Author's notes: Story 100?! What a coincidence! Wow! This story is one of my favourites of the RWS. It's a shame we don't see Sir Handel's reaction to the news in the books, but here I think we got a reasonable one.

Duck and Dukes

Narrator: On the day before Skarloey's and Rheneas' 100th birthday, Peter Sam and Apple Bloom along with Miss Ravens had taken the passengers to Crovens Gate with Agues, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice to where Duck was waiting with some coaches and Applejack on bored his cab whilst Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Holden got down. Mr. Hawkins was waiting for Sweetie Belle to come by and pick him up for work in Sir Handel and Mr. Holden waited for Babs Seed with William.

Peter Sam: Hi Duck, Applejack, Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Holden.

Apple Bloom: Hi Duck. Sis!

Miss Ravens : Hey Will, Mike.

Applejack: Hey Peter Sam, coaches, Miss Ravens. Come here AB.

(The apple sisters run over to each other and hug)

Duck: Hi Peter Sam, Apple Bloom, coaches, Miss Ravens. Aww. Sister love. So where's Mr. Roberts?

Miss Ravens: Oh, he's helping with Duncan and Scootaloo with the hay traffic.

Mr. Hawkins: I'm just going to be waiting for Skarloey to try out our new saloon coaches.

(Sir Handel comes up with Sweetie Belle.)

Sweetie Belle: Saloon coaches? I didn't know we had those.

Mr. Holden: The thin controller and Princess Luna and all us found one of these abandon in garden at Harwick in 1959, and then we found 7 more in several places on Sodor, as derelict grarden shed's, hen house's, abandoned summer home's and summer holiday chalets.

Sweetie Belle: Golly. They must be in terrible condition?

Miss Ravens: Well they were, but Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Holden, Pipsqueak and I restored them all with the help of our friends from the railway society.

Sweetie Belle: Oh that's nice.

Sir Handel: It sure is. Things are going 1st rate. (Looks over to Peter Sam, quietly) This has to be perfect for… you know who. Ok?

Peter Sam: (Quietly) You got it. Tomorrow's the big day. The others are going to be so surprised!

Mr Hawkins: (As he got into Sir Handel's cab) What are you 2 gossiping about?

Sir Handel/Peter Sam: Nothing Mr Hawkins. (Chuckling quietly to each other.)

Sir Handel: See you guys later. (Puffs off)

Peter Sam: Skarloey is going to be using them to pull a special centenary train to celebrate 100 years of good and reliable serves of the line.

Duck: Oh, that's wonderful.

Peter Sam: That's not even the half of it. The Duke of Sodor is coming to are railway as well.

Duck: (Sadly) Oh. That news. Yes. It's been going around the island for a while now.

Lucy: What's up Duck? You look a little down.

Duck: I've been telling you all week. There are no dukes. They were fine and stately, but they've all been scrapped.

Apple Bloom: That's sad.

Peter Sam: Oh no! This is dreadful. The thin controller, said the owner, said the duke, said that he was coming to open our sanitary around the lake. And now he's scrapped. And Skarloey's and Rheaneas's 100th birthday will be spoiled. Oh dear. Oh dear! And… NO!

Narrator: Peter Sam puffed away, nearly in tears and nearly leaving Apple Bloom behind.

Miss Ravens: Wait Peter Sam! That's not the duke that Duck meant…..

Narrator: But Peter Sam was in such a state he could listen.

Duck: Oh dear. I didn't mean to make him that upset.

Applejack: Ya did mean well Sugarcube.

Narrator: After finishing his work, Peter Sam took his coaches back to the carriage shed, fearing the worst, and then puffed back to the engine sheds. Back at the sheds, the engines had all returned from another hard days work and were chatting excitedly when Peter Sam bustled in and stopped so quickly that Apple Bloom and Miss Ravens fell over in the cab.

Peter Sam: Guys!

Apple Bloom: Oh! Ouch! That hurt.

Miss Ravens: Ow! Calm down Peter Sam.

Peter Sam: Sorry AB, Miss Ravens. You alright?

Apple Bloom: (Gets up) Ah think so.

Miss Ravens: (Helped up by Apple Bloom) Me too.

Sir Handel: What's bitten your funnel Peter Sam?

Rachel: Honey, you look worried. Tell us what's troubling you.

Peter Sam: It's Duck. He has been telling me all week this thing, and at 1st I thought it was a joke. But now, I think it's true.

Scootaloo: What is it Peter Sam?

Peter Sam: He said that... (Nearly cries) that all engine dukes are scrapped.

Freddie: (To self) What? This can't have happened. No…

Rachel: Oh Peter Sam. You poor thing. I will give Duck a stern talking to. He cannot upset you like this.

Miss Ravens: Now calm down Rachel. Duck's probably think about a different kind of duke, not the one that Peter Sam has in mind or us as well.

Rachel: But he hurt my boyfriend's feelings. I can't let that…

Mr. Holden: Look Rachel, I respect your opinion and that you want to protect Peter Sam, but we can't jump to conclusions yet.

William: Rachel, please I think Mr. Holden is right. We don't know the whole circumstances just yet we need to give it time and try to find the facts before drawing our conclusions.

Skarloey: Your Right young William. I think, that Duck was just pulling your wheels Peter Sam.

Peter Sam: No Skarloey. He was quite serious.

Skarloey: He always jokes like that.

Rusty: Yeah Peter Sam. No sweat.

Rheneas: You have got to lighten up. Do you remember when he told us that the thin controller wanted to put Duncan as a static display at Croven's Gate? What a lark!

Narrator: All the engines and driver and ponies laughed as Duncan went red in the face with anger and embarrassment.

Duncan: Huph! That'd be right! Just pick on me why don't you...

Freddie: Guys! This isn't funny, in the slightest.

Narrator: Just then, the Thin Controller and Princess Luna came to stop the racket.

Princess Luna: BE STILL THY ENGINES, PONIES AND DRIVERS!

Narrator: Everyone hushed.

Thin Controller: What's going on? Luna and I can hear you from our office.

Skarloey: Peter Sam thinks that the Duke Of Sodor who's coming to mine and Rheanes' birthday has been scrapped.

Peter Sam: (In tears) He has sir. He has, Duck told me so…

Princess Luna: We haven't time for Duck's nonsense now. Thou Mr Peter had a recent phone call that will change tomorrow's arrangements.

Thin Controller: Skarloey, you'll meet the duke at 11:00am instead of 10:30am.

Princess Luna: Now, next time thou have a conversation, or should thy say 'augment', tone it down please.

Narrator: With that, the Thin Controller and Princess Luna departed.

Duncan: If there is a duke.

All: DUNCAN!

Sweetie Belle: Let's get some rest. I don't like to argue again.

Rheanes: Good idea SB.

Narrator: Sir Handel had been silent through the whole argument. He looked worriedly over at Peter Sam.

Sir Handel: Is that awful thing true? Please say that it's a cruel joke.

Peter Sam: (Sighs, still with tears streaming down his face.) No… we've failed him Sir Handel. He's scrapped.

Narrator: The words hit Sir Handel like a ton of bricks, and he had to fight tears back before he went to sleep. The main 4 drivers and the CMC went to the back to Crovans Gate Hotel. At the hotel that night, the little foals were sound asleep but the main 4 drivers were still awake they were concerned.

Miss Ravens: Oh dear. I really wish we can find something to stop Peter Sam and Sir Handel's worries.

Mr. Hawkins: I know what you mean. They looked very upset. I just hope this doesn't cause any confusion.

Mr. Roberts : Definitely. I really hope Rachel, Peter Sam and Sir Handel don't do anything brash.

Mr. Holden: Same here. I hope it doesn't interfere with the Centenary.

Narrator: Miss Ravens shuddered.

Miss Ravens: Oh, parish the thought.

Narrator: The next morning, the engines were just waking up when there was loud bang woke them all startled and the next thing they knew confetti and streamers fluttered down around the shed.

Pinkie Pie: Surprise! Happy 100th Birthday Skarloey and Rheneas!

Narrator: Then as quick as flash of lightning, she quickly got a piano and she and Mr. Holden sat down and began to play and sing.

Pinkie Pie: (Singing) what's the use of walking in the shadows each day, there's no sense in looking for the rain. (speaking) eh no offence rainbow dash.

Rainbow Dash: Heheh none taken.

Mr. Holden: ( singing ) You know the only way to drive the shadows away.

Mr. Holden/ Pinkie Pie: (singing) Follow this advice it's mighty plain…

Narrator : Then as quick as flash again, Pinkie Pie went and came back with her entire one pony band piece and the cleaners and drivers and ponies all joined in greeting the birthday engines with all metal band, the thin controller and Princess Luna all banged a metal plate as loud as they could. The Owner smiled and held his ears as the engines punctuated the music with there whistles.

Pinkie Pie: (singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

You know this old world is a great world after all

Mr. Holden: (Singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

And right away watch "Lady Luck" pay you a call

Sweetie Belle: (singing) Things are never black as they are painted

Pinkie Pie: (singing) Time for you and joy to get acquainted

Mr. Hawkins: (singing) Make life worthwhile

Come on and smile, darn ya, smile

William: (singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

For there is nothing that you cannot overcome

Rainbow Dash: (singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

And where the clouds appear you soon will find the sun

Luna: (singing) Life is really only what Thou makes it

Rachel: (singing) Stand right up and show them you can take it

Miss Ravens: (singing) Make life worthwhile

Come on and smile, darn ya, smile

Rarity: (singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

You know this old quaint world is a great world after all

Mr. Roberts: (singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

And right away watch "Lady Luck" pay you a call

Rusty: (singing) Things are never black as they are painted

Time for you and joy to get acquainted

Duncan: (singing) Make life worthwhile

Come on and smile, darn ya, smile

Applejack: (singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

For there is nothing that you cannot overcome

Apple Bloom: (singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

And where the clouds appear you soon will find the sun

Babs Seed : (singing) Life is really only what you make it

Stand right up and show them you can take it

Freddie: (singing) Make life worthwhile

Come on and smile, darn ya, smile

Twilight Sparkle: ( singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

You know this old world is a great world after all

Fluttershy : (singing) Smile, darn ya, smile

And right away watch "Lady Luck" pay you a call

Sir Handel: (singing) Things are never black as they are painted

Time for you and joy to get acquainted

Peter Sam: (singing) Make life worthwhile Come on and smile, darn ya, smile

Luna: (singing) Smile Darn thee!

All ponies: (singing) smile, darn ya,

Humans/Engines: (singing) smile, darn ya,

All: (singing) Come on and smile, darn ya, smile

Narrator: Soon the music ended and the owner looked at his watch.

Owner: Alright, that's enough. Lets get going.

Narrator: So with that, Rusty, Apple Bloom, Mr. Hugh, Rachel, Babs Seed, Sir Handel, Mr. Roberts, Sweetie Belle, Duncan, Freddie and William went to fetch their coaches with the aid of Scootaloo and Applejack and Rarity, and Rainbow Dash whom had offered to assist. Visitors from both Equestria, Sodor and the mainland crowded the big station at Crovans Gate. They wanted to go to places along the line to watch the celebrations, Peter Sam and Rheneas carefully practiced there parts with Featherweight, Apple Bloom, Mr. Roberts and Miss Ravens. Passengers and ponies in Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy and Beatrice all wore clothes of 1865, and Miss Ravens found and wore her great grandmother, Emily Ravens old clothes from when she first arrived on Sodor in 1864. They were in prestige condition because Rarity had used her magic to fix them up to be as good as new. Rheneas had to pull them behind Peter Sam's television trains, not too far, and too close so that camera man and Featherweight could get a good shot with there cameras. Visitors waved, and soon they reached a special siding near the extension where they settled down to wait. The other engines and ponies were there too.

Peter Sam: Listen. Here comes Skarloey and they're cheering him.

Sweetie Belle: I see him, Pipsqueak and Mr. Holden too.

Rheanes: Good. Perhaps that will make up for his disappointment over the duke.

Narrator: But Skarloey was far from disappointed.

Skarloey: We've brought the duke! We've brought the duke! We've brought the duke!

Narrator: And with a cheerful whistle, Skarloey puffed proudly in 8 of the saloon coaches and triumphantly came to a stand still between Rheneas' and Peter Sam's trains. Mr. Holden and Pipsqueak stepped down and like Miss Ravens, Mr. Holden was wearing his great grandfather's clothes from when the two of them first met on the P.S Cumberland in 1864. Just then, a distinguished looking man stepped out of the train carrying a bottle of champagne went to the front of Skarloey and to the engines (Barring Freddie, Rheanes, William and Skarloey himself) surprise and shock smashed the glass bottle of champagne onto Skarloey's front buffer beam as people and ponies clapped and cheered. Then he climbed into the footplate with Pipsqueak and Mr. Holden and drove Skarloey around the extension.

Peter Sam: The nerve of that man!

Rachel: How dare he hurting Skarloey with that bottle he should be ashamed of himself.

Duncan: That to hurt, how could he?

Narrator: Rheneas and the ponies all laughed and explained.

Rheneas: Calm down. He wasn't being rude or hurting him, he was wishing Skarloey a safe voyage.

Sir Handel: Huh? What do you mean?

Freddie: He was just christening Skarkloey.

Rachel: Huh? What's crystaling?

Mr. Hawkins: It's called christening Rachel. It's ceremonial ritual in which people wishes a certain ocean vessel, or in this case, a railway engine a good and safe voyage. This is often done by cracking a bottle of champagne on a certain end of the engine in this case to wish them a good voyage.

Rachel: Oh! So that's what he meant.

Peter Sam: Oh! But isn't it a bit barbaric?

William: Heheh. Not at all, a lot people have done this practice for many years.

Narrator: The engines felt better at once. Then Skarloey returned triumphantly back in, and soon the man, The Thin Controller the owner, princess Luna, Princess Cadence and Princess Luna all stepped out and around Skarloey while the man stood on Skarloey's buffer beam.

Duke Sir Richard Roberts : Ladies, Gentlemen, ponies and engines. I along with the fair princesses of Equestria have pleasure of declaring your lovely lakeside loop line extension officially open.

Narrator: Peter Sam could bare it no more.

Peter Sam: Um excuse me Sir Duke, I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you real?

Narrator: There was shocked silence but the Duke chuckled and smiled and explained kindly.

Duke Sir Richard Roberts: Heheheh don't worry young Peter Sam. Skarloey told me that you've been listening to Duck. He thinks that Dukes are Great Western Railway engines that were built in swindon in 1938. However, dukes are really people that can either be a monarch ruling over a duchy or a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch. I am happy to inform you that I am really live duke.

Peter Sam: Oh! So that's what a real duke is. (muttering quietly.) Bust my boiler, I should have know, what with… him talking endlessly about them. I'll give duck dukes any day.

Duncan: Hush Peter Sam!

Rachel: (Quietly and crossly to Duncan.) Don't you dare speak to my boyfriend like that!

Miss Ravens: (Quietly and sternly to all 3 engines) All of you be quiet now. This is not the time for quarrelling.

Narrator: And the 3 engines, abashed, subsided into silence.

Duke Sir Richard Roberts: (To the owner) I congratulate you sir, on your remarkable railway. It must be a record indeed, to have 2 locomotives in regular service and both 100 years old.

Luna: Indeed. Thou should be proudth thy railway's record is definitely a marvel it.

Cadence: Your loopline is definitely a marvel in both beauty and history, thanks to our friends Sweetie Belle, Pipsqueak, Miss Ravens and Mr. Holden.

Narrator: The two foals and two humans blushed.

Celestia: We are indeed proud of your efforts to keep your lovely railway and engines still running even through the darkest hours since 1864. We are proud of you and I am proud of my little sister for all her contribution she has put forth on this railway.

Narrator: The two regal alicorn princess's hugged each other.

Celestia/Luna/Cadence/Duke Sir Richard Roberts: Long live them, and good running to Skarloey and Rheneas, your famous old engines.

(The cheering and clapping died away.)

Person from the crowed: Speech!

(The cry was soon taken up.)

Owner: Go on Rheaneas.

Rheanes: Alright sir. Here it goes. (Takes a deep breath) Thank you your grace and everyone and everypony for your kind wishes. You've given us both a lovely 100th birthday. But your grace and maladies, Skarloey and I aren't the only, "record engines". We got twin brothers: Talyllyn and Dolgoch were built at the same time as us, so they're 100 too and they're still at work. Their railway is at Tywyn in Wales called the Talyllyn railway. Please go and see them your grace, and everybody, and wish them, "Many Happy Returns" from Skarloey and Rheanes, their little old twins.

Narrator: After the great ceremony, Duck was waiting at the station again. Rachel had asked the thin controller and Princess Luna if she and Peter Sam could swap jobs for that afternoon, as Rachel had stern words for Duck.

Duck: Ok. I should be calmer with Peter Sam when he comes up... uh oh.

Applejack: Your in for it now Duck.

Rachel: Duck!

Miss Ravens : Oh no no no Rachel please he just had a misunder….

Rachel: How could you just make my Sammy upset like that?!

Miss Ravens: (sighing deeply) Standing…..

Duck: I... I didn't mean too Rach. Honestly.

Rachel: And you made my future brother in law upset as well! What do you have to say for yourself?!

Duck: Rach, I...

Narrator: Miss Ravens left to board Ducks train to Knapford. The whistle blew, and Duck left at a loss for words. Rachel left in a hump.

Miss Ravens: Duck. I am so very sorry about that, we've tried to explain to them that it was just a misunderstanding.

Duck: That's alright. I know it wasn't your fault.

Narrator: But all the same, as they left, Miss Raven's still remained very thoughtful about this. In Duck's train in the coaches, she and Mr. Holden was too both knew that something had to be done before it got out of hand. I'm afraid for you and me that that is another story for another saga.

And that other saga will be 'Duke The Lost Engine'... which we will have to wait another 5 books to get to. For now, let's get to 'Mainline Engines'. See you there.