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Sonic stood in front of one of the walls, his forehead pressed against the cold paint as he listened to the footsteps of Tom and Maddie moving around the house. It was deep-cleaning day, and the scent of lavender and lilac filled the air. As expected, the blue hedgehog hadn’t been able to stay out of trouble, and before the clock even struck noon, he had already caused enough mischief to earn himself a punishment.
His fingers drummed against the side of his leg, energy coursing intensely through his body. He had been staring at that plain, white, boring wall for almost fifteen minutes now, his restless feet tapping against the floor as he searched for ways to escape his boredom. The sound of the TV, tuned to a news channel, was already annoying him—the reports were dull, the journalist sounded sleepy, and a faint buzzing noise from the device made everything even more tedious.
Ozzie lay peacefully on a nearby rug, his steady breathing suggesting that he was probably asleep, oblivious to the movement around him. However, there was something off about the dog’s usually golden fur. Part of it was now covered in dark blue stains.
The cause of it all? Sonic, of course. Right after getting out of bed that morning, the little hedgehog had come up with the brilliant idea of giving the poor dog a makeover. He had found a can of car paint in the garage and decided it would be the perfect material for his artistic project. The result, of course, was far from pretty. The paint was strong and resistant, meaning Tom and Maddie would have to take Ozzie for an emergency grooming session. But since the dog didn’t seem to mind, Sonic found his punishment rather unfair.
"Guys, I'm going to die of boredom here," the blue hedgehog announced, genuinely anxious to get out of that spot.
"I told you you'd stay there for half an hour, young man," Maddie responded in a serious tone, making the hedgehog groan in frustration. "And it hasn’t even been fifteen minutes."
"But I need to burn off my energy! I'm about to have a meltdown."
"You should have thought about that before causing trouble, don't you think?"
The hedgehog let out a heavy sigh, full of frustration. He squeezed his eyes shut and started counting to a hundred in his head—first forward, then backward—in an attempt to calm himself. The pent-up energy in his body seemed to pulse stronger with each number, but he persisted, focusing on the count as if his life depended on it.
Finally, the sound of the TV turning off broke the silence. Sonic opened his eyes just in time to see Tom sitting down on the couch, wearing an expression that was a mix of exhaustion and patience.
"Come over here, buddy," Tom called, trying to sound firm but not quite succeeding. His voice had a friendly tone that betrayed him, weakening his attempt at authority. Maddie had already pointed out that Sonic didn’t take him seriously sometimes because he just couldn’t bring himself to be truly strict. But it was a tough task—Sonic wasn’t just an alien he had taken in; the blue hedgehog had become his son.
In less than half a second, Sonic was already standing in front of him. His feet were still tapping frantically against the floor, and his arms were crossed over his chest in silent protest, as if trying to make it clear just how unfair he thought the situation was.
"I don’t like staring at the wall," the little hedgehog announced, clearly pouting.
Tom subtly shook his head before locking eyes with him.
"You need to control your impulses, buddy," he began calmly. "Ozzie is not a canvas for you to test your painting skills on—he’s a dog. And now we have to shave off all his fur just because you decided to paint him."
"I just wanted him to look like me. I didn’t hurt him, Tom," Sonic quickly defended himself, still sulking.
The sheriff held back a smile at the hedgehog’s innocence. Despite being a hero with incredible abilities, Sonic was still a child—his child—and things like this were just proof of that.
Tom reached out and carefully picked up the blue hedgehog, placing him beside him on the couch.
"I know you didn’t hurt him, but that’s not the point. The issue is your impulsiveness. You act without thinking about the consequences, and that’s why you’re being punished—to reflect on it. And this"—Tom gestured toward the still-sleeping dog—"can’t happen again, right?"
"Right…"
"This is your fourth punishment this week, Sonic. Try to stay out of trouble for at least a few hours, okay?"
"Okay…"
Tom smiled in satisfaction and leaned in to place a kiss on Sonic’s forehead.
"Alright then. Maddie is taking Ozzie to the clinic, and I need to pick up some documents at the station. We’ll be back before lunch," Tom said as he got up from the couch. "The house is clean, so don’t do anything that’ll mess it up. If you get hungry, there’s cereal in the cabinet."
"Can I watch TV?" the hedgehog asked, already holding the remote.
"Yeah, you can. Call us if you need anything, okay? We’ll be back in two hours."
Sonic grinned at the sheriff, and Maddie soon walked over, placing a kiss on his head as well.
"Don’t do anything you’ll regret later," she warned before ruffling his fur and heading out with Ozzie a few minutes later.
Sonic sank into the couch, feeling the weight of boredom settle in. The distant hum of Tom’s car engine gradually faded as the vehicle moved farther from the house. When everything fell silent, the blue hedgehog quickly sprang to his feet and, with a burst of speed, dashed toward the backyard. He needed to release all the energy that had been building up inside him—the same energy that had made him so restless while he was being punished. Outside, the open space offered the freedom he craved. He started running wildly, feeling his muscles stretch and the adrenaline rush through his body. After half an hour of pure fun—laughing, jumping through bushes—Sonic decided it was time to head back inside.
The blue hedgehog wiped his feet thoroughly before stepping in and made his way to the couch, sprawling out comfortably. He grabbed the remote again, turned on the TV, and started flipping through channels, trying to find something to hold his attention until his parents returned. This was his chance to stay out of trouble—but, to his frustration, nothing seemed interesting enough. Not even the cartoons he usually watched every day.
Sonic was just about to give up on TV when a colorful commercial caught his attention. On the screen, a vibrant, animated ice amusement park appeared. People seemed to be having the time of their lives, racing around, skiing down icy slopes. The scenery shimmered in shades of blue and white, and the cheerful sound of laughter filled the air. For a moment, the hedgehog sat still, eyes glued to the television, completely absorbed by the adventurous atmosphere of the commercial.
"Come visit Polar Park. A thrilling frozen experience full of fun! Explore our giant ice slide, discover the magical snow castle, and taste the most delicious hot chocolate in the North Pole! A magical place for adventurers of all ages!"
"This looks so fun," Sonic muttered to himself as an idea popped into his mind. "I won’t get in trouble if I just go for fifteen minutes."
The blue hedgehog dashed to his room with quick, determined steps. He rummaged through the drawer of his small dresser, searching frantically until he found the pouch containing his teleportation rings. Excitement bubbled inside him as he gripped a ring tightly, ready for yet another adventure. Wasting no time, he lifted the ring and spun it confidently in the air, opening a portal directly to the amusement park he had seen in the commercial just minutes ago.
"Fifteen minutes, then you come back home, Sonic," he told himself, trying to believe it, before finally stepping through the portal.
The icy wind of the North Pole hit him full in the face the moment he emerged on the other side. The cold snow beneath his feet made him grin with joy. The scene before him was even more breathtaking than it had looked on TV. The entire park, built on ice, stretched out before him, with towering snow-covered mountains and a giant ice slide gleaming under the soft, dim light of the polar sun. Sonic’s excitement grew by the second.
Nothing could go wrong—or at least, that’s what he hoped. The blue hedgehog had fifteen minutes to enjoy this magical place before he had to return home, and he wasn’t going to waste a second. His feet flew across the snow as he ran, jumped, and threw himself down the ice slide, savoring every moment as if it were his last.
After several minutes of pure fun, Sonic finally stopped, taking a deep breath as he tried to steady the energy rushing through his veins. It was time to head home before he got into any more trouble. But as he glanced down at his hands, his heart nearly stopped. The pouch with the rest of his rings was gone. The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of confusion and worry. His eyes darted across the snow-covered ground, scanning frantically for the missing pouch.
The blue hedgehog bolted across the park, his sharp gaze sweeping every inch of the vast icy landscape, but there was no sign of his rings. His heartbeat quickened, and tension grew with every passing second.
"Oh no… no, no, no!" Sonic exclaimed, smacking his forehead, frustration evident in his eyes.
He tried to think of a quick solution, but as the reality of the situation sank in, there was only one option left—calling Tom or Maddie and telling them everything. Panic started creeping in, but he knew he had no other choice.
Sonic grabbed his phone in a rush, trying to dial Tom’s number, but the battery was almost dead—it wouldn’t survive multiple call attempts. The hedgehog pressed the buttons, as if hoping the battery would magically recharge, but nothing worked in his favor. Maddie always told him to charge his phone overnight, but he always forgot. Usually, Tom would do it for him. Unfortunately, this time, Tom had forgotten too.
For a moment, Sonic stood frozen in the middle of the park, an unfamiliar fear creeping over him. He was completely alone, far from Montana, and without any way to contact his parents. His eyes stung with unshed tears as he walked over to a nearby sidewalk, sitting down and burying his face in his hands. He could try running all the way home, but he was a long way from Green Hills. He’d need food and rest to refuel, or his energy would drain completely before he got anywhere close.
"Hey, weird little thing!"
Sonic lifted his head at the sound of someone calling out to him, only to find himself face-to-face with a young girl.
"That’s a funny-looking costume!" she said, grinning.
"It’s not a costume..." Sonic muttered, looking away.
The girl furrowed her brows, tilting her head as she studied him more closely. She looked about ten or twelve years old, wrapped in a thick scarf with a beanie that nearly covered her curious eyes.
"If it’s not a costume, then what are you?" she asked, crossing her arms, looking more intrigued than scared.
"I’m just someone who got lost and needs to call his parents," Sonic replied with a sigh.
"Hmmm." The girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously before smirking. "Well, lucky for you, my mom works at the police station. I think she can help you."
Sonic hesitated for a few moments, but at that point, any help was better than none. Slowly, he stood up and began walking alongside the girl toward the nearest police station. She didn’t seem afraid or uncomfortable; in fact, she looked like she was enjoying the situation, as if meeting someone as unusual as him had just made her day more exciting and fun.
As they walked, the girl chatted away cheerfully, talking about the park and how her mom was the best police officer in town. Sonic only half-listened, too preoccupied with his own situation. He could already picture the massive scolding he’d get once he made it home. Or worse—Maddie might actually give him a few well-deserved smacks this time. Just the thought made his stomach twist.
When they finally arrived at the station, the compact, functional building had a simple facade. A carved wooden sign, nearly buried under the snow, looked like it was about to collapse from the weight. The windows were fogged up from the cold, and inside, the officers seemed relaxed. Some were holding steaming cups of tea, while others were talking on the phone with looks of mild boredom. The girl pushed open the wooden door with ease, and almost immediately, all eyes turned toward her—and the strange blue creature beside her. After all, a talking hedgehog was definitely not something they saw every day.
"Hi!" The girl waved at everyone, unbothered by the attention. "Is my mom here? My friend needs help."
"What exactly... is that?" A burly man with a thick mustache and heavy coats draped over his shoulders stood up from behind the counter, his eyes sizing up Sonic with surprise and a hint of fear.
"Good heavens! It’s an abomination!" Another officer shouted, quickly pulling out his gun and aiming it at Sonic, who immediately raised his hands in surrender.
"Calm down, he’s not a threat!" The girl was quick to say, gently pushing Sonic back and making him squint his eyes. He could defend himself if needed. "He just needs to call his parents."
Before the man could respond, a tall woman emerged from one of the side rooms, holding a clipboard to her chest. Her voice sounded like she was about to announce something routine, but she fell silent as soon as she noticed the tension in the room. Her eyes scanned the scene, landing on Sonic, who stood frozen beside her daughter. Shock immediately crossed her face, and instinctively, she reached for the gun at her waist.
"Emily, my daughter... what are you doing here? And what is this... thing?" Her voice came out more nervously than she had intended.
"Look, I just need a phone that can make international calls," This time, Sonic replied, which only deepened the shock of the officers present.
"H-he talks..." muttered the officer still pointing his gun at Sonic. His face drained of color, and he collapsed onto the floor, completely fainted. Some of his colleagues quickly rushed to help him.
"Mom, please... he needs your help," The little girl looked at her mom, almost pleading. The woman seemed torn between her instinct to protect the others and her need to listen to her daughter’s request. With a heavy sigh, she relaxed her shoulders, trying to hide her apprehension.
"Alright, Emily," she said, softening her tone. Despite how completely strange the situation was, this little creature didn’t seem to pose any real threat. That’s when she noticed how much Sonic’s eyes betrayed uncertainty and anxiety. "Let’s go to my office."
The girl smiled with satisfaction and they followed the woman to a room at the back of the station. The atmosphere there was calmer, with soft lighting and walls adorned with public safety posters and community instructions. As soon as they entered, she indicated a spot for Sonic to sit.
"So, what's your name and what exactly do you need help with?" The woman asked, sitting down in her own chair.
"My name is Sonic... and, as I said, I need to call my parents, but my phone doesn’t have enough battery to make a call...," he explained in a low tone. The feeling of being lost wasn’t very pleasant.
The woman observed him carefully, noticing that he seemed uncomfortable and out of place.
"What is a... creature from the United States doing here in the North Pole? You’re a long way from home," she commented, pulling the phone from the table.
Sonic didn’t answer the question, simply staring at the woman. His situation was far beyond anything anyone there could understand, and he just wanted to call Tom or Maddie. The initial fifteen minutes of fun had turned into almost an hour of frustration.
"Okay, you don’t want to give me many details, do you? So let’s just... call the number you provide," the officer said, letting out a low sigh. Sonic felt a small sense of relief when he realized she wouldn’t bombard him with unnecessary questions.
The blue hedgehog gave her Tom’s number, and she made three attempts to call, but none of them were answered. With a frustrated sigh, Sonic then gave her the number for the station where his dad worked. He watched intently as she dialed, his green eyes focused on the phone, eagerly waiting for an answer. After two more attempts, the call was finally answered. Sonic immediately recognized the voice of Wade on the other end of the line, his father’s coworker.
"Good afternoon! This is Officer Bennet from Svalbard Station, calling directly from Longyearbyen in the North Pole. I’m calling on behalf of a young man named Sonic, who is in an emergency situation. He is lost here and can't get back to Montana because his phone is out of battery, and he needs to contact his... parents..."
"Wait... Sonic is in the North Pole?!" Wade exclaimed with surprise on the other end of the line.
"Yes, exactly. He’s right here at the station. Apparently, he doesn’t know how he got here, but he’s fine, he’s just... lost and a little scared."
"Give me just a minute..." Wade said, and they could hear the phone being set down on something. Seconds later, another voice, which Sonic immediately recognized as Tom’s, took the line.
"Sheriff Thomas Wachowski here. How can I help?" Tom’s voice was still calm, as Wade had only mentioned there were problems, but didn’t explain exactly what was going on.
The officer introduced herself and explained the entire situation a second time. On the other end of the line, Tom couldn’t believe what he was hearing and remained silent for several seconds, stunned. He and Maddie had only been away for a few hours, and now Sonic was over five thousand kilometers away from home. After a moment, Tom finally spoke:
"My God... can I talk to him?" Tom asked, running a hand through his hair.
"Of course, I’ll pass the phone," Officer Bennet extended the phone to Sonic, who quickly took it and bit his lower lip, trying to gather all his courage before speaking with Tom.
"Hi, Tom... I had a problem here," he began in a low voice, but relieved to have finally made contact.
"A problem?! You’re in the North Pole, kid!" Tom exclaimed, more irritated than he meant to be. "I’m not even going to ask how you ended up there because I have a pretty good idea. But listen closely, use one of your rings to come back home right now and..."
"Dad, I lost the bag with the rings! Why do you think I’m calling you from a police station? I have no way of getting home!" Sonic quickly explained.
"What?" Tom’s voice sounded incredulous on the other end of the line, as if it was hard to believe, but with Sonic, anything was possible. "You... lost the rings?! How did you..."
"I know, I messed up, alright?" The blue hedgehog interrupted him. "But I saw a park on TV, and I wanted to see it up close, so I ran out, planning to come back in fifteen minutes, but then I realized my rings weren’t with me anymore. They must have fallen somewhere around here or in my room, and..."
"Sonic, do you have any idea how mad your mom is going to be? You acted without thinking again! We had a talk less than two hours ago, kid! Now I’ll have to spend hours on a plane because you decided to leave the couch at home!"
"You can't let mom get mad at me! Please, dad. She... she will..." Sonic felt the desperation overwhelm him, and he couldn't even finish his words, as he was being observed by the officer and her daughter.
"Let me speak with the officer," Tom asked in a serious tone. The blue hedgehog let out a heavy sigh before passing the phone back to Officer Bennet.
"Officer Bennet, it will take me a few hours to get to you, so if you could, please, stay with my son?"
"Are you telling me that this blue creature is your... son?" The woman asked, surprised, not understanding how a police officer who seemed very human could have a son like Sonic.
"Just promise me you’ll keep him safe until I get there, please?" Tom insisted, not wanting to explain how his family dynamic worked.
"I will keep Sonic safe, Mr. Wachowski. But I have to ask... what does he eat? How does he prefer to sleep?"
Tom stifled the urge to laugh at the officer’s questions, as they were actually very valid ones.
"I know it sounds strange, but he eats and sleeps exactly like us. Don’t worry about that," he explained and exchanged a few more words with the officer before hanging up the phone.
Police officer Bennet took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a few seconds, trying to process the avalanche of information she had just received. The town where she lived was small and quiet, where nothing really out of the ordinary ever happened. She knew that this unusual event would spark weeks of gossip and rumors in the local bars, at school, and even in the most isolated corners of the town, but if her role was to keep that strange creature safe, she would do it without hesitation. He was a police officer, her job was to protect, no matter what or who it was.
The hours passed slowly as night fell over Longyearbyen. The woman, along with her daughter and Sonic, made their way to their home. With each passing minute spent beside the blue hedgehog, she became more and more convinced that he was not a threat; in fact, he seemed like a rather mischievous child.
When they arrived home, Officer Bennet quickly lit the fireplace in the living room, and the warmth spread through the space, making everything more comfortable. Sonic moved closer to the heat, almost instinctively, extending his hands forward in an attempt to warm himself. The woman smiled faintly as she watched him and then grabbed a blanket, handing it to him. The blue hedgehog quickly draped the fabric over his shoulders, feeling a little more relaxed.
“I’ll prepare something for you to eat. You can watch TV while I do,” she suggested, seeing her daughter settle on the couch and already start flipping through the channels.
"Thank you, Mrs. Bennet," the hedgehog smiled gratefully. He only needed to wait a few hours until Tom came to pick him up, and everything would be resolved, at least until he had to face Maddie’s irritation.
Already in Green Hills, the sense of urgency hung in the air. Tom and Maddie were in a real race against time. Each passing minute felt more agonizing, and the desire to find a quick solution grew stronger. Even Tom, who always remained calm under pressure, couldn’t control his anxiety. He made calls, searched airline websites, but everything required connections, layovers, and complications, making the trip—already exhausting—even harder to manage.
Maddie tried to stay calm, but she was quite irritated by the little hedgehog’s irresponsibility. He could be very creative with his antics. She wondered internally when Sonic would finally have enough maturity to handle the world. He would need it to become a true hero, but it seemed like there was still a long road ahead. And it was her and Tom’s role to teach him.
"Sonic has no idea how much trouble he’s in. When I get my hands on him..." Maddie began.
"Actually, I think I need to handle this," Tom said, shifting his gaze from the computer screen to his wife. "Sonic also disobeyed my order, and look at the mess he got himself into… You always deal with this, honey, but I feel like it’s my responsibility this time."
Maddie looked surprised by Tom’s words.
"Are you sure about this, Tom?" she asked, just to confirm what she had heard.
"Yes, Maddie, I’m sure," he answered after a few seconds, trying to convince himself that he needed to do this. "I’ll buy a ticket, book a hotel room, and talk to Sonic right there. Then we’ll come back home."
The veterinarian observed her husband for a moment, noticing how determined he was. It was rare to see him so focused on something that involved a harsher punishment, but she knew he was trying to do what was best for Sonic, even if it was a difficult task.
"Alright, honey. I trust you," Maddie said sincerely, and Tom gave a small nod.
After a few minutes of searching, they finally found the perfect ticket. Tom booked round-trip tickets and the hotel, then went to pack a small suitcase for his trip to the North Pole. He didn’t take much, only the essentials to survive more than twenty-four hours of travel. It would be a long journey—he wouldn’t be able to avoid layovers—but there was no other way. Sonic needed to come home safely.
"All set?" Maddie asked gently.
"Yeah, all set. My flight leaves in four hours, I’ll arrive in Longyearbyen within twenty-four hours, then I’ll have ten hours to stay at the hotel and rest before catching my flight back home."
"I’ll drive you to the airport, then," she announced, already grabbing the car keys.
They both walked out the door and headed to the car. The international airport was in a nearby city, about two hours from Green Hills, which only made everything feel even longer and more exhausting. Tom took deep breaths the entire way, trying to calm his nerves. Not only had Sonic left home without even getting permission, but he had also lost the rings—objects that were quite important. The hedgehog would need to find them again as soon as possible.
"Good luck, honey. And keep me updated," Maddie said as she bid farewell to her husband with a lingering kiss before he headed toward the boarding area.
Tom had never traveled so far from home. Time seemed to drag on as he tried to distract himself with a book or a movie. The discomfort of the flight, the numerous layovers, the strange feeling of crossing an ocean, and the long hours away—everything contributed to his patience wearing thin. On top of that, there was his constant worry about Sonic, who never seemed to stay out of trouble for long.
After more than twenty-four hours of travel, he finally arrived at the small airport in Longyearbyen. The biting cold was immediate, and he felt the difference the moment he stepped off the plane. The frigid air caused his breath to condense in front of him. The airport was small and cozy, far from being busy, with only a few people walking through its halls. He made his way to the baggage claim area, grabbed his suitcase, and quickly headed toward one of the only two hotels in town.
The hotel was small and simple, but it had a rustic charm. The wooden walls and warm interior made for a cozy atmosphere, a stark contrast to the freezing weather outside. Tom quickly checked in, went up to the room he had reserved, and tossed his suitcase onto the bed, feeling the weight of the long journey on his shoulders. Still, he couldn’t rest until he saw Sonic, so he grabbed a heavy coat, threw it over his shoulders, and made his way to the police station, where his son was waiting with Officer Bennet and her daughter.
Sonic was sitting in one of the chairs at the station, swinging his legs anxiously as he ate a hot dog. When he heard the door open, his eyes immediately locked onto Tom walking in, and almost instinctively, he bolted toward his father.
"Tom! You’re finally here!" he exclaimed, throwing himself into the sheriff’s arms.
Tom let out a sigh, visibly relieved to see the little hedgehog safe and seemingly well. He hugged him for a few seconds before pulling him back by the shoulders to look him over from head to toe.
"Are you okay?" he asked before anything else.
"Uh-huh, I am," Sonic nodded frantically, making Tom exhale in relief—though his expression quickly turned more serious.
"I’m glad you’re okay, because you are in big trouble!" Tom said with a firmness Sonic rarely heard from him, which made the hedgehog slightly nervous. Despite his authoritative tone, there was an underlying concern in his voice.
Before Sonic could respond, Tom turned to Officer Bennet, who had been watching their interaction with curiosity and mild surprise.
"Thank you for taking care of him, Mrs. Bennet. I know this was an unexpected situation, but I truly appreciate you keeping him safe," the sheriff said, his voice calmer this time, though the exhaustion was still evident.
"There’s no need to thank me, Mr. Wachowski. I’m... happy I was able to help," she replied, extending her hand for a brief handshake with the Green Hills sheriff.
Tom smiled in response, but he couldn't waste too much time. He still had to settle things with Sonic, and he desperately needed to sleep—after all, in a few hours, he would have to endure the long journey back home. And he knew it would be even more challenging, considering he would have to travel with an extremely restless child who would be forced to sit still in a small space for hours.
"Come on, Sonic. It's time to go to the hotel," he said, holding the hedgehog's hand.
The sheriff exchanged a few more words with the officer, while Sonic took the opportunity to say goodbye to his newest friend. Only then did they head to the small hotel in town.
The trip was rather silent, and Sonic felt uncomfortable about it. He knew he had messed up, but the fact that Tom hadn't said a single word made him even more tense. His green eyes were glued to his father, but Tom seemed lost in thought, his expression serious and focused.
"Hey, Dad..." Sonic broke the silence. "I'm really sorry about all this, I didn’t mean to..."
"We’ll talk at the hotel, Sonic."
The sheriff’s tone was firm and cutting, leaving no room for more excuses or justifications.
The blue hedgehog stared at his father for a few more seconds before looking away. The feeling of having disappointed one of the people he cared about most in the world was almost crushing. His eyes welled up with tears again, and he decided to stay quiet as well.
They arrived at the hotel and went straight to their room.
Tom opened the door without a word, turned on the light, and took off his coat with a calmness that contrasted with the tension in the air. The little hedgehog took a deep breath before stepping inside and stood by one of the beds, his eyes fixed on his father as if waiting for direction on what to do next.
The sheriff was visibly exhausted, feeling the strain of the long and difficult journey. All he wanted was to collapse onto the bed and forget everything that had happened, but he knew he couldn’t allow himself that luxury. Sonic needed to be punished, even if it was a difficult task.
"Sit down," Tom pointed to the bed, and Sonic quickly obeyed, already mentally preparing himself for the scolding. "I still can't believe we have to have another talk about responsibility, Sonic..."
"I just wanted to see the park from TV. My plan was to stay here for just a few minutes..."
"You worry me, buddy," he said in a firm tone. "Just a few hours ago, we talked about your impulsiveness, and not even an hour later, what do you do? Act irresponsibly again! I get that you have this huge need to explore and have fun, but it's time to start thinking about the consequences of your actions, to be more predictable. Life isn't a game, Sonic! Some of our choices affect the people around us, especially those who care about you!"
Tom took a deep breath, trying to steady his voice. He walked over to the other bed and sat down, facing the little blue creature with almost infinite energy.
"I can't keep letting you off the hook every time something like this happens," the sheriff continued, making the hedgehog lower his head and stare at his own feet. "I don’t want you to stop being who you are, I just want you to start taking things more seriously. Do you realize you could have run into people with bad intentions here? Someone who wanted to take advantage of what you have, like Robotnik?"
Sonic bit his lower lip, trying to hide the shame forming inside him. The last serious conversation he'd had with Tom was when he'd decided to go out on the town at night, setting himself up as “Blue Justice”. On that occasion, his father had been firm, but not as much as now. He felt that Tom was at the limit of his patience, and that made him feel even guiltier.
“I'm sorry about all this, Dad... Mom must be furious, right? Is she going to spank me when we get home?” The blue hedgehog finally looked up, dreading the answer he would hear. Maddie was a lot angrier than she looked, and Sonic hated having that kind of conversation.
“No, mate, she's not going to do that” Tom replied after a few seconds, and Sonic almost let out a sigh of relief, but his father wasn't finished yet “This time I'm the one who's going to sort things out with you, so I'll spank you myself.”
With those words, Tom grabbed Sonic's wrist and pulled him over his lap. The blue hedgehog felt a flush rise to his cheeks and an abnormal desperation take over.
“No, Dad! No, Dad! You can't do that!” Sonic said, trying to escape his father's grip, but Tom was quick to put him face down on his lap.
“Not only can I, but I will. I've had enough of talking to you about the same things, so this is how we're going to solve it” the man announced, holding the little hedgehog's waist so that he wouldn't fall and end up hurting himself.
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry!”
Tom began the punishment, letting a few spanks fall on Sonic's bottom. The blue hedgehog became restless, struggling over his father's lap, trying to find ways to escape, but Tom still held him firmly in place.
“I had to spend more than twenty-four hours between airports and airplanes, all because you decided it would be a good idea to come to a park here at the North Pole! And he loses his teleportation rings along the way!” The sheriff continued his scolding, his tone serious.
The blue hedgehog soon began to cry, after all Tom was being really hard on him. The sheriff, for his part, felt like an executioner for doing this. His heart almost leapt out of his chest with every spanking, and he tried to convince himself that it was necessary, so he continued.
“It hurts, Daddy! No more!” Sonic begged, but his father continued with the punishment, his mother starting to burn a little.
“That's the point. I want you to remember this conversation very well, especially when you think of doing something impulsive that goes against all the rules of the house!” Tom said after taking a deep breath, letting five more spanks fall on Sonic's already reddened buttocks.
Tom finally stopped, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat. The little hedgehog was sobbing uncontrollably, totally vulnerable, with tears streaming down his face. The sheriff ran his hand down Sonic's back, the gesture firm and comforting, before pulling him up and wrapping him in a protective hug.
“Calm down, buddy... it's okay, we're done here” he murmured, his voice lower and reassuring, as he felt Sonic snuggle up against him, sinking his face into his shirt “Take a deep breath...”
“I'm sorry...” said the little hedgehog, his voice still choked up “I don't want you to be disappointed in me, I don't!”
“Hey, I'm not disappointed in you, I just want you to be more responsible and careful.”
Sonic nodded slightly, closing his eyes and trying to calm down. Tom remained there, sitting on the bed with the little hedgehog nestled in his arms. Little by little, the crying subsided, giving way to more regular breathing and within a few minutes, all that was left were low sobs, interspersed with tired sighs. The hedgehog sniffled softly before raising his eyes and looking at his father.
“Dad?” He called out, making Tom look at him with a fondness that never diminished with the passing years.
“Tell me, my son...”
“I love you... even after you spanked me”
The sheriff felt a wave of warmth fill his chest. He stroked the hedgehog's things once more, relatively relieved that he hadn't caused such strong collateral damage that Sonic began to hate him.
“I love you too, buddy. More than you know.”
(…)
The trip back to Green Hills, though exhausting, was relatively peaceful. Sonic seemed more introspective than usual, something Tom interpreted as the result of his recent punishment. It was quite strange to see the blue hedgehog so quiet and restrained. When they arrived home, Maddie was already at the door waiting for them. The veterinarian greeted her husband with a quick kiss and then crouched down in front of Sonic, pulling him into a tight hug.
"You almost worried us to death, young man!" she said, holding his shoulders and looking him in the eyes.
"I'm really sorry about all of this, Mom..."
"It's okay. I know you've already been punished, and this matter is settled, right?" The woman leaned in slightly and kissed the blue hedgehog’s forehead. "Just don’t do anything like that again, okay?"
The three of them went inside, and Sonic ran off to pet Ozzie, who now looked more like a golden Labrador than a Golden Retriever since they had to shave all his fur. The dog didn’t seem to mind at all, wagging his tail excitedly and giving Sonic a few welcome-home licks.
"You know you’ll be grounded for the next few days, right?" Tom reminded him, making the hedgehog scrunch up his face in a small grimace.
"Alright, I guess I deserve that," he said with a shrug, trying to act like he didn’t care. But Tom and Maddie knew it would be tough for him to handle any kind of punishment. "But what exactly does being grounded mean?"
"It means no TV, no phone, and no comic books for at least a week. And you won’t be staying home alone anymore. That means you’ll be going with Maddie to the clinic during that time."
"Every day, for a whole week?!" Sonic exclaimed, truly surprised. "But it's so boring there!"
"Consider it an important lesson," Tom replied, shrugging as well. "And who knows? If you behave, we might cut down a few days of your punishment."
"This is worse than fighting Robotnik," Sonic muttered, shaking his head. "But I’ll go along with it because I love you guys. I promise not to give you any headaches this week."
Maddie and Tom laughed at the little hedgehog’s words. He was already thinking about ways to make his time at the clinic more interesting—after all, he had a special talent for turning any situation into an opportunity for fun. With that in mind, he played with Ozzie for a few more minutes before heading up to his room.
As he stepped inside, Sonic let out a sigh, reflecting on the past few hours. But something quickly caught his attention, and his eyes widened when he noticed something important under his dresser. He immediately crouched down, stretched out his arm, and pulled out his little pouch filled with teleportation rings.
"I can't believe you were here the whole time! You must have fallen when I went through the portal," he said to himself, holding the pouch carefully with a huge sense of relief—after all, the objects inside were valuable.
The hedgehog opened the pouch and looked at the remaining rings, which shimmered softly. A mischievous smile appeared on his face for a brief moment, but it was soon replaced by a serious expression.
"No, no, Sonic. No new adventures… at least for a week," he muttered to himself, repeating the words Tom had said just a few minutes ago. "I have to prove that I'm responsible..."
"You didn’t tell me you had lost the pouch with the rings," Tom's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he quickly looked up at his father with an awkward smile.
The sheriff stood in the doorway, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised.
"Ah, well… I just found it now! It was under the dresser, probably fell when I went through the portal," he explained quickly. "If I had known they were here, you wouldn’t have needed to take a plane… and we could've saved time and money, right?"
Tom took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. He hadn’t even bothered to look for the pouch before deciding to take the plane. With a heavy sigh, he shook his head and held out his hand.
"You're grounded, so this is getting confiscated too," he announced, waiting for Sonic to hand over the pouch.
The hedgehog looked at the pouch reluctantly, clearly disappointed, but he knew there wasn’t much he could do. Slowly, he handed it over to Tom.
"You guys are going to bore me to death this week," he grumbled, sulking.
"It’s for your own good, trust me."
"I’ll try to survive," he replied, flopping onto his bed.
"You’ll make it, buddy."
Rise483 Wed 05 Feb 2025 01:19AM UTC
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