How Bow met Windy

Graduation day arrived and Bow found himself in a sea of students as he donned his cap and gown. His heart pounds in his chest as he takes a deep breath. "This is it," he says as he smiles brightly.

The dean stands up on the stage calling out names one by one, the respective students walking up to receive their diplomas before sitting back down in the sea of students.

Bow is finally called and as he walks across the stage he sees his family in the bleachers waving and cheering him on, he gives a quick wave back and takes his diploma, shaking the dean's hand as he walks off the stage and sits back down as he watches the rest of his college class graduate.

After the dean calls out the last student's name and gives them their diploma, he taps the microphone and begins to speak. "As I look out at all of you today, I can't help but feel pride, pride in the fine young stallions and mares you've become. You may have started out as freshmen, but you've really grown into your own. Now that you have graduated, you can now achieve your dreams, so get out there and seize the day," the dean says as the students cheer and throw their caps in the air.

After graduation, Bow returns home to Cloudsdale, his stuff from college piled in his room in boxes as he takes a deep breath, "I've done it, I graduated and now I can now apply to be a Wonderbolt," he says to himself.

"Hey, there you are," Rainbow Blaze says as he puts Bow in a hold and noogies him a bit. "So what now hotshot?" He asks.

A feeling of unknowing washes over Bow, he takes a breath as he sits on a chair. "Truthfully, I don't know. I plan to apply for the Wonderbolts, but I know I won't get in right away," he says as he looks up at the ceiling.

"Well don't worry about it too much, just relax and breathe when you need to," Blaze said as he sat on the bed. "So, you holding off on moving into a house with Windy?" Blaze asked, causing Bow to blush.

"Yeah, at least for now, " Bow said as he sat up. "I'll go down to the recruitment office tomorrow and sign on, hopefully in a few months I can move out," Bow said as he playfully punched his brother in the arm.

"Yeah, hopefully, it's unseemly for a grown stallion to live with his parents forever," Blaze joked, getting a playful push from Bow.

The next morning, Bow woke up bright and early, he stealthily took a shower and headed downstairs to make himself a quick breakfast. After breakfast, Bow leaves the house and jogs to the Wonderbolt recruiting office, flapping his wings along the way to give his legs and wings a workout. Along the way his thoughts plague him as he thinks about how long it'll really take him to save up the money to buy a house, maybe even rent one, as he jogs he passes buy a house that is for sale, the asking price is two thousand bits to buy or five hundred bits per month to rent. Bow smiles to himself as he imagines Windy and himself living in the house and raising a family, he jogs past the house as he continues to jog to the Wonderbolts hoping to find a way to get that house.

Bow arrives at the recruitment office and heads inside the clerk at the desk greets him enthusiastically as he walks in.

"Hello, how may I help you?" He asks.

"I'm here to sign up for the Wonderbolts," Bow said, his voice unwavering as the clerk brought out a stack of papers.

"Alrighty, so if you want to do that, sign these papers, once finished you'll be sent to basic training in about a week, after that you will have to take the test, and then you'll be in, are we clear?"

"Yes, sir," Bow said as he looked through the papers and signed his name, his heart pounding as he did.

After signing the papers, Bow put down the pen and gave the papers back to the clerk. "Thank you, sir, you should hear back from us in a week," the clerk said as he filed the paperwork.

Bow nodded and left quietly, along his way home he stopped at the house that was for sale again and looked at it, Bow nodded to himself as he walked passed the house and arrived home, without wasting any time, Bow headed up into his room and brings out a box.

Taking off the lid, Bow counts his bits diligently, finally stopping on one-thousand and five hundred bits. Bow smiles to himself as he quickly puts the money in his bag and calls Windy to meet him at their favorite hayburger joint.

At the hayburger joint, Bow waits for Windy as he looks around his hometown. He sees his favorite gym down the road and an arcade he used to frequent. He sighs as he remembers the good times he's had, finally able to see if his home changed any.

'Man, it's good to be back home,' he says to himself as he looks at his surroundings, a sense of nostalgia washing over him as he notes that nothing much has changed.

As Bow stood there, his mind raced with thoughts about the snap decision he was about to make. He thinks about the house he is going to rent and later on buy. He thinks about the furniture he'll have to buy and other things. He takes a deep breath to calm himself down. "Calm down, man, you're ready, and if Windy ain't, it's ok, if she isn't ready, that'll give you more time," he says to himself.

As Bow thought to himself, Windy arrived. "Hey, Bow," she called out, bringing Bow back to Earth.

Bow shook his head and smiled, he turned around in the direction of her voice and grinned as he saw her "Hey, Windy, long time, no see," Bow said as he walked up to her, her doing the same. When they were close they both hugged each other smiling brightly.

"We saw each other at graduation just a few days ago," Windy asks as she breaks the hug.

"I know, but it just feels like a long time since we've both been busy," Bow replied, bringing a smile to Windy's face. "So I assume you already signed up as a cheerleader?" Bow asked.

"Actually, before I came here, I signed up for the Wonderbolts as well, so are you staying with your parents?" Windy asked.

Bow's jaw dropped as he heard what Windy said. "Really, that's great, so you and I might fly in the same squadron?" Bow asked as Windy smiled.

"If we're lucky," Windy replied. "I wanted to surprise you, so I took a few classes on flight patterns and maneuvers," Windy added.

"That's great, I look forward to flying with you, as for your question; yes, I'm staying with my folks for the time being, but that's what I want to talk to you about, how about you?" Bow replied.

"I'm staying with my parents until I pay off some college debt, but I don't mind," Windy replied as Bow nodded.

"I understand that so……would you like to go in and grab a bite to eat?" Bow asked.

Windy smiled. "I'd love to," she replied.

The two love birds went inside and walked up to the counter, the place was lively, with couples dancing to the music blaring from the jukebox

"Good evening, my name is Sleet Shake. May I take your order?" The cashier asked.

Bow and Windy both ordered their drinks and looked at the overhead menu, they then ordered their favorite hayburger and a side of fries.

"Alright, that'll be thirty bits, anything else?" Sleet asked.

Bow and Windy both shook their heads as Sleet handed them the receipt. "Please have a seat and we'll bring your food to you," the cashier said as he started taking the next order.

Bow and Windy both sat down at a booth, waiting for their food. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Windy asked as she tried to strike up a conversation.

"Well, do you remember our pipe dream for after college?" Bow asks.

"I do, we wanted to move in together and see where life takes us," Windy replies

"Well, on my way to sign up for the Wonderbolts, I passed a house that was for sale, two thousand bits to buy or five hundred bits a month to rent, I was wondering, would you want to try moving in with me?" Bow asked, his heart pounding in his chest.

Windy fell silent as Bow asked the question, her mind racing as she was put on the spot

Before she could answer, a server came up to their table with their food. “Enjoy your meal,” the server said as they walked off.

Windy looked at her haybergur deep in thought, she wanted to move in with Bow, but given her college debts, she was unsure if she could help pay the rent.

“I know it’s a big ask, but I really think we can do this, I just don’t know if we should rent or buy,” Bow said as Windy began to eat her burger.

Bow started eating his as Windy spoke. “Well, if we rent, any problem we have will fall on the landlord, but if we buy, any problem we have will fall on us,” Windy said as Bow wiped his mouth.

“Yeah I know, but if we buy we won’t have to worry about making rent payments, plus the house looks pretty nice, and if we have any problems we can always ask our folks for help,” Bow said.

“That is true, I say we go for it, it sounds like fun and we’ll never learn if we don’t take risks, right,” Windy replied.

A moment of silence passed before Bow spoke up. "Windy, I know it's not going to be easy, but would you like to start living with me once I get the last five hundred bits to buy the house?" Bow asked as Windy smiled.

“I’d love to, but you don’t need to wait long,” Windy said as she pulled out her purse and brought out five hundred bits. “Here’s the final five hundred bits you need,” Windy said as Bow smiled.

“You know you don’t have to help me pay, right?” Bow asked.

“I know, but I want to,” Windy said as she continued to eat.

“Well then, thank you, and here’s to us, foraging a life together starting soon,” Bow said as he continued to eat.