Split Apple

"Well." Blossom waved slowly through the air. "Ah can be anywhere, so let's try a few somewheres." With Big Mac's nod of a consent, she lifted him in her magic and they casually ceased to be on a mountain. They were in Ponyville, right in front of the bar Berry had taken Big Mac. "Scene of the crime."

Big Mac hit the ground with a soft clop. "Are we really here?"

"'course not," scoffed Blossom. "We're still sleepin' an' all. Still, worth a shot, right? Let's look around."

Big Mac trotted in a jog into the bar. Ponies were all over, still having a good time with their libations and partying. "Huh..."

"They're doin' good." Blossom was next to him, also looking around slowly. "If they're like this... reckon ya ain't makin' that big ah deal. Where were you sittin' when things went dark?"

"Ah can't remember that!" So he went to spots he did remember being, and looked for a berry-themed mare while he was at it. "If ya see her, she might know... if we can ask her."

"No promises there." Still, she spotted Berry, crashing mugs with somepony else. "How do dreams ask a pony a question?"

Big Mac hurried over to look at her. "Don't rightly know... Wait. Wait! If this is a dream, then so's she."

"Hey." Just like that, Berry took notice of Big Mac, smiling brightly at him. "Feel better now? A few drinks can put a pony straight, like I told you."

Blossom poked the tipsy mare. "We were hopin' you might know where he passed out?"

"Oh, well, I took ya home." And they were in her home, just like that, darkened. There was Berry slumped over Big Mac's body, sleeping herself, and yet still talking to them despite that. "Drinker's code. You don't leave a pony behind! You drank with me, so you were my responsibility until you stopped feeling the drink."

Big Mac sank next to them both, even if he was one of those both. "Thank ya kindly... Now how do I wake up?"

"I wouldn't rush it." Berry waved that idea off. "You got hit hard. You wake up now, you'll probably regret it. Sleeping is nice and pain free, so enjoy that for as long as you can and maybe you can skip the rough part."

Blossom patted the tipsy mare. "You're awful helpful. Thanks for the advice."

"Aw, ain't nothing." She flopped over with a giggle. "Say... why is there a pretty mare in my house? Not complaining, but I don't remember drinking with you." She started with a snort. "I forget lots... lots and lots... but who I drink with? Never..."

Big Mac rubbed at his head. "Are you a part of my dream, or are we visitin' yours right now?"

Berry's eyes widened, but only for a moment. "Woah, heavy... I couldn't... I couldn't say." She patted herself down carefully. "I don't feel like I'm dreaming, but when... When do we ever feel that?"

Blossom patted along Berry's cheek, not that she was doing much to stop it. "Think she's real. 'Member Fancy?"

"Didn't move much. Was just kinda there..." Big Mac nodded at the memory. Berry was drunk, but seemed entirely there. She was responding and doing things on her own. "Hey, just got an idea."

Blossom turned to her brother. "What kinda idea? A good one?"

"Hope so." He smirked at the comment. "Don't be like that. If we're three ponies in a dream, bein' worried, that's like a big signal fer a pony ah know."

Berry began clopping, but the cadance was entirely off. Only sometimes did her hooves reach each other, often clapping at the air silently. "Woah, yes! Bring on Luna! I remember the last time she showed up. That was awesome! So cool..."

"What is going on here?" Descending from above on stately wings, Luna descended towards them. "Never have I seen a dream like this.... save for that one time." She colored, thinking of that one other time. "I didn't cause this."

Berry whistled, though it was a poor whistle, stuttering, but her best.

Blossom nodded at her fellow princess. "Sorry to bother ya. We got a little mixed up."

"A 'little?'" Luna touched down in the darkened room. "Big Mac, Berry Punch... You shouldn't be here." She fixed her eyes on Blossom. "You have no body to dream with here. Which pony does this belong to?"

Blossom pointed at Big Mac. "Started as his, ah think."

"Then ah found her." Big Mac pointed at Blossom.

Blossom turned her pointing hoof at Berry. "Then we found her. Can ya help?"

Luna sighed with a chuckle. "What a mess. Very well, if this is Big Mac's dream, I can at least start to unwind this tangle. You belong here least, may I send you home?"

"Please." Blossom spread her wings wide. "Ready."

"You're a princess." Berry just noticed this fact of Blossom. "Two princesses, neat..."

Luna ignored the drunken ramblings, banishing Blossom back to her own dreams. She wasn't even supposed to have those, but there was no conciousness of Big Mac to keep them at bay. "One less thread. Already this dream feels less cluttered." She turned to Big Mac, to find Blossom at his side. "W... I just..." Luna frowned at the stubborn princess. "Very well..."

She waved at Berry, finding her easier to send off to her proper rest. "That leaves us with you two. You--" She pointed at Big Mac. "You're not dreaming."

Big Mac blinked at that. "Ah'm not? This ain't a dream?"

"This is. Hers." She pointed at Blossom. "You are passed out. There is a difference. You should be seeing nothing. It is your tie to her that has allowed you to share her dreamspace like this... Hm." Luna considered the puzzle, tapping at her chin. "I'm uncertain if I can seperate you two. I can try to banish you, Big Mac, but you have no dream to land in. If it works, you will simply cease to exist until you awaken."

"Not sure ah like the sound of that..." Few were the ponies that wanted to try not existing, given the chance.

"Sleep is a little death." She rested a metal-clad hoof on Big Mac's head. "With dreams or not. If you don't like it, I recommend you drink less."

"Agree with that," gruffed out Blossom. "Lay off the booze, brother, and stop botherin' mah sleep!"

Big Mac sagged with regret. "Well, don't mean to bother her none... if sendin' me back lets her get her sleep, go 'head."

"Thank you." Luna examined the ties between the two, that complex web. "And... here..." She reached out both hooves for the vital part. "Sleep well." With a gentle tug, Big Mac vanished with a pop. "There we are. Now, I will take my leave, and then your dreams should resume."

"Wait." Blossom twisted left and right. "Ah don't normally dream. What kinda dream will I have?"

Luna shrugged at that. "Well, what a pony normally dreams of. Things that occupied your thoughts, or events of the day, or even flights of fancy as you sift through ancient and unconnected memories, making sense of them all."

Blossom waved at where Big Mac had been. "I was him until recently, that mean ah may dream of that?"

"Maybe?" Luna inclined her head. "That is a part of you. Would that upset you?"

Blossom rubbed at her cheek. "Ah... suppose not, just a little... odd... Ah mighta been that afore, but ah ain't that no more."

"I am not the pony I was yesterday." Luna curled a wing gently around Blossom. "But I may dream of that yesterday me. That is the nature of dreams, to see and sort all the things we are, or have been, or even could be. It is not a judgement made by anypony, even yourself."

"Ah won't take up yer night bein' a foal about this." Blossom stood up. "'sides, can't have my brother showin' me up! If he can take just not 'xistin' fer a while, ah can take a few dreams ah don't even haveta think 'bout."

Luna nodded, returning her wings to her back. "Very well. If you need speak of them further, you know where to find me, and I know you can reach it easily." She flashed a smile. "Use your talent, so I may use mine. That feels fair." She ascended, wings flapping gently as she lifted into the air. "Dream well."

"Good luck with yer patrol." Blossom waved until Luna was gone, and her dreams took hold, casually pushing her into a game of golf with some random pony that she felt she had to beat at any cost. Why? She had no idea, but dream logic demanded she didn't question that too intently.

Big Mac awoke with a suffering groan. He kept his eyes closed, as even the barest peek sent knives into his skull. "Ayup..." He fought his way slowly to his hooves, realizing he wasn't in his bed, or his home. "Berry?"

"Mm?" The mare sat up in her bed, the same bed. "Hey" Her eyes seemed sharper. Had she slept off her drunkenness? "Feeling better?" She stopped. "That's a no." She'd seen how he winced at her words. "I got a cure for that." She jumped to the ground, clearly not experiencing that pain herself. She rushed out of sight with a rapid clip-clop.

Big Mac slid to the ground with slow and deliberate motions. "Thanks," he mumbled out, barely a whisper. He tried to follow her, but every step was an effort that felt far too much. He barely got a few down the hallway, heaving and aching against a wall.

Berry Punch came back to him with a tall glass. "One more drink. This one won't get you a buzz, just help chase away the stabbing."

That sounded good. Big Mac grabbed the glass with both hooves and chugged it down without a pause, swigging every last gulp he could get from it. "Thanks..."

"You partied hard." She took the glass and casually flipped it onto her back to rest for the moment. "Thanks for joining me. Feel better?"

"No." He rubbed at his still aching head.

"Right, yeah... Rest. When that isn't happening, you're free to go, or hang out."

Something about the way she said that. "What do most ponies do?"

"Huh?" She inclined her head. "Stagger home, most of 'em before they even have their head on right. Nopony hangs out with Berry after they're done being drunk. She's the mare you hang out with to get drunk. How it goes."

Big Mac sat up slowly. The cure wasn't really making it go away, but time was slowly wearing it down. He'd have to wait, like anypony else that drank too much. "Bet yer a fine pony. Wanna talk?"

Berry perked an ear at that. "Don't have no drinks here at home... Want me to get some?"

Big Mac grabbed for her shoulder. "Wanna talk?" he repeated, emphasizing the last. "Just you and me. No drinks, just talkin'."

Berry swatted at him gently, just to stop when she saw how much pain that caused. "Sorry... You serious?"

"Just a quiet chat." He sank to his belly, eyes closed. "Shouldn'ta drank so much... You drink like that all the time?"

"Every day." She threw a hoof wide, clearly not hung over at all. "Party mare, that's me. Like Pinkie, but with way more booze and way less party favors."

"Well, um..." He tried to sort his thoughts. "She parties 'cause they wanna be wit' ponies, to learn 'em and get real close... You lookin' for the same thin'?"

Berry glared at him, but that softened. "Wow... Most ponies get real quiet when the headache comes. You get insightful... I'm not sure how I feel about it." But she sank next to him. "We can talk a little while... Maybe I'll learn something."