Based on Morningstar1337's The Path of Absolution stories, in the sense that Diamond Tiara actually reads the letter that the CMC give her before printing it, and thus setting off a new chain of events.

1) While Diamond Tiara may have had the good sense to read the apology letter/letter of resignation before-hand, she makes the mistake of actually making good on her blackmail threat and prints the embarrassing photos of the CMC, which leads to Diamond Tiara's downfall. Rarity, the Apples, and Rainbow Dash (and Scootaloo's family, if you don't believe her to be an orphan) know the CMC well enough to know that they would rather take these embarrassing secrets to the grave than to publish it in a newspaper, which leads to the elder sisters/surrogate sister/parents/guardians to asking the fillies about the article, leading to their confession of being blackmailed and, after becoming pariahs, trying to trick Diamond Tiara into printing their confession/apology/resignation, only for the brat to see right through the ruse. In the end the CMC are able to give a proper apology to everypony, and are subsequently forgiven and everypony apologized to the CMC for not giving them the chance to explain the situation. Diamond Tiara, on the other hoof, not only looses her position as editor-in-chief, but is barred from working on the school newspaper completely, is grounded for two whole months (which is an eternity for a child), is forced to publicly apologize to the CMC and Ponyville, forced to write apology letters to every pony she did an article on (including Princess Celestia, at Twilight's, quote unquote, insistence), and what little reputation she may have had is now in shambles, even Silver Spoon's having second thoughts about her friendship with DT.

2) Feeling as though they wouldn't be welcomed back to their homes, the CMC are forced to sleep in the clubhouse. That night, all three fillies suffer a terrible nightmare, where their reputation as Gabby Gums ends up ruining their life, all the while a nightmarish caricature of Diamond Tiara constantly teases them. Just when the nightmare was about to it is zenith, Princess Luna intervenes and attempts to dispel the horrors, only to find that the very root of the nightmare was the memories of the days that the CMC were forced to work for Diamond Tiara, forced to write humiliating articles of the ponies of Ponyville under the threat of Diamond Tiara printing humiliating articles about them. Of how the CMC tried to ask for help, only to be turned away, even by their friends, families, and idols. Of how they tried to publish their letter of apology, only for Diamond Tiara to catch them and make good on her threat, further outcasting the CMC. Needless to say, the Princess of the Night was not amused, and resolved to inform Celestia first thing in the morning.
The following morning, Ponyville received a most unexpected and unamused guest in the form of Princess Celestia, who had more than a few words to say to the citizens, and to the Elements of Harmony, for failing to hear out the CMC, to Diamond Tiara for forcing ponies to do things they don't like against their will, to Filthy Rich, for allowing his own daughter to get so far out of control, and to Cheerilee, for failing to notice the bullying and coercion sooner and putting a stop to it.
In the end, the CMC are forgiven, and are understanding and forgiving of the actions of their friends and family, while Diamond Tiara is humiliated, barred from all after-school programs, suspended (Cheerilee would have expelled Diamond Tiara, were it not for Celestia's insistence for a less harsh punishment), grounded, and now has to travel along side her father while he tries to preserve as many of his business agreements as possible (being reprimanded by a Princess does much harm to one's reputation), and Silver Spoon has been forbidden by her parents from ever seeing "that little pink trouble maker" again (not that Silver ever wants to have anything to do with "that loser has-been" ever again).

I like idea number two, I wanna see everyone realize how stupid and childish they were towards the CMC.

4143383

Well, these ideas are up for grabs to anyone who wants them, just be sure to post a link to it here.

4143306 The ideas you have right there are a thousand times better than Path To Absolution, I mean Snow Queen? Seriously?

It's amazing how that fic epicly derails itself from the story it starts with.

I do say, both ideas sound awesome, but I just like number 2 more. And I gotta agree with 4143501. Either of your ideas is infinitely better than P.T.A.

Yes! Let there be suffering to those who deserve it!

4143306
Number two should also include the townsfolk being called out for being massive hypocrites and how their demand for more gossip resulted in gossip being made about them and Featherweight for taking the embarrassing pictures of the CMC and giving DT leverage.

4143650 Didn't think of that at all, thanks.

YES!!! These ideas need to happen!! #2, especially!

4143306

love the concept idea for this. only problem why i hated this episode its because the CMC were treated soo badly that nopony wanna forgive them,

4143568 Yeah, I never saw in any other fic the level of shark jumpery that I saw in there. I haven't read it entirely and I don't wish to since by seeing the number of chapters it drags a lot.

4144219 Same here.

4143501
4143568

You guys must be thinking of Punishment, and I agree, it really did jump the shark there. The, sadly, on hiatus Forgiveness seems to be a lot better if the ratings are anything to go by.

I've just came up with another scenario: You guys noticed how Featherweight took a picture of Diamond Tiara and the CMC when the former was threatening the latter with the embarrassing photos? My idea is that the CMC manage to convince Featherweight to give them that very photo, which they use for a story revealing their identity as Gabby Gums, their attempts at leaving the paper, and Diamond Tiara's blackmailing them and her insistence at revealing more embarrassing secrets of the Ponies of Ponyville. The next morning, Diamond Tiara waltzes her way to school, acting like she's Faust's gift to Ponykind, when several Ponies confront her and show her the front page article of the Foal Free Press. Need I say more on the issue?

4143588 Honesty I think you would do a good job at number 2.

4155165 I imagine I would, but I'm done writing fanfics here. Seven is my limit.

4155243 Aw.

4159909 I know. Sorry. But at least I'm still around.

I like Number 2 aswell but also I have to ask this doesn't anyone else think that Featherweight should have been punshied to?

I mean he went around the town taking everypony's pictures for the coloumn, don't you think that is just as bad as the CMC writing the stories. I mean even during the blackmail scene we see him smirking at the girls situation and doesn't show any form of regret for what he did. Plus by the end of it the episode he gets AWARDED the position for Editor n Chief because of that? seriously? I'm I the only one who thinks that he is just as involved with Gabby Gums just as much as the Crusaders. And forget about Featherweight for just a moment and ask yourselfs this... what exactly are The CMC being blammed for anyway? is it just because of the stories? I don't think so.

Remember the part when Big Mac told the CMC just to go away (I just HATE that scene!) he mentioned to them to take their embarrassing photographs which is to say that they are blamming them for taking the pictures for the coloumn aswell. When clearly it was just Featherweight who was going around taking the photos for Gabby Gums! So really shouldn't he have gotten punshied along with everyone that was involved with Gabby Gums. I mean they weren't just blamming the CMC for writing the stories, they were blamming them for everything to do with it from running the paper, taking the Photos and of course writing the stories.

Of course that's just what I'm thinking but have saying that I truly think the CMC shouldn't have been given that sort of treatment at all and that Featherweight should not have been given an award for taking embarrassing photos for the paper. What do you guys think though do you think I'm right about Featherweight?

4709513 How did I miss that? Seriously, this need to be made into a fic, ASAP!

4718210 Thanks I wish I could write a fanfic for this myself unfortunatley I'm busy with my other fanfics I have planned out. But I also want to see this happen in a fanfic. But mostly I hope to see a sequel episode in the series where Ponyville realized they made a terrible mistake when they find out what was really happening behind the scenes with Gabby Gums.

I really do like #2. I'd really love to read what Celestia has to say to everyone! You can't just shun three little kids!

Another thing I wonder about with this episode. What do you suppose may have happened if one of the CMC's falls ill while in their clubhouse or of one of them left for various reasons and was found lying unconscious from being ill?

6199485

Good lord, now there's a thought!

6205029 Another thing comes to mind.... kidnapping! or as they say in Equestria, foalnapping! suppose one of the crusaders or all three turned out to be missing as a result of foalnapping. The town, as well as the Mane 6, will be sorely responsible should that have happened.

6205035
I think that might be pushing things a little, but that's just my opinion.

Now that I think about it, though, it could work if pulled off just right. Perhaps instead of all three of the CMC getting kidnapped, only one or two get snatched, and the remaining member(s) try to get help, except the Ponies of Ponyville refuse to believe, or even listen.

One path this could go down is the remaining Crusader(s) tricking Spike into sending a letter to the Princesses requesting help. Another would be for Diamond Tiara, showing that she's not completely heartless, to listen to the Crusader(s), to actually believe them, and manage to get Ponyville to help find the other Crusader(s).

4143306
Now these would be a AWESOME alternate ending's to that episode, and here's some bonus advice for your idea's: If what happened to the CMC's got out to those in and outside of Canterlot other than the Princesses, well let's just say what would these folks think of either of the MANE 6 afterwards?

Twilight's Parents
Shinning Armor
Princess Cadance
Hoity Toity
Fancy Pants
Sapphire Shores
Photo Finish
The Wonderbotls
Applejack's Cousins
Rarity's Parents
Gilda
Rainbow's Parents

4143306
I really like this idea!