Hearts of Harmony: Deleted Scenes

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

Twilight turned to see the suit of armor move and swung its sword at her. Thinking quickly, she drew her longsword and parried the blade as it pushes her down with its weight.

"Get off of her!" Rainbow leaped into the fray and struck the armour with her fist. A loud "CLANG!" was heard from the impact and a clear dent was seen on the breast plate.

The armoured assailant diverted its attention from Twilight to Rainbow and swung its sword at her, narrowly missing her hair as she ducked from the swing.

"You get away from my friends, you big meanie!" Pinkie yelled as she leapt on the armoured attacker and opened it's helmet revealing... Nothing. "Um guys," Pinkie's voice quivered as she winced a nervous smile, "there's nopony inside this suit." She then gave a gasp, "Unless, it's not a po... er, person in this suit and it's being puppeted by a smaller person! Or it's being controlled by three small people inside! Or a whole bunch of teeny-tiny people inside! Or..."

"PINKIE!!"

"Oh, right. Taking too much time on my turn." She leapt away from the armour, avoided a swing from it's blade and called out to Applejack, "Go Applejack! Crash that Dummy! (Tee hee) Get it?"

Applejack gains Bardic Inspiration.

The Dwarf stepped forward and smashed her warhammer at the animated armour, yelling; "Get away from mah friends, ya gosh darn hunk o' junk!"

The armour staggered a bit, clearly damaged from Applejack's attack.

Noting the armour's material, Twilight took a step back from the construct and called out, "Light it with fire!" and blasted it with a Firebolt, causing further damage.

Following Twilight's lead and keeping with the battle's momentum, Spike stepped in between her and the construct, shoved it back to the railings and blasted it with a cone-shaped fire breath. Rarity followed suite and cast Sacred Flame, screeching, "Begone, you rusted ruffian!"

The Animated Armour's plates turn hot red from the heat with parts of it slightly melted. It was clearly on its last legs.

In attempt to finish it off, Rainbow jumped up to the ceiling's railings and swinging forward; kicks the construct with her legs, shoving backwards from the floor railings and falls down to the first floor with a loud crash as it's armour breaks to pieces.

"Did I get it?" Rainbow panted as she dropped from the ceiling's rails to look down at her handiwork.

They all moved to look down at the construct as it slowly rises. Before anyone could protest (and marvel) at its durability, a familiar "Eeep!" screamed out, followed by a loud "Clang!" from what looked to be a quarterstaff bonking the construct on the head and the animated armour clattered motionless on the ground.

"Fluttershy?" Rainbow stared with surprise that the meek druid who felled the moving suit armour. Fluttershy returned her stare with an embarrassed grin to which the aasimar smirked, "Sweet Celestia Fluttershy, I would have been proud if that kill was just 20% cooler!"

Fluttershy gasped, looking appalled, "Oh dear! You mean I killed it?! I didn't mean to...!"

"Relax Flutters, it was just a moving suit of armour," Rainbow waved a hand in dismissal, "Nopony is inside it."

The timid wood elf gave an "Oh," before noticing Angel stomped a foot, snapping her back to the urgent matter at hand. Shaking her head to refresh her thoughts, Fluttershy spoke with clear fear in her voice, "Girls, Spike, we need to get out of house! This place is a trap!"

"Say what now?" Applejack raised an eyebrow.

"The children outside, they are not real!" Fluttershy stopped for a minute in thought before she rephrased herself, "Well, they sort of are, but Pest tried to escort them to the inn when his arm went right through one of their heads!"

Pinkie gasped, "You mean they're ghosts!"

"I-I don't know!" stammered Fluttershy, "I mean, none of us didn't felt or thought of anything when we first met them. But not long after you came in the house, they..." she shuddered as she recalled, "They just kept on repeating the same thing about the monster in the house, like a broken record."

A chill ran through the Equestrians as alarm bells rang in their heads.

"Everypony, make for the exit!" Twilight ordered. Without another word and with no argument, they made for the stairs to the first floor where Fluttershy waited for them.

Roll for Strength
11
Roll for Strength
16, rolled dmg 5
Roll for Strength
7
Roll Strength
17, rolled dmg 6
As they raced for the front door, Rainbow slammed into the door three times without success until finally deciding to kick it down, breaking off the knob. As they poured out of the house, their faces paled in horror of what they are seeing.

The House and the surrounding area was shrouded by mist.

"Oh no." Twilight's voice quivered as she fell on her knees, processing the situation they found themselves in. "The Fog! We're trapped!"

Spike took a step towards the fog and fanned it away, noticing the hands within the fog as it reformed. "She's right," he winced, taking a step back from the fog, "It's the same fog we saw when we first came here."

"Can't there be something we can do?" Rarity pleaded, "Perhaps dispel magic, or summon a gust of wind to clear out the fog?"

"We can't Rarity," Twilight shook her head mournfully, "I would have done so at the very beginning, even before coming to Barovia."

"So what do we do?" Applejack asked, afraid of Twilight's answer. Before she could get said answer however, Rainbow started to climb the walls of the manor. "Rainbow Dash, what the hay are ya doin'?"

Roll for Acrobatics
23
"I'm trying to get a better vantage point from here, AJ," came Rainbow's reply as she continued to climb, "It would be so much easier if I still had my wings, but I figured what if I could try to see a path through the fog from up here."

"That's... Actually not a bad idea," replied Applejack, "Good thinking, Dash."

"Just be careful," said Fluttershy with her soft voice.

Roll for Acrobatics or Athletics
16 Acrobatics
Roll for Perception
11
Rainbow proceeded to slowly climb all the way to the third floor before she stopped and noticed something. "Um, guys," she called out, "there's something wrong with the house."

"How do you mean, darling?" Rarity raised an eyebrow, "There is plenty wrong with this house."

"That's not what I mean!" snapped back Rainbow, "I don't know if it's my eyes are playing tricks on me or the house is actually looking pretty different the further I climb."

"Ooh! Let me check!" Pinkie Pie climbed up to a nearby dead tree to observe the mansion.
Roll for Acrobatics or Athletics
15 Acrobatics
Roll for Perception
19
The halfling's eyes widened in horror at what she saw. She bobbed her head down and back again several times as though her vision changes from the height of her vantage point. "Girls, Spike; Dashie's right! The house looks waaaaaaaay older from higher up!"

Roll for History with advantage
17
"Hey Twilight, doesn't this remind you of Daring Do and the Secret of Liar's Lodge when she and Dr Caballeron were stuck in a haunted hotel because of a cursed artefact?" asked Rainbow, making her way down from the building.

"Really Rainbow?" Applejack gave an incredulous frown, "Daring Do? This is a real life and death situation and you bring up a work of fiction to this situation?"

"Hey! To be fair, A. K. Yearling based her books on her adventures!" Rainbow retorted in protest.

"Actually, Rainbow Dash might be onto something." All eyes (apart from Rainbow who gave Applejack a smug grin of satisfaction) turned to Twilight as she continued her deduction, "There had been many cases of all sorts of creatures trapped in enchanted buildings by a source within. Think of it like a locked room attraction, except in our case our lives are on the line. If Rainbow's suggestion has merit, we might find our solution inside."

"You don't mean..." Fluttershy shivered under her breath as she pointed at the manor, "We have to go back to the obviously haunted house with a dangerous monster inside?"

"We might not have a choice Fluttershy," replied Twilight, "We either have to brave in and find a solution, do nothing and most likely starve, or risk the fog."

Everyone shuddered at the thought of the alternatives, risking the fog most especially.

"Well, I suppose searching for answers might be a good start before we find this source," said Rarity with a sigh of surrender, "Which could only mean one thing."

At that, Twilight grinned excitedly whilst everyone else (other than Pinkie and Fluttershy) rolled their eyes, expectant of the predictable.

"Library?" groaned Rainbow.

"Library," sighed Applejack.

"Library," nodded Rarity.

"Library?" puzzled Fluttershy.

"LIBRARY!" squeed Twilight.

"Research Time!" chimed Pinkie.

"I'll get the quill, ink and parchments," sighed Spike.

Durst Manor, Second Floor, Library

As they entered the Library they were greeted with a strangely welcoming sight. Red velvet drapes cover the windows of the room. An exquisite mahogany desk and a matching high-back chair face the entrance and the fireplace, above which hangs a framed picture of a windmill perched atop a rocky crag. Situated in corners of the room are two overstuffed chairs. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves line the south wall. A rolling wooden ladder allows one to more easily reach the high shelves.

Twilight squealed with excitement as she began raiding the shelves.

Spike made his way to the desk and started sorting out parchments and other stationary.
Roll for Investigation
14
The desk was already lit by an oil lamp, revealing a jar of ink, a quill pen, a tinderbox, and a letter kit containing a red wax candle, four blank sheets of parchment, and a wooden seal bearing the Durst family’s insignia of a windmill. Spike also stopped to notice a drawer not fully closed. He reached to open it, exposing an iron key sitting in its lonesome. Filled with curiosity, the young drake picked it up and stared at it as though trying to prod its secrets.

"What have you got there Spikey?" asked Pinkie, appearing suddenly beside him.

"I don't know," said Spike, still staring at the key as he spun it around by the neck, "It's just a key but I can't help but think it's important for something."

"Hmmm, might be," said Pinkie as she rummaged through her bag, "In the meantime, do you want some bread? I know it's not cupcakes and it's stale and gross but it's still something."

"Thanks Pinkie," Spike took a piece and lobbed it into his mouth.

"You're welcome," Pinkie replied. She closed her bag and made her way to Fluttershy who was waiting outside the room, grooming Harry with Angel Bunny. "Hi Fluttershy, want some bread?"

"Oh yes, thank you Pinkie," Fluttershy smiled gratefully as she took a large piece and broke it between the bear and the rabbit, who took it with gratitude.

Roll for Perception
Nat 20
"Wow, they seem more cooperative than usual," noted Pinkie, "Usually they'd be needy and rowdy and demanding and all sorts of other stuff to get your attention."

"Yeah," Fluttershy gave a sad smile, "I asked them about it and they told me they were worried about me." She continued to groom Harry as her two animal companions slowly chewed on the stale bread, "When I asked them how they were doing, they insisted worrying about myself. I confronted them about what was going on, til Harry finally opened up to me and told me how he has never before been so scared for his life. Then Angel told him to "Tough it out" because I need them to protect me, then Harry said that he knows that but he is still scared of the fog and started crying. I told him it was alright to be scared because everyone is scared right now and that right now we need each other more than ever, and so Angel and I decided to give Harry some emotional support."

She paused, looking at Angel who gave Harry another piece from his own bread. "I'm more worried about Angel," Fluttershy smiled wryly, "He never shared anything to the rest of the animals but ever since we've come here, he's been nothing but supportive for Harry and me. He has always been the bravest of my animals but I feel like he's been pushing himself more than usual since coming here."

Pinkie stuck a on her chin in thought, "Hmmm, maybe he'll come around." She took out another piece of bread and handed it to the druid, "For you."

"Fluttershy smiled but shook her head, "No, really. I'm not hungry."

Pinkie grasped her hands over the bread, "Take it Flutters. If you don't want them to worry about you, take care of yourself."

Without another word, Fluttershy gave a grateful nod, took the piece and nibbled a corner of it. Pinkie gave a wide grin and made her way back into the library towards Applejack.

The Earth Pony-turned-Dwarf was milling through books categorised under Barovian History (by Twilight) for her to look through and relay to Spike for key-points of interest. She saw Pinkie approaching and gave a tired smile, "Sup Sugarcube?"

"Hiya Applejack! Just checking out everypony if they need anything." Pinkie rummaged through her bag and took out a piece of bread, "Want some bread?"

"Thanks Pinkie." Applejack took the offered piece and bit into it, before coughing at the state of its stale dryness, "Sweet Celestia's flank Pinkie; is there sawdust in here?"

"I don't really know to be honest," she shrugged apologetically, "All I know is they were supposed to be cupcakes but after coming here, they're no longer cupcakes. Maybe if we have time we could try to ask Mr Ismark if he has any ingredients to make cupcakes." Pinkie paused for a minute and then frowned with her hair deflating, "Oh, then again, Mr Ismark did say that Barovia doesn't have that much food, so maybe that might not be a good idea."

"It's alright Sugarcube," Applejack wrapped an arm around the Earth Pony-turned-Halfling, "When we're done from all of this, I promise you we'll find the means to make your cupcakes here and we'll spread them all around Barovia with the biggest party they'll ever see."

Pinkie's face lit up, "Pinkie Promise?"

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick that stale bread on my eye," Applejack grinned at her silly change of the Pinkie Promise.

There was a pause before Pinkie burst into a fit of laughter. "Good one AJ! That was a good one! I'll hold you to it." And with that she made her way towards Rarity, "Hi Rarity, how're you doing?"

Rarity sighed with a wry smile at Pinkie, "To be perfectly honest Darling; not very good. On top of us being trapped in this horrid place, the miserable villagers, and the fact that there is a monster ruling these lands, these books paint an even more frightening picture of the situation at hoof."

She held out a page of a book she was skimming through to Pinkie, "I was looking through Barovia's geographical wealth in its history and I found out this valley was once rich with farmlands and vineyard orchards long before the fog, with a few amber, silver and copper mines across the mountainsides. Nowadays since the fog, only three vineyard orchards are left, all farmland withered due to what many called "cursed soil", and the most horrid thing possible is the fact that the mines have become inaccessible due to, get this... Werewolves."

"W-werewolves?" Pinkie stuttered, eyes widened.

"It seems so, Darling," Rarity rubbed her forehead with a hand and shook, "I am glad Applejack got to read about the history side of Barovia instead of its geography. The poor dear would have a heart attack just knowing how much of the land suffered. Then again, I suppose she'll discover that eventually. My greatest gripe is that all this land's wealth is literally choked due to the lack of resources, particularly their mining concerns."

"Why's that?"

"Well you see Darling, if the mines no longer produce metals, gems and what have you, all means of wealth distribution either stagnate or simplified as traded goods and services,” explained Rarity, “As coming from a family of Rock Farmers, I am sure that you know that Equestria has an abundance of gold, silver, copper, and other sorts of metals as well as valuable gems. Gold and Silver in particular are used to mint our Bits while other metals such as copper are used to manufacture basic goods, products and tools. In contrast, there is little to nothing here that stimulates the creation of wealth. No materials to create goods and no reproducible material to mint as a source of commerce, which in turn means no flow of wealth, no means of spending and selling, which in turn means the little anypony can earn are hoarded while the rest cannot afford to buy as prices skyrocket. It is an economic nightmare!”

“And on top of that, not much food is produced,” added Pinkie, staring mournfully at Rarity at the implications, “How many are starving in this world?”

Rarity shook her head in frustration, “That is a question I do not wish to have answered, Pinkie. It terrifies me. All those poor souls, I would give anything and everything to at least lighten their burdens.”

“Hey Rares, come look at this,” called out Applejack.

Pinkie and Rarity moved in closer to the apple farmer. “What is it, Darling?” asked Rarity.

“'Ah just found the history of the Dursts and ‘Ah think y’all need to look at this,” replied Applejack with a clear concern on her face, “‘Ah’d call in the rest of us, but Flutters wanted to keep her critters calm, Spike’s busy note taking, and Twi and RD seem to be discussin’ somethin’ fierce.” She turned to a page revealing the Durst Family tree, pointing to the bottom of the page with hand drawn portraits of the current members of the household; with a missing baby.

Pinkie and Rarity shared a look of puzzled dread to each other before turning to Applejack as she continued, “Now, ‘Ah know that this family tree might have been written before the baby, but the drawin’s of the two foals look exactly like the two we’ve met, which could mean either these humans age slower than we thought or there’s somethin’ else goin’ on around here.”

Frowning, Rarity took the book from Applejack’s hands and closely examined the portraits. “Pinkie, call Twilight and Rainbow Dash here. Applejack and I will take these to Spike and have him add these to his notes.”

“Okie-dokie-lokie Rarity! Oh, and here's some bread while you're at it,” she replied with a salute before skipping her way towards the two remaining members of the party.

As she left, she heard an "Ow!" from Rarity, followed by profanity.

“I’m telling you Twilight, it has to be some cursed artefact that’s keeping us here!”

“And I’m saying it might be this Strahd, or an agent of his that is trying to keep us here!”

“Hi Twilight! Hi Rainbow Dash! Am I interrupting?” Pinkie chimed in, halting their argument.

“No Pinkie, you aren’t,” Twilight gave the halfling a wry smile, “We were just discussing what could be keeping us here. Rainbow believes that some sort of cursed artefact like one of Daring Do’s books is what’s keeping us here.”

“Which it totally is,” added the pegasus-turned-aasimar smugly.

Choosing to ignore that comment, Twilight continued, “I on the other hoof believe this might be the work of the Vampire Strahd to keep us here.”

“Oh, c’mon Twilight! How can Strahd know we’re here? Everypony knows that the final boss always shows up at the very end for some big reveal with an overblown monologue to go with it!”

“And I’m saying this is not a story, Rainbow; this is really happening! And don’t tell me that Daring Do is a real pony, we already know that! Considering we’ve been led here by some conjured image of what I would assume to be the late previous residents, I’m willing to bet it’s him!”

“And how would you know that?”

“Who else could it be, Rainbow? Everyone here is made miserable because of him!”

“And I’m saying it isn’t! It wouldn’t make sense! If Strahd knew we were here, wouldn’t he show himself by now to finish us off?”

Finally having enough, Pinkie interrupted their argument by squeezing in between them, pushing them apart, “Okay, I think the both of you need to stop right there and have some bread; you're not you when you’re hungry.”

The two looked at each other, ashamed of the heated argument and at the same time apologised, “Sorry Pinkie.”

“It’s alright,” Pinkie replied with her signature smile as she held out two pieces of bread between them, “Now I know we’re in a reeeeally sticky situation, but that doesn’t mean we have to be real meanie-pants to each other. Now I know, none of us had much to go on for lunch, so here’s some bread. I know it’s no cupcakes, but they were cupcakes before the became bread, so they technically are cupcakes but in bread form, but they don’t taste like cupcakes and I don’t have anything to make them cupcake flavoured bread, but they are probably bread flavoured cupcakes at this point, sooooo.” she inhaled a long breath before she grinned apologetically, “This is the best I could offer at the moment.”

The two paused, turned to each other, and then burst into a fit of laughter.

“Oh Pinkie,” Twilight calmed from her mirth, wiping away a tear from her laughter, “What would we do without you?”

“Yeah, tell me about it,” agreed Rainbow as she pulled the halfling into a one armed hug, “No matter how much everything sucks, you always seem to find a way to pull us back up with a laugh. Never change, Pinkie. Never change.”

“Oh shucks Dashie,” she smiled with a bit of blush, "So, are you having your bread?"

Shrugging, the two of them took one bite out of their pieces of bread... Before spitting out the remains from their mouths.

"Sweet Celestia, Pinkie? What's in this?" gagged Twilight.

"Yeah, it tastes like my grandmother's socks!" sputtered Rainbow.

Pinkie and Twilight looked to Rainbow with what one could only describe to be disturbed bemusement.

"What? What did I say?"

A moment of silence followed, which was soon broken after Pinkie and Twilight gave a snort that soon developed into another fit of laughing and giggling. Rainbow took a moment to process what came over them, until she realised her implications of her socks comment and joined the mirth. As they calmed down, Pinkie slipped out of the aasimar’s hug and leaned on the end of the bookshelf.

“By the way, Rarity and Applejack told me to tell you that they found some reeeeally important stuff that I think you too should have a look at.”

“Sure thing,” replied Twilight, “Just give me a sec to take another book for more research and-”

Just as Twilight pulled out a red book with a black spine, the shelf Pinkie was leaning on swung open, causing her to fall in on her back. Before anyone else could react, the shelf closed back; trapping the Bard inside.

“PINKIE!” Rainbow rushed to the bookshelf and slammed hard on it, “Pinkie are you alright? Talk to me!”

“I’m alright, Dashie,” came a reply, “Just let me turn a light on and-”

Pinkie let out a bloodcurdling scream.