[Friday Afternoon]

“So I heard the new ‘Spider-Mare’ movie came out recently last week,” I said as the three of us left Roxxie’s makeshift home/shop. “I was thinking we could catch the closest showing first, grab lunch, and go to the park afterwards.”

“Oh I’ve been wanting to see that!” Roxxie exclaimed excitedly. “I hope she kicks as much ass in the movie as the comics I sometimes read.”

“Going to the park sounds wonderful too,” Teala added. With the plan for the day agreed on, we walked to the movie theater as our first stop, while Roxxie was talking about her last training regimen at the West Side Gym.

Something about Roxxie. If the… Thought out description of her body earlier wasn’t obvious enough, she’s training to be a professional fighter. Learning and studying as many fighting styles possible before she settles on one or two main ones to focus on for her future matches.

Her dad, Jabber Stone, was a well-known fighter when he and Sultry met in Manehattan, a time when she was Sultry Spool before they had gotten married. Unfortunately, during Sultry’s pregnancy, Jabber wanted to do one last match before he retired and help take care of their future daughter. Well… Let’s just say he retired permanently after that match. One good right hook to the side of the head was enough to crack and break Jabber’s skull inward, penetrating the brain before he died of internal bleeding.

When Roxxie was old enough to hear about her father’s career, she was somehow inspired to follow in his hoofsteps, not only wanting to become the best fighter in Equestria, but to become strong enough to protect her mom like her dad would have wanted, plus me and Teala. I knew where she was coming from, as I have a dad I look up to, and want to be strong like him one day. Sometimes she would let me train with her, teach me some fighting moves, and we even sparred to see how much I had improved when we didn’t have school to worry about. Sadly, I haven’t really gotten a win out of her yet. But looking back to those times, I remember some matches where we had got pretty… physical. While even though she had come out on top numerous times, there were some cases where I didn’t realized I kind of liked being in the positions she pinned me down on, especially some where she got so close I could see her beautiful yellow eyes… Like what she was doing right now.

“Hellooooo? Earth to Cy? You okay there bud?” Roxxie asked, snapping me out of my walk on memory lane. I shook my head, getting myself back to reality.

“Huh? Wha?” I dumbly responded.

“Are you sure you’re okay Cyan?" Teala asked with a look of concern. "You’ve been kind of lost on us lately today. Have those late night study sessions been too much for you?”

“I’m sorry, I’m fine,” I assured with a wave of my hand. “I was just thinking back to the times Roxxie had beat me in all those sparring matches. I’m starting to think I may not be able to keep up with her,” while that was partially the truth, I didn’t want to tell them what really went on in my head.

“Don’t beat yourself so soon yet Cy,” Roxxie interrupted. “You’ve gotten better since the first time we trained together as far as I’ve noticed. You got the determination and drive to improve, you just need to give yourself more credit.”

“Hmm, that sounds so familiar. I wonder where I have heard of that before?” Teala asked with a sarcastic tone.

I think I realized another flaw from Teala. Though her sarcasm can be funny sometimes, there are others when that can get kind of annoying. Even if she was trying to make a point.

“’Course, that’s if you’re gonna be Equestria’s best fighter,” Roxxie added. “The kind of title I KNOW I’ll be getting myself someday.”

Then there’s Roxxie’s big ego of hers that can get other ponies rolling their eyes like bowling balls.

“Is there a reason why we stopped?” I asked, hoping to change the subject before things got out of hand.

“Well after snapping you out,” Roxxie replied. “I was going to tell you that we’re here,” she gestured to the movie theater in front of us where we stopped.

Huh, I must have been more out of it than I thought. It takes a bit getting from Roxxie’s to get over here. I really need to stop keeping my head up in the clouds, and I’m not even a pegasus.

“Oh, well what are we doing just standing out here? Let’s get those tickets and get in!” I exclaimed before I got in line for the ticket booth first. Teala and Roxxie glanced at each other, and shrugged before they joined in. We paid for our own tickets before we walked inside.

“Man that movie was awesome!” Roxxie exclaimed as the three of us walked out of the theater sometime later. “The ending was kind of cheesy for my taste, but it was still great.”

“I thought it was a good ending,” Teala commented. “I had loved some of the more romantic scenes. Like how the heroine kissed her crush passionately while upside down in the rain after saving her from those thugs, and web-slinged up and out of the alley in that one scene? That was certainly my most favorite,” she expressed before sighing dreamily.

I have to say, even I was a little intrigued with that kiss. It seemed very creative and exciting. Wonder how would Teala and Roxxie react if they were kissed like that? Wait, UGH! Again with the weird drifting off topic to something involving my friends. Better think of something else, and quick.

I tried to think of something to help keep my mind off of the weird image before my growling stomach caught my attention. “Heh, I guess it’s lunch time huh?” I asked before Teala pulled a pocket watch out of her purse to check the time.

“My goodness,” Teala said. “It’s already 1:30. Certainly past lunchtime,” her stomach, as well as Roxxie’s, growled in unison afterward. The two young mares couldn’t help but blushed cutely at that. “And I do believe our stomachs agree.”

“Anyone up for pizza?” Roxxie asked.

“I think you’ve read my mind,” I claimed. “The three of us can poll our bits together to help pay for the pie, while we each get our own drinks. Sound good?” I asked, and the two nodded in agreement. We then walked out of the theater’s property and headed to the town’s pizza parlor. Honestly, I know I’ll be having a lot of cheese in my stomach at the end of the day, adding to the lasagna mom’s making for dinner tonight. But I just love cheese too much to not refuse, and pizza is just the best food for almost any occasion. I just have to learn to consume cheese in moderation is all.

We talked more about the movie as we walked before we got to the pizza parlor minutes later. We ordered our pie, and got our drinks before we took a seat in one of the circular tables outside of the restaurant.

“So how’s your studying for exams next week Roxxie?” I asked her starting the conversation.

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Roxxie responded. “I think I’d rather do a hundred push-ups than studying for those damn tests. That, or until my arms turn to jelly, whichever comes first,” She commented while scratching her head in annoyance.

I don’t blame her. My brain was pretty numb this morning after my late night study session last night.

“Cyan was actually telling me earlier this morning that we should hold a few study sessions this weekend to better prepare ourselves,” Teala brought up. “I found it a wonderful idea at the time. What about you Roxxie?”

“Sounds good to me,” Roxxie answered. “I’m kind of not seeing a point to school anymore though. I mean I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do, and it requires little to almost no education whatsoever. Even if I don’t have my cutie mark yet.”

That was one of the few things the three of us had in common. Pretty much everyone else in the class had already got theirs sometime between their first and second year of junior high. The three of us were part of the handful of students who still don’t have it yet. I wouldn’t really had mind it all that much if it weren’t for a few bullies that had kept annoying us with that. Something brought to my concern though since she mentioned it...

“Actually… Nah, I’m probably crazy," I disregarded.

“What brought your attention?” Teala asked.

“Yeah, if it was something important, I wanna hear it,” Roxxie added.

“Well… How should I put this?” I asked before I took a moment to think of the right words. “I can understand in my position that I have no idea what I want to do, or what special talents I have that will help me get to the career of my choosing.

“Teala, you don’t want to take your parents’ place in the cloud making machine maintenence business, and want to find your own place in life through your own terms. I highly respect that by the way,” I don’t know why I said that last part, but that seemed to get Teala smiling shyly with a tint of red in her cheeks.

“Roxxie,” I continued. “You’re probably the only one of us that has got some idea of what you want to do in life, and you’re even TRAINING right now to get started on your path. I would think your passion for fighting and learning different styles would give some idea of what your cutie mark would look like. The concern that came to my attention was how you aren’t the first of us who have gotten their cutie mark if you had already known what you wanted to do?”

That seemed to have stunned the two of them as they sat there wide-eyed with blank stares directing at me, and then at each other. It was a very valid and interesting point, and I’m still surprised this wasn’t brought up until now.

We sat there in silence before Roxxie opened her mouth, but closed it while she looked up in thought. She suddenly rolled one of her jacket sleeves up to her shoulder connecting the joint of her arm, double-checking the place where the first cutie mark would be, but nothing was there. She then rolled down the sleeve before she looked back to me. "You got a point Cyan," she said. "I mean it’s not like I have any doubts with what I want to do. I know what I like, and I know what to strive for. I should have gotten my cutie mark a long time ago. So why do I not have it now?”

“That’s what I want to know,” I inquired. “My mom told me a theory once that we all have some kind of magic in ourselves, whether it be unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony. The cutie marks that appear on our arms and… our other places, the moment we come to that realization of finding our goal or special talent are living proofs of that.

“If that isn’t enough for you to get your cutie mark, what else is there that’s required? Does our cutie marks symbolize our destiny in some way? Are Teala and I on the same boat in the unspoken requirements of getting cutie marks of our own?” There were times I had just hated how far my curiosity went, and this was one of those times. I have a bad tendency of bringing up questions that seem to link to even MORE questions, to a point that it’s just a long chain that doesn’t have the answers to lock and link said metaphorical object together. Worse than that, my questions seemed to have gotten my best friends where looks of uncertainty, doubt, and even fear was painted all over their faces.

I have to think of something to say that can brighten the mood. Something to get our hopes back up, to get the looks of determination, confidence, and happiness back on the faces that I know and love… Wait, did I just say love? I think I meant that platonically... For the both of them… Right?

“I think I have an idea,” I finally spoke. Teala and Roxxie turned to me with curiosity on where I was going. “We have the summer off after our exams are done, giving us three months before we start our first year in Canterlot High. I say during those three months, we work together doing whatever activity that exists until we get our cutie marks. We’ll even look more into how our cutie marks come to us, and how they came to be on the side. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not going to spend the whole summer twiddling my thumbs, and asking myself more questions about this when I can get up, and start searching for those answers myself. Don’t you two agree?” They seemed surprised at first, but I think I got my point across, as they looked at one another, and nodded with looks of determination before turning back to me.

“I’m right there with ya Cy,” Roxxie answered first.

“I agree,” Teala added.

“Then it’s settled,” I decided before I stood up and raised my soda glass. “We’ll focus on getting our exams done first next week, and then we’ll get started with our search afterwards. Just remember that anything can happen to us when we’re not together, so when something comes up that brings our attention, let’s agree to meet up ASAP, and discuss our findings. Who’s with me?” I asked with a smile. Teala and Roxxie shared that smile, stood up, and held up their soda glasses as well.

“Count me in!” Roxxie exclaimed.

“I too will join as well,” Teala followed.

“Then let’s make this summer like our last, make this the most memorable yet, and find our futures!”

“YEAH!” The two mares yelled as we clinked our glasses. I couldn’t help but feel excited, and at ease as I saw hope, confidence, and happiness shining in their eyes again. I may not know what’s in store for the three of us, but I just know that things were going to be just fine. I can just feel it. As long as we were together, nothing can stop us no matter what comes our way.

Next Chapter: Chapter 4: Lumina's Romantic Conflict, and her Interview Estimated time remaining: 9 Hours, 33 Minutes