Hey hey everyone! The update you've all been waiting for...heeeeere's the final chapter! :D!

Thank you all so much for being patient and bearing with me with each update of this story. Sorry it took me so long to finish this but like I said in my authors note, I've been going through so much lately and it was hard for me to finish it up.

Sorry if this isn't perfect with all the run-on dialogue and repeated words but I wanted to finish this up the best I could. Hope this is okay for you.

Thanks go to Park Ryder (Thanks hon!) for helping me with this story and everyone else who supported me while making this.

Not sure what or when my next update will be, but I'll try to get some going before too long. Just be patient and bear with me until I do, Okay?

Until next time, enjoy!

I don't own My Little Pony or the characters.

Chapter 7: Return and Retribution

Back in Ponyville, everypony is waiting for the girls to return. Once Applejack and Rarity explained to the ponies what was happening and that their friends were gonna fix everything, everypony tried to feel assured that Scootaloo will come back safe and sound and Diamond Tiara will finally get the punishment she so deserved.

After waiting for three hours near the train station, Applebloom & Sweetie Belle see the two mares and a filly walking towards them.

"Scootaloo!" they both cried as they rushed over to embrace their friend.

"Apple Bloom! Sweetie Belle!" the young pegasus did the same.

They ran toward each other and hugged while Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash just smiled at each other and back at the fillies.

"I'm so glad you're back!" said Applebloom as she let go, "We were so worried about you!"

Scootaloo looked down sadly before she spoke, "I know and I'm sorry I ran away, you guys I just so ashamed about what happened, I felt like couldn't show my face in Ponyville ever again."

"It's okay, Scoot." Sweetie Belle rubbed her back, "We're just glad you came back."

"We really missed you." Applebloom added.

"I missed you, too." the orange filly hugged her friends again.

After giving thanks and hugs to Twilight and Rainbow, the two mares said they had to leave to help Pinkie Pie with something at Sugarcube Corner. Now, the three friends had to figure out what they had to do next now that they're names are cleared.

"Everypony now knows what happened." Sweetie Belle explained, "Even Diamond Tiara's dad knows."

"I know." said Scootaloo, "Rainbow Dash and Twilight told me. So, now what do we do?"

"Filthy Rich wanted to tell us what he's gonna do." Applebloom answered.

"What is it?"

'He wanted to wait until you came back to tell us.'

"Well, I'm back now, so let's go see him." the pegasus filly started to trot trot away.

"Right!" her two friends followed.

They go pay a visit to Twilight Sparkle's library where they find Filthy Rich waiting with his daughter, who has done nothing but look down and grind her hoof into the dirt since they arrived.

"Hello Mr. Rich?" Applebloom spoke up first.

"Hello girls." he looked up and trotted to the fillies.

"You wanted to talk to us?" asked Scootaloo.

"Yes but first." he put his hoof on Scootaloo's shoulder and gave a comforting smile, "Are you feeling alright, Scootaloo?"

"Yes, I'm fine now." she smiled back.

"Good." Filthy Rich turned back to his daughter with a stern expression on his face, "Now, my daughter has something to say to you three. Right young lady?"

Diamond Tiara sighed heavily and mumbled in a low voice, "I'm sorry..."

"Diamond Tiara..." her father said more sternly.

"Okay!" she groaned, "I'm sorry for making you guys write those hurtful gossips."

"And?" he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Blackmailing you with your baby pictures."

"And?"

"Printing out the pictures in the first place."

"And being mean to us all the time!" Sweetie Belle added.

"And mocking us for not having our cutie marks!" scolded Applebloom.

"And making other ponies feel bad!" Scootaloo stomped her hoof.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, young lady!" Filthy Rich glared, "I raised you to be a proper pony, not a bully!"

"Yeah!" the crusaders agreed.

Diamond Tiara flinched at all the lecturing and shaming she was receiving from her schoolmates and her own father. She ahs hardly ever been scolded like this before

"Like does it make you feel good to make other ponies feel bad about themselves?" asked Applebloom.

"Well, I'm better than every other pony here!" snapped Diamond.

"Hey, just because you have a cutie mark doesn't mean your automatically better than everypony else." Sweetie Belle stepped in, "There's lot of fillies and clots who don't have them yet and there are those who do but you don't see them brag about it!"

Diamond tiara rolls her eyes as it was Scootaloo's turn to chew her out.

"You know if Princesses Celestia and Luna were here, they'd say you're a disgrace to ponies with cutie marks." she said, "Because you're supposed to treat other ponies the way you want to be treated. You don't see them bragging to others that they have cutie marks or that they're princesses and stuff."

The rich filly became defensive and glared at the ponies, "I am not a disgrace! You are!"

"Just because some ponies don't have cutie marks doesn't mean they are disgraces." the farm filly said back, "It just take time for them to learn their true talents. I bet it took forever with you to get your cutie mark!"

"And you'll never get yours a million years!" Diamond pointed at her with a glare.

"That's enough, Diamond Tiara!" Filthy Rich shouted, "It did took you a while to find your cutie mark."

"It did?" asked Sweetie Belle.

Diamond Tiara felt sweat drop from her forehead and tried to play dumb, "Uh...no it didn't!"

"Yes it did." her father said, "It took her a year to get her cutie mark."

"Dad!" Diamond said only for her father to glare at her and she looked away sadly.

"And there's still the matter of your punishment, young lady." he added.

His daughter gulped nervously before asking, "What is it?"

"Well, first off, you won't get your allowance for a week!"

"What?!" her eyes nearly popped out of her head, "That's not fair!"

Filthy Rich held his hoof up before continuing, "That's not all, young filly. You are going to apologize to the entire town for your act and you will be leaving the school newspaper."

"Aw! Do I have to?!" Diamond Tiara whined.

"Yes!"

"And no doubt Miss Cheerilee will give you detention for this!" added Sweetie Belle.

"And you'll be fired from the paper for sure!" Applebloom added as well, "You'll probably be banned forever!"

"They can't ban me!" she defended again, "I'm the chief editor!"

"Not anymore!" a voice said.

They all turn to see Miss Cheerilee, the school teacher, trotting towards them with a glare fixed on Diamond Tiara.

"Miss Cheerilee what are you doing here?" asked Scootaloo.

"I came looking for you girls." the mare replied.

Expected to be scolded by their teacher, Scootaloo spoke up first to try and explain everything, "Look we-"

"No it's okay." Cheerilee shook her head, "I heard everything so there's no need to explain."

"You did?" the trio asked together.

"Yes I did." she nodded and glared at the pink-coated filly, "Diamond Tiara, I heard what you were doing and I am very disappointed in you! The newspaper was supposed to be filled with facts and interesting things, not hurtful gossip!"

"But!-"

"No buts young lady!" Cheerilee snapped slightly, "You caused so much trouble for the Crusaders and everypony in town!"

"But they're the ones who wrote the gossip, not me!" Diamond Tiara tried to pin the blame on the girls.

The crusaders look down and still felt guilty for what they did but their teacher continued to defend their honor.

"But your the one that force them to write it!" the frustrated teacher said back as Diamond backed down, "As a result, you will be staying after school for a month and you're off the paper. The crusaders, however, will not be punished."

"So, you're not mad at us?" Applebloom asked softly as she and her friends looked up.

Cheerilee turned to the three fillies and gave a comforting smile, "Of course not, dear. Your sisters told me everything that happened today and I know it wasn't your fault to begin with."

"But we still feel bad for what we did." Scootaloo looked down in regret.

"We're very sorry." said Sweetie Belle.

Cheerilee smiled and hugs the three fillies, who did the same in return for the kind mare, "All is forgiven, dears."

"Thank you." they said together and hugged even more.

Filthy Rich smiles at the scene for a moment and he's happy that the Cutie Mark Crusaders are forgiven and loved again. But there was still one matter left to deal with and he glares back at his daughter again as she gave a nervous smile.

"Come with me, young lady." he said in a low tone.

Diamond Tiara knew what was coming and wanted to back out of it, "But-"

"Now!"

Diamond tiara flinched at the command and had no choice but to follow her dad home and accept her fate. After Cheerilee said her goodbyes and left, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were wondering about what will happened to Diamond Tiara.

"Wonder what he's gonna do to her?" Applebloom asked her friends.

"I don't know." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo shrugged.

Being very secretive, they followed the rich stallion and his daughter to their home and listened outside the door. Then a few minutes later, after hearing more loud lectures and whines, they heard loud whacks and cries coming from the home.

"Whoa!" Scootaloo stepped back, "what was that?"

"Not sure if I wanna know." Sweetie Belle only blinked.

"Maybe we should just walk away." Applebloom suggested

"Good idea." the others said as they walked away and went to the playground.

After about an hour, more or less, Filthy Rich visits the girls at the playground, "Hello girls." he greeted.

"Hello." they greeted back.

"How you been?" asked Sweetie Belle

"I'm doing alright, thank you." he smiled and patted each of the fillies on their heads, "I thought I should let you know that my daughter will not bother you anymore."

"Oh, that's good." Scootaloo smiled.

"Indeed for she's grounded for two and a half months." he added, "And she will have a really sore flank for a few weeks."

"Uh..a sore flank?" the three looked at each other.

"Yikes. She won't sit right for a week." was all Scootaloo could say.

"Wow." Sweetie Belle looked at him and remembered what they heard earlier, "So all that noise we heard was...?"

Filthy Rich nodded and gave a reassuring grin. He knew the crusaders listened to what happened out of curiosity but he didn't say anything out of respect. After giving his apologies on behalf of his daughter and offering to make up for what she did, he went back home and left the girls alone once more.

"So what happens now?" Scootaloo wondered.

Then, as if on cue, Pinkie Pie hops over and startles the girls as she appeared right in front of them, "Hi ponies!" she gave her biggest smile.

"Hey Pinkie!" the fillies settled down and welcomed Pinkie Pie with some smiles right back.

"Listen! I want you three to come with me to Sugarcube Corner for a big surprise!" Pinkie could hardly contain all the excitement for what's in store for her young friends.

"How come?" Applebloom raised her eyebrow.

"Sorry! Pinkie Promise!" the hyper party pony gave her signature "Pinkie Promise" sign.

"Oh! Okay." the girls shrugged and followed Pinkie to SugarCube Corner

"I wonder what it is?" the trio all thought the same thing.

Pinkie Pie only giggled and stood at the door as the cutie mark crusaders stopped in their tracks.

"Well, what is it Pinkie?" said Sweetie Belle.

She opens the door and right when they went inside...

"SURPRISE!" the fillies heard as streamers and confetti were thrown everywhere.

Inside the bakery, there was Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and their friends along with the Cake family, Miss Cheerilee, their classmates, family, friends and some other ponies wearing party hats and smiling at the three fillies in front of them. There were party decorations all over the place and there was a table filled with cakes, pies, and all kinds of sweets you could ever imagine.

"Whoa! Was is this?" Scootaloo asked as she looked around.

"Well, we wanted to make up how for mean we were to you girls." explained Twilight Sparkle, "So, we all threw a party just for you."

"Yep!" Pinkie popped out and revealed a really long decorated banner, "It's the "We're Really Sorry We Got Mad At You For Writing The Gabby Gums Article Even Though You Were Blackmailed and Wasn't Really Your Fault" Party!" she said right before she had to take some deep breaths.

"Wow! Thanks guys!" Applebloom said with a satisfying grin.

"Thanks so much!" Sweetie Belle did the same.

"This is gonna be great!" Scootaloo said as Rainbow Dash smiled and approached her, "Thank you, guys."

The blue pegasus hugged her close and rubbed the fillies mane, "I'm sorry that I hurt you, squirt. You mean more to me than anything and I don't ever wanna lose you again."

"Thanks, Rainbow Dash." Scootaloo hugged back, "You're still my hero."

"And you're like my little sister." she added as they hugged each other while Rarity and Applejack hug their sisters.

"From now on, we will put good stories in the paper." Applebloom said as she hugged Applejack.

"With interesting facts." added Sweetie Belle.

"And respect people's privacy." said Scootaloo.

"Good." Pinkie Pie sighed happily before shouting, "Now let's party!"

"Yay!" everypony cheered.

They all party and had a fantastic time but moments later, Applebloom starts to feel bad for Diamond Tiara and wondered if she could do something to cheer her up. Applejack noticed her little sister not looking to happy and trotted over to see of she could help.

"You okay, sugarcube?" she asked softly.

Applebloom shook her head before answering, "Y-Yeah! I-I'm okay, sis'."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I just need to do something." She walks away and goes up to Pinkie Pie, "Hey Pinkie? Can I have a piece of cake for the road, please?"

"Sure thing!" Pinkie answered before shoving five chocolate cupcakes in her mouth.

Applebloom takes a piece of cake, writes down something on a note, and trots out of the party towards the house of Diamond Tiara. In her room, Diamond Tiara was crying her eyes out not just from the spanking she received but everypony yelling and scolding her after she had to apologize to the whole town for what she did. She continued to sob into her pillow until she heard a knock on her door.

She opens it and sees only a piece of cake and a note attached to it.

"Huh? Where'd this come from?" She looks around but no pony was there.

Applebloom stood watch from the stairs while making sure she wasn't seen. After getting permission from Filthy Rich to enter the house, she went up to Diamond's room, placed the cake in front of her bedroom door, knocked, and the rest was history.

Diamond Tiara looks at the note and it said "I Forgive You" with a smiley face on it. Despite all what she had gone through that day, there was a small smile on Diamond Tiara's face for the first time.

"I wonder what that means." she looked at the note again, "Well, at least I got some cake and some pony forgave me."

She took the cake back into her room and closed the door. Applebloom smiles and leaves to head back to Sugarcube Corner to rejoin her friends in the festivities. When her friends asked why she did what she did, Applebloom explained that she felt a little bad and said she couldn't be mad at Diamond Tiara forever. Realizing their friend was right, everypony went on with the party and had a fantastic time. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo had never been so happy and was glad that the whole "Gabby Gums" nightmare was finally over.

Later that night, Twilight Sparkle wrote to Princess Celestia about what happened in her recent friendship letter.

"Dear Princess Celestia," she began, "I learned that while it's okay to write stories about people in newspapers, it's best to stick to the facts and the truth than making silly stories and lies to make others look bad. I also learned that it's best to talk to whoever wrote the bad stories and try to reason with them, rather than get angry and ignore them. I can still assure that while lots of things had gone wrong today, friendships had been prepared and has been stronger than ever. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

She had Spike send the letter and went to rest for the next day and hope the next lesson in friendship won't be as difficult as this one.

The End