Author's note
This story has 3 more chapters until it's done; Now for the next chapter.

Chapter 9: Restoring Holidays

It took a while but the group enters a pitch black room. A familiar chimera is there, glowing more greenish due to the lighting of the area that he's in.

"Discord, we demand that you return the Holiday Leaders to their worlds at once!" Shining demands to Discord sternly.

"Oh, the leader of every holiday is right where they should be...and you're looking at him." Discord said to Shining slyly.

"Where's Oswald?" Twilight demands to Shining angrily.

"Right, where are you holding him?" Golden Heart demands to Discord with a frown.

"Uh, yes, weren't you all listening before? I said I have a debt to repay ol' Oswald Claws...one I intend to pay back in person!" Discord explains to the heroes with a chuckle. This means that the chimera hasn't captured Oswald yet but he plans on doing so soon. "But of course, I don't want any of you to make any trouble during my little visit...so I've hidden the Christmas Door behind something quite nasty. Well, in the meantime, how about some fun, shall we?"

"Great, just what we don't need, irony," Lorcan said with a groan of annoyance.

"The Discord Casino is opened for everypony!"

As the whole place is lit up, the gang saw themselves on a roulette wheel. Rainbow exclaims in annoyance, "You gotta be kidding me! We got to go through this again?!"

"We oughta. I'm sure if we were to find some notes, we can have another dance off to win this, right?" Fluttershy ask her friends meekly.

The group jumps in Discord ask, "Now, what is it we gambling for, you may ask? Nothing much...just your lives! Cue the music!"

As the next song begins, the heroes dodge Discord's chaos magic, trying to attack them as he sings.

Discord: Well well well
Look what the bat dragged in!
Shining, you made it this far?
Oh, I'm really scared!

Shining: Discord, we're here to finish this
Once and for all!

Shining: You're jokin'! You're jokin'!
I can't believe my ears!
You're jokin' me! You gotta be!
Best laugh I've had in years!

Spike: We hope you did amuse yourself
With this, your little fling!

Luna: You'd better pay attention now
'Cause he's the Zombie Pony king!

Discord: You think you are winning
But that's a lot of noise!
Just to be a sport, dear fools
I'll share my Chaos toys!

Shining's group grabs some bombs while Discord tries to suck them in. The shadow beast however ate a bomb while he sings with the ghosts.

Whoa-oh!

Ghosts: Whoa-oh!

Discord: Whoa-oh!

Ghosts: Whoa-oh!

Discord: Whoa-oh!

Ghosts: Whoa-oh!

Discord: I'm the Chaos Makin' Man!

The bomb blows up inside Discord, making him tumbled down before getting up. As Twilight glares, she fails to see three figures coming up behind her.

"So you all have made it this far?" Discord taunts the heroes sinisterly.

"Release the Holiday Leaders!" Pinkamena demands furiously to Discord.

"Right now," Rainbow remarks in agreement. Some notes are grabbed as another dance off begins.

Shining: The leaders of the holidays
Must right now be set free!
Release them all at once
Or you will have to deal with me!

"Us too," Most of Shining's group exclaims in agreement.

Discord: You beat my men
So what? Big deal!
You even ran the maze!
You still can't stop me!
I'm the king of Seven Holidays!

Whoa-oh!

Fluttershy: Whoa-oh!

Discord: Whoa-oh!

Golden Heart: Whoa-oh!

Discord: Whoa-oh!

Rarity: Woah-oh!

Shining: I'm the only Zombie Pony king!

The notes were sent right at Discord hard, hitting him and sending him to the floor. The villain, exhausted and falling despite still being in the center, groaning, "You...you got some nerve to escape my perfect trap. But...the real losers are all of you, fools. He who has the last laugh wins!"

Lorcan just rushed at him, only for Discord to go into the floor, shocking the group. It then rise back up and hit Lorcan back to the gang.

"What is that?" Twilight ask in shock upon seeing what happened.

"I am not sure." Shining said in concern.

But Shining then see Pinkamena staring at it with Golden Heart as well. Pinkamena say, "That's the thing that knocked me out, Big Brother."

"I had a feeling that something much stronger would have took us off guard." Golden Heart said with a frown.

The gang is stumped by that and Fluttershy ask, "You know what it is?"

"Yes it is called a shadow beast. They can morph into anything and anyone at will and can use their skills and stats on their pray or targets."

"And trust us they are the last thing you want to meet." Pinkamena said in agreement.

The shadow beast turns into a familiar shadow as he jokes, "Good work, heroes, you beaten Discord's shadows. Neat trick, eh? Oh, and it looks like you're missing some pony."

The gang looks around making Spike gasps, "Twilight is gone!" It's true, Twilight is missing from sight.

"What did you do to my sister?!" Shining demands angrily to Shadow Discord.

"My new pals took her during the fight. You're all too late as the real me is in Christmas Town! Bye!" Shadow Discord laughs as he glows for a bit. The whole room shakes a bit before a white light flashes. Once it's done, the shadow beat is gone.

A dark portal appears as the Easter Holiday Door came out of it which Pinkamena takes. Fluttershy ask, "Where did that mean shadow beast gone off to?"

"Who cares? We got to find Twilight!" Spike exclaims in worry. "But who took her and where was she taken to?"

"That door is the Easter one." Shining said while glancing at the door being held by Pinkamena. "But where's the Christmas one?"

"I do not think it was ever here at all." Luna said in concern.

"We must make our way back to the plaza."

"Listen carefully, I will try to get the Holiday Leaders out, but I will need some additional help. Lordcan, can you do well without me?"

"Of course, just be careful okay?" Lorcan asks as he hugs Luna. The alicorn heads back to release the Holiday Leaders while the rest jumps into the hole, we can hear a splashing happening.

---

In the town square, the folks were around the fountain, as if wanting something to happen. Sure enough, like every time Shining enter the area every Halloween, the stallion came out of the fountain, the folks cheer wildly. Their Zombie Pony King is back!

Once Shining got out of the fountain, the others did so, landing gracefully...with Fluttershy crashing into Rainbow. The latter groans, "Fluttershy!"

"Sorry." Fluttershy said meekly to her friend.

"This must be where the hole leads to." Golden Heart said thoughtfully.

"Right, very neat!" Pinkamena exclaims with a smile.

"All right, we got to find Twiley...and Discord." Shining said sternly. If the heroes got to get to the villain, they must find the Christmas door and put it in the right place.

"And let's not forget to get some help for Luna. Even she can't handle the task for an alicorn." Lorcan explains to Shining in concern. "Those cages look locked up tight to me."

"You're right. Listen, Rarity, you, Rainbow and Fluttershy go find somepony who could help Luna free the Holiday Leaders. The rest of you, come with me so we can see if anyone knows where Discord has went off to and if there's any trace of Twiley."

Rarity, Rainbow and Fluttershy nods as they head off to find some help while the rest goes looking for someone who knows where Twilight and Discord are at."

---

Shining and his pals found Cherrymon and explain the situation. The Digimon looks thoughtful as he responds, "So you want to know where Discord is at? Yes, I believe I saw him going to Spiral Hill. If you hurry, you can save the Holiday Leader there."

"And Twiley," Shining ask Cherrymon in concern.

"Oh yes, I saw three figures carrying her off to the same place. I believe they look like Rainbow, Spike and Roclan...except they appear to be off somehow."

"Something off, eh; Well, no worries. Oswald and Twilight will be safe." Pinkamena said with a smile. The dragons looks worried for the Spike and Lorcan part.

"While we're around, no one shall harm Oswald and Twilight while we're around." Golden Heart said in determination. As long as the heroes are on the job, no one shall bring harm to his good friends.

"Thanks, Cherrymon." Shining said as the group goes on their way to Spiral Hill.

---

Town Hall has since been repaired. Rarity's group goes inside to find the Mayor at her podium, working or whatever it is that she's doing. The white unicorn spoke, "Mayor, we got a favor to ask of you."

"Right, Discord's lair is under this town and the five Holiday Leaders are being held prisoner there." Fluttershy explains to the Mayor.

"What," The Mayor gasps in shock and alarm upon hearing this.

"Right, Luna is helping them...but she may need some help in releasing them."

"We got to go back to Shining and follow Discord while saving Twilight. While we're done, we like you to help Luna release the Holiday Leaders from the dungeon." Rarity explains to the Mayor kindly. "Once they're released, escort them to a safe place until this mess is fixed. Then you can return them to their world each."

"So you wish me to help Luna rescue the Holiday Leaders?" The Mayor ask the good guys curiously.

"Yes, it will be nice." Fluttershy said with a nod.

"Of course, friends, you can count on me! I won't let any of you along with Shining down!"

The Mayor trots off to go help Luna release the Holiday Leaders. Rarity's group head out. Now that task is done, they need to find Shining and the others to find Discord and save Twilight.

---

Rarity's group arrives at the gate, waiting for Shining and the others who arrive. The stallion explains, "Okay, Cherrymon told me that Discord is heading to Spiral Hill...and there are kidnappers that looks like Rainbow, Spike and Lorcan heading there as well with Twiley."

"What? That's crazy! Who would look like me and kidnapped Twilight," Rainbow demands angrily to Shining. Someone who looks like her has kidnapped Twilight with the Spike and Lorcan lookalike's help?!

"That I don't know."

"Well, the Mayor is going to help Luna take care of the Holiday Leaders." Rarity explains to Shining with a smile. "With that problem being taken care of, we can go after Discord now."

"Right, won't be easy though. While we were coming back to you all, someone has knocked down all the gravestones that causes Discord's monster to show up." Shining explains to his friends seriously. "Also, the gate to Spiral is locked up; the key to open it is in the Graveyard somewhere."

"Great, just great," Lorcan exclaims with a groan of annoyance, "Now what?"

"Well, we will need your glowing scar again...and Spike's help. You two up for the challenge," Shining ask the two dragons hopefully. "We need your help to find the Spiral Hill gate key."

"Of course; I am ready to help." Spike said with a smile. "Right, Lorcan?"

"Fine, let's get this over with." Lorcan said with an annoyed sigh. "The sooner we find that dumb key, the better."

The group enters the graveyard, going through it with Spike and Lorcan leading. A lot of monsters show up, though the heroes wipe them out quickly. Golden Heart comments, "We must be getting stronger through every battle we dealt with so far."

"Right, these dumb monsters fall easy!" Pinkamena giggles as she slashes at a monster in her way.

The heroes kept on going through the monsters. Soon they found a grave nearby that held a key as Lorcan points, saying, "The key is in there."

"Yeah, there it is!" Shining exclaims as he takes the keys. "Thanks, guys!"

"No problem." Spike said with a nod. "Now then, shall we keep going?"

"Normally, the dog in the game would go back to his grave after he's done...but we can get away with minor differences in this story." Pinkamena said to the camera happily.

"Pinkamena, you are really random than Pinkie Pie is." Rainbow sighs in annoyance and embarrassment.

The group returns to the gate, unlocking it and moving onward. More monsters at half the second half of the graveyard which they destroyed; soon the heroes arrive at Spiral Hill which appears to be eerily calm; Odd.

Of course, the group goes up to the hill, spotting a statue next to it. Fluttershy ask puzzled, "What is that thing?"

"Hmmm...Discord must've made it so that no pony can enter the Hinterlands this way." Shining said, seeing Spiral Hill curled up. With it like that, there's no chance that the gang can get to the Hinterlands and fix things.

"What about the statues under it?" Rainbow asks as the group spots four statues under the first one. Odd, there's something familiar about them.

"Wait, I got an idea!" Pinkamena exclaims eagerly. She took out four of the Holiday Doors and put them into the statues. Soon the first statue plays a sad while Spiral Hill uncurled.

"Nice idea, Pinkamena. Of course, we will have to leave these Holiday Doors here for now, we just need two to bring back to the Hinterlands." Golden Heart said thoughtfully. "Of course, some of us will have to stay here to make sure the bad guys don't try to keep us from coming back or until the place is clear."

"Well, Shining. Fluttershy, Rarity and I will deal with things here." Rainbow said to Shining with a grin. "Just fix things and find Twilight, okay?"

"Right, thanks, guys." Shining said with a smile, happy for his friends' usual assistance. Just then, they saw a familiar alicorn on Spiral Hill. It's Cadance! A shocked Shining spoke up, "Cadance, what are you doing here? It's too dangerous!"

"I had to warn you: Discord is heading for the Hinterlands...and Twilight is being taken here as well. I got a bad feeling that more trouble will come should you go this way." Cadance said to her love in sadness. Shining, touch, trot up Spiral Hill as he begins to sing.

You give me strength to show you care
I cannot fail with you so near
I know I'd be lost without you

Cadance with a smile sang with Shining.

Both: We'll stand together, now and forever
And I tell you, this very troubled night
That we will set things right

Shining takes Cadance's hooves, the two loves smile to each other. The Zombie Pony King looks into the alicorn's eyes while saying, "Cadance, it's okay. No one will stop us from returning Halloween Town back to normal. You'll see."

Shining then nods to Lorcan, Spike, Golden Heart and Pinkamena who follows their friends as they head off to the Hinterlands. Rarity calls out, "Good luck!"

Cadance gave out a small smile on her face. The mare knew in her heart that Shining can fix everything...hopefully.

---

The group looks around their new surroundings, which is now black and white. Shining frowns while saying, "Hmmm..."

"Man, is this place black and white or what?" Spike asks in concern. "It's like something bad has happened."

"It has, listen; Spike and I will put the St. Patrick's Day Door back in its place. The rest of you do to the same for the Independence Day one."

"Right; once we're done, let's head back to the entrance." Golden Heart informs everyone.

Shining and Spike heads to the path that leads to the St. Patrick's Day Door while the others go down the other one; The stallion calls out, "Remember, find anything suspicious, bring it back with you! It might help us out?"

Shining goes down the path until he found a tree that has a door that looks like a clover...but Discord's face is right on it. The dragon frowns while saying, "I've seen enough of that ugly mug on the real thing!"

Shining put the real door back into place. Soon the Discord door begins to break until it was completely destroyed, allowing the real St. Patrick's Day Door to go back to where it belongs. A white flash appears. When all is clear, the tree is gone with color returning to the area.

"Well, that explains what happens when a Holiday Door is put down." Shining said with a nod. The stallion and Spike saw another path opening up, going down it.

A minute later, the duo found the tree with the Independence Day Door just as it begins to flash before disappearing from sight. Golden Heart, who put the door back into place, say, "Amazing..."

"Looks like we came here in time."

"The tree's gone." Pinkamena points out to Shining with a smile.

"Right, the color is back at least." Spike said with a nod. The group saw another path opening before they took the left one. Soon they found a tree that has a Discord door that looks like the Easter Holiday one, "Aww, man. We don't have that door."

"Time for us to go back and..." Lorcan was interrupted as the way out was blocked off. More monsters appear, "Oh great, more of these creeps?!" The scarred dragon yelps as one of the monsters hit him. "Ouch!"

"Oh, they really made me mad!" Spike exclaims angrily as he saw what happened to Lorcan. He shoots out a huge inferno that hit the monsters, destroying each and everyone one of them. Soon they are gone.

"Dang, bro; remind me to never get on your bad side."

Just then something fell to the ground, they spotted that it's the egg-shaped door with Discord's face right on it. Shining mumbles in interest, "Hmm..."

"Looks suspicious," Golden Heart said with a frown at the door.

"We got this done. The other path probably leads to another Discord door."

The group moves on, finding another door that is the Thanksgiving Discord one being guarded. Shining and the ones with him got rid of the creatures before getting it then go back to the entrance. The gang goes through more paths, destroying the monsters and taking the remaining doors which are the Halloween and Valentine Day's doors with that monster Discord's picture right on them.

"And what are we supposed to do with these ugly things?" Spike asks his pals as they go back to the entrance.

"Perhaps...if we replace the Discord doors with the real Holiday ones back at Spiral Hill...yes, we could put all the doors back into place!" Shining exclaims thoughtfully. It could work and the gang won't have to worry about Spiral Hill being curled up again.

"Wowie, nice idea, you're a genius, Shiny!" Pinkamena exclaims to Shining with a smile.

"But there's still the Christmas Door left to find." Golden Heart reminds the others. "And we still haven't found it. I wonder where it could be."

"Let's go back to the others and tell them our plans." Shining suggests as the group leaves the Hinterlands to inform Rarity's group of the idea.

The group returns to Spiral Hill, the ones who remain there saw them with Rarity waving, saying, "Shining, over there!"

As the gang came closer, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow saw the Discord doors, making the yellow one ask, "Why are you carrying those ugly things with Discord's face on them; If you don't mind me by saying so."

"Just take the doors and follow us." Shining instructs the mares as he and his friends switch the Holiday Doors with the Discord ones, allowing Spiral Hill to remain uncurled. With that done, they head back to the Hinterlands, explaining the plans to the ones who stayed behind.

"So any idea where the Christmas Door is at," Rainbow asks her friends curiously.

"Well, that Discord feast said that he hid the door in something 'quite nasty'." Lorcan explains with a nod. "But what does that mean?"

"Not sure...but we got to hurry and find it if we are to..." Shining begins to say to his pals but three figures appear, blocking their path. "Whoa!"

"You shall not prove, mortal." A robotic voice said; the one who spoke looks like Rainbow Dash, but has more metal figures, black slippers and a glowing red light. Two beings with her looks like Spike and Roclan, except the latter is adult form in a baby dragon size and the former is more grayish with a dark glow, with a scar on the right side of his head. "The Rainbow Droid is here to serve Discord."

"Hi, Daddy! Miss me?" Lorcan Hyde laughs madly to Spike.

"Hyde..." Spike said with a frown on his face.

"Friends of yours," Golden Heart ask Shining and the ones who lived in Halloween Town in concern. "The dragons I mean."

"Lorcan Hyde, Spike's evil double, and Roclan whose is mine was a result of a spell gone wrong." Lorcan explains to Golden Heart with a frown. "As for the Rainbow Droid, not a clue."

"Lord Chester made the Rainbow Droid...well, let's say he did while he was still bad." Roclan laughs madly. "And we got a surprise for you."

"Shiny, ponies!" A familiar voice is heard. The gang gasps as they saw Twilight tied up to a tree nearby.

"Twiley," Shining exclaims as he tries to get to his sister but the bad guys block the way.

"Now it's time to die, mortals. You shall not succeed!" Rainbow Droid booms as the next fight begins between both sides. "You won't find out what Discord is planning on doing."

"Wanna bet?" Rarity asks the trio of bad guys with a frown.

"Lame, cliché," Lorcan Hyde remarks with a scoff as he grabs Rarity, smirking in an interesting way. "But I can take you out of the battle the gentle way if..."

"Get your claws off her!" Spike snaps as he tackles Lorcan Hyde, making him let Rarity go.

"Fight!"

The Rainbow Droid fires lasers right at the good guys who dodges them, Roclan fires an ice spell at Rainbow who dodges him. The mad version of Lorcan booms out, "When we're done, it will be Discord Day from now on!"

"Over our souls it is!" Rainbow yells out as she spins around a few times, hitting Roclan down on the last spin.

"Take this!" Golden Heart exclaims as he send down a thunder spell right onto the Rainbow Droid, causing it to scream a few times. The dragons slash at the good guys with their claws, causing them to yell in pains.

"We got to put an end to this!" Fluttershy cries out in worry. "Somepony is going to get hurt."

"Allow me. Soul Robber," Shining exclaims as he uses his Soul Robber to grab the dragons, then begins spinning the two doubles around.

"Hey, let go, release us!" Lorcan Hyde demand, getting a bit sick.

"I am the Zombie Pony King; Ha ha ha ha!"

"Prepare to..." Rainbow Droid was cut off as Pinkamena jumps in and slash her a few times. The droid blinks then fell to pieces, literally.

"Man, glad Pinkamena is on our side." Rainbow said to her friends while motioning to Pinkamena, causing them to nod slowly in agreement. That is one pink pony you don't want to cross.

"Let us go, right now!" Roclan demands angrily to Shining.

"If you wish," Shining laughs as he tosses the two dragons into the air. Golden Heart's horn closes as a portal appear, Lorcan Hyde and Roclan screams as they fell through it, disappearing from sight before the portal closes.

Meanwhile, Spike and Fluttershy quickly unties Twilight, releasing her. The purple mare exclaims, "Thanks! But what did you did to those two?"

"I send them to the portal to another universe. We won't see those two again." Golden Heart said with a slight grin.

"Thank goodness." Spike groans a bit. "I have seen that fake too much for one after life time."

"Twiley, you're okay." Shining said as he hugs Twilight, the siblings laugh happily. "I was worried that you would've been hurt."

"Shining, we're undead. Would being hurt be a problem?" Twilight ask her brother skeptically.

"Good point." The group spots a dark portal appearing on Spiral Hill and what came out of it? Yes, you guess it: the Christmas Holiday Door. The gang ran up to it as Shining takes it, saying, "All right, this fiasco is over. We have all Holiday Doors now."

"Right, come on, we have to hurry to Christmas Town." Twilight said with a smile.

"And save Oswald!" Pinkamena exclaims as the group heads off to the Hinterlands. Time to put all the doors back into place and get to Christmas Town in a hurry!

Author's note
Twilight's saved and all the Holiday Doors has been found. Now it's time for one more detail. In the next chapter, after putting the Holiday Doors back into place, the gang goes to Christmas Town to save Oswald before he's crushed. Then it's time for the final showdown against Discord and his final form. Can they beat him once and for all? Read, review and suggest, folks!