Hearts of Harmony: Deleted Scenes

Ah, you're back! After so long, one would have thought that the party would be broken up by now.

The man in red was in his usual room and held in his arms his usual tome. This time however, he had company next to him.
Do excuse my friend here. He was just asking for directions as to the whereabouts of his companions.

Without a word, the stranger gave the man a polite bow before lurking his way out the room.
Pay no mind, he was on his way out. But anyway, welcome back. And I presume you have returned to hear of what our heroes will be encountering next? Well, prepare for some drama because this is where everything changes.

"A monster?"

"Yes. Our parents are holding it off in the basement and told us to flee from the house, but we forgot to bring baby Walter with us."

"Oh Sweet Celestia! That is most awful!"

"Please, can you help us?"

"No."

All eyes turned to the little Kenku who appeared out of nowhere.

"We don't know anything about the place that warrants a rescue," Pest spoke with Maria's voice. He looked to the Equestrians with concern in his beady eyes as though he was begging them not to go.

Rainbow Dash leaned in close to the birdman, "Pest, buddy, listen. They need our help. It's kind of our thing to save the day, y'know?"

"Besides," Rarity added as she lowered herself to meet his eyes, "as a member of a city watch, you should know that protecting the citizenry is the most important thing to do, isn't it?"

Pest gave a nervous whimper before hesitantly nodding his head.

"Which means you have an obligation to protect these children, do you not?"

He gave another hesitant nod as he whimpers cowardly.

"Oh you poor thing, you're scared aren't you?" Fluttershy lowered herself and gives the Kenku a comforting hug, "I know how you feel. I get scared all the time. In fact, I'm more scared than I ever was in my life." She broke the embrace to look in his eyes, "Tell you what, we'll both look after the children outside while the rest of them find the baby and deal with the monster inside. Okay?"

Roll for Persuasion
19

Roll for Insight
17
Pest felt unsure about this but decided to trust her. He gives them a nod and an, "Okay." using Fluttershy's voice.

"Hold on, what about Maria?" said Spike.

"Don't sweat it Spike," Rainbow gave the young Dragonborn a wack on the back, "We'll beat this monster and save the day in an hour tops. It's just one monster in a house, how bad could it be?" Before anyone could give a reply to the prism-haired pony-turned-aasimar, Rainbow Dash walked to the two children, "So li'l squirts, what're your names?"

"I'm Rosevalda Durst," came the reply from the girl, "and this is my little brother, Thornboldt. And as I mentioned we have a baby brother named Walter and he's still trapped inside the house."

"So, it's Rose and Thorn, right?" Pinkie Pie bounced in front of the children with her disarming smile, "Lead the way!"

"So, is this the place?"

The Equestrians and Pest were led to the edge of the village to a house that stood four stories tall. One thing to note is that the house appears well maintained, pristine even when compared to the rest of the village.

"Wow, this looks well kept. All things considering," Rarity mused while observing manor (and the surrounding area).

"You know it's got me thinking, why aren't the villagers helping them out?" Rainbow narrowed her eyes at the Barovians who were swiftly passing by.

"Maybe they're too scared to help?" Fluttershy shuddered, "I know I would be scared."

"It doesn't matter," Twilight asserted, "if we're the only ones willing to help around here, maybe we could show these Barovians that a little bit of kindness can go a long way."

"Alright then, Twi. What's the Plan?" asked Applejack.

Twilight turned to the children, "Do you know where baby Walter is?"

"He's upstairs in the nursery next to the maid's room," Rose replied.

Returning to her friends, Twilight declared, "Alright, here's the plan. The priority is the foal... er, baby. We make for the nursery, get baby Walter, make our way out and hoof-er, hand him to these two. Then we go back inside and rescue their parents and anyone else trapped in there."

"What about the monster?" Rainbow Dash asked with a hint of disappointment, "Are we just gonna leave it in there?"

"Save lives first, then we'll deal with the monster later," came Twilight's response.

Rainbow blew at her hair in frustration but sighed in agreement. "Fine, you make a good point."

"Great!" Twilight continued, "Applejack, Spike; you two will lead the party. Rarity will follow behind you, then me, then Fluttershy and Pinkie. Rainbow Dash, I know you want to be in the thick of it, but we need you to cover our rear in case there's anything behind us. You're the fastest of us, so if we get attacked from the front you can easily move in from our backline. But if we get attacked from the back, I know you are agile enough to hold them off long enough for Applejack and Spike to reinforce you. Plus, you'll have Pest to give you support."

All gave nods (Rainbow gave a salute), in agreement to the laid out plan and marching order.

"Wait a minute," Rarity gasped, "what about the fo-children? We can't just leave them out here in the dark, cold streets! It would be terrible!"

This gave everyone pause. Twilight almost facepalmed at forgetting about them. They couldn't just leave them outside alone.

"Um," Fluttershy nervously raised her arm, "I could look after them."

"Yeah, I think Flutters should wait out here," Rainbow agreed.

"Hhmm, I suppose. But not alone." Twilight looked to the little Kenku, "Pest, can I trust you to look after Fluttershy and the kids?"

The Kenku gave an enthusiastic nod.

"Alright, that settles it!" Pinkie Pie declared before bouncing her way to the druid, "Fluttershy if anything happens, just give a good yell and auntie Pinkie and the rest of us will come to your rescue!"

"Um, I'm older, remember?" Fluttershy muttered, "Also, take good care in there, okay?"

"Don't worry, Flutters! We'll be back before you could say, "Eeep!" Rainbow gave her a cocky sneer.

"Just look out for 'em young'uns til we get back," Applejack added with a confident smile.

"Alright, with that out of the way," Twilight faced the entrance of the manor, "Let's move in!"

Fluttershy held on to Angel Bunny and Harry as she, Pest and the children watched the rest of the party disappear into the house, one by one.

"I have to say, the interior design of this place is rather quaint. Not saying it's terrible, just quaint."

Upon entering the manor, oil lamps hang from the portico ceiling by chains, flanking a set of oaken doors that open into a grand foyer. Hanging on the south wall of the foyer is a shield emblazoned with a coat-of-arms (a stylized golden windmill on a red field), flanked by framed portraits of stony-faced aristocrats (long-dead members of the Durst family). Mahogany-framed double doors leading from the foyer to the main hall are set with panes of stained glass.

"Sheesh, would it kill these folks to smile in these portraits?" Applejack commented as she scrutinised the paintings.

"I'd imagine it would be difficult to keep smiling for hours as they are being portrayed in painting." Rarity replied as she observed the paintings.

"Fair point 'Ah suppose."

"Why can't they just use photographs?" Rainbow scoffed.

"I don't think this world has photographs, Rainbow," Spike noted, "I think Barovia is still in their post-renaissance era."

"...And how do you know that?" the aasimaar deadpanned.

"I read history too, y'know! Besides, Twilight will never let me hear the end of it if I haven't at the very least got my eras right. Ever since I showed her some Neiponese manga that keeps getting the eras wrong, she's been drilling into to me the difference between Medieval and Renascence Ages."

Twilight smiled at that before noticing what her number one assistant is doing, "Spike! Put that shield back!"

"What? It's for AJ," Spike defended, "Since our encounter with the wolves, I think she's going to need this. Besides, we're only borrowing it. Once we rescue the whole family, we'll return it." He lifted the shield from the wall and handed it to the dwarf.

Applejack hesitated before sighing in surrender, "As much as 'Ah don't sit right with the idea, takin' without askin', 'Ah can't argue with that logic." Without another word, she accepted the shield from Spike.

Applejack obtains Shield and gains +2 AC

"Just be sure to apologise for taking it once we're done here," Rarity added with a smile.

They opened the doors leading to the main hall. The hall runs the width of the house, with a black marble fireplace at one end and a sweeping, red marble staircase at the other. Mounted on the wall above the fireplace is a longsword with a windmill cameo worked into the hilt. The wood-paneled walls are ornately sculpted with images of vines, flowers, nymphs, and satyrs. The decorative paneling follows the staircase as it circles upward to the second floor.

"Woah, check out that Sword," Rainbow remarked.

Rarity added, "I must say, the design of these walls are rather..."
Roll for Perception
17
Serpents and skulls are inconspicuously woven into the wall's designs

Rarity blinked. "Am I seeing things?"

"What's wrong, Rarity?" Pinkie bounced towards the Cleric.

"Pinkie, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Rarity pointed at the distorted images on the wall's panels.

Pinkie narrows her eyes to scrutinise the art.
Roll for Perception
Nat 20
Her eyes widened and her whole body twitched. She looked to Rarity who now shared the same expression of horror. "Girls, Spike, I think we should move. I may not have my Pinkie sense back, but I've got a baaaaad feeling about this."

Pinkie sense or not, everyone learned never to doubt Pinkie's instincts. "Alright everypony, let's move," ordered Twilight, "The sooner we rescue the baby and the parents, the sooner we could get out of here."

"Twilight, wait a moment," Pinkie turned to the dragonborn, "Spike, could you take down that longsword and give it to Twilight?"

"What, so we're looting this place now?" Rainbow arched an eyebrow at the pink haired halfling.

"I agree with Rainbow, Pinkie. I don't think we should be taking anymore things from this house." Twilight protested.

Pinkie's reply was devoid of all her usual jovial tone, "Trust me Twilight, I think we're going to need as many means to protect ourselves as possible."

Durst Manor, Second Floor

"Shields, Swords, Suits of armour, this must be a family with a long history of military tradition."

"I'll say, these paintings pretty much speak for themselves. Though I gotta say, the two foals look happy and the stallion looks rather plain, but the mare looks totally grossed-out."

Stepping into the unlit room of the upper hall, the Equestrians saw above the mantelpiece is a wood-framed portrait of the Durst family: Gustav and Elisabeth Durst with their two smiling children, Rose and Thorn. Cradled in the father’s arms is a swaddled baby, which the mother regards with a hint of scorn. Standing suits of armor flank wooden doors in the east and west walls. Each suit of armor clutches a spear and has a visored helm shaped like a wolf’s head. The doors are carved with dancing youths.

"Check every room, the nursery might be in this floor," Twilight ordered.

Nodding in agreement, they each reach for a door in pairs. Rarity and Pinkie made their way to the door left from the hall, Spike and Rainbow made their way to the one far to the right, while Twilight and Applejack made for the one closest to the right.

"Ooooh, a music room?" Pinkie awed as she and Rarity opened their door.

"Actually, I believe this is a Conservatory," Rarity corrected, "This is where household guests would come and be entertained by with music, dances and other performances." She closed her eyes and smiled fondly, "I could imagine it now; a ballroom dance under the moonlight shone from the windows as the piano plays a waltzing tune."

"Harpsicord," Pinkie corrected, "That's not a piano, it's a harpsicord. It's too small to be a piano."

"(Hehe) Oh, right," Rarity gave a sheepish chuckle.

"Huh, this must be the servant quarters," Twilight noted as she and Applejack inspected their door.

"Probably nothin' important in here," said Applejack as they left the room.

"Spike, Rainbow, did you find anythi...?"

The two in questioned took one look into the room and slammed it shut. "Um, nothing important here, Twilight!" Spike quickly denied sheepishly, "It's not the nursery so let's check upstairs!"

"Yeah, nothing to see here, Twi!" Rainbow added with a sheepish smile, "It'll just distract us from what we're looking for."

The wizard scoffed as she approached the room, "Oh come now, what could be so distracti.... AAAAHHHH!! BOOKS!!! LIBRARY!! BOOOOOKS!!" Her eyes glimmered as she pushed her way in to see the manor's library.

"I knew this would happen," Spike facepalmed.

"So, your city is actually called Waterdeep?"

"Yes"

"And it's a harbour city?"

"Yes"

"Wow, that sounds like Manehattan. I would have liked to see it."

"Are you sure it's alright for them to hunt the monster all on their own?"

"Hmm? Oh yes. I'm definitely sure. They are very capable po-people. I have no doubt in my mind that they'll be fine. Pest, is something wrong?"

"Mist."

"Twilight, when and only when we're done, we can perhaps ask if we could enter the library."

"But.... Books."

"Remember what we're here for, Sugarcube?"

"(Sigh) Oh fine! Rescuing the baby will come first."

"Speaking of, there's something wrong here and I don't need my Pinkie sense (or lack of it) to know something's up. I just can't seem to put my finger on it."

The Party climbs up the final steps of the stairway leading to a balcony. Oil lamps are mounted on the oak-paneled walls, which are carved with woodland scenes of trees, falling leaves, and tiny critters. Standing on the far end of the balcony is a lone suit of black plated armour caked in dust.

Two sets of doors were seen visible to the party, a single door leading to their left and a pair of double doors to their right.

"Alright Twi, where to?" asked Applejack.

She thought for a moment before laying out the plan, "Pinkie, Rarity, Spike. You three check the room to the right. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, you're with me. We'll check the room to the left."

"Okie-dokie-lokie!"

"Very well, darling."

"On it Twilight."

"Sure thing, Sugarcube."

"By the numbers. I'll go first."

As the party moved to each assigned group and area a sudden clanking noise was heard.

"Did anyone hear that?" the prismatic-haired aasimar called out.

Roll for Perception
Nat 20
Pinkie stopped as though something had clicked in her mind. She suddenly gave a look of alarm, "Oh Poodles! Now I know what's wrong!"

"What's wrong Pinkie?" Twilight asked with concern in her eyes, "Is it to do with the noise?"

"No Twilight, it's the lack of a noise!" the halfling's face was now full of dread, "I should have realized this, taking care of the Cake twins and all! What kind of scared little baby, all alone without its mommy or daddy, doesn't cry when there is a monster in the house?! I'm not hearing any crying!"

Roll for Perception
23(TS), 19(S), 19(RD), 15(AJ), 13(R)
Everyone other than Pinkie took a moment to listen. All they heard was silence.

"Sweet Celestia, she's right!" exclaimed Rarity.

"Ya'll don't think we're too late, are we?" Applejack's face paled.

Twilight moved to the center of the room, "Everypony, let's quicken the search before...!"

"Twilight, LOOK OUT!!" Rainbow screamed as she rushed for her friend.

Roll for Initiative
16(RD), 13(AA), 12(PP), 9(AJ), 9(TS), 6(S), 5(R)
The suit of armor moved, and it swung its sword at Twilight.

"You two, we need to take you somewhere safe. I'll take you to Mr Ismark, that way we could keep you safe for tonight."

"But there's a monster in the house. And mummy and daddy and baby Walter are still in there."

The streets that the small group outside were waiting on were slowly becoming shrouded with mist and the air became colder than before. Shivering, Fluttershy tried her best to encourage the children to find shelter.

"I know, but it's late and my friends might take a little longer than planned."

"Then why don't you go and help your friends?" Rose's question eerily lacked any emotion, "There is a monster in the house."

Fluttershy thought for a moment. They are taking too long. Twilight and the others could use my help. But they told me to watch over them, and the idea of a monster inside is scary. No Fluttershy! We've been there before! Your friends need your help! Oh, it might be scary but your friends need your help! She turned to the Kenku, "Pest, take these two to Mr Ismark. I'm going in to help them."

Pest gave a salute and reached for the children before giving a scream. "Fluttershy!" he sounded with the voice of Rarity.

She turned to see Pest's horror before she too shared the same look. Pest's arm went through Rose's head. "What? But how?" she gasped, "What are you?"

"Please, stop the monster. Or your friends might not make it."

Alarm bells rung within her as she looked back to the house before returning to the Kenku, "Pest, go get Maria, quick! My friends are in danger!"

As Pest ran off to the Tavern she turned to her animal companions, "Angel, Harry, could you..."

Before she could ask them to wait outside, Angel hopped on her shoulder and Harry moved to her side. They are not leaving her side.

"You two," Fluttershy affectionately gave them a nuzzle before she steeled herself, "Alright, we go together." Without another word, she and her companions disappeared into the house. And she screamed, "Everypony, get out! It's a Trap!"