A Red Tail for Tails
[Note for Nerds: This Sonic the Hedgehog fanfic does not take place in any particular canon continuity. It mixes elements from the games, comics, and Saturday morning cartoons. Content warning: depicts disciplinary spanking. This is a work of fiction, not an endorsement of corporal punishment.]
Once upon a time in the lush, green landscapes of Emerald Hill Zone, Tails the Fox and Sonic the Hedgehog were sprinting through the serene environment, chasing the ever-elusive sense of adventure.
It had only been a week since Sonic had stumbled across young Miles “Tails” Prower hiding from Dr. Robotnik’s army in the woods of Christmas Island. Without his parents to protect him, the young fox had quickly latched onto Sonic, and ever since Sonic had teasingly given Miles the nickname “Tails,” the young fox cub had refused to answer to his real name ever since.
Now, they were a dynamic duo, the blue blur and his trusty, two-tailed tag-along.
"Look, Sonic!" Tails exclaimed, pointing ahead, "Eggman's robots at 12 o’clock!"
“Nah! It’s only 7:30!”
In the distance, they could see a cluster of Eggman's mechanical minions, their metallic bodies gleaming in the sunlight. Sonic smirked, without missing a beat. "Let's show 'em what we've got, Tails!"
With a burst of energy, Sonic leaped into the fray, spinning into a supersonic ball and smashing through a Caterkiller and Crabmeat with ease. Tails, eager to prove his worth, jumped in as well, but two of the robots were quick to focus their attacks on the young fox.
Tails cut through the first Moto Bug with a spinning hook kick, followed by using his two tails to pull a mid-air helicopter maneuver and buzz-saw through the second, a hornet-like Buzzer.
“Sonic!” squeaked Tails, his voice cracking. Tails coughed and tried to deepen his voice to sound more macho. “Did you see that? I got two at once!”
Sonic had indeed been watching, and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow.
Impressed to see how Tails had handled himself, Sonic flashed him a thumbs up. “Good one, bro! Hold back while I scout the next cliff!”
As Sonic kicked up a dust cloud and darted off at top speed, Tails choked and sneezed. “Sonic? Wait! I want to come too!” Tails took flight into the air, desperately trying to catch up to Sonic as he crossed a rope bridge at top speed.
But Sonic was too far ahead to notice, and his mind was occupied. Sonic still wasn’t sure how comfortable he was letting a little kid tag along on a dangerous adventure, but he didn’t see what else he could do until they could make their way back to Knothole Village and look for Tails’ parents amongst the refugees from Christmas Island.
Then, a lot of things happened in quick succession. Sonic looked below, and spotted a Masher leaping from the river below him, sharp teeth bared. Knowing he had to think fast, Sonic dug deep and thrust ahead at top speed, darting across the bridge before the Masher could bite him.
Sonic turned to stick his tongue out at the badnik, only to see Tails, oblivious to the danger, swooping down towards the bridge calling out “Sonic!” The unsuspecting fox was heading right into the path of the rising beast!
Sonic slammed on the brakes, and leapt at the monster with a spin jump, just as it ripped through the bridge from below. An instant before the monstrous Masher could swallow Tails, Sonic smashed straight through the enemy with such force, he actually bumped into Tails in mid-air.
As broken pieces of the bridge and robot tumbled into the river below, Tails yelped and snatched at Sonic’s wrists, and struggled to carry Sonic’s weight across the abyss. Just as Tails thought his arms would give out, Sonic managed to gain a single foot hold and leapt forward, carrying Tails up and away from the steep drop.
The two lay gasping for air, Tails from sheer terror, Sonic from pure exhilaration. His sides still in stitches from silent laughter, Sonic leapt up and ran a figure eight pattern. “Ha ha! Whoo! That was radical!” As the adrenaline-rush of the moment faded, Sonic remembered Tails. “Tails? What were you following me for? I said I was just gonna’ scout ahead and be right back!”
Still trying to catch his breath, Tails poked his head over the cliff, curious to see how steep the drop really was. One peek down the chasm was more than enough. Tails recoiled and crawled away from the cliff edge, not even wanting to risk standing up. “Didn’t you hear me? I said I wanted to come with you!”
“Sorry, buddy! Guess I couldn’t hear you when I was kicking it into second gear!” Sonic considered what had just happened. A single moment of carelessness had nearly killed his self-appointed sidekick. Sonic had been in tough situations before, and knew what it was like to have innocent people counting on him, but this was different.
Tails wasn’t helpless, but he just didn’t have Sonic’s speed.
To his horror, Sonic realized he was going to have to…slow down!
Sonic tapped his foot, annoyed at himself. Tails saw the gesture, and wondered if he was the cause of Sonic’s bad mood. “I’m sorry, Sonic! I’ll do better!”
Still chewing himself out, Sonic snapped out of his musing. “Do better? You just saved my life! You did great! …But do me a favor. Next time I tell you to wait for me while I scout ahead, hold position ‘til I get back. That way I know where you are.”
Tails bowed his head. “But I want to help you fight! You know I can handle myself!”
“Of course you can, and of course I do!” Sonic waved a finger casually. For Sonic it was another hyperactive, nervous tic, something he rarely noticed he did. But Tails only saw it as finger-wagging. “But I can get in and out more quickly if there’s a trap ahead.”
The fox glowered, snapping his head up to fix Sonic with a stubborn pout. This was just like how Mom and Dad treated him at home. Didn’t Sonic know he wasn’t a little kid? He was eight years old!
Tails wanted to stomp his foot and shout as much, but before he could throw a proper tantrum to prove how mature he was for his age, Sonic slapped his shoulder. “You’re my partner! I need Miles ‘Tails’ Prower on my six in case Ro-butt-nik tries to sneak up on me from behind…Hopefully he doesn’t sit on me!”
Tails cracked up at the thought, his foul mood forgotten. “Why would he do that? Wouldn’t he use one of his big weapons?”
“Have you seen Egghead’s behind? It is his biggest weapon! …So, do I have your word? What I say goes?”
Tails fought down his laughter (with mixed success), and saluted. “Aye, aye! Sonic!”
Both laughing now, Sonic and Tails shared a moment of camaraderie. Sonic put an arm around Tails and walked with him a few steps, before slowly raising his eyes to the horizon with a sly smirk. “Way past cool! Now…try to keep up!”
With that, Sonic burst into second gear and rocketed toward the horizon. Tails let out a little whine of surprise, before using his two tails to propel through the air, determined to tag along.
This time, Sonic ran just fast enough to give Tails a workout.
…
They traveled across the Emerald Hills without incident.
Though he was relieved for Tail’s sake, Sonic couldn’t help but find the lack of action boring.
“It’s quiet…” Tails called out from the sky.
Sonic simply couldn’t resist adding, “...Too quiet!”
Tails pointed to what looked like a shimmering cloud of gold in the distance. “You see that swarm of Buzzers on the horizon? They’ve been traveling in the same direction we have all afternoon!”
“Have they, now? Good catch, Tails! Sounds like a scouting party…I don’t like it!” Sonic slammed on the breaks, and immediately started tapping his foot as he considered their surroundings. They had just passed out of the wooded canopy of Emerald Hills into a wide open valley, with neither trees nor slopes for cover. A few moss-covered floating platforms hovered invitingly across the valley, ancient relics of an older civilization the Mobians knew little about. The first time Sonic had taken on Dr. Ivo Julian “Eggman” Robotnik, the egg-headed egomaniac had thrown swarm after swarm of robots across Mobius indiscriminately. If Eggman had learned anything from his first defeat, he’d be deploying his robots more tactically, like having them tail Sonic for instance.
“Tails, I need you to hold back. Something about this valley smells like rotten eggs.”
“But, Sonic!”
“No butts, little buddy! Use your flight to keep an eye on that swarm from the trees. If you see them move in your direction, head back into the forest!”
Tails folded his arms petulantly. “You just want me to hide? I’m not a baby! What if they attack you! I should go along!”
“No, Tails. Think about it. Your helicopter flight is most useful when you have some vertical terrain to work with. I’m going to blast around this valley at top speed and…”
Not wanting Tails to feel left out, Sonic carefully avoided mentioning his suspicions of a trap. “...look for the best route. Then I’ll come straight back.”
With a flash of inspiration, Sonic snapped his fingers. “Of course, if you spot those Buzzers flying towards me, I need you here to be my lookout! Let’s have a signal…say a möbius strip!” Sonic ran a figure eight pattern. “Think you could fly in tight circles like that?”
Tails’ ears perked up. “You bet I can! Okay, I’ll keep watch!”
“Atta’boy, Tails! And remember, this is an important job. Whatever you do, don’t abandon your cover in the woods, even if you see them heading for me. Just send me the warning signal, and I’ll come back to find you...Do not come after me into the valley. Can I count on you to do that?”
Only half-listening, Tails nodded his head furiously. “Uh-huh! I won’t let you down!”
Satisfied, Sonic flashed a wink and lifted a foot to wind up for a sprint. “Good, I’m counting on you! Then let’s do it, to it!” With an explosion of energy, Sonic became a red and blue lightning bolt ripping across the empty valley, hopping along platforms. It took a whole 5 seconds for him to cross the valley on the first pass, at which point he had built up to his third gear speed, letting him cross the valley again at a new angle in only 3 seconds. Trailing wide arcs, Sonic hopped onto floating platforms and covered a large swatch, waiting to trigger a trap or spot an enemy.
Just as Sonic was beginning to wonder if he was being paranoid, he spotted a small, yellow-orange speck flying figure-eights near the woods. Tails had spotted something?
Sonic glanced north. The Buzzer scouts weren’t charging? Then he heard a rumbling explosion from behind him. A whining drill emerged from beneath the ground, sending chunks of dirt flying past Sonic’s head. Of course, it was Dr. Robonik, in one of his dorky machines.
Eggman’s walrus mustache twitched as he hooted with laughter. “Hello, Sonic! I’d ask you to surrender, but I think we both know the drill! Now, prepare to…BAH!”
Ignoring the drill, Sonic targeted the egg-shaped chassis of the vehicle, slamming into it to knock the contraption off balance. With a whirl of gears, the wheels spiraled around the car to keep it from overturning.
Instantly, Sonic recognized the purpose of the gyroscopic design: the drill and wheels must have automatic controls. Twice, Sonic had to duck back as the drill spiraled around the central sphere to face him. Clever little toy, Sonic had to admit, but already he was making dents in Eggman’s protective shell. Once he cracked it open…
Suddenly, a blurry orange ball flew at one of the wheels, only for them to automatically spiral out of the way, tearing a fresh path through the grassy knoll.
Sonic felt a clutch in his stomach as he recognized the orange shape as it unrolled. Tails!
Tails ate dirt as he missed his target. “Oof!”
With his attention focused on the hated hedgehog, Eggman seemed confused by this new development, but the drill mechanism sprang to life on its own, whirring dangerously as it spun around to target the new foe.
Sonic didn’t even have time to think, but that didn’t stop him. Throwing himself at the drill, Sonic forced it off its course before it could pierce Tails. In slow motion, Sonic felt the sharp, spiraling metal ripping through his gloves, and leapt over it with a kick, traveling along with the drill’s motion to stop it from ripping through him. Guiding it with his hands, Sonic aimed the tip of the drill towards a hovering platform…
As it sunk into the hard stone, the drill bit caught, and the force of the drill traveled backwards into the vehicle.
For an instant, Dr. Eggman tumbled like Humpty Dumpty, if Humpty Dumpty had chosen to sit inside a washing machine as opposed to sitting on a wall. “Woah! WOOAHAAAAGH!” he wailed.
With a metallic clink, a failsafe detached the central shell from the drill, and Eggman floated into the air within his hovercraft, looking slightly green. “I’ll get you yet, Sonic! Urp! And your little fox boy too!”
With that, the bad doctor took to the skies, leaving a shaky trail of smoke behind him.
Tails picked himself up from the dirt and struggled to find an appropriate curse. “Come back here you, you...you crumb-bum!” Tails felt something wrap tight around his chest, like a hug, and with a gust of wind, the entire world changed around him.
He was no longer standing in the middle of the valley? He was back in the Emerald Hill woods!
Tails looked up to find Sonic holding him tight against his chest, and realized he’d been carried here in the blink of an eye.
Sonic rested Tails’ feet on the ground, but didn’t release the young fox from his embrace as he gasped for air. "Tails! What was that? I told you not to chase me out into the valley! We agreed you’d give the signal and retreat into the woods if you saw something!”
“Well, yeah, but I saw something coming out of the ground behind you! You said you can’t hear things easily when you’re running, so I came to warn–”
“‘Well, yeah?’ So you didn’t forget what I told you?”
Tails rolled his eyes. Did Sonic think he was stupid? “Duh, no! You were in trouble, so I had to help!”
Sonic pressed his fingers against his brow, fighting to keep his cool. “You didn’t help by throwing yourself into danger! You could have been seriously hurt."
Tails made a face and wagged his whiskers. Sonic sounded just like his mom, Rose Prower, fussing and fretting over Tails playing in the street. “You threw yourself into danger! You could have been seriously hurt! What’s the difference?”
Sonic’s eyes snapped open, and when Tails met his gaze, he suddenly had a very different impression…The look Sonic was giving him was exactly the same look Mom and Dad had given Tails when they caught him playing in the street years ago.
“Tails, we will talk about this when we get home."
Sonic took Tails’ hand firmly in his, and started to walk at a brisk pace, Tails trailing behind him.
Tails loosened his grip slightly, expecting Sonic to release his hand and take off. “Um...Aren’t you going to run? You hate walking!”
“I’m taking us the long way round the valley. It’ll be slow going, but that way, I can keep an eye out for enemies without distractions…We’ll be home in about two hours.”
Tails didn’t dare argue.
With a pang of humiliation, Tails realized he was being led home by the hand, like a spoiled brat who misbehaved in public. The young fox hung his head. He had plenty of time to wonder if he was in trouble, and what Sonic would say when they returned to their cozy little hideout.
…
The walk home was agonizing.
After a solid two minutes of not running, Sonic found himself getting impatient.
Looking back at Tails, Sonic suddenly felt a strange new respect for Uncle Chuck.
Tails flinched at the glance, wondering if more lecturing was coming.
Noticing the gesture, Sonic looked forward. He didn’t want to chew the kid out anymore. Sonic knew he was irritated, both at Tails for what happened, and by the fact that he had to take it slow now. But if Sonic had learned anything from Uncle Chuck, it was that he needed to keep cool. It wouldn’t be fair to take his annoyance out on Tails.
Twice, Sonic glanced up at patrolling robots in the distance, but at their slow pace, they easily evaded detection.
Sonic wondered how his parents or his Uncle would have handled this situation. He remembered once when his hyperactive antics were getting on his mom’s nerves to the point that she was furiously declaring that she was about to reconsider her opinion on spanking. Instead, Uncle Chuck had suggested she make the boy run laps until he burned through his excess energy. As far as Sonic was concerned, if running laps was a punishment, it had to be the coolest punishment ever.
On the other hand, when 8-year-old Sonic had been caught toying with the workshop tools without permission, it had also been Uncle Chuck’s idea to make Sonic eat his peas with a knife.
That stroke of genius, along with time out, had been more than enough to get Sonic to repent of any bad behavior. As soon as he learned about how other kids, like Princess Sally and Bunny, tended to get punished, little Sonic had actually begged his parents to give him a spanking instead of grounding him.
In the end, his parents finally relented. Spanking was introduced into the household as a sort of “warning shot,” while time-outs and grounding were reserved only for the most serious of offenses.
None of the other kids at the nursery could believe it when they heard Sonic triumphantly tell the story. Looking back on it as a teenager, Sonic was suddenly grateful to his parents for listening to his strange request. Exhaling sharply, Sonic found he was even grateful to Chuck for making him eat every last pea on his plate with that stupid butter knife.
Finally, finally, finally, they arrived at Sonic’s hideaway at the edge of Knothole.
As they stepped onto the porch, Tails forced a smile. "Hey, we made it! Well, that took a little longer than expected, but…no harm done!"
Sonic released his hold on Tails’ hand. “Give me half a second, Tails…and wait here.”
Sonic stretched, cracked his fingers, and disappeared in a flurry of wind. After he circled the house about a thousand times, nearly causing a twister, Sonic screeched to a halt, feeling much better. Just as promised, he only took a half a second. “All right, Tails. Now, let’s talk about what happened.”
Tails gulped. In the time he’d had to think on their walk, he’d replayed in his mind everything over and over. If only he could have landed a hit on Dr. Eggman, Tails was sure he wouldn’t be in trouble now. “Are you mad at me?”
Sonic shook his head, and tried to remember how these serious talks were supposed to go, now that he was in the opposite position. "I’m not mad at you. I just had to…burn off some steam! Now, can you tell me what you did wrong?”
Downcast, Tails shuffled his feet, and noticed Sonic tapping his own feet again. “I didn’t get Dr. Robotnik! If I could just have been a bit faster, I could have helped!”
“No! You already were helping me by keeping a lookout. Your heads-up alerted me to danger. Then what happened?”
Tails bit his lip, his pride stinging under the lecture. “I…I rushed in to help you, just like you’d do for me! But I screwed up!”
“How did you screw up?”
Tails squinted, trying to find the right answer. “I landed flat on my face! But once I get some more practice, I’ll be able to–”
Sonic sighed with exasperation. “Wrong answer. Let me help you out. You agreed to stay back. I told you to retreat into the woods if you saw anything, and not to follow me into the valley. That meant when you threw yourself into the fight, I was thrown completely for a loop!"
Suddenly feeling stupid, Tails felt his tongue press awkwardly against the roof of his mouth. “I’m sorry, Sonic! I was just trying to be brave, like you! But I’ll do better!”
Sonic shook his head. Usually, being called brave was all the reward he needed, but he remembered something Uncle Chuck had told him. “Bravery isn’t stupidity, and stupidity isn’t bravery… Look, I already know that you’re a brave kid, Tails. But you can’t be brave until you learn to think. If you can't follow my instructions and stay out of danger, then I can’t let you tag along with me on my adventures anymore.”
Tails felt his throat catch, and as the meaning of the words dawned on him, tears sprang to his eyes. “But…but, I’m your back up!”
“You can’t back me up if you’re dead, Tails.”
Sonic let the words hang in the air for a long moment. Tails quailed under the weight of them, and to his eyes the whole world looked watery. "Please, Sonic, give me another chance! I promise I'll be more careful from now on. I’ve learned my lesson!"
At the sight of Tails’ tears, Sonic could have kicked himself, but he knew he had to stand his ground. “Have you? How do I know? What’s the lesson you learned?”
Tails felt like Sonic had thrown him a life preserver as he was drowning. “I won’t disobey your instructions! I’ll listen to you! If I say I’ll do something, I’ll do it!”
Sonic nodded. “Bingo!”
“So…I can still go on adventures with you?”
Sonic stopped tapping his foot. This was unexpected. He knew Tails seemed sorry, but what if he forgot his promises? On the one hand, as long as Sonic was responsible for Tails, some danger was always going to be baked into the cake. On the other hand, Tails needed something to act as a reminder.
A mental image of a plate of peas and a butter knife appeared in Sonic’s mind. “That depends, Tails. I like having adventures with you, but I like you even more. And that means keeping you alive. You’ll always be my little buddy Tails…but if you want to be my partner, I need you to prove to me that you’re not just saying what you think I want to hear.”
Tails nodded furiously. “Yes! I’ll do anything! Just name it!!”
Sonic nodded along with Tails. “You’ll do anything? Well, in that case…I want you to do…nothing!”
“Huh?”
Sonic’s mind raced for an appropriate punishment. How did parents do this stuff? “You’re to wait here for…a month! You will guard my digs! You will practice your flying and martial arts! You will keep an ear out for news of refugees from your home and word from your parents! But you will not be tagging-along with me on adventures. If you can do that for a month, I’ll know that you’re serious!”
“No adventures for a month? But I’ll die of boredom! Please! Can’t it be something else?”
“Well…” Suddenly, Sonic was second guessing himself. Knothole was well hidden from Eggman’s sentries, but suppose its location was discovered?
“What…would your parents do in this situation?” Sonic had only meant the question as a way to buy him some time to think, but his curiosity peaked when he saw Tails stiffen, like a soldier ordered to stand at attention.
Sonic raised an eyebrow. “Well, go on, Tails. Help me out here!”
Tails gulped, “Well, I once got grounded for an entire week!”
“What did you do?”
“When I was a pup, Mom caught me playing in the street…right after she’d told me not to!”
Sonic felt a wave of relief. If that’s what Mr. and Mrs. Prower did, he’d just take a leaf from their book! “I see. Well, if that’s what they did, then that’s the least that you deserve, right?”
Tails nodded, but then his lip stiffened, and he shook his head. “No…that’s not what they did. Not all of it. Mom also…spanked me with a wooden hairbrush. And my dad too, once he got home, but he just used his hand.”
Sonic froze. He’d forgotten what a common punishment that was for other kids. Suddenly, he remembered how opposed his mom had always been to the idea. What was he supposed to do? How was fighting an army of robots built by a megalomaniac evil genius less stressful than parenting? “Okay! Well then…What will it be, Tails? A month of being grounded or a spanking with a wooden hairbrush?"
“If I take the spanking, I get to go on adventures with you again?”
“You get to go on adventures with me again either way. The point is for you to show me you’re serious. Which do you think is more fair?”
Tails seemed to think about it, then clenched his fists and puffed up his chest. "I'd rather have the spanking, please."
Sonic nodded. It would easily have been the choice he’d have gone with in Tails’ situation. "Alright, Tails, I think I’ve got an old wooden hairbrush somewhere? Yeah! My mom’s! In the dresser upstairs…Go and fetch it, then bring it to me."
But as Tails walked to Sonic's room, his heart was racing. Sonic might have thought of spanking as a minor annoyance, but to Tails, the word “spanking” spelled doom.
As he fumbled with the drawers of the dresser, Tails felt like he was watching from above as an outside force moved his body like a puppet on strings. Finally, he found the hairbrush. As he picked it up and examined it, he saw it was just like the one Rose Prower had used to discipline him.
The bristles were a bit different, as hedgehog bristles weren’t as thick as fox fur. But the sturdy wood on the back felt all too familiar, which was most relevant at the moment.
Tails could just feel the sting it would leave on his bottom.
As Tails thought back on what a brat he’d been that day, he knew a spanking was the least he deserved for letting down Sonic. Then and there, he resolved to be brave, just like Sonic, and take what was coming to him.
But that didn’t make the long, slow death march back downstairs any easier.
…
Sonic kicked up his feet on the couch in a vain effort to keep his foot from tapping, impatiently.
He wondered if this is how his parents had felt whenever they’d had to spank him, not that it had happened that frequently. Despite having to raise Mobius single most wild rapscallion, Sonic’s parents hadn’t approved of spanking, instead preferring time out.
On one occasion when an argument between himself and little Princess Sally Acorn had escalated into an all-out brawl, and knocked over an entire collection of antique armor like a string of dominos, Sonic’s mom Bernadette had offered him the choice of getting grounded for a week, or getting spanked. It had been the easiest decision ever made in Sonic’s early career as a trouble-maker.
Still, Sonic’s mother was not a woman to be treated lightly. He still remembered the electric sensation of being referred to as “Sonic Maurice Hedgehog” when he was in trouble. He’d never guessed that giving a spanking might be as tense an experience as getting one. He’d have to write Mom a letter sometime.
Of course, Sonic wasn’t Tails’ father, not even his older brother. But as long as he was responsible for this lost, frightened, brave, stupid, brilliant little fox, Sonic was determined to do whatever Tail’s parents would do for their own son.
Even though Tails himself had suggested, and agreed to the punishment, would the kid resent him for this? With a pang of sadness, Sonic realized he might have to sacrifice being liked if that’s what it took to get through to Tails.
“Sonic? I found the hairbrush.”
Sonic craned his neck to see Tail’s eye peeking out from behind the wall of the stairs leading to the second story bedroom.
The hairbrush poked out slowly from behind the wall. It was as though Tails desperately wanted to obey the command to bring the hairbrush, but also desperately wanted to prevent his tails from entering the room for as long as possible.
Sonic removed his feet from the top of the couch and sat up. Then in a blur, he took the offered hairbrush in a flash and returned to his spot on the couch. Tails only noticed the hairbrush had disappeared from his grip when he saw Sonic examining it. “All right, Tails. I don’t know how your parents do this, so I’m counting on you to guide me. How does this go down?
“Well, Mom usually orders me to come to her and bend over her knee. Then I get spanked with a hairbrush, or wooden spoon, or something, until I cry. If I do something really naughty I get sent to my room for the rest of the day, and Mom and Dad both come to spank me again before bedtime.”
Sonic gulped. That was a lot stricter than any spanking he’d ever had! The thought of being sent to his room for an entire day was nightmarish to Sonic.
“Well, you’ve never given me trouble before, so let’s just get your spanking over with now. No getting locked in your room. No round two before bed.”
Apparently encouraged by this news, Tails poked his head farther out from behind the wall. “In that case, sometimes Mom and Dad each take a turn spanking me and that’s that. I don’t know how many whacks they gave me, I never counted. Sometimes it feels like it goes on and on forever, but they had a rule that the spanking ends once they know I’ve learned my lesson. I’m sorry, Sonic, I wish I could be more help!”
Sonic could see that there were no easy answers. He’d have to learn on the fly, just like when he was adventuring. He patted the couch cushion to his left. “That helps a lot, Tails…”
With a flash of inspiration, Sonic recalled the dread of hearing his full name being spoken in a command. “Miles Tails Prower, it’s time for your spanking! Come here and get across my lap. I’ll take it from there!”
With a thrill, Tails knew it was no use hiding behind a wall any longer. With a force of will, he entered into full view of the room and marched towards the couch. He didn’t notice both his quivering tails drooping beneath his legs, instinctively covering his furry, yellow backside.
As Tails lay across Sonic’s lap, he felt Sonic tap the brush into the soft fur of the two tails still shielding his target. “Um, Tails? You’ve gotta move your tails out of the way of…your tail.”
Automatically, the two tails lifted and wrapped behind Sonic’s back, as though clinging to him for support. “Sorry! Are they still in the way?”
Sonic settled back into position, finding the tails surprisingly comfortable to rest against. They were better than any pillow! “That’s perfect!”
With his tail (his figurative tail, not his two literal tails) sticking up in the air, Tails felt oddly comfortable on the couch, his whole weight supported by the cushions, his feet resting lightly on the armrest.
Unfortunately, having never given a spanking before in his life, Sonic didn’t have much experience with concepts like “warming up.” Without so much as a single word or love tap of warning, Sonic brought the hairbrush down on Tails' furry little bottom with a loud "thwack," causing Tails to yelp in surprise. The second spank landed so quickly after the first, even Tails’ quick brain hadn’t had time to register that the spanking had begun.
What was worse, Sonic didn’t even know which side of the brush to use, meaning Tails only gradually felt a strange, prickling sensation from stiff bristles as they sank deep into his fur.
Sonic only knew how to operate at one speed: fast. The result was a furious series of spanks in quick succession, but with little force. Ironically, although the quick swats were doing very little lasting damage, Tails was completely terrified by the furious pace of the smacking sounds, and confused by the sensation that he was being spanked by what felt like a remarkably soft cactus, but it didn’t actually hurt that much. Not that poor Tails was rationally aware of that yet.
“SONIC!” He wailed!
Instantly, Sonic stopped, hoping that they were finally done. “Oh? Have you learned your lesson? Is that about how long your parents spank you?”
Tails was too dumbfounded to even notice the soft sting across his backside. “What was that?”
“...Your spanking?”
“That was a spanking? That was the craziest spanking I ever heard! I thought a bomb exploded and a swarm of hornets tried to sting me, only…Wait, it doesn’t even hurt that much? How did you even manage that? I thought you knew all about spanking and everything! Have you never done this before?”
Sonic grimaced. “Hey, I have done this before! Once, anyway!”
“When?”
“Just now.”
Tails was so disappointed, he was furious. “No! That was not a spanking! I refuse to accept that as a spanking! If I allow that to be called a spanking, the definition of the word ‘spanking’ will forever be rendered meaningless!”
Sonic grinned sheepishly. “Oh…I’m sorry, little buddy!”
It was so sincere, Tails suddenly felt sorry for Sonic. It was like he was seeing his hero for the first time. Sonic actually made mistakes? It was surreal. Tails choked with shock, and finally accepted Sonic’s apology. “I…I forgive you.”
Satisfied, Sonic rested the hairbrush by his side and moved to stand up. “Really? Excellent! Well, I’m glad that’s over!”
Feeling his temper rise, Tails sprang up and pinned Sonic back in place, before snatching up the brush to examine it. “Oh no, it certainly is not! We agreed you were going to spank me just like my parents would! I have to prove to you I’m serious about being a good side-kick. I need discipline! Do you have any idea how nervous I was before this spanking started? Well, by golly, if I’m going to be spanked, I’m going to be spanked properly! Let me see that! …Okay, I see what you did! You spanked me with the bristle-side of the brush? You want to use the wooden side. See how it looks like a paddle?”
Sonic slapped his forehead. “Oh! That makes so much more sense! Got it! Never use the bristle-side. Though, hypothetically speaking, why wouldn’t I want to do that?”
Tails felt his nerd rage rising again. “I didn’t say never use the bristle-side. I said you want to use the wooden side. Look, it’s simple physics. The wooden surface creates a solid impact. It stings, and scorches! The bristles create hundreds of impacts at small points of contact, but the softness of the bristles cushions the kinetic force! It prickles, but has little impact! So use it to change the pace of the spanking and throw me a curveball after you’ve paddled me thoroughly with the wooden side!”
As Tails thrust the brush back into his hand, Sonic realized he’d been rushing. “Slow is fast, and fast is slow,” Uncle Chuck had once told him.
“Sorry again, Tails. I guess I really don’t know what I’m doing!”
Tails sighed. “Well, I forgive you, again! So, why don’t we try this…again! But this time, follow my lead.”
Tails flopped back into spanking position, and gestured pointedly to his bottom. “You need to spank slowly, so that I have time to feel each one, and think about what I did and how much trouble I’m in. We’re not trying to speedrun a video game or get a Guinness record for fastest spanking delivered in history. You can lecture me between each spank, or lecture while spanking me continuously, or take breaks to just lecture me for a while and then spank me for a while in silence. If I kick or struggle, you have to hold me in place and keep spanking me, and maybe give me extras for disobedience. Concentrate on this area!”
Tails traced an oval shape with his fingers to indicate the lower part of his bottom. By this time, Sonic had snatched a notepad and pencil from the nearby end table and was furiously taking notes as Tails continued his lecture.
“Then, as needed, cover a wider area. You can even cover my thighs and the sides of my cheeks. Be careful above this line, since that’s my tailbone, but every square inch below this point is fair game. But if you think you need to get my attention again or emphasize a point, keep coming back here, to the sit spots, because that’s what will be reminding me of this spanking for a week every time I sit down! Once you’re satisfied that the spanking is almost over, probably when I’m at my limit and can barely keep from sobbing, then you can increase the speed and tempo and really wear me out! I’ve been a naughty little fox cub, and I deserve to be spanked long and hard, until I’m good and sorry, then put in time out with a bright, red tail that glows in the dark! …Now, did you get all that?”
Sonic furiously examined his notes. “I think so! …Thanks, Tails! I had no idea this could be so complicated!”
Tails felt his nerd rage fading, and without it, the fear of what he had just asked for came crashing back down. “You’re welcome…Phew! Sorry for losing my temper. I’m sure you’ll do great…Oh, and Sonic?”
Sonic paused as he raised the hairbrush, nervous another lecture was coming. “Yeah, little buddy?”
Tails blushed and faced the pillows to brace for impact, not wanting to look at either Sonic or the brush at the moment. “I’m also sorry for what I did to earn this spanking! Now spank me!”
Sonic placed a reassuring hand on Tail’s waist, holding him in place. “I’m sorry too…partner!”
And with that, Tails’ first proper spanking from Sonic began.
With some slight additional coaching, Sonic’s performance improved remarkably. Tails squirmed and kicked his legs, his two-tails twitched madly as they curled and uncurled reflexively. But Tails didn't try to escape. He knew that he deserved this punishment, and he was determined to take it like a grown-fox. But finally, his tears and grunts began to build, and Sonic remembered what to do.
Gradually building the rhythm of the spanking, Sonic didn’t relent until the repentant fox broke down, first wailing for mercy and finally bawling like a baby.
After a few more spanks to the all-important sit spots, Sonic set aside the brush and helped Tails up off his lap.
Remembering what Tails said about expecting to be put in time out, Sonic had a flash of inspiration. Just like Sonic’s mother used to do back in the day, Sonic pinched Tails by the ear to escort him to the corner for time out.
Tails rubbed his sore bottom furiously, and looked up at Sonic with a mixture of relief and gratitude. "I'm sorry, Sonic. I promise I'll be more careful in the future. Thank you for spanking me."
Now that it was over, Tails seemed to have recovered his dignity. Sonic was as impressed by Tail’s resilience, as Tails was surprised to discover it within himself.
Sonic smiled and patted Tails on the head, guiding his nose into the corner. "I know you will, buddy. I forgive you. And you’re welcome."
After 30 minutes, Sonic returned to release Tails from time out.
Tails looked up at him penitently. “Does my grounding start today?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t you remember? When I disobeyed my parents and played in the street they didn’t just spank me. They also grounded me for a whole week. We agreed you were going to punish me the same way they would for the same offense.”
“Tails! I thought we did all this because you didn’t want to get grounded!”
“Yeah, for a whole month, remember? My parents only ever grounded me for a week. Still a good deal in my book! Besides, it will be good for me to take some time to train…and think about everything.”
Sonic shrugged, and flashed a winning grin as he pulled Tails out of timeout. “No one can say you aren’t tough as nails, Tails. So be it. You are grounded!”
In response, Tails surprised Sonic with a tight hug, grateful for his forgiveness and the lesson he had learned. Not used to being hugged, Sonic tensed in surprise, before returning the embrace.
From that day on, he was more careful to follow Sonic's instructions and stay out of danger, knowing that his friend only wanted the best for him. From that day on, Tails wasn’t just Sonic’s side-kick. He was his partner.
The End
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