What starts out as an ordinary afternoon for Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash quickly turns deadly, as forgotten schemes of vengeance awaken and come to fruition. Rainbow Dash will learn the true purpose of the Wonderbolts, what it means to be a hero, and what it costs.

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!

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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

Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago.

(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)

Spanish translation here: https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835

Rainbow Dash has been rising the ranks of Canterlot High's athletics since her first day of school. Now, after years of training and hard work, she has become the captain for the soccer team again this year, and the school cannot wait to cheer her on for the big city wide tournament. With the best support group in the world, Rainbow Dash feels on top of the whole world! To make things even better, Dash now has a good friend on the team!
There's just one friend who isn't as happy.
Fluttershy can't help but feel as if the success of her friend is driving them farther and farther apart from each other. Even after spending all of middle school and high school gathering up her courage to tell Dash how she really feels, she may never get the chance now! Will she finally speak her mind and tell Rainbow Dash what her heart desires?

Now proofread by the awesome Shutup868 for the best reading experience!