Late

Over eight years had passed since Cirrus and Violet last spoke. Though Cirrus had always been hesitant to return, today something was different, something seemed to pull the draconequus back to his former home in Trottingham.  

Once they had graduated from school, Violet had opened a small art shop just outside the city. She spent her days bustling about the store, her hooves always filled with papers and pencils that often ended up scattered across the floor each afternoon. Her life had remained serene for numerous months, up until the birth of her son, a magic possessing draconequus-pony hybrid in which she named Parallel Skies. The colt grew quickly and reveled in his afternoon play, darting under his mother’s hooves and often times near tripping her with his dragon-like tail.  Although his looks were dissimilar to the other fillies and colts his age, Violet eventually decided it was best to enroll him into the Trotsdam school district.

In spite of several rough months, Parallel began to fit in at school and seemed to grow fond of learning. Unlike his classmates, however, the hybrid was also taught classes on magic and manipulation. After little over a year, he was capable of altering his appearance to that of an average pony and spent most of his day away from home.

Violet’s shop was quiet once more. She was capable of finishing her work, but often found herself missing the laughter and noise her son created. She missed having someone beside her. A specific someone who she’d wished for years would return...

Landing several blocks from the store, Cirrus breathed heavily, he couldn’t have been more uncertain. Shaking his head, he started calmly down the street, pausing just outside the shop. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open with one of his hooves as light bell announced his arrival.

A clattering of paint jars and the shuffling of papers resounded from the back room, “just a moment!” A quiet voice called. Several moments later, a lavender coated mare appeared through the door, her mane pulled into a loose bun, splotches of paint adorned over her front hooves and a blue crystal hung around her neck. “How can I help you?” She questioned, a broad smile over her muzzle.

“I..um...”

“I don’t think I’ve got a painting named that,” she interrupted, laughing, “are you just browsing?”

“I...um...yes, sorry to b-bother you.” He stuttered, turning towards a wall of paintings to his left. This is ridiculous, there’s no way he could talk to her, not now!

“This is one of my favorites,” she said, stepping towards him and pointing to a large painting depicting two ponies gazing towards a sunset. “It’s just so calm, don’t you think?”

“Y-yes, you’re really talented.”

“Aww, thank you! Say, have we met before? You seem awfully familiar.” She gazed thoughtfully at him, her eyes moving from his muzzle to his hooves.

“No, I d-don’t think so,” he replied anxiously, quickly changing the subject, “where’d you get t-that necklace?”
 

“Oh... this?” She said, levitating the necklace upward. “A um... friend... gave it to me, a um... long time ago.” Shaking her head, she let the necklace drop back. “It’s not important, would you like to see some of my other works?”

“Not important?” He questioned, “surly you meant quite a lot to whoever gave it to you, right?”

“Y-yes.”

“Possibly more than just a friend?”

“It was a long time ago!” She shouted, quickly covering her muzzle with a hoof after realizing she had yelled. “I-I’m so sorry.” She whispered, quickly turning and darting into the back room.

“Wait! It’s okay, I didn’t mean to..“ He called, but she had already vanished. Sighing, Cirrus shifted out of his disguise. He couldn’t take seeing her like this. Stepping forward, he walked hesitantly into the dim room, “V-Violet? Are you okay?” Quiet sniffling came from the room’s far corner, where he could just make out her shape through the darkness.

“P-please,” she whispered, “I’ll b-be out in a moment.”

“But I- “

“Please,” her voice became steadier and she stood, wiping tears from her eyes as she turned towards him, “I’ll be out in a-“

Cirrus tensed as her eyes landed on him, a unreadable expression over her muzzle.

The mare hesitated, several minutes passing before she spoke again. “What happened to you?”

“What?” Confusion swept over him like a tidal wave. 

“Y-you look so different. Your mane a-and your horns.”

“I um... got... older?” He hesitated, uncertain if he was truly saying the right thing.

“Has it really been that long?”

“Y-yes?”

“Quit talking to me like I’m stupid, Cirrus. I’m not a filly anymore.” She recoiled, trotting past him into the main room.

“I k-know! I d-didn’t mean to!” He said, turning to follower her out, his tail sweeping over a group of paints as he did so and sending them clattering to the floor. “Sorry!”

Sighing, Violet waved her hoof towards him, “just leave them.”

Wincing, Cirrus cautiously made his way over and stood beside her, his paws shifting uncertainly over the tile flooring. “H-how is he?”

“Who?”

“P-Parallel.”

“He’s fine, no thanks to you.” She replied coldly, her gaze remaining fixed on the space in front of her.

‘G-good.” He replied, nodding slowly.

Standing, Violet faced him sharply. “What is it that you want Cirrus?”

“What do I want? I don’t want anything.”

“Of course you do.” She replied bluntly, “you wouldn’t just come back, I know you better.”

Cirrus sighed, “I just wanted to say... I’m sorry. I couldn’t stand thinking about how we left things.”

“That’s it?”

“What do you mean that’s it?” He replied defensively, turning to meet her gaze.

“After everything you did, after how long you were gone, you come back now just to say sorry?”

“What else do you want me to say?” He retorted.

“I don’t want you to say anything!” She yelled, tears beginning to well in the corners of her eyes. “I want you to understand! You left me alone! You left me to raise Parallel alone! He’s never even met you! How do you think it makes him feel when I can’t tell him about his father because I can’t stand to go through that pain again, Cirrus?”

The draconequus fell silent, had he truly caused her so much grief? “Violet, I-“

“Every day he comes home and asks me about why he looks so different, or why he doesn’t look like me. Sometimes I wonder if he even believes that I’m truly his mother...” She continued, Cirrus’s words sweeping over her head before her gaze landed sharply on him. “I wasted so much of my life, waiting... hoping... praying that you would come back, but you never did. Eight years, Cirrus. Eight years I spent waiting for my prince to love me again.” She paused, a distant chuckle escaping from her muzzle, “I almost believed such a thing existed, true love. But that’s something you tell foals to help them sleep. No one ever truly loves you.”

“I did love you Violet.” He pleaded, “I do love you.” He reached out to take her hoof in his paw but the mare drew back quickly.

She sighed. “A long time ago... we promised forever and ever, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Forever is a long time Cirrus...”

“Yeah.”

“And you’re late.”

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Man, this turned out a lot longer than I had anticipated. Oh well.
I've been trying to do more story-based(?) pieces lately so I can better develop the backstories of these characters.

Long story short, Cirrus and Violet (Parallel's parents) fell madly in love in their later school years. The two were inseparable. However, when Violet became pregnant with Parallel, Cirrus panicked. He was afraid of being a bad father and failing both Violet and his foal. He vanished a few days later.
Eight years into the future, Violet has opened the art store she and Parallel always spoke of owning and lives alone with her son Parallel (who is around 7 years old during the dialogue). One day, Cirrus decides that he can't stand the guilt he feels over having left and decides to make things right. Cue scene above.

Enjoy!