Author's notes: Ok. When I said in the last part to brace yourselves, I really meant it. This story, has some of the darkest themes I have ever seen, not counting scrap/death. If you feel confident, I suggest getting a stuffed toy or hugging your dog, cat, bunny, whatever as you read this. If you are extremely sensitive, I'll tell you where to skip.

Family Fallouts

Narrating Sir Handel: For many days, Peter Sam and I were feeling very depressed about Rachel's and William's departure. Miss Ravens and Apple Bloom noticed it, but they didn't blame them.

Miss Ravens: Come on Peter Sam. Let's get our coaches ready.

Peter Sam: (Moody) Yes Ma'm.

Apple Bloom: Come on now Peter Sam. I know it seems tough, but you've got to pull yourself together.

Peter Sam: (Moody) I don't see how….

Narrating Sir Handel: Peter Sam collected his coaches, then went to the platform. Donald and Big Macintosh, whom had told the ponies and engines all about what had happened, warned them to be nice to Peter Sam and me. Henry was waiting at the platform when Peter Sam arrived.

Henry: Hullo Peter Sam. Um, I hope this isn't rude of me to ask, but how are you and Sir Handel holding up?

Peter Sam: (Sighing mournfully) Not too good to be honest.

Applejack: I see you really do miss Rachel and William don't you?

Peter Sam: (Sadly) Yes I do and so does Sir Handel

Apple Bloom: (Sad) and we all miss William too.

Peter Sam: (Sad sigh) Ah well. Still, I shouldn't complain. My Rache would never approve of it, and neither would Granpuff.

Applejack: I know, but don't y'all worry. We're doing the best we can to find Duke and we won't quit till we find him. That's the honest apple fritter truth.

Peter Sam: (Sad sigh) Thanks Applejack

Applejack: Hey what are friends for?

Narrating Sir Handel: The guards whistle blew and Peter Sam puffed sluggishly out of the station.

Agnus: Don't worry Peter Sam.

Jemima: Duke will be back before you can say 'That will suit his grace'.

Ruth: You do want to see him again, don't you?

Peter Sam: More then ever, I really do.

Lucy: Just think about being able to see him again.

Beatrice: That'll make you happy.

Peter Sam: Still… I miss my sweet Rachel.

Narrating Sir Handel: Later on, Gordon was waiting at Crovans Gate. He was getting impatient.

Gordon: Oh, where the devil is that Sir Handel!

Rainbow Dash: GORDON! DON'T START THAT UP! He and Peter Sam are having a rough time!

Gordon: Oh dear I nearly forgot.

Narrator: Soon he saw poor Sir Handel puffing sadly into the station.

Gordon: Hey, Sir Handel, are you doing alright?

Sir Handel: Not really Gordon.

Sweetie Belle: We're all worried for him and Peter Sam. Ever since William and Rachel left, they've been very monotone. We've done all we could to try and cheer them up.

Sir Handel: Ah well we've just got to make the best of a very bad situation. (Tear drips) No matter how heart broken we are.

Narrator: Rainbow Dash felt very sorry for me. She flew next to me and spoke kindly to me.

Rainbow Dash: Now there there Sir Handel. Look, I'm gonna tell you something, but, if you guys tell anyone else, I'm gonna deny it .

Sir Handel: Alright. Our lips are sealed.

Rainbow Dash: When I was young filly and even the age I am now, I lost some of my old friends too. But at least I still have Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity. But as we pegasi always say, when we feeling the blues, broken wings and ruffled feathers always mend in time. Tell Peter Sam I wish him the same thing.

Sir Handel: (Sad sigh) Thanks Rainbow Dash. I will pass on the word. Uh… you haven't given up on looking for Duke have you?

Rainbow Dash: Oh, don't worry. We're not giving up our search for Duke at all. We will keep looking until we find him, even if it takes us till next Christmas.

Sir Handel: Thank you Rainbow Dash. That means a lot to me and Peter Sam

Narrating Sir Handel: I clanked out of the station. Every night when the ponies were coming home from searching for Duke, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie went to Crovans Gate to try and cheer Peter Sam and me up. Rarity and Sweetie Belle would give us a good polish till we shone like the crystal ponies, Applejack, Apple Bloom and Babs Seed would sing them songs and tell them stories about the Apple family, Pinkie Pie would tell us a few jokes, Twilight Sparkle, Pipsqueak and Featherweight would tell us stories of what happened in Equestria, sometimes a bit of Equestira history, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo would read Daring Do to us, and when all that's done, Fluttershy would sing us a little song to go to sleep. Although we smiled, we still felt an empty place inside us. However, when Duke came home it, was different story. We were so delight to have our Grandpuff back that we soon forgot we were sad. After a good shake down, Duke, Peter Sam, myself and Fearless Freddie were all happily working together like a family again. Mr. Holden and Miss Ravens were also happy again.

Mr. Holden: Oh Duke it's so wonderful to have you back again.

Pipsqueak: Indeed, it's just wonderful to see you all working together like a great Mid Sodor Family.

Duke: Heheheheh. It's good to be back.

Miss Ravens: Oh, we've missed you so much Duke.

Duke: I've missed you too guys

Peter Sam: Heheheh. It's like the good old days are back and here to stay.

Sir Handel: You can say that again Peter Sam.

Sweetie Belle: Oh this is wonderful. I've never seen Peter Sam so happy in his life.

Apple Bloom: I know. It's so wonderful to see Peter Sam and Sir Handel happy again.

Fearless Freddie: Agreed. It's great to have you back to Duke.

Narrating Sir Handel: And the MSR family seemed to be happy together for a long time. Until one day…

(Present day, Crovens Gate sheds)

Sir Handel: Uh, Duke, I think we'd better take turns telling the story here.

Duke: Good idea.

Spike: Whatever do you mean.

Duke: Well…

(Flashback, 1989, Crovens Gate station)

Narrating Duke: I was happily waiting at Crovans Gate station with Gertrude, Millicent and Cora, as well as Mr Hoskins and Featherweight when Duck arrived arrived.

Duke: Hello Duck. Lovely day isn't it?

Duck: Hey Duke. It sure is. I haven't seen you since you were rediscovered. How are you running?

Duke: Very well. I'm very glad to be out on a proper run since the MSR had been in operation. Being in a shed for a long time really stiffens your wheels and joints.

Narrating Duke: Duck hesitated for moment, then reluctantly told me the truth.

Duck: I'm not surprised. Especially since it's been 22 years before you were even mentioned to the others by Sir Handel and Peter Sam.

Featherweight: (To self) Has it really been that long?

Mr Hoskins: (Heard Featherweight, quietly) Don't ask me. I wasn't there when the MSR closed.

Narrator: I was shocked at what Duck had said.

Duke: You're making a joke and it's not funny.

Duck: I'm sorry Duke, but I'm afraid I'm not. Us great westerners never lie you know.

Narrating Duke: Before I could say anything else, the guard's whistle blew, and Duck was off. I looked at my buffers, very down indeed.

Duke: Why did they just do that to me? Is it because, I am a bad teacher?

Featherweight: Now Duke, I'm sure there is an expiation, but I don't think it's that.

Mr Hoskins: Neither do I.

Narrating Duke: I puffed off with the coaches and Featherweight and Mr Hoskins. Later, Skarloey, Rheaneas, Babs Seed, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Pipsqueak, Scootaloo, Mr. Holden, Miss Ravens, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Roberts, Mr Thomson along with Peter Sam, Sir Handel, Duncan, Rusty and Freddie were happy chatting to each other in the shed while being serviced for the night, when they saw me in a depressed state.

Peter Sam: Granpuff? Are you ok?

Sir Handel: What happened?

Fearless Freddie: You look as though we closed down.

Narrating Duke: My depressed expression turned to cross.

Duke: Why did you do that to me!? You just left me there for 22 years. You haven't even mentioned me to the others until 1969 and now, you had the cheek to replace me with Skarloey and Rheneas!

Narrator: Sir Handel and Peter Sam couldn't believe what they were hearing and neither could Freddie as the foals coward behind Skarloey and Rheneas.

Peter Sam: Granpuff, we can explain…

Sir Handel: Yes please Granpuff let us explain to you.

Miss Ravens/Mr. Holden: Duke, please calm down!

Duke: I thought you cared about me! But instead, you just go off and have your little adventures without me while I am alone locked up in that shed, without anyone to talk to. Just get out of my sight, both of you!

Narrating Sir Handel: Miss Ravens and Sweetie Belle climbed quickly into Peter Sam's cab and he puffed off, tear stuck. Skarloey, Rheneas, Freddie and Rusty were very cross at Duke's behaviour but Sir Handel was absolutely furious and enraged with Duke! Before Skarloey, Rheneas, Freddie and Rusty could explain anything, I spoke furiously at Duke. I was trembling with anger. And I tell you, to put it mildly, what followed was very ugly.

Duke (Through Flashback): Be lucky you weren't there Spike.

Spike: (Through Flashback): I am.

Author's notes: For those of you who are prone to being extremely upset, skip from here now!

Sir Handel: (Furious) (To Duke) Get out! And stay out!

Duke: (Enraged) I beg your pardon what did you Just say?!

Narrating Sir Handel: Duke's temper rose but my temper climbed higher. My voice was trembling with more fury than before and gradually getting louder.

Sir Handel: You heard me I said. Get out and stay out!

Narrating Duke: I bulged with rage.

Duke: (Rage) Well I never! This will never suit his grace at all!

Narrator: But before I could finish, Sir Handel's temper finally snapped and at the top of his voice he roared furiously.

Sir Handel: (Fury and Rage) DON'T YOU DARE PREACH TO ME ABOUT HIS GRACE! YOU BACK STABBING! HYPOCRITICAL! SANCTIMONIOUS CRACKPOT OLD RUST BUCKET!

Duke: (Furious) WHAT?! HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO YOUR MENTOR LIKE THIS! HOW DARE YOU INSULT HIS GRACE! YOU REALLY DID REPLACE ME YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE….!

Sir Handel: (Furious) NO WE DID NOT! PETER SAM AND I NEVER REPLACED YOU! PETER SAM AND I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT YOU EVER SINCE WE LEFT THE MSR! AND IF IT WASN'T FOR ME AND PETER SAM, YOU'D STILL BE STUCK IN YOUR STUPID LITTLE CAVE TO ROT AWAY FOR ETERNITY! BUT NOW SEEING THE WAY YOU'VE CHANGED YOUR BEHAVIOUR, REPLACING YOU AS MENTOR SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA AFTER ALL! YOU'RE THE ONE WHOSE UNGRATEFUL!

Narrator Duke: I was enraged. My voiced changed way out of character but if I was that angered, it wasn't compared to Sir Handel.

Narrator Sir Handel: I was furious. Tears of anger poured out like a waterfall, my eyes red from both tears and rage and my voice changed in an even more frightening way.

Narrating Duke: None of the Skarloey Railway engines nor the little ponies had ever seen heard Sir Handel and me so angry In their lives! We were shouting at each other so loudly, the noise could be heard all over the island! Maybe even to Equestria…

Duke: HOW DARE YOU FALCON! DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR SPEAKING TO?!

Sir Handel: (Incandescent with flaming rage) AS MATTER OF FACT I DO! I'M SPEAKING TO YOU MUDPUFF! AND THAT MEANS YOU! YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE CALLED DUKE OR GRANPUFF ANYMORE YOU TREATED US LIKE MUD SO YOU'RE NOTHING BUT MUD TO ME, MUDPUFF!

Duke: (Incandescent with rage) WWHHHAAAATTTT! HOW DARE YOU YOU'VE HIT A NEW LOW FALCON!

Sir Handel: NO! YOU HAVE MUDPUFF! YOU SHOUTED AT ME AND PETER SAM! YOU HURT MY MSR BROTHER AND MADE HIM CRY! YOU ACCUSED US FOR ABANDONING YOU! YOU'RE HIT A NEW LOW THIS TIME MUDPUFF! SO HOW DARE YOU YOU CRACKPOT OLD FOOL! YOUR NOT ROLE MODEL ANYMORE, YOUR NOTHING BUT CRANKY HYPOCRITICAL GOOD FOR NOTHING OLD BULLY! YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MENTOR AND GRANDFATHER!

Duke: (Furious beyond emotions) YOU LITTLE SWINE!

Sir Handel: YOU'RE THE SWINE MUDPUFF! I'M NEVER SPEAKING TO YOU EVER AGAIN! AND I'M NEVER LISTENING TO YOU EVER AGAIN! I'M STICKING WITH MY REAL MENTORS, SKARLOEY AND RHENEAS! AS FAR I'M CONCERNED, YOUR NO LONGER MY MENTOR OR GRANDFATHER ANYMORE MUDPUFF! AND DON'T YOU DARE EVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN YOU BACK STABBING GOOD FOR NOTHING SCRAP PILE! (Roaring at the top of his voice) III HHHHAAATTTEEE YYYOUUU MUDPUFF!

Author's notes: From those of you who skipped, you can continue from here.

Narrating Duke: Peter Sam, whom was taking shelter in the yards close to the sheds with Miss Ravens and Sweetie Belle soothing his ruffled feelings and all three of them heard the fight between Sir Handel and me and much to the horror of Sweetie Belle, Miss Ravens, Mr. Holden and the rest of SkR engines and the little foal ponies in the sheds hiding behind Freddie, but Peter Sam he felt as if it was nightmare come true. Personally, I don't blame him for that.

Sir Handel (Through flashback): Neither do I.

Peter Sam: (Crying) Oh! Of all the things I expected, I didn't expect it to end like this.

Sweetie Belle: I know, I know Peter Sam. Shh. Don't you cry.

Miss Ravens: It's not your fault Peter Sam. (Starts to sing a lullaby to calm him down)

Do not cry,
Do not fret,
Though darkness may call,
Do not forget.

I am here,
I will stay,
Though trials may come,
I'll keep evil at bay.

Peter Sam: (Now a little calmer) Thank you Miss Ravens. God bless.

Narrator Sir Handel: Meanwhile, Freddie, Rusty, Skarloey, Rheneas and Mr. Holden tried to calm us down. The foals were terrified. They were quivering, frightened and nearly on the edge of tears. The Thin Controller and Princess Luna heard the commotion and quickly hurried to the sheds to find me and Duke lashing out at each other.

Luna: SSSSSIIILLLLLEEEENNNNCCCEEEEEE!

Narrator Duke: Princess Luna's traditional Canterlot Voice boomed so loudly that it rattled all of our frames! This made me and Sir Handel stop arguing, but we still glared at one another.

Thin Controller: Now, what in thunderation is going on here!?

Duke: Sir, I have been informed that my two good for nothing grandsons Stuart and Falcon have….

Sir Handel: THAT'S PETER SAM AND SIR HANDEL TO YOU MUDPUFF!

Luna: (Royal Canterlot voice) SILENCES BOTH OF YOU!

Thin Controller: Thank you Princess Luna. Now then, I am going to ask the witnesses first. Skarloey, our old faithful.

Skarloey: Well, I along with the rest of the engines, Miss Ravens, Mr. Holden, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Roberts and the little foals we were talking to happily together, and Duke came in looking very furlong and we were all concerned. Sir Handel, Peter Sam and Fearless Freddie asked him what happened they were worried. Duke told them that he had been stuck in that shed in Arlesdale for 22 years without being mentioned by Peter Sam or Sir Handel.

Thin Controller: I see. Mr. Holden, my father's old friend, what happened then?

Mr. Holden: Well afterwards, he seemed very upset and angry with Sir Handel and Peter Sam. He started raising his voice. Peter Sam and Sir Handel tried to explain everything, but Duke was to upset to listen and shouted at them to get out of his sight.

Luna: I see. Pipsqueak, our faithful colt from Trottingham, does thou know anything else?

Pipsqueak: Yes, I do. Me the foals were very frightened and we took refuge behind Freddie, Skarloey, Rheanes and Rusty. As Sweetie Belle and Miss Ravens drove a tears stricken Peter Sam away to calm down in the yards. Skarloey, Rheneas, Freddie and Rusty were cross with Duke and were just about to speak to him, when Sir Handel snapped.

Thin Controller: Really. What do you mean? Rheanes, our gallant old engine.

Rheneas: Well, Sir Handel was absolutely enraged with Duke for accusing him and Peter Sam for abandoning him for 22 years and for hurting Peter Sam's feelings. Then Sir Handel started yelling at shouting at Duke and the two of them got in a terrible verbal fight with each other.

Luna: (In her mind) I knew we should have done the right thing and told everyone about Duke sooner than later. (To the engines, ponies and drivers) I see.

Thin Controller: (Firmly) Sir Handel and Duke, Princess Luna and I are most displeased with the two of you!

Luna: The both of thou has caused a disturbance in thy sheds and round thy island! Thou's truly had just heard from thy sister that thy engines on the NWR had stopped work until they knew what was going on.

Duke: (Angrily) It was Stuart's and Falcon's fault. They abandoned me for 22 years!

Sir Handel: (Angrily) No it wasn't! It was that lying hypo critic Mudpuff's fault! Mudpuff shout at me and Peter Sam and made my brother cry and accused us for abandoning him. He's the one to blame!

Thin Controller: (Loudly) SILENCE BOTH OF YOU!

Luna: You two have been behaving like ungrateful whelps! We are very ashamed of the both of thee.

Thin Controller: So as punishment for your immaturity, I am going to take a page from the SkR's history books and you two will be faced back to back in the sheds without another word until further notice. Do we make ourselves clear!

Sir Handel/Duke: (Glaring at each other) Fine!

Narrating Sir Handel: And so it was arranged. Me and Duke were faced back to back. Myself in the front of the sheds and Duke in the back, refusing to speak to each other as Skarloey and Rheneas both looked at each other gravely.

Skarloey: (Sighs) Oh dear. I was afraid this would happen my brother. History is repeating itself.

Rheneas: No kidding dear brother.

Narrating Sir Handel: Peter Sam came back a short while later into the sheds next to Freddie and me. Mr. Hawkins, Miss Ravens, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Holden, Mr Hoskins and Mr Thomson along with the ponies all went to rest, tired and unhappy, to Crovans Gate hotel. And whilst Peter Sam was glad that Freddie and I were still glad to talk to him, Peter Sam still felt very very sad. First he and my friend William and Peter Sam's girlfriend and my other friend Rachel had been taken away, and now me and Duke had now had a family fallout and had broken our family bond.

Oh man did this take a lot of out of me. I also decided it was best for Sir Handel and Duke to tell this together for the sake of ease. Next one isn't as scaring for Duke and Sir Handel, but it does still show that they have no signs of getting back as Grandfather/Grandson.