The Netherlands. A multicultural country that's famous for its cheese, windmills, and ‘klompen’, or clumps. The Netherlands has a few different ‘states’. The states are the center of various cultural festivals and celebrations. Take Pinkpop for example. It's held in Landgraaf, and the state it's held in is: Limburg. Look at the Gay Parade. It's held in Amsterdam, and the state is Noord Holland.

Here in the state of Limburg— were for some unknown reason nothing very exiting ever happens, two best friends are having a great time. Their names you ask? Well, their names are: Tripp, and Derek. They've known each other since kindergarten and have been friends ever since. Tripp is a guy who studies hard and is attending medical school. Derek on the other hand is—well, let’s just say he isn’t a big fan of school... or studying. Or anything he has to use his brains for. Both wanting to accomplish their goals, the two friends stick to together like glue, never leaving each other’s side.

“Bro, watch out!” Tripp exclaimed as he and Derek tried to dodge all of the rotten fruits and vegetables that were being thrown at them. You see, Derek can be a huge jerk from time to time. He thought it was a good idea to tell the garbage men that their mothers must be so proud of them. Turns out those same garbage men just came back from a market that was being held near Tripp and Derek’s block. And where there is a market, there are usually lots of vegetables and fruits. And unfortunately for them, those fruits and vegetables were rotten.

“You just had to say it, didn't you?” Tripp asked, anger clearly present in his voice as he and his friend ran into a nearby park. The park was about the size of a soccer stadium, and luckily for them, there were lots of trees and bushes they could hide behind. They decided to jump into a nearby bush. They laid down on their stomachs as they watched the garbage men run past them, demanding that they showed their faces

“Dude, don't these guys have a job to do?” Derek whispered to Tripp.

“I think they found a new one,” Tripp whispered back.

It felt like hours. The tension. The constant thought of being caught by those garbage men haunted their minds. But luckily for them, the garbage men eventually left. The two friends decided to wait for a few more minutes, just to be safe.

“Alright, I think the coast is clear,” Tripp said as he got up from their hiding spot. Derek got up as well, but was met with a fist colliding with his face. “And that's for being yourself again!” Tripp said in anger as Derek rubbed his sore cheek.

“I can't help it, I have a condition!” Derek whined as he rolled around the ground, trying to make his act even more realistic.

“Yeah, you're an idiot.” Tripp replied sarcastically.

“Hey, screw you dude!” Derek retorted as he quickly got up and pointed an accusing finger at Tripp. “With your short blonde hair, decent muscular body and your nice attitude!”

“Hey, look who's talking: Mr. Long black, hair. Decent muscular body and a crazy attitude!” Tripp retorted.

They both looked at each other in anger, only for them to burst out laughing seconds later. “Oh god, that was amazing!” Derek laughed.

“I know, isn’t it awesome?” Tripp replied as he wiped the tears of joy from his eyes. “Your mom and dad must be worried sick about your ‘condition’.” Tripp said.

Derek looked at him with a sarcastic expression.

“How can they be worried? They're on vacation!” Derek laughed in pride.

You see, this was the first time Derek was allowed to stay home alone. But he usually spend his nights at Tripp’s place, because Tripp’s house was right across Derek’s house.

“You're right,” Tripp said as he nudged his friend. “Want to head to my home and play video games?”

“I'll get the Mountain Dew,” Derek replied. Trying to intimidate Liam Neeson's voice from Taken.

The two friends eventually reached Tripp’s house. Entering it, they greeted Tripp’s parents and went to Tripp’s room. They started up The PlayStation and played video games like there was no tomorrow... well, not really tomorrow. Because Derek gets bored pretty easily.

“This is boring dude,” Derek said as he put the controller on top of Tripp’s Playstation. “Let’s head over to my place and hang out in my backyard."

Pain. That was all he could feel at the moment. All he could remember was the party they held in Ponyville. The search for answers he and his wife had prepared for his sister and her friends. The surprise they had in store for them. That he was all he could remember.

Shining Armor slowly opened his eyes, but closed them when rays of sunshine blinded his vision. He blinked a couple of times, his eyes adjusting to the sunlight. Slowly and painfully, the Prince of the Crystal Empire pushed himself up. Standing in a field of grass, the Prince looked at his surroundings.

“Cadance?” He asked out loud, hoping for a quick reply. He did not get any. Not even an ‘I’m here, Shiny’. He was starting to get worried, sweat dripping down his forehead as he looked around, desperately searching for his wife. His heart skipped a beat when he finally located his wife and laid eyes upon his wife. She was lying in the grass field as well, her eyes closed and her breath shallow.

‘Please,' Shining Armor thought as he made his way over to his wife, almost tripping over his ow hooves. ‘Let her be okay’

He finally reached his wife. Bending over, he put his hoof under her head. “Cadance?” He asked, shaking her slightly.

This seemed to have worked, because Cadance slowly opened her eyes. “S-Shiny?” She asked, blinking several times.

“It’s me. I’m here,” Shining Armor replied, planting a kiss on his wife’s head. “It’s alright.”

“W-What happened?” Cadance asked as she slowly pushed herself, leaning against her husband for support. “I remember a storm, after that everything gets vague.”

“Same here,” Shining replied, looking around the grass field. It was then that his eyes saw something he had apparently missed before. It looked like a house. And boy was it big! Whoever lived there must be very rich. “Come on,” Shining Armor said as he and his wife slowly began walking towards the house. “There must be somepony inside. They’ll help us. I’m sure of it”

Cadance nodded in agreement as they walked towards the house. The house itself looked weird. The architecture, the colors, everything just seemed off. Finally reaching the house, Shining knocked on the backdoor.

“Hello? Anypony home?” No reply.

Shining Armor looked at his wife. “Now what do we do?”

Cadance sighed, her horn lit up and seconds later the door was opened. “We’ll explain later. We have to get inside, because I don’t feel really good.”

Shining Armor looked at his wife, his eyes filled with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“I just... feel a little bit odd.” Cadance replied as she and Shining Armor entered the house.

The house looked even weirder on the inside. Furniture that was too big for a pony, chairs, couches, and a giant black box. As the couple walked further into the house, they noticed more strange objects. There were a lot of black cables running through the house, the ground appeared to be made of carpets, or perhaps the same fabric used to make carpets. Strange pictures placed against the walls. And even some portraits portraying ships and forests.

“Iron Weasel?” Shining Armor read out loud, inspecting one of the portraits. “What’s that? And what are those things in the middle, holding those instruments?” He looked at his wife. “Any idea?”

Cadance shook her head. “No idea. But maybe the owners could explain,” she replied. Taking a deep breath, Cadance continued. “Anypony home?” she shouted, her voice almost being on par with the Royal Canterlot voice.

Shining Armor put a hoof to his ear. “I don’t think anypony’s home,” he said, rubbing his ear. Sighing to himself, he and his wife walked towards a nearby couch, sitting down on the king sized couch, Shining put a hoof around his wife and pulled her closer to him. “Get some rest,” he said, nuzzling her cheek. “I’ll explain the situation to the owners of this house once they come back. I’m sure they’ll understand.”

Cadance nodded and let out a small yawn. “But aren’t you tired, Shiny?” she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

“I’m the Captain of the Royal Guard. I don’t get tired.” He grinned.

Cadance rolled her eyes humorously. “Wake me when the owners come back. It’s not every day somepony gets to meet a Prince and Princess.” And with that said, Cadance closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

‘Okay.’ Shining Armor thought, keeping his gaze on his wife. ‘Let’s hope the owners come back soon. Because in our condition, I don’t think we’ll be able to walk any further.’

For what felt like hours (but were probably mere minutes) Shining stayed awake. Sweet Celestia did he feel tired. His head ached and he felt exhausted. But he had to stay awake. If the owners came back, he needed to explain the situation. Technically they broke into this house, but they had to. They couldn’t just stay outside—even though it was warm outside and the sun wasn’t all that bad. But still, the temptation of closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

“Dude, I’m telling you. I am the best singer ever. I swear on my burrito’s grave.”

“You buried your burrito? Why?”

“I dropped it, and felt like giving it a proper burial.”

“That’s probably the nicest thing you could have done.”

Shining Armor listened to the voices outside of the house. The voices became louder and louder, indicating that the ponies who owned this house were getting close, too.

“Cadance, wake up,” Shining said, shaking his wife.

Cadance mumbled something in her sleep, but didn’t wake up.

Shining Armor shook his wife again, a little harder this time. “Cadance, wake up honey.”

This time Cadance did opened her eyes. Looking up at her husband, she licked her lips. “What?” she asked sleepily.

“The owners are coming,” Shining Armor replied as he got off the couch. His wife soon followed and they walked towards (what they assumed was) the front door. Standing in front of the door, Shining cleared his throat and Cadance made sure her mane wasn’t out of place. The door opened and Shining Armor was the first to speak up.

“Hello. This must be pretty—what in Celestia’s name?!” Shining Armor exclaimed as he jumped backwards, his expression one of shock as he looked at what stood in the doorframe.

“What’s wrong, Shiny?” Cadance asked her husband, making her way over to him. “What’s wrong?”

As a reply, Shining Armor pointed a shaky hoof at the doorframe. Cadance turned her head as well. “Dear Celestia!” She exclaimed, jumping into her husband, who caught her mid-air. The couple stared at the creatures that stood in front of them. It was silent for a few seconds, until one of them spoke.

“I didn’t know you had pets.”

“Neither did I Tripp, neither did I”

At hearing this, the couple fainted.

Author's Note

Hello everyone and welcome to my new fic. Sorry if this chapter seems a little bit rushed. I promise the next ones won't be.

I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter, because I've been looking forward to finally publishing this story.

Constructive critism is much appreciated.