Question/Glitch for Multiplayer Mode

[purplelemon]

Not sure if anybody is around to read/answer this anymore...

I'm replaying Four Swords Adventures, this time with a friend. We keep getting the Moon Pearls, as the missions require, however lately the Dark World portals have started assuming the colors of whomever was holding the Pearl, and NOT letting the other player in (i.e. I'm green, so if I have the pearl the portal will be green, and my friend won't be able to enter it.)

I've tried carrying her into it, but my Link drops hers. We are currently stuck because we need all four Links to step on switched in the Graveyard. We were stuck in another level, the one with all the big metal balls flying past. I ended up having to do a suicide run through the balls to get to the switches, but there's no way to do that in the Graveyard.

Is this a glitch, or is there a way to get the portal to change colors? I searched everywhere online but this particular instance isn't mentioned.
Maybe I am missing something obvious?

Thanks, if you can help us!!