So once upon a time there was supposed to be a sequel to Looking Glass called Guiding Light. I decided to cancel it, but it would have immediately followed LG and detailed the first month or so after the Fall Formal. I sorta regret not doing it now, but at the time, I was having extreme difficulties with writing and I really wanted to get on with Playing House. Plus it would have required a lot of set up and thinking about how things would play out at school, and I was mostly only interested in doing the second and third chapter. Truth be told, I actually forget what happens after chapter three, and the Discord channel that had all the conversations about the outline got deleted, so I can't go back and check that.

But anyway, I figure I have this group forum sitting around, so what the hell? If you’re interested in seeing what might have been, then here’s the rundown. The story would’ve been seven chapters, with two through six each focusing on Sunset interacting one on one with her friends and learning her first friendship lessons with them. Shoutouts to Char, Adgerelli, and Gowak for helping me plan out this story, and apologies to them for not writing it in the end

Chapter one

The story would start with a short summary of the weekend that followed the Formal (since that took place on Friday evening) with the main portion of the chapter beginning as Sunset drove to school Monday morning. Sunset surveys the damage she caused and the reality of it all hits her again, which is furthered by the student body openly reviling her. She’s saved from an early interaction with another student by Rainbow Dash, whose presence silences the other students. Throughout the day, each of the girls takes it in turns to walk her to and from classes, which Sunset interprets as them trying to make sure she doesn’t do anything bad.

Early in the day, Sunset visits Principal Celestia to discuss the terms of her continuing to be a student at CHS (as well as go over exactly what happened a bit more clearly). She receives some sort of punishment that I never decided on. She later interacts with Snips and Snails, establishing that they are no longer comfortable around her and that they aren’t even sure what to tell Rose Petal. Sunset had already been avoiding talking with Rose Petal, and now continues to do so out of shame for what she did.

By the end of the day, and after interacting with Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy, Sunset points out to Applejack that they didn’t need to be her constant chaperones as she isn’t going to do anything to hurt anyone. Applejack looks around to the other students, who are all watching Sunset disdainfully, and tells Sunset that she’s got it backwards; the only person they’re looking out for is Sunset. Applejack leaves her in the parking lot with one last thing to think about: that while a lot of people are angry with her, she really needs to stop assuming everyone, even her friends, are against her.

Sunset reflects on AJ’s words as she goes home. Once inside, she realizes that her water has been turned off for failure to pay her bill.

Chapter two

Although Sunset still has her job, she wasn’t saving money since she thought she would be leaving for Equestria. With the water turned off, adding a shut-off fee on top of the bill itself, the rent being past due, the upcoming electricity bill, plus groceries and gas to worry about, Sunset’s debt far exceeds her funds/incoming paychecks. With nothing else to do, Sunset seeks help from her friends, asking if any of them have any work she could do to earn some money. When asked why, she gives the vague reason that there are some things she should buy to have around the house which she wasn’t worried about when she thought she was going back to Equestria.

Being highschoolers, none of her friends have work for her themselves. However, Applejack convinces Granny Smith to give her some work at Sweet Apple Acres. Sunset is still reluctant to go to the farm after what happened when they were kids, but she agrees as she doesn’t have any other options. Work is made challenging by both Sunset’s feelings and Apple Bloom’s refusal to work alongside her. At the end of the day, they talk about the frozen lake incident and about how Applejack has never been sure what the truth of that night is, and Sunset apologizes and admits she was just trying to push Applejack away. Although things get heated, Applejack still invites her over for the next day’s work.

She goes home smelling foul from farm work, and without running water, winds up asking her neighbor if she can use her hose to wash off. The neighbor (Tree Hugger) invites her inside to use the shower instead. Sunset winds up staying over for dinner, which she hates because the whole house smells of pot and she doesn’t know Tree Hugger well, but she agrees to because she’s hungry and doesn’t have much food.

The next day is more of the same, working alongside Applejack. AJ confronts her about the fact she smells like pot, saying that if she’s after drug money she can just go home. Sunset eventually breaks down and tells Applejack what’s going on. After being honest with her, Applejack takes Sunset in and lets her shower after they finish working, has her stay for dinner, and gives her some money out of her own personal funds to help tide her over. Applejack gives her a speech about how she should have been honest from the beginning and sends Sunset on her way. Sunset hardens her resolve to make things up to Applejack, not wanting to be in her debt.

Chapter three

This one you've actually read, although I would have made it longer if it were part of Guiding Light. This was meant to be Fluttershy's chapter, which was adapted into the prologue of Playing House. Originally they were going to do more than just go to Sunset's house when they skipped school, and it would have also involved Sunset dropping Fluttershy off at her house at the end of the chapter. It would have had a big message about Sunset learning kindness in there; she didn't have to help Fluttershy, but she did.

Chapter Four through Seven

And here we get to where I don't really remember stuff well. I think Pinkie's was going to be the last – every chapter had Sunset learning a new lesson, and this one would've been about Sunset having already learned everything, but still not really seeing the others as true friends yet. Here, she'd learn to laugh. I'm certain there was more to it than that, though... Rainbow's chapter involved the Rainbooms, somehow, I think. Rarity's chapter involved something to do with Sunset smelling like pot, which doesn't make any sense to me because that was resolved way back in Applekack's chapter. So yeah, I really don't remember well, I'm afraid. I could come up with things, I'm sure, but they wouldn't be the original plan if I did lol.

Anyway, this was a look into the only WWB that got this heavily planned only to be cancelled. I think it would have made a fantastic companion piece to Looking Glass, so it's really a shame I didn't stick with it. If you want, here's everything I did write. It's only part of the first chapter, going up to where Rainbow helps Sunset out on that first day back to school. I don't think there's anything particularly worthwhile in there, but it's all I have I'm afraid.

7250641
Oh, this sounds neat. I guess there’s no Rabbit Tracks: Who We Become Edition to dump the docs in?

7250664
I don't see much of a point, since I don't have anything aside from what's right here

7250698
I usually put the rest of how a story would go in the author’s note for my scrapped story anthology but that’s understandable.

7250894
I probably would if I had written more of it. As it stands, I've barely got 1k into what was supposed to be a seven chapter story lol, so I felt it was pointless to share any other way.

Interesting.