Spike of (Saddle) Arabia" arc starts with a recap of the story up to that point.
* RetiredBadass: Implied about Doughnut Joe, who apparently used to be in the military.
* ShoutOut: "[[Film/{{Zombieland}} It was time to buck up or shut up]]."
** After an upset Twilight goes to confront Shining Armor over not telling her about the wedding 'til last minute, Spike wonders if she sent him to a [[Fanfic/OnACrossAndArrow gender-flipped alternate universe]].
** The last three chapters of the "Canterlot Wedding" arc are listed under the name "[[Series/DoctorWho When A Good Dragon Goes To War]]". For bonus points, the Doctor himself cameos.
** The apparent code phrase to magically grow Spike's temporary wings is "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_Me_To_The_Moon Fly Me To the Moon]]".
** The first arc after Spike starts WalkingTheEarth is called "[[Film/LawrenceOfArabia Spike of (Saddle) Arabia]]".
** The two Saddle Arabian guards Spike meets upon his arrival at Rideyadh are named [[Franchise/StarWars Wedge and Biggs]].
* SpiritAdvisor: Dreamy, a gender-inverted, [[PaletteSwap color-inverted]] mirror image of Spike who often brings him inside his mind in order to advise him. It's still not clear whether she's an external being or a manifestation of his subconscious, but she ''does'' seem to have actual influence, since she's the one who gives Spike his initial power boost.
** GuardianAngel: Spike is starting to suspect she's this.
* TakingTheBullet: [[spoiler: When Chrysalis tries to sneak attack Spike, Celestia jumps in front of it and is mortally wounded.]]
* TiredOfRunning: Spike decides this when being chased by some Diamond Dogs -- he's sick of always running from danger and needing to be saved by others, so he stands and fights.
* TrainStationGoodbye: A non-romantic (possibly excluding a goodbye kiss from Fluttershy) example when Spike and Mane Six part ways at the end of the "When A Good Dragon Goes To War" arc, the former on a quest of self-discovery and the others to [[spoiler: take up leadership in Canterlot]].
* TranquilFury: After recovering from Chrysalis' initial attack, Celestia goes into one of these and tracks down Chrysalis amongst the invasion to deal with her personally for threatening her subjects.
-->"[[PunctuatedForEmphasis You. Are. Mine.]]"
* TricksterMentor: Dreamy to Spike, sometimes.
* TookALevelInBadass: Spike takes several over the course of the series, thanks to a power boost from Dreamy, a growth in physical age and maturity, and training from Rainbow Dash.
** The Sneak a Peek preview chapter imply that he's going to take even more in the future.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: According to Spitfire, ponies tend to do this about the Wonderbolts, often forgetting that despite being most well known for stunt shows, they ''are'' part of the military. And they show it during the changeling invasion.
* UnstoppableRage: Spike goes into one, complete with transforming into his adult form, when [[spoiler: Chrysalis kills Celestia]]. Fluttershy manages to talk him down after [[spoiler: Chrysalis is banished from the city]].
* WackyMarriageProposal: Soarin' suggests to Spitfire, in the middle of the changeling invasion, that they get married afterwards. Judging by the BigDamnKiss after they're repelled, it's possible this wasn't just a joke.
* WalkingTheEarth: Spike starts doing this after [[spoiler: Celestia's death]] in order to learn more about dragons like himself.
* WhatTheHellHero: Dreamy chews out Spike for only trying to rescue the Saddle Arabian princess in hopes they'll reward him by letting him meet their sage and learn from him, rather than out of concern for the princess' life.
* YearInsideHourOutside: Spike's conversations with Dreamy play out like this. She says they're speaking at "the speed of thought", which is apparently pretty fast.
* YouAreInCommandNow: Shining Armor's second in command, Sheathed Sword, takes over defense of the city after he's brainwashed by Chrysalis.
** Spitfire, in turn, takes over when Sheathed Sword is [[spoiler: overpowered and killed]].
** [[spoiler: The Mane Six step up to rule alongside Luna after Celestia's death.]]
* YouKilledMyFather: [[spoiler: Spike's UnstoppableRage-fueled attempt to kill Chrysalis is caused by her killing his mother figure Celestia.]]

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