Crime was easy before Princess Twilight and the First Five ushered in a golden age of Harmony. Back then, any idiot could plan a robbery, just like any rat could sneak through the cracks in wooden granary walls. But now that everything is cloudstone and clearsteel, with magical countermeasures over the few remaining holes, it takes a different breed of rat to survive.

"Slippery" Jimmy the Grey is one of the rare few ponies who can still slip through the cracks — even with the legendary Rainbow Corps on his tail. Now he's got a billion-bit heist planned in the gleaming skyscrapers of Cloudsdale. If only he hadn't made the mistake of stealing from a dragon …

Now with a reading by Illya Leonov and Scribbler!

* * *

This is a crossover with Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat novels, but it assumes no knowledge of the series.

Winner of February's Writeoff Association competition! * Featured by Equestria Daily! * Featured by Seattle's Angels!

REVIEWS: "Highly Recommended" by Titanium Dragon; "Recommended" by Present Perfect; rated "Why Haven't You Read This Yet?" by PaulAsaran

WORD OF MOUTH:
"The Iridescent Iron Rat was not only my favorite story from the most recent writeoff... it's my favorite story of anything I've read in months." —Sharp Spark

"What a ride it is. This story is made of awesome moments." —Casca, Seattle's Angels

"[A]stounding on so many levels. … If there’s one story from this round you have to pick, make it this one." —Corejo, Seattle's Angels

"Absolutely beautifully done. It fits the style and feel of the books to a perfect T." —Themaskedferret

Twilight still isn't having a very good day. An army of changelings is attacking Canterlot, and the experimental spell that blew up in her face has stuck her in a time loop until she gets everything perfect and saves Equestria.

She's got a plan. She's also got a problem: Suddenly, she's not the only one whose day is repeating. And when you're caught between unstoppable force and immovable object, life has a tendency to get complicated.

* * *

This story is an authorized alternate-universe re-imagining of Eakin's Hard Reset, in which multiple loopers turn the time shenanigans up to 11. (Knowledge of Hard Reset is not required, but based on reader comments, will help in sorting out the early chapters.)

Cliff's Notes versions: RampantArcana has started a GitHub repository to codify the time-loop rules and the early-story timeline. Hawthornbunny has posted a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of all the loops, including the ones we don't see, with a lot of critical analysis. Those links contain spoilers (of currently posted chapters). If you're confused, either one of those fan projects is a great starting point, and story comments have a lot of insightful discussion as well.

Publication schedule: 2014 kicked my plot, but as of November I'm picking up the writing again and hope to have something by the end of the month.

Cover art by Alexstrazsa.

Have you ever seen a pony that just seemed out of place? Perhaps some mannerism, some behaviour that just struck you as odd? Some piece of clothing that didn't seem quite right? perhaps a coat or mane whose colour just seemed flat-out weird. A strange build, a strange voice, or maybe they were perfectly normal, except that you swear you just saw the exact same pony not five seconds ago somewhere completely different?

Of course you have. Everypony has encountered an Outsider at some point. But never up close, it's always at a distance, and they're always gone before you have the chance to challenge them.

But sometimes the rules get broken. Sometimes fate gets distracted for a moment, and a lone unicorn mare gets to see something that she was never meant to see.

Twilight Sparkle's day is about to get very weird.

FAQ and Supplemental Materials (Potential Spoilers for new readers)

Featured! Twice!
...I really don't know what to say!

Special Thanks go to Horizon for initial proof-reading, editing, and signal-boosting, provided as a prize for spotting an Easter egg in his story Hard Reset II. Seriously, it's an awesome, brain-warping story and you should go read it right now.

Thanks also go to my editors for putting up with my atrocious grammar and spelling errors - Ganelon, Ephraim Blue, BronyWhooves, Commonancestry, Princess Autumn Forest, and Morning Sun

Cover art credit goes to EMedina13 and tamalesyatole. I am looking for more appropriate art, so If you think you can do better, let me know.

This is an alternate dimension adventure featuring Sunset Shimmer. When she gets banished from Equestria, she is invited to join a team and starts a journey with them to find the way back to Equestria.

Just like or dislike if you feel this story good or not good. Your criticism will help me a lot.

(My little pony crossover with Epic Battle Fantasy 3 and 4, owned by Matt Roszak.

The picture is owned by LeonKay.

Warning: Sunset is in her pony form throughout the story. And maybe OOC.

P/S: If chapters have (...) In its name mean the chapter is edited.

Gifted. This is the name given to beings who display abilities that go beyond the common sense of the world.

Equestria is about to enter a new age of superpowers, with many new Gifted emerging, and six heroines decide to form a group in order to help maintain stability in the world in the face of this upheaval.

They are the League of Harmony...

(Many thanks to Delta93 for proofreading!)

(Battle scenes at Chapter 16 and Chapter 17, that's where the 'Gore' tag comes in, just in case.)

In retaliation for the attack on Canterlot, Princess Celestia leads a crusade against the Changeling Horde. The Elements of Harmony fight bravely in the campaign, and are rewarded with landed titles in the newly-conquered Duchy of the Outer Lands.

Friendship is magic, but will it prevail against the cold, hard reasons of state?

Tagged as 'Alternate Universe' because of divergence following Season 2's ending. But if possible, I will try not to go too far off track. The story will probably have a more medieval atmosphere than canon.

Rated 'Teen' just in case.

While the story will contain all of the Main Six, interactions between Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Twilight will (if according to plan) drive most of the plot. Thus the tags.

Other characters from MLP:FiM might be mentioned in the story, and they will deviate (a lot) from 'acceptable' canon. List so far: Princess Celestia, Spike, Applebloom, Big Mac, Granny Smith, Angel, Twilight's parents, Cadence, Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash's parents, Discord, Luna, Lightning Dust, Pinkie Pie's parents, Octavia, Pinkie Pie's sister (Inky), Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo.

Inspiration from the strategy game "Crusader Kings II", the novel, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", and a metric ton of Chinese historical dramas.

When he was ten years old, Peter Falwell was found by Princess Celestia and her newest student, Twilight Sparkle. Without a home to turn to, Peter was taken in by the princess and looked after him like her child. Over the year that Peter spent in the land of Equestria, he and Twilight became close friends.

Upon returning to his home world, inspired by the culinary experts that prepared the best foods for Celestia and Peter, he sets forth on a dream to become a chef and open his own restaurant.

As a young adult, Peter saves enough for a down payment to develop his own restaurant in New York City. However, as he travels up to the Big Apple, fate pulls its strings and returns Peter back to Equestria. Upon reuniting with him, Twilight and Celestia do all that they can to help Peter continue his dream and open a restaurant in Twilight's hometown of Ponyville.

My next shot at a slice-of-lifey story. Set in a time where Twilight has not yet (and probably won't) become an alicorn. I'm also writing this when I'm not writing my Attack on Titan crossover, so if updates seem slow, I apologize in advance. Inspired by the song My Dearest by Supercell