On Fire 1: On Fire by Nomine

(Mom, Dad, Undyne / Colt)

paddle, ask

 

(17/03/2017 - 04/06/2017)

 

 

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It never ceased to amaze me, how quickly a day could go from sweet to sour. I woke up without my usual headache, and before my alarm clock went off. I had my favorite breakfast, one that Momm...my Mom fixed for me with lots of cinnamon and even red pepper flakes! Even trotting off to school wasn’t as bad, since it’s coming on spring now, and the sun rises earlier No more going to school in the dark of the morning.

 

I got there before the bell rang, sitting to the side of the classroom as I did all of my homework from the night before, smirking at the other fillies and colts trying frantically to finish theirs, comparing notes and copying answers from one another before Mrs. Linea came through the door. Of course, my work was done when she came in. I’m one smart cookie, after all.

 

Well...maybe not all that smart, I thought to myself, with a glance upward at my best friend, floating above me with a smirk on his reptilian face as he gave a little twirl in the air before uttering a short hissing laugh. Oh, he wasn’t going to help...not with this. Even if it was partially his fault!

 

Not that he could help with anything, given that nopony but me can see him or hear him, but still! It was the principle of the thing!

 

The note from Mrs. Linea hung very heavy in my saddlebags. I knew it couldn't possibly be that heavy...paper had barely any mass...but it sure seemed that way whenever she sent a note home. And somehow Mom and Dad always seemed to know everything that happened, even if I sneakily opened the envelope and read the letter myself!

 

I only did that once, that’s for sure…

 

Mrs. Linea had started class with Mathematics, as she always does. She says it’s best to do the hardest stuff in the early morning when our minds are still fresh. Either way, the lesson was really easy stuff. Simple subtraction, you just count down or make some tally marks. Then she set us the problem 5-7. I immediately wrote down -2 and she told me I was /wrong/.

 

I wasn’t about to take that lying down, no way! I know my math! She was wrong, and I told her so!

 

“You’re wrong! It is too negative two!” I yelled, earning me a glare from her.

 

“Sit down and be quiet. There are no numbers below zero. You cannot subtract seven from five.” she had told me...and then it happened.

 

“Why are you teaching math if you’re so stupid you don’t know about negative numbers?” I had screamed at her, stomping my hoof on the table and accidentally singeing one of my (thankfully blank) papers.

 

That would have been bad enough, I thought to myself as I looked at my saddlebag, wondering if I could claim that the note accidentally caught fire from how upset and angry and scared I was. Which would be true! Except Mom would never buy it, and I’d probably get in even more trouble for lying.

 

I trotted on, thinking back some more, now about halfway to my house. At least the sun was nice and hot on my back now…I love it when Princess Celestia makes the day nice and warm. It’s like a hug, except it’s all around your body, and it lasts all day!!!

Calling my teacher stupid had gotten me sent to the principal’s office. Somehow, miraculously, I didn’t get spanked there! Maybe because the principal agreed with me…then she told me quite simply that the other foals weren’t ready to learn about negative numbers yet. Really, was that so hard to say?

 

I got sent back to class with a detention for that recess, just because apparently I need to learn respect for authority. Which wasn’t good, but at least I managed to escape a paddling. Principal Aquaria likes me but she has a mean horn whenever an unruly student gets too squirrely. Trust me, I know from personal experience.

 

The day should have gone swimmingly from there. We were even set to learn about elemental magic in class after lunch! I had been waiting all year for this lesson. Maybe now I could learn more about my best friend, why he did some of the things he did, and said some of the things he said!

 

I had sat in my desk very eagerly, even making sure to be good during my detention…writing lines all recess, ugh. At least I managed to get all forty of them written…so Miss Linea wouldn’t send me out again. And the lesson had started awesomely. I hadn’t know that Fire was the element of Passion, or that it could also be used to purify things like metals. Even learning about Water magic…EW!...was amazing in its own right.

 

But then the horror had happened. When we were about to get to what Miss Linea called Elementals, she stopped and looked at the class. “Now, the rest of this lesson is going to be about mythology. Ponies of old held that certain animals were made of the magic we just talked about. However, modern magical science has proven that these creatures do not exist.”

 

What? Was she blind as well as stupid? Sure, most ponies couldn’t see my best friend, but some could! I knew Principal Aquaria had seen him! So why couldn’t Miss Linea? I stood up and whistled him out, causing the teacher to glare at me as he appeared above my head.

 

“Miss, they do SO exist! I’ve seen one! One of those lizards is my best friend!” I called out, before she could tell me to be quiet and mature again.

 

“Heart, this is no time for playing pretend. There is no such thing as a salamander. Now sit down, be quiet, and listen when I am teaching. You already caused enough trouble for today.” She had told me, but I had the bit between my teeth.

 

“He. Is. Right. Here. Floating. Above. My. Head.” I snapped at her, making a shooing motion at him to send him over to float in front of her. As he complied, I fixed the teacher with my own glare. “There, see!”

 

“Heart, there is nothing there. I cannot see your imaginary friend. Now it’s time to stop playing, sit down, and be mat..” she had started, but I cut across her, angry now.

 

“HE IS FLOATING RIGHT ABOVE YOUR HEAD, YOU BLIND BATTY OLD BIMBO-BITCH BUFFOON!!!” I shouted at her, angered past all reason now.

 

The room fell dead silent after my outburst, nopony moving, not even me. Then, with dreadful slowness, Miss Linea moved over to me, pointing to the corner of the room. I didn’t even argue at this point, I knew I was already dead meat.

 

As I sat there, listening to the other students muttering and whispering, I heard the sounds of a quill scratching on paper. It didn’t take long before I heard my name called, and found myself ordered to take one of two notes I was given to Principal Aquaria.

 

I shivered a little, despite the bright sunshine, as I remembered that face she had worn when I stepped into her office for the second time that day. Hooves folded on her desk, those half-glasses perched on her nose, her mane pulled back into a tight braid that still managed to hang loose and flow…I’m sure some ponies thought she was really pretty. To me, at that point, she was the embodiment of fear.

 

“Let me guess.” She had said. “You either threw a tantrum, hit somepony for making fun of you, or you yelled at Miss Linea again despite my warnings. So which was it, Heart?” she asked, making me wince. Most adults are really stupid compared to me, but Principal Aquaria was something else. She always seemed to be able to predict what I was going to say or do.

 

In answer to her question, I handed over both notes from Miss Linea, watching carefully as she slit the one addressed to her with a small blade and opened it, her eyes narrowing as she perused the writing on the page. I squirmed in my seat, the cream colored wood cold against my flanks. She only looked like that when I was in really deep trouble.

 

I saw her eyes flick back up to the top. She always read notes from teachers three times, to be sure she understood everything before getting the student’s side of the story, she had told me when I asked her. Even now, her eyes were narrowing more, and her mouth and thinned out to that line grown-ups have when a foal has really messed up.

 

A second flick up, she was on her third read-through. I squirmed more in my seat, wishing I had thought to at least bring my robe. The chair was so cold, and I was feeling so upset and scared…I honestly shouldn’t have done what I did then, but I couldn’t take it any longer.

 

“I’m sorry!” I shouted, just to break the horrendous weight of the silence in the room as I threw myself off my chair and looked at her, reared up with my hooves on her desk. “I’m sorry I swore and yelled! I won’t do it again! Please!”

 

“Sit down, Heart. I’m almost done reading.” She had told me. With a wince, I obeyed, sliding my clenched cheeks back onto that hard, cold surface. Not one minute later, she broke the silence again. “Normally, I would ask for your side of the story here, but from your little outburst, I can assume that you admit you did what she accuses you of?” she asked, and I mutely nodded.

 

“Then I am afraid I have no choice, Heart.” She said, standing up from her desk as I let loose an involuntary whimper. “Whatever your reasons for doing so…and I know you have them…I simply cannot abide a student yelling and swearing at their teacher. I understand you do not get along with Miss Linea, and perhaps I should have a word with her concerning you, but you need to learn to respect authority, young colt. Just because an adult does not agree with you does not make them stupid, let alone a…what was it? A Blind Old Batty Bimbo-Bitch?” She scolded me, a slight quirk to her mouth that could almost have been an amused smirk if she weren’t so angry at me.

 

I watched as she trotted over to her cabinet, whining even more as she unlocked it. I was in for it now, I knew...she kept her spanking paddle in there, along with a lot of other supplies she liked to use on unruly students. I’d had experience with more than one of them, but the paddle was the absolute worst of the bunch. Funny thing was, the paddle wasn't thick like some of the others I'd had the displeasure of seeing...but it could sure leave a good sting nonetheless. Light colored willow, with the holes in it shaped like raindrops...or teardrops. I don’t know why it hurt so much, but it did.

 

Sure enough, she pulled the paddle out and turned around, holding the dreaded instrument in her magical field. Resigned to my fate, I got up from my chair and carefully walked over to her desk, rearing up and laying myself across it, flagging my tail and exposing my tender bottom. At least I wouldn’t have to worry about my rear being cold for too much longer…

 

What happened next, though, was completely unexpected.

 

“What are you doing?” she asked me, setting the paddle down on her desk as she once again took her seat.

 

“I…I’m in the position to…to be spanked, Ma’am.” I told her, now wondering why she would ask such a question.

 

“Do get down. I’m not going to spank you.” She told me. I complied, though I was now both very confused and very nervous as I once again sat down, this time making sure to sit on my tail and cushion my bottom that way.

 

“As I said, Heart…your actions leave me no choice. I have to suspend you from school for two days, counting the rest of today. You will not be allowed to make up any missed work or due dates, and those grades you have will likely suffer for it.” She said, pulling out a sheet of paper and beginning to write on it.

 

I gulped…my grades were always good! I was a straight Diamond student! This could be the end of that. Involuntarily, I sniffled, causing her to look up from her writing.

 

“I’m sorry, Heart. I know you are one of the rare students that takes your education seriously, but rules are there for a reason. And you need to learn that your actions have severe consequences sometimes.” She said, then went back to her writing for a few more minutes. Finally, she sealed the letter in an envelope and levitated it over to my bags.

 

“Now, I want you to take that note home to your Mother, along with Miss Linea’s letter. See to it that your parents receive them tonight, young colt.” She ordered before picking up the paddle, causing me to pull away slightly. “As for my paddle…I want you to take it home as well, and after your mother has delivered whatever she feels is fair, I want you to ask her to deliver the thirty I would have given you with this.”

 

I gasped. Having to ASK my momm…mother to spank me more! How could this teacher be so cruel…Thirty?! “Thirty?!” I cried out, my mind moving at a million miles an hour.

 

“Yes.” She confirmed. “Thirty. Ten because this is your second time in my office today, ten for the extremely four swearing you screamed at Miss Linea.”

 

“And the last ten?” I asked, my voice snappy with fear and a bit of anger. This was NOT fair.

 

In answer, Principal Aquaria looked down at me, and for an instant I thought I felt another pair of eyes in the room as well before I shook off the feeling. “Heart…every time you have been in my office, it has been because you lost your temper, in some way or another. You need to learn to control yourself.” She told me, pulling out another sheet of paper and beginning to write again. “I don’t want you reading this letter until after you have been soundly spanked by both your parents. I know you are a curious colt, so perhaps not reading this…on pain of fifty from me…will help you learn that control.”

 

Done writing, she levitated the letter and the paddle into my bags as I squirmed in my seat. She was right, I did have a temper…but what was wrong with that? If other ponies would stop doing the things that made me mad, there wouldn’t be a problem!

 

“Now, I am going to release you from school. Normally, I would escort you home, but I daresay you’d probably appreciate some time alone with your thoughts.” She said, and I looked up into her eyes and nodded. How did this mare know so much about me?

 

“Then I’m going to trust you to go straight home and give the letter to your parents. And Heart?” she said, making me look a bit more nervous. “If I find the wood on my paddle singed, I will personally use it on your bottom until it glows so red you won’t need a night-light.”

 

I yelped and grabbed my bags after that, rushing out the door as I blushed. How in the heck did she know I use a night light?!

 

Still, that was what happened, and why I was walking down the street towards my house, note heavy in my bag, paddle heavy in my other one. I was doomed. I had no way of knowing exactly what was going to happen. I just knew that my bottom was going to be sore. My momm…mother and father were loving, but sweet Celestia were they strict.

 

In my thoughts, my hooves had carried me to my front door, and I bopped into it without seeing, sitting down with a bump as I rubbed my horn. Shaking my head, I reached up and jiggled the handle. Locked. Mama must be out and about.

 

Reaching into my magic, I gently called forth one spell Papa had taught me, speaking the word and carefully knocking on the door three times. Sure enough, the latch jiggled and the door opened. I walked inside our house, wincing as I laid the letters from Miss Linea and Principal Aquaria on the table. I looked at the paddle in my bag, then shook my head and closed them up. Maybe I could still get out of that one…maybe.

 

I climbed up to my room to await my doom, pressing my door open and stepping into the welcome heat. I hung my saddlebags on the hook and laid down on my bed, waiting for the inevitable. Soon enough, I heard the front door open, heard my mother’s voice gasp, and then the tearing of paper. It wouldn’t be long no…

 

My door flew open, revealing the pink and white pegasus that was my mother, looking angrier than I had ever seen her. “VITALI PYRA NOCTURNA-CORAZON!!!”

 

As I was jumping back from her outburst, my Mom stopped and stood there, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself. While I shivered, she carefully regained her composure before walking over to me, tripping over one of my toys before sitting down on the side of my bed. “Young colt, I don’t think I need to tell you just how much trouble you are in. Yelling at a teacher is bad enough, even if you were right. But to curse and swear and insult her, even after your principal warned you about respecting authority? No, Vitali, your behavior today was unacceptable.” She scolded me.

 

I squirmed at her lecture, hiding myself under my blankets before she reached out and tugged them away. “Come out from under there and act your age.” She ordered, shaking her head. “Now, it should come as no surprise to you that you’re getting a spanking from me. Right now.” She continued, making me wince. At least it was just Mama…

 

“And then another one from your father at bedtime.” She continued, making me whine. Hearing my whimpering, she shot me a glare. “Oh no. None of that. You have more than earned this punishment, young colt. After I spank you, you are going to spend the rest of the afternoon cleaning up your room so your Papa doesn’t trip over your blocks like I did. And then you are going to write two letters of apology. One to Miss Linea, and one to your Principal.”

 

I gasped, hooves coming up to cover my mouth. Not that…anything but that. I hate writing, and I hate saying sorry. Putting them together…how could my mommy…MOM…be so cruel?! And…Cleaning my room was so boring and pointless. Why clean up my toys if they were just going to get messy again? Especially since looking for the one toy I wanted to play with always returned my room to its messy, entropic state.

 

I was so preoccupied with my worries over the letters and cleaning, though, that I failed to hear my Mom’s next words. “Ahem” she cleared her throat, jolting me back into my body as I looked at her. “Did you hear what I told you, or were you too busy feeling sorry for yourself?” she scolded.

 

Resigned, I shook my head, causing her to roll her eyes. “I should have known. I told you to get across my lap, Vitali. We’re starting right now.”

 

I gulped…this was it. There was no escaping now. I looked up into my Mother’s eyes as I slowly crawled across my bed, taking my time as I made my way over to her. Patiently, she patted her lap, and I worked myself across it as well, feeling her lift my tail out of the way, pinning it to my back as she held a foreleg across my barrel. She always did that…it kept me from blocking or flailing my hooves.

 

“Now, you know the rules. No swearing, no magic, and try to keep your hooves from scorching my tail this time. I only just managed to grow it out from your last spanking.” She reminded me, her tone businesslike.

 

“Y…yes, Mama.” I said, knowing that she wouldn’t begin until I agreed to the rules.

 

The moment I agreed, she started. I heard her hoof swing up, and then the sound of it impacting my flank met my ears a split second before the pain of her first swat reached my brain.

 

“Oww!” I cried out, only for her to stop and rub my flank before delivering another hard spank to my other cheek, eliciting another yelp from me as I shook my head. I was a big colt. I could take this. I was not going to sob and cry like a little foal, I told myself.

 

Spanks three and four landed on my tenderized cheeks, causing me to whimper as I bit my lip. Momm…Mother was going a lot harder than usual. I really was in tr-OWWW! My thoughts were interrupted as the fifth spank landed squarely in the center of my cheeks.

 

Her warm-up done, now Mama started spanking in earnest, burning my bottom one smack at a time, moving her hoof up and down each side of my rump. Spank after spank fell as I fought to maintain my composure, tears leaking from my…no. I just had dust in my OWWW!

 

That spank had hit my sit spots! Mama was spanking so much harder…I couldn’t take it anymore.

 

“Owwwyyyy! I’m sorry, Mommy!” I cried out, sobbing as she kept spanking me, her hoof now focusing on the top of my rump, right beneath my tail.

 

“I know you are, Heart. But that doesn’t excuse you from the consequences of your actions.” Mommy said, and I whimpered, listening for the next swish of her hoof through the air.

 

Weirdly enough, it didn’t come…what came next was worse.

 

“Go and get your hairbrush, Heart.” Mommy ordered, and I gasped. Not that. My hairbrush was thick ebony wood, harder than rocks!

 

“Please, Mommy!” I begged, throwing my dignity out. “Please not the brush! I promise I’ll be good! I promise!” I bawled across her lap, only for her to pick me up and set me on the ground. “Now, Heart.” She ordered again.

 

Wincing, I obeyed, walking over to the dresser and grabbing my hairbrush in my mouth, the taste of the wood bitter as it reminded me of what was about to come. Slowly, I made my way back to my Mom’s lap, letting her pick me up and lay me back down, getting me into position as I squirmed and struggled a little.

 

“P..Please, I promise…” I started, only for the first clap of that heavy wood against my tender flank to drown out anything but my cries.

 

“AAAHHH!” I yelled out as she spanked it down again and again, the hard flat-backed brush so much worse than her hoof as it left a wider sting.

 

This was horrible. I couldn’t take it! All I could do was lay there as Mommy brought the brush down across my bottom again and again, each spank leaving an area of burning and pain in its wake as I sobbed and cried, finally beginning to thrash as my control broke down.

 

My hooves found my mommy’s tail then, and I grabbed it, hugging it close for comfort as she crossed her legs under me. I knew what that meant, and I whimpered as I felt her tap my tender sit spots for aim. She always finished up with a spanking to the sits…

 

“OWWY!!! Mommy no!” I screamed out as she brought the brush down onto my sensitive undercurves, showing no mercy as I sobbed into her tail, my tears wetting the hair down.

 

Left, right, left, right she spanked me then, making sure I wasn’t going to be sitting down for the rest of the day. I yelped and kicked and thrashed, all control gone as I sobbed and cried, yelling even louder when she directed a trio of spanks to my upper thighs.

 

She stopped then, rubbing the wood of the brush over my sore bottom as I hacked and sniffled, waiting for the next spanks to fall…and fall they did

 

“Ten more.” She pronounced, and began spanking me hard and fast, a flurry of spanks down to either of my sore sits, ending with two strong claps to my cheeks, leaving me a bawling mess as I buried my face in her tail.

 

I didn’t have long to keep my face hidden, though…I felt myself picked up and hugged close as Mama nuzzled me, gently kissing my cheek. “I’m not proud of what you did, Heart. And you’re still in a lot of trouble. But I do love you, very much, even though I know you probably don’t love me all that much right now, hm?” she said.

 

I didn’t answer, preferring to bury my face into her chest as I sobbed. Then I felt us moving, laying down on my bed. I looked up and saw her smiling. “Don’t think this gets you out of cleaning your room, young colt. But I think we’ve both had a long day so far.” She said, pulling me back into her chest where I could hear her heartbeat.

 

“Yes, I think we both could use a short nap.” She said, nuzzling me gently as I closed my eyes, her warmth surrounding me.

 

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I sighed as I moved around my room, carefully picking my toys up in my hooves and putting them away. No point in using magic when my own was so weak. Spending all my time practicing fire magic and reading books didn’t exactly lend itself to a strong horn. I could lift something out of my saddlebags, and that was about it.

 

All this combined to make cleaning my room an extra annoying chore that Mom and Dad always insisted on at least twice a month. And it didn’t matter how often I reminded them that it just got messy again, that the effort was wasted, that I couldn’t find anything…nope. “Clean this chaos up!” they always said. And so, here I was, stuck with a completely unfair punishment and not allowed to do anything else until I completed it.

 

Okay…maybe it was a little fair. I mean, I did lose my temper and I probably shouldn’t have called Miss Linea a bitch. But I already got suspended and my grades were going to fall! I wouldn’t be smart anymore! I’d be…I’d be…average.

 

I shook my head to clear it. “Get a hold of yourself, Vitali Corazon.” I said, moving to put a few more toys into my toybox. Already my room was about halfway done, and I had to admit, it did look a lot better. At least I didn’t have to pick my way through spilled legos or jump over a cart track just to get to my desk anymore. And my stuffed dragon was on my bed where he belong…

 

SHUT UP! I have nightmares sometimes, okay!

 

As I picked up my wonderbolts action figures, putting them into their own box, I noticed something sticking out of my saddlebags. Deciding to risk my magic, I grabbed the piece of paper and pulled it out dropping it in front of myself and staring. It was addressed to me, and from Principal Aquaria, but…

 

Oh right! She had written me a letter as well! I grabbed it and was about to open it before I also remembered her warning…that I wasn’t to open and read this not until after I had been soundly spanked by both of my parents.

 

Then again, I had just been very soundly spanked by my Mama, I thought as my sit spots gave out another twinge and I whimpered. I was going to be feeling that in the morning…Celestia’s Sun, I was feeling it NOW! Even after a nap in my mommy’s forelegs, cuddled up to her chest, it still stung.

 

You know something hurts when even a hug from mama can’t make it go away, right?

 

So I had been very soundly spanked by Mama, that should cover for Papa too! Besides, how was Principal Aquaria going to know I’d read it early? It wasn’t like she could spy on me through my window or anything. Besides, knowing her, it might well be something very good or very bad.

 

Walking over and grabbing my thickest pillow from the bed, I put it on the floor and sat down on it, still yelping as my abused flank protested at having to bear my weight. Picking up the letter, I carefully broke the seal, pulling the note out and unfolding it with curiosity in my eyes. I gasped as I read what she had written.

 

“Dear Heart,

 

I do believe I told you to wait until after you had been soundly spanked by both of your parents to read this letter, on pain of fifty lashes from me. Yes, I know you opened it early, and yes, those spankings are going to be delivered very soon. You should learn to control that insatiable curiosity of yours, young colt. Someday it’s going to get you into a lot more trouble than just a red(der) bottom. Now go and deal with the rest of your punishment, since I am fairly certain your Mama levied something other than just a spanking from Her and your Papa. You’ll be hearing from me very soon, young colt.

 

Sincerely,

Principal Aquaria”

 

I dropped the letter as it sank into me. She knew. She knew everything. I was now convinced this pony was somehow omniscient or something. How did she know I’d open the letter early?!

 

“Wow…she is good…” I muttered to myself, then spied something written on the back of the note.

 

“PS. You better believe I’m that good, young mister.”

 

I threw the letter onto my desk and got back to my cleaning, before thinking better of it and rushing over to hide the note in one of my books, just to be safe.

 

Two hours after that, right as I was putting the finishing touches on arranging my Wonderbolts on the dresser, having decided to remove them from their boxes, my mom flounced in, wings spread and wearing a silly apron Father had gotten her for her birthday.

 

“Well, Heart! I’m impressed. I expected to find this room maybe half cleaned at best, and that I would have had to endure at least two bouts of temper before you even got started. Instead you just did it!” she said, leaning down and nuzzling me with a small smile. “Maybe I should spank you more often, it seems to turn you into a good colty for a little bit.” She teased.

 

I groaned. I was and am a good stallion. Not colt, stallion, thank you very much. It’s just that those older than me don’t understand me most of the time…swearing at my teacher in a temper besides. “No…I’ll be good!” I chirped back at her, causing her to ruffle my mane as I acked.

 

“Now, your father is going to be home within the hour, so you know what you need to be doing, young colt.” She said, oblivious to my internal correction of my age. Then it hit me. Papa was going to be home soon, and he always liked to see me clean. And that meant…oh no!

 

I whined a little as I looked up into my Mama's entirely unsympathetic face, seeing her smirk as she pointed into the bathroom. "No excuses, Heart. You got absolutely filthy and dusty while you cleaned your room, now go and take a bath."

 

"But...But Maamaaa..." I started to protest, only for her to cut me off with a shake of her head.

 

"No buts, my little Pyromancer. I would think your butt was in enough trouble already." she teased me, leaning down and nuzzling my cheek as I grumbled. "I know you don't like water, but you need to get clean.

 

"Y..yes, Mama..." I grumbled, resignation in my voice as I trotted into my second least favorite room in the house.

 

My least favorite, for those curious, was the basement....go ahead and laugh, it's SCARY in there!

 

Either way, I trotted into the bathroom and turned the shower on, not yet climbing in as I waited for it to heat up all the way. Bad enough I had to take a bath or shower every night, but I was not going to take one in cold water!

 

Let’s get one thing straight. I. Hate. Water. I hate it with a burning passion. I’m a pyromancer. A fire mage. Water messes with my magic and even keeps me from using my horn if I’m wet enough. I don’t mind drinking it, but even then I prefer juice or tea. That’s why bathing was the bane of my existence, and I swore once again as I looked into that tub that someday I was going to…

 

“I want to hear splashing in that tub, Heart!” Mama’s voice called through the door. “Unless you want me to come in there and scrub you down like when you were a foal!”

 

“Okay, Mom!” I called back with a yelp. “I’m locking the door now!” I told her, turning the latch. That not only locked the door but activated the soundproofing spell on the bathroom. Mama had insisted Dad put that spell on there a few years back. Apparently his singing in the shower woke me up one too many times when I was a foal.

 

Once the bathroom was sealed, I sighed and moved over to the tub. There was no way to fake it…I couldn’t just jump in and jump out like I sometimes do. I really was all over dust and grime from cleaning my room. Resigned, I moved in, wincing as I felt the water move over my fur.

 

I moved quickly, starting to scrub myself with a bathbrush and rag, cleaning all that muck off of me as I let the heat of the water sink into my skin. At least that was pleasant. I had read somewhere water was one of the best things for transferring heat…

 

My thoughts were interrupted, though, by the brush being tugged out of my hoof. I immediately looked around, but there was nopony there as I felt myself yanked by the tail and bent over the side of the tub.

 

My unseen assailant wasted no time moving my tail out of the way as I screeched for help, knowing it was futile. The soundproofing spells were strong, as I had learned the day we ran out of toilet paper.

 

That was when it hit me as I looked up at the floating bath brush. Bent over the tub, tail moved aside, bathbrush in the air…this couldn’t possibly be…

 

“OWWWW!!!” I yelled as the brush came crashing down into my tender backside, leaving an oval-shaped region feeling aflame. It hurt so much more than usual…

 

“AIEE!!” I screamed out as the second landed, same spot but on my other flank-cheek.

 

I had been spanked with the bath brush only once before, when I bit my Papa during bathtime while I was five years old. This was so much worse, though. The brush spanked up and down my hindquarters, each swat drawing forth a shriek and a yell from me as my already-red bottom was spanked to what I was sure was a brilliant scarlet.

 

“No! I’m sorry!” I called out to whoever was doing it, but just like my Mommy, they ignored me, preferring instead to aim three hard spanks right beneath the dock of my tail, causing me to squeal and kick my back hooves against the side of the tub as I stared at the tiles of the bathroom floor, slamming my hooves into them to try and escape.

 

A firm press of the brush against the backs of my thighs stilled me. I knew that feeling…that was the warning Principal Aquaria gave struggling students. If they didn’t heed it, she would give them the rest of their spankings on their thighs. I learned that all too well.

The brush landed again on my upturned flanks, and I yelled out in pain, tears in my eyes as I started to sob and wiggle, trying my best to stay still. I couldn’t do this too…this was so unfair! What even was this?!

 

My thoughts were interrupted, though, by the brush moving to rub over my sore cheeks. Another thing Aquaria liked to do…take a break after fifteen spanks, to let the foal catch their breath. But those breaks never lasted…

 

“OWWWYYY!!!” I screamed out now as the brush spanked onto my sit spots, awakening nerves already throbbing to new heights of soreness and pain, causing me to break down in tears, sobbing.

 

On and on that brush spanked down, with me struggling to just hold still. The second break came and went, and the brush moved back up to spanking me on my butt once more.

 

Then came the worst of it. The brush clapped down right where I would one day have my cutie mark! I gulped and cried out now, throwing a hoof back to block that side, only for the brush to spank me on the other side before stopping, tapping both my hooves, once each.

 

Knowing what that meant, I moved them, and the pain came again, clapping down three times on each side before gently nudging my bottom up into the air, exposing my untouched thighs. I blew it…I had blocked.

 

“H…How many more?!” I cried out before the brush could spank again, only for it to tap out a pattern. One tap, pause, two taps. One and two…or…

 

“T…Twelve?” I whimpered, wiggling my sore flank, only for the brush to gently pat me. I could almost imagine the Principal nodding as she raised the brush again, clapping it down on the back of my thighs.

 

I yelled so loudly then, I’m amazed I didn’t break the soundproofing spell. I had been spanked there before, but never like this. This was horrible. This hurt so much!

 

The brush fell twice more, wide enough to sting both of my thighs at once as I kicked my front hooves out, yelping and squealing.

 

“Please! Please, I’ll be good!” I begged, my pleading only met with a quartet of swift spanks that left me breathless.

 

“I’m sorrrrryyyy!!!” I yelled out as I gasped for air, only for the brush to pause again, letting me breathe. Why…the last break! That meant…five more.

 

I took a chance. “P..Please…just on my sit spots? Please?” I begged, knowing it was probably futile as I heard the brush raise up.

Sure enough, I heard it fall…and then yelled out as it clapped onto my sore thighs, then my left sit spot, then my right, then once to each of my cheeks as I bucked and sobbed and wriggled.

 

I laid there for a few minutes, tears falling from my eyes onto the floor, before hearing the brush clatter to the floor of the tub as something pulled me back into the shower. Whining, I tried to move away, only to see a rag floating up and being soaped.

 

My head was gently pushed down then, away from the water, as that rag began scrubbing at my body, avoiding my sore flanks as it took away the dust and muck of my cleaning. I felt myself being carefully maneuvered until…

 

“Yipe!” I hissed out as the superheated shower fell onto my sore bum and thighs. It hurt so much! But then, somehow, it stopped stinging all that much. I don’t know how. But with that rag now having soaped me, I saw the brush float up again and whimpered before I saw it flip back over and begin washing my fur, tail, and even my mane.

 

I still didn’t know what was going on here, but I was going to take what I could get at this point. I had a sneaking suspicion this spanking had something to do with Principal Aquaria.

 

But first…well…this was actually kind of enjoyable, laying here in the warm water and letting someone else scrub me clean. I closed my eyes and decided to just enjoy it a little while longer, especially since now there was something soft rubbing my back. So relaxing…

 

----------------------------------------

 

I groaned as I threw another sheet of paper to the floor, crumpled up in my magical grip, the edges of it singed by my anger. This was so unfair…I knew I was bad, I knew what I did was wrong, why did I still have to write this stupid letter anyways?! And to have to follow it up with another one to Miss Linea, when she was the one who started this whole mess? Not fair at all! And I couldn’t even think of how to start it! Whatever happened to the days when “I’m Sorry, Teacher” was all you had to say?

 

Mama had relented and said I could write the letters after supper, so I at least got to sit and play with my Lizard for half an hour or so, practicing a spell that would allow me to control how hot and high a fire burned, taking control of it with my horn. I was already decent, but he had promised to show me something really cool he knew how to do if I could master this. I just had to be really careful. The last time I had lost control of my incendiary spells in the house, Mama had spanked me harder than ever before!

 

My father had come home soon after my bath, and before I could even run up and hug him, Mom was already showing him the letters from Miss Linea and Principal Aquaria. After perusing them twice, he looked down at me, and I gulped and looked away. Fortunately, the timer for Mom’s carrots had gone off then, which meant dinner was ready, and we all came to the table. Literally saved by the bell

 

Supper was thankfully a low-key thing. Mama was a really good cook, and her glazed carrots were always to die for. They weren’t my favorite meal…that honor went to her Seven Cheese Lasagna, followed closely by her Garlic and Potato Pot Pie…but they were still delicious. And she served homemade garlic bread with them, so that was good too.

 

Neither Mama nor Papa scolded me at Supper, though Papa did give me a look that spoke volumes about what was coming. That did not bode well for me…Papa was usually a very laid-back pony, for all he was strict about my grades and behavior. Usually it was Mama who punished me. But when he got angry at me…when I finally went too far…my butt was in for it. And not just my butt either.

 

Once I had finished eating, Papa had looked at me and pointed up the stairs without a word. I had opened my mouth to protest…I hadn’t had dessert…only to be met with a very stern “Don’t even think about asking for dessert after what you said to Miss Linea. Room. Letters. Now.”

 

The tone of his voice brooked no argument, and so I scampered upstairs, sitting at my desk as I tried hard to figure out exactly how I was supposed to write a sorry letter for something that, well, I really shouldn’t have to be sorry for!

 

I buried my head in my hooves, only to be interrupted by a click of my door as my Papa came in, shutting the door behind him. Every time he came in here, I had to marvel at just how huge he was. For a unicorn, even one related congenially…no, that’s not it…tangerine…tintinnabulatory…

 

Oh forget it. My Papa was very distantly related to the royal family.

 

Either way, for somepony like that, my dad was big. And very strong too…I knew that firsthoof.

 

“Heart.” His voice reached my ears, jerking me back to the present as I jolted, nearly falling off my chair. Papa chuckled at me, reaching out to steady my seat with a hoof. “Glad to have you back with us, son. Now that your mind is back in your body where it belongs, and not off somewhere in the ethereal plane, I think it’s time we had a good long talk about what happened today, and about a trend I’ve noticed in your behavior.”

 

I gulped…Papa’s long talks usually ended with a very sore bottom indeed, he only gave them when I really bucked up. But I had no choice in the matter as he grabbed me in his magic and sat down on my bed, holding me upright on his lap.

 

“I’ve heard what happened today from your mother, Heart.” He said, looking me dead in the eye. “And First, I want to tell you I’m going to be writing back to Miss Linea myself, informing her that there are better ways to handle an advanced student than to lie to them outright.” He told me, making me smile a little.

 

His next words, though, dashed that smile from my face. “But aside from that, you need to realize something, young colt. Yes, you are smart. Way smarter than I was at your age, or your Mama. But Heart…you don’t know everything.” He scolded me, and I started to tune out. Seriously, I’d heard this before, Dad…I didn’t need to OWWW!

 

I rubbed at my pinched ear as Papa gave me a look. “You tune right back in here, young mister. I’m not finished. Just because you disagree with somepony, Heart, that doesn’t make them stupid. And it doesn’t mean that they are automatically wrong. Or have you forgotten the time when I was helping you build a new toy, and you thought the instructions said something different, called me stupid, and broke it entirely?”

 

I winced at that…Dadd…Dad…PAPA!...was right about that one. And Mama hadn’t let me replace it either, not even out of my own allowance. I had to do extra chores and earn enough money to buy a new one that way.

 

Seeing my look of consternation, Papa nodded. “Precisely. You aren’t always right, Heart Afire. And your actions today weren’t right either. How would you like it if, just because I disagreed with you, I yelled at you and called you stupid. Or called you dumb because you didn’t know something? I heard about that too, young colt.”

 

Another wince…Papa knew I hated being yelled at, and even more so I hated to be called stupid and dumb. And worst of all made fun of. Was that…

 

“Yes, son.” Papa said, like he’d read my thoughts. “That is exactly how you made Miss Linea feel earlier. That same mix of anger and hurt. Except it was even more so because you are one of the brightest students in your class. She’s told me in conferences that she enjoys having you in her room…and now look. You threw that right back in her face because she disagreed with you.” He said, his tone still neutral.

 

“Now, as for your swearing…well, you already know that swearing is wrong, young colt.” He continued. "There are words that we simply don’t say, and not only because they are bad words, but because they make us look bad for saying them. It is one thing to relieve frustration by indulging in a bit of foul language every now and again, but what you did earlier…no.”

 

Fixing me with a look, Papa continued his lecture, with me squirming uncomfortably. How did he do this…Dad seemed to have this gift for making me feel super squirmy and guilty over things, like he could see to the heart of any issue with ease.

 

“Now, I know you despise being made fun of. So think on this, young colt…you just exposed Miss Linea to a whole year’s worth of teasing. From her students, from her fellow teachers, even from other ponies once the rumor spreads. She’ll be called the “Batty Bimbo Bitch” behind her back for years now…all thanks to you…you big bully.”

 

I gasped at that, hooves coming to cover my mouth. I wasn’t a bully! Or…or was I? Dad was right…I know my fellow students were already probably laughing about her behind her back, and calling her stupid. And that other adult ponies probably would make fun of her for it, and call her mean names and…and…

 

And I really was just a big bully for starting it. All because I lost my temper at her for what she said.

 

Papa just stayed quiet during my thoughts, but as I came to that realization and started shaking my head and sniffling, he nodded, leaning down to nuzzle me as he pulled me close.

 

That…that was what did it. The dam broke. My sniffles turned to full-on cries as I buried my head in his chest. “I’m sorrryyyy!!!” I wailed, only to feel his hoof reassuringly rubbing my back as I screamed my guilt into the fluffy fur right over his heart.

 

After about a minute, though, he pulled me off again, nuzzling me one last time before looking me dead in the eye. “Now, do you understand why exactly what you did was wrong, Heart?” he asked, his blue eyes stern as can be now.

 

I nodded softly, wiping one of my tears away as I whined. “I…I was really mean to Miss Linea, and I said nasty things to her…and she didn’t deserve it, and now she’s going to be made fun of and…and…” I started to finish, but his hoof on my mouth stopped me.

 

“Shhh. Don’t go too far now, son. Your imagination will run away with you. Yes, you did wrong by Miss Linea…and by proxy, you did wrong by Principal Aquaria. Now that you know what you did wrong, it’s time to fix it.” Dad said, taking his hoof away and nodding. “So, what are you going to do?”

 

“I..I’m gonna write those two letters and take them there tomorrow, sir. And I’ll apologize to Miss Linea verbia…variabl…”

 

“Verbally.” He finished for me, and I automatically catalogued the word in my mind. I loved that about my dad. He never talked down to me, and always was willing to define a word. “And that is a good first step. There’s another…a promise you need to not only make and say, but that you need to mean.” He prompted me, and I sniffed.

 

“I…I promise I’ll try and control my temper, and never swear at a teacher again?” I hazarded a guess, only for him to smile and nod, ruffling my mane a little.

 

“That’s my boy. Now…I do have one last question for you. You’ve come to accept that what you did was wrong, and that you need to make up for it. And you’ve come to accept your guilt in the matter. Now, I’m going to ask you…do you still feel like you deserve to be spanked by me for what happened today?”

 

I gulped as he said that, looking up into his eyes again. They were fixated on me, unreadable yet kind. Did I really deserve a third spanking…well, really, it was a second spanking. The one in the bathtub had to have been from Principal Aquaria. And…I really had done so much wrong…but I was already sore! And…

 

And my traitor mouth opened before my brain could decide. “I…I do, Daddy.” I said, looking down.

 

“That’s my colt.” He said, hugging me close and kissing my forehead before setting me over his lap, his horn sparking and lifting my tail out of the way before he pinned it under his foreleg, holding me tight against his thigh.

 

“Now, I’m sure you know the rules, since your Mama read them to you earlier. No bad words, no magic, and try to keep your hooves under control.” He said, rubbing my flank with a hoof. I whined as he rubbed my sore sit spots. The pain from the other two spanks had faded from my cheeks, but those were still painful. “And Heart…I love you.”

 

There it was. How Dad always signaled a spanking was going to begin. “I love you too, Dad.” I responded, and then it began.

 

I felt my Papa’s hoof raise up, felt his muscles tense a bit, and then it came down. That first horrible spank of the worst types of spankings I ever got. His hard hoof cracked down onto my tender flank, striking my right cheek with just the edge. Once again I became all too acutely aware of precisely how strong my Papa really was…this hurt so much! And who knew how many more I had to go?

 

“O..One.” I managed to gasp out, already sniffling as the pain of the spank settled in, only for Papa to lean down and nuzzle me.

 

“No counting.” He ordered. “Save your breath for your crying. I’m not going to stop until I am confident that you have been properly chastised and worked your way through your guilt, however many it takes.” He said, before bringing his hoof down onto my left cheek and stilling any further protests I might have had.

 

Down and again his hoof smacked into my tender flanks, setting my nerves right back to the blazing flames that had been left by Mama’s hairbrushing and whatever got me with the bathbrush. But this was so much worse…

 

“OWWYY!!” I yelped as his hoof slapped into my sit spots, sending a jolt of pain up my spine! “P..Papa, it huuurrttss!” I finally whined out, beginning to struggle on his lap, only to be held firm by his foreleg.

 

“It’s supposed to hurt, Heart. And I hope the memory of this acts as a reminder to you of how we do not behave.” He scolded, never once pausing his hoof as he spanked my poor rump again and again, moving up one of my cheeks and down the other, spreading an even burn all around and ensuring I was going to be sleeping on my stomach tonight.

 

A firm spank to the top of my flank, right beneath my tail, elicited a yelp from me as I tried to flick it, though my Papa’s foresight prevented me from doing anything to protect that vulnerable space. Once, twice, thrice…I lost count after that as he rapidly spanked his hoof down into the same place each time, not pausing like he usually did after each swat.

 

Now finished with the top of my butt, he moved down to my sit spots again, spanking them just as hard as he alternated, causing my breath to catch in my throat. I wasn’t crying…not yet. I needed to hold on, he had to almost be done. He had to OWWW!!!

 

I bucked against my Dad’s lap as he delivered to hard hoof swats to my upper thighs, following them with two more before he stopped spanking and started rubbing his hoof against my sore flank-cheeks. After a five second respite, he started again, rapidly swatting his hoof down against my tender cheeks ten more times as I thrashed and wiggled, before he finally stopped and resumed rubbing my bottom once more, making me yipe as he massaged my sore flanks.

 

“Now, normally, we would be finished with your spanking for today, young colt.” Dad scolded me, making me wince and whine. “But you not only yelled at Miss Linea, you disrupted her class twice. So…” he said, and I heard the telltale spark of his horn. Raising my head, I gasped as I saw my hairbrush floating over to his hoof.

 

“NO! NO, Dad, please! I promise, I’ll be good!” I begged, but to no avail as his magical aura winked out, and I heard the familiar thunk of ebony wood into my Dad’s hoof, and felt the muscles in his body tense as I clenched my flanks in anticipation for that first blow. But it never came.

 

“Heart, relax. No clenching.” Dad ordered as I took advantage of the pause to wipe my eyes. I wasn’t crying! J..Just had some dust in them. “You’re getting a hairbrushing to match what your Mommy gave you earlier, for sure.” He said, pronouncing my fate.

 

I finally relaxed. I couldn’t hold the clenching forever…and then the brush clapped down hard against my cheeks once again, causing me to yelp out involuntarily as I squirmed and wiggled my bottom back and forth. It hurt…it hurt so much.

 

My Dad was unrelenting, though. No more lectures now, he was focused entirely on painting my flanks bright red, the brush clapping onto each of my poor sore cheeks in turn as I thrashed and wiggled, crying out loudly with each passing second. Dad had a rhythm to his spankings…swat, wait two seconds, then another spank.

 

The spank of the brush underneath my tail jolted me out of my thoughts as I squealed and kicked my front hooves against my Dad’s thigh. It was soon followed by another, and another, turning the tender tops of my bottom a bright stinging red in my mind’s eye.

 

I took a second to try and wipe my eyes as I felt my Dad cross his legs underneath me. I knew what that meant, I knew what was coming, I knew…

 

“AIIEE!!” I screamed as the brush spanked my thighs. I was wrong! He wasn’t spanking my sits! He was doing something so much worse! I couldn’t help it, I bucked my back hooves and thrashed and squealed and squirmed, trying to escape.

 

Sadly, Papa was just too strong, able to not only hold me there easily, but to punish me after he was done with my thighs by spanking the brush up and down the crease of my flank-cheeks, rendering the only non-spanked area I had null and void as I finally broke down and sobbed, crying my eyes out.

 

No mercy met my tears at first, though, as Dad went back and finished up by spanking the sit spots he had skipped, the hardwood brush clapping down against both of them at once, again and again as I just laid there, held in his firm grasp as he swatted me until I was a mess of tears.

 

At that point, I heard the clatter of the brush against my dresser, then heard his horn spark again. Looking up, I let loose a whine to end all whines.

 

My Papa was bringing out a belt from my closet, doubling it over to form a strap in his magical hold.

 

“NO! Daddy no, please! Please not the belt! I’m sorry!” I begged, thrashing against his lap and rocking myself from side to side, only for his foreleg to clench a little bit more firmly around my barrel as he held me tight, shaking his head.

 

“Heart, stop your squirming. Yes, I am going to use the belt. Your actions and words have earned you these last twelve spankings you are going to receive, and I sincerely hope that they act as a sharp reminder to you about how a young colt properly conducts himself.” Daddy scolded, laying the false leather against my fur.

 

Even that light bit of pressure against my red bottom set off a twinge of pain as I whimpered, tears running down my cheeks from his hairbrush spanking. “Daddy…I’m so sorry..please…” I started to say, only to be met with a gentle rub to my back as he paused, then I heard him setting the belt down.

 

“Do you really mean that, Heart? I believe you, but I want to hear a full apology from you for what you did.” Came his stern voice from above me.

 

Knowing this might be my only chance to escape, I whined, then opened my mouth. “I’m sorry I was rude to Miss Linea, and called her all those nasty words. It was wrong of me to do so, and I’m going to try and make it right tomorrow by delivering those letters and apologizing verbally to both her and Principal Aquaria.” I said, carefully forming the words around my sniffles and tears as I tried to wipe my nose, only for Daddy to magically grab a tissue and take care of that for me before carefully picking me up and hugging me.

 

“That’s my colt. I think we can let you off the belt spankings, then, since you seem to have learned your lesson from this whole endeavor.” Daddy said, kissing my cheek as I looked up into his eyes. “And I’m proud of you, admitting you deserved that paddling like that.”

 

Daddy’s sentence was kind, but it twinged something in my memory…

 

Paddling…Paddled…PADDLE?! Oh no…

 

“D…Daddy?” I piped up, voice quavering as I knew what I was getting myself into now. I didn’t want to do it, but if Principal Aquaria knew I had opened the letter, she’d know if I didn’t ask for those thirty paddlings she ordered for me…

 

“Yes, Heart?” came the response in his deep voice, and I steeled myself to say it.

 

“PrincipalAquariasaidIhadtoaskyoutogivemethirtymorespankswithherpaddleafterIwaspunishedtomakeupforwhatshewouldhavegivenmeinschool!” I said, speaking as fast as I could, only for Daddy to chuckle and shake his head.

 

“I heard about one word in five out of that, Heart…slow down a little. Now, what did Principal Aquaria say?” he asked me, raising an eyebrow.

 

“T…That I have to ask you…or Mommy…to give me thirty…spanks with her teacher’s paddle…since she would have.” I stammered out, covering my sore bottom with a hoof as Daddy looked down at me and nodded.

 

“I know she did. She wrote to your Mother and I in her letter that you had it in your saddlebags. And again, I’m proud of you for taking the adult option and telling me about it. Now…you’re supposed to ask me, remember?” He said, nodding.

 

“W…Will you, please, Daddy?” I asked, only for him to shake his head with mischief in his eyes.

 

“Will I what, son?” he asked in kind. Great, he was going to make me ask for it in full.

 

“Will you please spank me thirty times with Principal Aquaria’s teacher’s paddle?” I asked, whining towards the middle.

 

“Yes, I shall. Go and fetch it for me, and we shall get started. And Heart…after this, your bottom is safe for the night. Your mother and I have agreed, you’ve been spanked enough for one day.” Daddy said, and I nodded…good of them to notice, finally…

 

I carefully walked across the room to my saddlebags, opening them up with a flick of my horn and reaching in to grab the paddle with my hoof, not trusting my magic one bit with that delicate wood. As I turned around, I saw my Daddy nodding, then raising an appreciative eyebrow. “That is certainly a hefty paddle, son…no wonder you’re so hesitant about this.” He commented, causing me to nod and look up at him as I walked closer.

 

That was when it happened. I wasn’t watching where I was going, and my hoof came down on a lego I had left out earlier after my short little playtime, the prongs pressing into the sensitive frog of my hoof. I yelped in pain, and then I felt it. It was too much…the pain in my bottom, the guilt in my heart, and now this…it hurt…it hurt so much. I couldn’t stop the magic as it seared through my body in response to the pain, shooting out of my horn and even out of my two front hooves, a wave of desert heat from inside a furnace.

 

Daddy immediately grabbed me after I yelped, carefully rubbing the offended hoof and nuzzling me to help me calm down. I looked up and had to suppress a giggle…somehow the blast of hot air had dried his wet fluff and poofed his mane out in all directions…his mane looked like one of those old hairdos…A Zebrafro! That was it! My Daddy had a Zebrafro from my magic! I couldn’t resist, I giggled, causing him to make a face.

 

My levity was short-lived, though… I looked down and gasped. There, right on the handle of Principal Aquaria’s paddle that I had been told to take extra-good care of, was a scorch mark in the exact shape of my hoofprint. I was doomed. Both tomorrow…and right now.

 

“Well…that was something. I’m glad you can appreciate my new hairstyle you just gave me, son.” Daddy said, then gently moved my hoof and winced. “Oof, you sure did a number on this. I’ll talk to her tomorrow if you want me to, explain it was an accident.” He offered, but I shook my head…she wanted to hear it from me.

 

“P..Please, Daddy…can we…can we get it over with?” I asked, sniffling. My request was met with a nod as he carefully laid me back over his lap, foreleg wrapping around my barrel once more and pinning my tail.

 

“This is going to be hard, as per her request, understood?” Daddy asked, and I nodded. “Alright…then here we go.” He said.

 

I whimpered, but barely had any time to draw breath before the first spank came down across my heated cheek, leaving a square of pure fire to sear its way into my brain as my sniffles turned back into cries and yelps, my body bucking uncontrollably as my horn started to spark again.

 

Daddy brought the paddle down again, and again, each time angling his strikes so that they covered a new section of my poor aching bottom while still punishing already struck areas, painting a huge swathe of redness all across my poor cheeks. And now we were only three spanks in…

 

“AIEE!!!” I cried out as the paddle cracked down right beneath my tail, causing it to try and flag higher in reflex if it hadn’t been held there by Daddy’s foreleg. That was even worse! I couldn’t take it anymore…I had to try to escape! How could my Daddy be so…

 

“Owwy! Ow!” I yipped and yelped as he brought that cruel instrument down twice against my sit spots, the flexible wood long enough to snap against both of those sensitive undercurves at the same time. Unable to fight against it or even think about anything but the agony now covering my entire rear end.

 

I had lost count of how many it had been now, only able to hope that each spank would be the last one.

 

“I’m Sor-OWWY!” I yelped out as Daddy returned to spanking my cheeks again, following it up with another to the left cheek and another to the right, each one aimed purely at stinging one side. This hurt so much…and there was nothing I could do about it.

 

I felt the paddle raise up and crack down against my thighs first, just one time, but it was enough to bring me to a state of complete and utter tear-soaked sobbing. Then Daddy got clever, and clapped the wooden instrument vertically against the crease of my flank-cheeks, punishing only that tender area with two stinging spanks as I just went limp and sobbed.

 

Up and down Daddy spanked me now, moving three strikes up and over my sit spots, then down the other side with another three, even giving another punishing blow to my upper thighs.

 

All the while I bucked and sobbed, my horn shooting off spark after spark before Daddy carefully muffled it with one of the cloths I keep in my room to stop errant sparks, while the paddle returned to crack right beneath my tail as I squirmed and writhed.

 

“Ten more, son. You’re almost done.” Daddy said, then began spanking in earnest, cracking the paddle down hard into each of my flank cheeks, not bother to aim anymore as he focused on just punishing my poor bottom as I squealed and sobbed.

 

Two final lashes met my flanks, these last two aimed squarely across my sit spots, but they only served to just elicit two more pained yelps out of me. My mind was gone, there was only the pain in my bottom and the guilt, knowing that I deserved this for what I had done.

 

I felt myself lifted up again and held against my Daddy’s ample chest fluff as he carefully nuzzled me, holding me in his magic so as not to brush his forelegs against my sore flanks. I was a long time in calming down, that was the worst spanking I had ever received from anypony, even worse than the bath brushing from earlier!

 

Finally, though, I managed to get a hold of myself, looking up at my Papa with teary eyes as he nuzzled and kissed me, his face kind. “That’s my boy. I know that had to hurt, but you took it like a stallion. Even if you did thrash and wriggle all the while, I know of quite a few stallions in the royal guard who do the same when they get paddled for their misdeeds.” He said, cuddling me close as I sniffled into his chest again, burying my face into his warm chest.

 

Daddy just held me for a while, snuggling and hugging me as he let me sniffle out the rest of my tears, taking the paddle and magicing it back into my saddlebags. When I had finally stopped whimpering, he carefully put me back on the ground and stood up, rubbing my head with a hoof.

 

“Now, I am going to go talk to your mother, young colt. You should get started on those letters, you need to have them done before you go to bed tonight.” He ordered, sternness in his voice.

 

“Y..yes, Daddy!” I said, immediately running over to my desk, sitting with a whine and beginning to write. First the letter to Miss Linea, then the one to Principal Aquaria.

 

I lost track of time as I wrote, the words seeming to flow from the quill out onto the paper as I imagined myself speaking to the two ponies I had wronged. Maybe this was the secret…to write as though you were actually speaking to somepony…

 

Before I knew it, I was done with both of them! I was in the process of sealing them into scrolls when I heard my door open and my Dad came in again. I must have looked worried, because he smiled immediately.

 

“Don’t worry, son, you’re not in trouble. And I see you already wrote the letters too, well done!” he said, levitating them over and reading them, nodding. “And very well-written. I’m sure these will at least make them see that you do mean to make up for your misdeeds.”

 

With that, he came over and kissed me on the forehead, then pointed to my desk. I looked and gasped when I saw a plate of cookies and even a bowl of ice cream! My jaw dropped open, only for him to reach over and push it back up.

 

“Yes, son, those are for…well, they’re for both of us. I had to smuggle them out when your Mommy wasn’t looking.” He said with a chuckle.

 

I turned around then, looking him in the eyes. “But…but you said I wasn’t allowed to have…” I started to say, only for him to cut me off.

 

“No I didn’t. I said you shouldn’t even think about ‘asking’ for dessert. I never said I wouldn’t give you any if you earned it.” He told me with a smirk. “Now, are we going to argue about this some more, or are we going to be a father and son team to pig out before your Mommy realizes the theft?” He asked me, holding up his hoof.

 

I immediately hoofbumped him and grabbed the plate and bowl, both of us chowing down! And it was absolutely the best dessert ever!

And then came my mother’s voice…

 

“NOVUS! GET DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!!!”

 

----------------------------

 

My hooves quivered as I sat in the chair outside the principal’s office, saddlebag sitting beside me. Talking to Miss Linea had been both a treat and a punishment. I had given her my letter and a verbal apology in front of the whole class, and she had refused to allow me to make up any classwork, and had scolded me for my behaviors in front of the class. Though she did accept the letter, she wasn’t ready to forgive me, and she told me so. I had actually started sniffling again…I worked so hard on that letter…

 

That was when my Dad stepped in. In no uncertain terms, he told her that she was being needlessly cruel and very mean, that I was a student who cared about his own grades, and that scolding somepony publically was always a bad idea. Then he went on to point out that, my cursing aside, she did start the initial issue by lying to me about negative numbers, and that she could have defused everything by simply saying the rest of the class wasn’t ready for that kind of concept.

 

At that point, Miss Linea had grabbed a few sheets of paper off her desk and thrust them at me, telling me to have all of them done by morning tomorrow. I took them and fled, since I knew my Dad would have words for her about that reaction as well. And I…I had somepony else to see.

 

Thus I found myself once again on the hard wooden chairs outside Principal Aquaria’s office, my bottom cold and my saddlebag holding two very important items. I tapped my hooves, waiting for the signal to enter.

 

When it finally came, I carefully entered the room from yesterday, only for Principal Aquaria’s eyebrow to raise. “Heart? To what do I owe the pleasure?” she asked, smiling. “I could have sworn I suspended you until tomorrow. Are you truly such a serious student you snuck into school?” she teased. Good, she was in a good mood.

 

I shook my head before answering. “N..No, Miss. I wanted to bring you back your paddle, and to give you a letter of apology. I’m sorry I was so nasty to Miss Linea, and I promise I’ll try to learn to control my temper better.” I said, then looked up at her.

 

Her gaze was odd, like she was waiting for something else. Then it dawned on me and I looked down again, shuffling my hoof as I nodded. “And I’m sorry I opened the letter you gave me early…I won’t let my curiosity get the better of me again.” I said, and then heard her tap her desk.

 

“Don’t make promises you won’t keep, Heart. We both know you will. But I believe you’ll at least try to rein it in.” I heard her say, then looked up to see her smiling. “Now, I’ll read that letter first. And then I want to see my paddle.”

 

I shook as I pulled both items out, giving her the letter as I took a seat on the cold chair, making sure to sit on my tail so I didn’t freeze. Why was it always so cold in here?!

 

Principal Aquaria read quickly this time, then flicked her eyes back up as I watched. There was a knot in my stomach as I held the paddle in my lap, my foreleg covering the scorched handle. A second flick up, and the knot tightened. This was the moment of truth…but I had to stay in control. I couldn’t let my emotions get the better of me.

 

Finally, she set down the letter, then looked over at me, beckoning for the paddle with a hoof. I gulped as I handed it over to her, wincing as she traced her hoof down the singed wood. “I see you lost control again.” She said, and I winced. I was in for it. Then she floored me.

 

“I knew you would, young pyromancer. You’ve still got a lot to learn before you’re ready to bond with your friend.” She said, and I looked straight up at her in surprise as she smiled at me.

 

“What…” I started to ask, but she cut me off.

 

“Heart, how do you think I knew you opened the letter? How do you think that bathbrush of yours spanked you so hard? You aren’t the only elemental mage in this room, young colt.” She said, setting the paddle down. “Look at my fishbowl, Heart. The one you and every other foal has always asked about.”

 

I complied, then gasped! Where once had been empty water was a strange fish, with a snakelike head and a beautiful rainbow crest and front fins! Immediately, my lizard appeared above me, draping around my shoulders and hissing angrily at the snake, causing Aquaria to chuckle and say something in a sibilant, flowing language.

 

“This is Alana, and she is my best friend, just like your lizard is to you, young colt.” Aquaria said, speaking over my gasp of surprise at these antics. “Just like you, I have a strong connection to one of the five elements. As you can guess, mine is to Water, just as you are bound to Fire.” She said, and I wrenched my gaze away to stare at her, opening my mouth with a hundred questions.

 

“Yes, before you ask, she is an Undine. And she is the one who manifested in your bathroom last night to spank you for opening the letter.” Aquaria continued, smiling at me at the two elementals glared at one another. “And I think you both should go before you start fighting in here.” She said to them, waving her hoof. With a growl, my lizard vanished, and so did Alana. I took a few deep breaths to get myself under control again.

 

“Miss…if you knew the elementals were real, why couldn’t Miss Linea see my best friend? And why did you send me home to be spanked if you knew I was right?” I asked, and she nodded in response.

 

“The elementals can only be seen by those with a powerful connection to that magic. I could only see your lizard…what is his name?” she suddenly asked.

 

“Thyrion…” I said

 

“Thank you. I could only see Thyrion because I am a trained Hydromancer, and thus have the ability to see all the elementals. Otherwise he would have been as invisible to me as Alana was to you last night.” She said, then looked down sternly at me.

 

“As for why I sent you home, Heart…it is exactly as I told you. You need to learn to control your temper. Your connection to Fire makes you very strong in certain magics, but it also makes your magic harder to control in those cases as well. Your temper, your emotions only make this worse. You have to learn how to conduct yourself properly, despite how smart you are. Yes, Miss Linea was wrong about both the negative numbers and the elementals, but your reactions to her were even more wrong.” She scolded me, causing me to wince.

 

“That said, I do believe you have learned your lesson.” She continued. “And while I cannot allow you to return to class today, I would like to make you an offer, young colt.”

 

“Yes?” I asked, curious as to what she might be offering.

 

“I will become your teacher for the theory behind elemental magic. I cannot teach you Fire magic, for obvious reasons, but for an hour a day, I want you to come to my office for lessons on control, on theory, and on how elemental magic can be used.” She offered me.

 

I was stunned for a moment, then leaped from my chair, bouncing around the room in joy for a moment, squeaking the word “Yes!” over and over! Finally I would get to learn everything!

 

Her voice cut through my elation, though. “Sit down, Heart…we’re not done talking yet.” She ordered, with a smirk on her face. “I would like to give you your first lesson right now. Are you up to starting so soon?” she asked me.

 

I nodded eagerly, ready to learn!

 

“Good. Bend over the desk.” She ordered, and I complied without even thinking about it before realizing the position I was now in.

 

“Wait…what?!” I squeaked and started to kick a little, only for the paddle to tap me on the flanks and still my hooves.

 

“I do believe I told you that if I found the wood on my paddle even a little singed, I was going to personally use it on your flanks until they glowed so red you didn’t need a night light.” She said, then tapped me again. “Lesson number one: Control of magic during intense physical pain.”

 

Oh bugger…