Spike has been feeling down lately and struggles to recall a moment he felt sincerely respected. When taking a walk in the castle to clear his head, he finds himself stumbling across a certain mirror...
A Not-So Draconian Adventure
is My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fanfic in which Spike finds himself in the Equestria Girls world without Twilight or any of the others.
Provides example of the following tropes...
- Deconstruction Fic: This is one of the many fanfics that examine Spike's role and treatment in the show by having it viewed through a perspective where everyone involved is a human, rather than a magical creature. While nothing done to him was out of malicious intent, an appointment with Cadence, a social worker in this universe, recontextualizes a lot of what he's been throughnote as neglectful or abusive. Cadence, who doesn't know that he's from another world and not originally human, doesn't tell him but she notes internally that a human legal system probably wouldn't give Spike's original family custody of him again.
- Dogged Nice Guy: Spike's nature as this towards Rarity is deconstructed. Aside from Spike's overall role of a helper being deconstructed, a Lower-Deck Episode has Rarity realize she had him do far too much for her and she took advantage of his chivalry.
- Everyone's Baby Sister: More like everyone's sone. Spike is viewed with maternal affection by all three original princesses. In the Equestria Girls world, he is quickly beloved by nearly everyone he meets.
- Lower-Deck Episode: How Are We Taking This shows the reaction of the girls back home to Spike's disappearance.
- Parents as People: Along with Friends As People. The story emphasizes that while Spike was neglected in certain ways, he was very sincerely loved by a lot of people in his original world, with Celestia, Luna, and Cadence all having maternal love for him.
