After everypony heard about the Gabby Gums newspaper knowing that it was AppleBloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell who wrote all the gossip on everyone, the citizens were incredibly angry with them. It soon became a horrible day for the three of them everywhere they went, they wanted to say they were being blackmailed by Diamond Tiara, but everypony either ignored them, told them to go away, even Rainbow Dash rained on them with a storm cloud.

They were still trying to look for a gossip story to write, but no pony, not even a filly would give them an article. After learning there was no chance what so ever as well as Big Mac delivering the killer blow by scolding them earlier, they decided to give up and went back to their treehouse and after crying their eyes out for a while, they did nothing whilst looking back through all that followed earlier today.

"We ruined all our friendships and we certainly didn't get our cutie marks from it, either." Sweetie Belle said as she shed a few tears.

"We shoulda never volunteered to do those stories in the first place, but now, all our friends and families hate us." Applebloom cried

"Oh yeah, wait till Diamond Tiara posts our most embarrassing photos which could be anytime from now." Scootaloo said.

"Ah think it's time to face the facts. They're not going ta forgive us so we'll have ta make a tough choice." AppleBloom said in a sad tone.

"We need to make a secret newspaper article about us." Sweetie Bell said.

"And when it's done, we'll then go and find a tall cliff to look down and say our farewells."

After a little talk later, they went to the school around 10:00 PM. They started making only six copies for the Mane 6 only saying that Diamond Tiara dragged them into doing this. They secretly put a newspaper at each house, well, except for Rainbow Dash, because her house is in the clouds and Twilight, who has a forcefield.

Then tried to find a nearby cliff. They found one named "Killers Edge". The CMC walked up to the edge of the cliff, and looked down. Sharp rocks were pointed at the bottom following with ice cold water that anypony could freeze to death in. They took a step back and said their last goodbyes.

"We're sorry to everyone we've hurt, especially our families." AppleBloom whimpered.

"We didn't mean for this to happen, we were forced to write them because of Diamond Tiara." Sweetie Bell cried.

"Now we'll get rid of this once and for all and that bullying should never be ignored." Scootaloo cried, still trying to be brave.

The fillies went up to the edge of the cliff, took their final breath that they'll ever take in this world, and jumped for their lives. As they fell down about 50 mph downwards, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle fell onto the sharp rocks, which killed them instantly, whilst Scootaloo plummeted into the freezing water and started freezing to death.

"Goodbye..." Scootaloo could only muster as she drowned in the ice cold water...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, Rarity seemed to ask to herself, "Why isn't Sweetie Belle back yet? Where could she have gone?"

She decided to step outside of the boutique until it was stopped by a newspaper stuck under the door. Rarity looked down, saw the paper, and picked it up. She saw the picture of the CMC and she was assuming that they were working overtime, until she saw the article title. "Three Fillies = One Suicide"

"To the citizens of Ponyville, for some time, you have been reading this newspaper to get the latest news, but this will be my final piece. You see, we're three fillies, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. As the popularity of our column grew, we got swept up in the hype. We knew what we were doing was wrong, but we ignored the guilt cause everypony seemed to enjoy what we were writing. We wanted to apologize for the pain and embarrassment we've caused, but we didn't want to face our boss, printing embarrassing photos of us. Diamond Tiara forced us to write those stories and we couldn't face the humiliation, so we went to "Killer's Edge" and said our farewells. To Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash...we are sorry for hurting you and your friends, please forgive us for committing suicide. So by the time you read this article, we are no longer alive and we hope that you'll remember us for the good times and not the bad. Signing off the very last time, XOXO, Gabby Gums.

PS: Bullying should be brought to major attention in Ponyville so this doesn't happen to anypony again.

After reading the article carefully, her eyes welling up with tears. Then looked up and shouted "SWEETIE BELLE!" at the top of her voice. "WHY?"

Rarity ran to the nearest home of the mane 6 in tears, when she got to Twilight's home, she slammed her hooves on the bubble and screamed "TWILIGHT!"

"Rarity?" Twilight opened the door and used her magic to evaporate the bubble to nothing. "What's wrong?"

"Sweetie Belle...*Sniff*...is...*Sniff*...GONE!" Rarity exclaimed as she threw the front page by Twilight's hooves.

Twilight read the article and felt shocked at what she's seen. "Oh no...the Cutie Mark Crusaders...they died by committing suicide!" She gasped before starting to cry. "How could I have been so stubborn and not let them explain?"

Shortly afterwards, when Twilight and Rarity were walking across town, trying to comfort each other with the crying, they saw Pinkie Pie with her mane down and straight instead of the normal curly style, looking down at the paper whilst holding a tissue to wipe her tears with. As Twilight and Rarity got Pinkie to walk with them, they then went over by the lake to see Fluttershy sobbing away in the grass with her bunny Angel, trying to cheer her up. The four of them were about to share an upsetting hug until they spot Applejack running towards them with tears in her eyes.

"MAH APPLEBLOOM! I'M SORRY FOR YELLING AT YA! IT'S MAH FAULT!" Applejack shouted as she continued to cry.

"Applejack..." Twilight whispered as she hugged Applejack whilst she was still crying "We all should've been more supportive and open-minded about the issue."

Rainbow Dash was the last of the mane 6 to hear the news as she heard a lot of crying when she flew down to the lake. "So it's true, they're really gone?" she asked whilst trying not to cry. But the looks on their faces confirmed it to be true. "I know it's all our faults, but I deeply regret shoving the raincloud on top of them, making it rain on their heads. My biggest fan...Scootaloo..." she started crying until the others moved around here to have an emotional group hug, sharing their tears all the while.

When the news broke out to the rest of Ponyville, the citizens were shocked and then later felt guilty for being ignorant and unhelpful the day before. Spike was devastated and wasn't able to focus on his cleaning job around the library. Miss Cheerlie took the news badly, knowing that she was the one who appointed Diamond Tiara as editor of the Foal Free Press in the first place.

"Why did I choose her in the first place? I would NEVER have done so if that was going to happen. What kind of a teacher am I?" she sobbed.

Diamond Tiara was then removed shortly afterwards and replaced by Featherweight as the new editor of the Foal Free Press, but that was half of the punishment. Tiara was then expelled permanently from school and she and her Dad, Filthy Rich moved to Fillydelphia, vowing to never return whilst Cheerlie took time off from education and Mayor Mare promised to have bullying awareness set to an all time high in hoping this will never happen again.

Soon enough, the event began to spread beyond Ponyville, Princess Celestia was indeed saddened by the news and even she couldn't hide her emotions, nor could Princess Luna who deeply wished she had known so that she could've saved them during the night.

A closed-casket funeral was held inside the Town Hall since their bodies were never found, everypony was incredibly sad and they blamed themselves for all that transpired and Mayor Mare walked on stage to the podium and spoke. "Citizens of Ponyville, we are gathered here today to mourn the loss of three wonderful fillies who never meant harm to any of us, but were forced against their will to save embarrassment. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders, a small group that aimed to explore Ponyville and beyond to find out what their talents were." she paused before continuing "Which brings us to another important matter. Bullying is something that Ponyville has not raised awareness of and after this tragedy, it was now our job to rise the awareness to an all time high, in order to ensure that this never happens again." she paused once more before finishing "We accept that this will not bring them back, but let us remember that from this day forward, no filly will ever be bullied again. May Celestia bless the Cutie Mark Crusaders as they embark their journey to the afterlife."

The Mane 6 who were in attendance all cried as soon as the funeral ceremony was over, they were given loads of support by the citizens of Ponyville with gifts and hugs, they all learnt that it was going to take a very long time for the ponies to move on from the tragedy.

Soon, the day went from light to dark and as the Mane 6 walked through the night slowly together around Ponyville, they find themselves wondering if there was anything they could've done to prevent such a tragedy happening.

Pinkie was the first to speak when they stopped, "No more parties with the Cutie Mark Crusaders...they were so happy...now we'll never know what cutie marks they would have." she then started to cry whilst holding a tissue.

Rainbow Dash tried not to cry but even she couldn't control her tears for long, "Scootaloo was my biggest fan and I pushed her away without asking her why they did it, what kind of an idol am I?" she then let her tears out.

Fluttershy was too depressed to say a word as seeing the fillies gone, broke her heart as she covered her face behind her mane, sobbing away.

Applejack looked immensely depressed as she wiped away her tears "My poor Applebloom, ah wish ah and Big Mac could've said sorry to ya for shunning ya out, but ah don't know if ah can keep cryin' when you're no longer with us, you're with Mum and Dad now and I know ya'll be watching over me..." she said as she sat down and cried again.

Rarity tried to speak between her cries "My Sweetie Belle! My one and dear sister...you were a wonderful family member to me! I loved you for who you were...you had a fabulous future ahead of you..." she cried once more whilst looking to the sky.

"If only we had given them a chance to explain and tell us the real reasons, this wouldn't have happened. But Spike and I didn't...now we'll never get to see them again..." Twilight spoke as she cried too.

Since the laws of time could not go back, they all accepted the harsh reality and mourned in deep sadness at the lost lives of the three fillies, the families and friends that knew them so dearly, learnt that life as they knew it would never be the same again...

The sun was beginning to set over at Ponyville, the CMC's were at the clubhouse looking and feeling upset. As the three fillies wiped away their tears, thinking back to earlier today where nopony wanted to talk to them, not even their closest friends and family, they sat around and tried to think of what to do next and how to make things right again but without incurring the impending embarrassment that awaits them tomorrow morning with the photos being printed by Diamond Tiara's orders.

"Ah think we could try talking ta our closest friends and family again, like Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash." Applebloom suggested

"I guess that could work..." said Sweetie Belle who wasn't entirely sure with the idea

"That's gonna be hard for me to do, since I can't fly...yet..." Scootaloo sighed with sadness

"Well then, what about asking a few ponies we haven't made stories about?" Sweetie asked

"Like who? Surely we made up stories about everypony." Scootaloo asked with a concerned look

"There's Derpy, Silver Spoon who we haven't seen since Tiara was made editor and Princess Luna." Applebloom intervened

"Oh, and Miss Cheerlie and Mr. & Mrs. Cupcake...but we can't see them right now as night-time is approaching." Sweetie Belle said before feeling a little disappointed

Scootaloo perked up suddenly, "I know, if I can get hold of Derpy, I might be able to go up to Cloudsdale and talk to Dash myself."

"Then us two can go and talk with our sisters, it's a great idea." Sweetie Belle smiled

"Ah like the sound of that, so we're gonna need to split up and if it hasn't worked, we'll meet back here later and think of something else."

"Okay and if need be, we'll only consider in finding the three ponies we suggested as a last resort, see if any of them can help us with our issue." Scootaloo suggested as the other two fillies agreed.

"Let's go, Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Yelled Applebloom as when night fell, they left the clubhouse and split up.

First, Sweetie Belle went to Rarity's home, she tapped her left front hoof on the door, but there was no response. So she tried to open the door which to her surprise was not locked. She walked in, but she didn't want to scare Rarity so she called out her name "Rarity? Sister, are you in here?"

Soon, she heard hoof steps coming down the stairs, Rarity had her mane down and straight, she gave Sweetie an irritated look.

Sweetie felt sad as she closed the door behind her "Can we talk, there's something important that you need to know."

"Hmm...I suppose I should. Please tell me what it is." Rarity replied.

Sweetie tried not to feel too sad but she showed strength in her voice before telling Rarity the whole story. "Alright, you already know that me, Applebloom and Scootaloo are behind the Gabby Gums Identity. Well, when the assignment first began, Miss Cheerlie put Diamond Tiara in charge as editor of the Foal Free Press. Soon, Tiara demanded that we should print gossip and most of it lies in order to keep her satisfied with our work." she paused for a second, feeling emotional before continuing "We didn't like what we were doing, but she forced us to write more because if we didn't or if we tried to quit, she would print embarrassing photos of us three to make up for it...and...and, I don't wanna go through that...*sniff*" she finished before beginning to cry.

Rarity was indeed surprised by what she heard but she began to feel sorry for her little sister.

"Please Rarity, you have to believe me...I'm sorry for what we did...and what I did, I never wanted to do this!" she cried, before she saw Rarity moving towards her.

Rarity placed her left front hoof around Sweetie and smiled. "Oh Sweetie Belle dear...it's alright, I believe you. What are sisters for?" Rarity said as she looked at her face. "You mean the world to me and I understand that you don't want to have embarrassing photos being printed, but ignoring the guilt isn't the answer. You should've just come to me straight away if this Diamond Tiara was bullying you."

Sweetie looked up to her sister as she began to cry a little less "You're right sister, I should've done now that I think about it. But what about those photos, because Applebloom, Scootaloo and I have agreed to quit when we go to School tomorrow and write a final article." she wondered with a worrying look.

"Don't you worry one bit, darling. I along with Applejack will make sure those photos don't get printed." Rarity assured as she brought Sweetie in closer and they both hugged with smiles.

Rarity and Sweetie Belle soon head upstairs to Sweetie's bedroom. "I'll sleep with you so that none of the nightmares of tomorrow get to you. Think of it as a way of me saying that I'm sorry too for being a bit hypocritical with my behaviour. Even though, I did try to help you earlier, I should've been more open as to what your true problems were."

Sweetie Belle smiled better, "Because you forgive me and for being a loving sister, I forgive you too."

Shortly afterwards, Rarity and Sweetie Belle got into Sweetie's bed and got themselves comfortable. Then Rarity used her magic to help her with her dreams so that they would feel fine and ready for tomorrow, before heading to sleep.

At Sweet Apple Acres, Applebloom quietly walked into her family home and up the stairs quietly. Granny Smith was already asleep, as was Big Mac, Applejack was about to head into bed until she heard Applebloom's hoof steps. "Applebloom, is that you?" she asked. There was no reply as Applebloom went into her own bedroom, she then sat down on her bedroom floor and looked miserable.

Even though earlier in the day, Applejack and Big Mac scolded the three fillies and shunned them out without being given a chance to explain why they did it, Applejack sighed as she got out her own bedroom and walked into Applebloom's bedroom.

"Leave me be, sis. Ah've done enough harm to this family." Applebloom cried

"Applebloom, ah can tell something's botherin' ya and ah wanna know what it is." Applejack asked gently.

Applebloom tried to stop crying as she told the whole story about Diamond Tiara forcing the CMC's to print those stories and the embarrassing photos being printed if they refused. Applejack felt guilty, hearing about it and sighed.

"For Pete's sake, sugarcube, why didn't ya just came over and talked to me? Ah would've helped ya out." Applejack spoke calmly

"Cause ah thought we could handle it ourselves, but we didn't think of that, because were still fillies, we're not as smart as you older ponies are..." Applebloom paused as she tilted her head looking at the floor. "...and that...you wouldn't...believe me." she cried again. "Ah'm sorry Applejack...ah let the family down..." she then continued to cry.

Applejack closed her eyes and felt really guilty for showing resentment as well as her hypocritical behaviour towards her sister. "Lil' sis...ah know that ya wouldn't tell a lie. That Tiara sounds like a real bully and should be brought forward to Miss Cheerlie's attention. Not only that, ah'm mighty awful sorry too for shunning ya out, ah guess ah wasn't being a good sister to ya like ah should've been."

Applebloom looked at her sister, she saw Applejack with her hooves out as if asking for a sisterly hug. "As long as ya forgive me, ah forgive you too." Applebloom said who was feeling a bit better as they hugged with smiles.

"Ah do, sugarcube and don't you worry none about the photos, we'll make sure they don't get printed tomorrow. Ah'll come with ya and ah'm sure Rarity will do the same with Sweetie Belle." Applejack assured her as they continued to hug. Soon after their long hug, Applebloom got into her bed, smiling again.

Applejack smiled back as she went off to bed and soon fell asleep, she saw Big Mac standing outside however and he nodded with a smile, as if letting Applejack know that he heard the conversation and that he too apologizes for yelling at Applebloom and forgiving his young sister. They both went back to their own bedrooms, getting into beds and falling asleep.

Meanwhile, Scootaloo was able to ask Derpy for a favor and she took him up to cloudsdale, soon they approached Rainbow Dash's home. Derpy waved goodbye to Scootaloo "Good luck, Scootaloo." she said as she flew off in her own way.

Scootaloo tapped on Dash's entrance arch doorway "Rainbow Dash, are you in here?"

Dash was snoozing away until she heard Scootaloo's voice, she suddenly woke up "What?!" Dash got out of her bedroom to find Scootaloo standing at her home entrance. "Wait...what...how?" Dash exclaimed in total confusion.

Scootaloo explained "Well, it's like this. I wanted to tell to you and tell you the real reasons why we did what we did, so I asked Derpy who we didn't write a story about if she could take me here. I really wanted to tell you something important."

Dash continued to look at Scootaloo with an annoyed look, "I see, so what it is about, squirt?" she asked an impolite manner.

Scootaloo came inside her home and told Dash all about the real reasons, mentioning Diamond Tiara and her bullying antics towards the CMC's. Dash's expression turned from anger to curious. "I don't get it, why would she force you to write those stories?" she asked.

Scootaloo began to feel emotional but she tried to hide it, "Because if we don't, she'll print embarrassing photos of me, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle to make up for the lack of gossip we bring."

"That's it?" Dash asked "So you would face the embarrassment of photos being printed, big deal. You can't let Tiara push you around, right?"

"What?!" Scootaloo exclaimed

"I'm not saying you'll get what you deserve for writing stories about me and everypony else, but if they see those photos, the other ponies might just forget about being angry with you." Dash explained

Scootaloo was shocked to hear this and was beginning to feel annoyed "You can't be serious, Dash! Even if they saw those photos, they wouldn't forgive us for hurting them and Diamond Tiara would get away with it." she paused until she started to cry "You're my idol, I always look up to you. But I can't believe...*sniff*...you would choose sides with a...a...a bully." she then let out a huge yell and began to burst out in tears.

Dash was taken back at her yelling noise and then she began to regret what she just said. "Okay, that wasn't a smart thing for me to say just then. Do you want me to help you out?"

Scootaloo didn't reply as she continued to wail out in sadness

Dash then began to feel sad about her crying too, she walked towards her and spoke calmly "Alright Scootaloo, I'm sorry for what I said and I'm also sorry that I didn't take your feelings seriously, I thought you would be strong to take care of it, but you're still a filly and I realize you need my help since you're my number 1 fan."

Scootaloo began to stop wailing, but she was still crying "But...what about...*sniff*...the raincloud?"

Dash closed her eyes, thinking back to when she pulled in a raincloud to scare the CMC's away, "Yeah, I'm really sorry for that too, I wasn't thinking straight and in a cruel way, I showed myself up to be a bully just like that Tiara filly."

Scootaloo wiped her tears away "You really mean that, do you forgive me, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle?"

"I do, kid...and I forgive you." Dash smiled as she opened up her left front hoof, signalling for a hug. "Don't worry about the photos, I'm sure Rarity and Applejack will help you and their sisters out."

"Thank you so much, Dash" she replied as she went in for a hug.

They hugged for a long time and soon, both were smiling again.

"I wish I had a sister like you..." Scootaloo whispered, hoping that Dash didn't hear it.

"Now umm, how am I going to get down to Ponyville...I can't fly yet?" Scootaloo asked

Dash shook her head slightly "Why not stay with me for the night? It's getting late and when it's the morning, I'll bring you back down outside the school, okay, kid?"

"It's a deal" Scootaloo answered as they went to Dash's bedroom. Scootaloo slept on the bed whilst Dash got underneath the duvet and soon they were fast asleep.

The next morning, Rarity and Applejack met up with the CMC's outside the school. The fillies took them to the basement where the paper printing happens. Diamond Tiara got her comeuppance when she saw Rarity and Applejack walking in and giving her an earful, followed by Miss Cheerlie who had her replaced with Featherweight as the new editor of the Foal Free Press. Tiara was then suspended from School for a month as punishment. The fillies all cheered as the CMC's, Rarity and Applejack left the school grounds.

"Thank you so much for helping us out and saving us from embarrassment." Scootaloo smiled

"Well what are family and friends for? Ah'm just glad ya'll three fillies came to us when the time was right" Applejack smiled.

"Now, why don't we go and tell Dash the news and have some fabulous time spent together?" Rarity suggested.

The CMC's smiled and nodded...soon, it was night-time and away from Ponyville lied a working log cabin where the six of them stayed the night in. The fillies had just finished writing one last short column called "An Open Letter To Ponyville From Gabby Gums." detailing their apology and reasons. Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash could only watch them with smiles as they were very pleased with the way the three fillies handled the situation. The CMC's were smiling all night as they knew that the next day when the letter is printed out in the press, everything would be back to normal with no more hurtful gossip or made up stories being printed, ever again...