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...