2246 words
Chapter 22: Christmas Town407 words
Chapter 23: Saving Sandy538 words
Chapter 24: Taking out the Trash1,475 words
Epilogue: Happy Holidays!625 words

Chapter 6: The Doctor's Hunch

Jack and the ninjas were exiting the graveyard.

"Jack, may I speak to your smaller friends for a moment?" Sally requested.

"Oh? Sure." Jack answered as he, Mikey, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash and Aria left.

"So who is Dr. Finklestein?" Pinkie asked.

"Is he a servant of Oogie?" Rainbow Dash assumed.

"What? No!" Aria responded.

"The doctor is a good friend of mine. I entrusted the town in his care when I left." Jack answered.

"Something must’ve happened to him." Aria noticed.

"That explains your relationship. But why are you worried about the doc, Aria?" Mikey asked.

"While we were stuck here, he gave us a home in his manor." Aria answered.

"That was nice." Pinkie smiled.

"He's difficult, but he means well." Aria explained.

"Whoa…" Apple Bloom awed as Jack and the ninjas saw she and the other two Crusaders walking up.

"What was it Sally wanted from you three?" Jack asked.

"Just a minor errand for later. Open the door." Scootaloo answered.

"Alright." Aria responded as she and everyone else went through the gate and saw the manor looming sinister-like above them. "*Sigh* The sight never gets old."

Sweetie Belle found a weird doll on the ground. "What's this?"

"Uh-oh." Jack dreaded as the doll lunged at Sweetie Belle and started attacking her head.

"HEY!" Sweetie Belle shouted before Jack sliced it in half.

"Jack was that Halloween Christmas toy?" Aria asked.

"Yes, but that shouldn’t be here." Jack answered as everyone else gave him a deadpan stare. "How was I supposed to know those things would attack after I delivered them. They were harmless in Halloweentown."

"Stick with the spooky stuff, Jackie. Don't try taking over Valentine's Day." Aria advised.

"Hey, I’m staying with Halloween. I am the master of terror after all." Jack responded before more toys came and attacked. "And I'll demonstrate my Pumpkin Fire!" Jack added as he went into his Pumpkin King form, becoming a scarecrow with a pumpkin head, much to Rainbow Dash shock and surprise, as Jack grabbed his scythe prepared to fight, before it became two flaming scythes, one in each hand. "Perfect." Jack smiled while with two fierce swing, the toys were reduced to ash with ease. "And what's a king without some knights?"

Jack then breathed strange-glowing fire at the ninjas, not injuring them, but affecting them. They started changing shape and size. Rainbow Dash’s ghostly body started changing into lightning and electricity. Pinkie’s body started becoming bigger as more electricity surged through her. Mikey’s body soon become covered in fur as his head turned into a wolf’s head while he retained his turtle shell. Aria’s hair turned turquoise as all of the snakes on her head faced the same direction as she was facing as her body became scaly all over, while her face was a different story, she gained a forked tongue as her two eyes disappeared, with a big red eye taking its place, while she summoned and grabbed a snake-shaped spear. Apple Bloom’s head turned into that of a jackal, as her body became covered in black fur, as she grow thrice her size, her clothing became silver and purple, and summoning a combination of a staff and an axe into her hands. Sweetie Belles face became covered in darkness as a skeletal horse appeared beside her, as she went onto the horse’s back as she grabbed her head from the top and kept holding it while her free hand summoned and grabbed a scythe. Scootaloo’s transformation however, had the most change, she became as big as Apple Bloom, but she gained goat horns on her head, bat wings on her arms, claws on her feet and hands, a speared tail, and sharper fangs in her mouth, while her eyes turned blood red, for she became a giant muscular demon.

"Look at us!" Pinkie awed.

"Mondo cool, bro!" Mikey said in excitement.

"This so makes up for my weak body!" Sweetie Belle smiled.

"Hoowee! Ah feel as strong as a rampaging bull!" Apple Bloom whooped.

"It's you!" Rainbow Dash gasped at Jack.

"Let’s go!" Scootaloo declared.

"Dash, you looked stunned." Pinkie noticed.

"Well, time to take them out!" Aria said as she glared at a group of enemies in front of her, as the energy from her eye and all of the snake’s eyes turned them to stone, causing the other toys flee in terror as everyone powered down. "It's a straight shot to the doctor's place. Come on!"

Rainbow Dash was still shocked however. "You're the scarecrow."

"Wait, you’ve seen him before, Dashie?" Pinkie noticed.

"Jack, do you remember a pink hair girl being harassed by bullies?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Of course I do, that was years ago." Jack answered before Rainbow Dash's geode reacted and showed her human form for a moment. "Wait… You’re that…"

"I can't believe it's you!" Rainbow Dash and Jack gasped in unison.

"What are you two talking about?" Aria asked in confusion.

"Well, let’s say that Jack and I met before on a Halloween Night." Rainbow Dash answered.

"A long time ago, I found some bullies terrorizing a sweet little girl. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good scare. But I hate bullies doing it." Jack explained.

"Yeah, and I tried to get them to back off before they screamed and ran away. Then Fluttershy and I turned around and saw Jack. *Shiver!* Just remembering that sends chills down my spine!" Rainbow Dash remembered.

"I remember your friend fainted in your arms. Apologies about that." Jack apologized.

"It’s okay. Halloween isn’t the best kind of holiday for Fluttershy, since she can be scared easily." Rainbow Dash explained.

"I understand. If your friend isn't comfortable with it, I won't force it. The important thing is that she's ok." Jack said before he and everyone else found a strange creature blocking their path.

"Wait, isn’t that…?" Aria noticed.

"Aria?" The creature asked.

"Igor?!" Aria gasped.

"Igor, please move aside." Jack requested.

"No. Igor under strict orders not to let anyone in." Igor responded before everyone heard something growling.

"Igor, when was the last time the doc fed you?" Aria asked.

"Oooogh! Igor so hungry!" Igor groaned while rubbing his tummy.

"What does he eat?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Dog treats." Aria answered as the other ninjas were appalled.

"Say what now?!" Rainbow Dash gawked as she flew forward to the front of Aria really quickly to face her, but failed to stop herself as she accidentally bonked the back of her head against a nearby wall.

"We get you bone biscuits, you'll let us pass?" Jack assumed.

"Yes! Yes! Of course! Igor would do that!" Igor responded.

"Ow… That wasn’t cool. And I’m definitely gonna feel that in the morning." Rainbow Dash winced.

"Let's get to the Witch's Shop." Aria declared as she, Jack and the other ninjas went off.

As they approached the shop, a gate separated Jack and Sweetie Belle from the others.

"Jack, I think you'll find I'm not as forgiving as Lock." Shock said.

"SHOCK!" Aria hissed.

"Long time no see, Aria." Shock responded.

"I let you two win." Lock lied.

"Quiet, you!" Barrel replied as he whacked Lock hard.

"Time for me to have fun." Shock declared as she donned her mask as ghosts erupted from the ground. "Get them!"

"You're a bad girl." Sweetie Belle growled.

"I may be a Trick-or-Treater, but I prefer tricks!" Shock said as she snapped her fingers, causing music to start playing as Shock started singing.

"Great, a sequel." Sweetie Belle groaned.

Shock: Hail to Mr. Oogie, heroes never win. When you find our booby traps, they will do you in.

First we brought the master back to take this town away from Jack.

We’d knew they’d fight to set things right, so we got bad guys to attack!

Ghosts and skeletons galore, brainwashed fighters wanting more.

They’re rising up from every tomb to torment Jack and seal his doom!

"They're tone deaf." Sweetie Belle noted.

"You’re telling me." Aria agreed.

Shock: Hail to Mr. Oogie, this is much fun. We make mischief day and night, Our work is never done

Because Mr. Oogie Boogie is the meanest guy around

If I were on his Oogie list, I'd get out of town

He'll be so pleased by our success

That he'll reward us too, I bet

I wonder what it's going to be

We cannot wait to see! Whee!

Sweetie Belle destroyed the last ghost and the gates fell.

"Snack time!" Aria said with a lick of her lips.

"Uh-oh! Time to scram!" Shock declared as she threw a smoke bomb and escaped in the smokescreen, making Aria growl in anger as she caught a rat and started eating it.

"Jack, are you really going to let Aria eat those three?" Pinkie asked.

"I'm starting to consider it." Jack admitted.

"Finally!" Aria cheered as she swallowed the rat.

"If they don't shape up." Jack added as Aria spat out the bones of the rat.

"Come on!" Aria groaned as she and everyone else entered the store.

"Jack, what brings you and your friends here?" The Small Witch asked.

"We need to buy a bone biscuit for Igor." Jack answered.

"Sorry, but Corpse Kid just bought the last one. Said something about helping you guys." The Big Witch informed.

"What?" Jack noticed.

"Uh, while we're here... You two have any Worm's Wart?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Of course! Need them for anything?" The Big Witch responded with her own question.

"No. How much will it be?" Sweetie Belle replied.

"Don't worry about paying. Just save the town." The Small Witch answered.

"Thanks y’all." Apple Bloom said in gratitude.

"I'm all for lunch, but now isn't a good time to eat, Sweetie Belle." Aria noted.

"Trust us. We know what we’re doing." Scootaloo responded.

"Ah got the Deadly Nightshade!" Apple Bloom informed.

"That only leaves one more thing to get." Scootaloo noticed before covering her mouth as her head turned sickly green.

"What are you three up to?" Aria asked.

"Just a little somethin’ ta help." Apple Bloom answered.

"It'll have to wait after we find Corpse Kid." Rainbow Dash said as she, Jack and the other ninjas left the shop and found Corpse Kid about to enter the Doctor's area.

"Corpse Kid?" Jack noticed.

"Hi, everyone." Corpse Kid greeted.

"What are you doing?" Aria asked.

"I followed you guys into the junkyard and talked to Igor. I'm going to give him the Bone Biscuits so you guys can get through." Corpse Kid answered, leaving Jack and the ninjas surprised.

"That's nice, but this is too dangerous for you to do casually." Aria warned.

"But Oogie's monsters stopped attacking. Isn't it safe?" Corpse Kid asked.

"Not until Oogie is gone." Jack answered.

"Give us the Biscuits and we'll rescue the doctor." Pinkie said.

"Okay, but can I hide out in the Doctor's manor." Corpse Kid requested.

"If it helps." Aria answered as she and everyone else found Igor still standing guard.

"Aria bring Igor food?" Igor asked.

"Yep." Aria answered.

"Igor, does the doctor breed frogs, by any chance?" Apple Bloom added.

"Yes! Master breeds plenty of frogs." Igor confirmed.

"Perfect!" Apple Bloom said as she and the other two Crusaders smiled while Igor started eating the bone biscuits.

Author's Note: