Juvenalas Penitatas
Lesson 11 – Happy New Year

The last few days of the year passed pleasantly, or as much as any day could for a penitatas. School broke up, which was met with some trepidation by Rilka as it only reinforced the fact that punishments were imminent. As for Jalia, the visit was delayed; Talek had no desire to face her just yet.
On the day before New Years Eve, the rejuves were roused from their shared bed by both parents. They spent the day together playing games, walking on the beach, even enjoying half an hour of holo as a family. It was an uplifting day, until the subject of the looming Special Punishment Day was raised. The parents were almost apologetic to Talek about it. “The court has decided you are to experience the New Year's SPD at least once in your sentence. That's something we can't change. It'll be a long, hard day, but when it's over you'll have a whole week to relax and play with your presents.”
Rilka was more forthcoming once the pair were snuggled into bed. “We'll be taken into town in the morning and get 'presents' in the form of punishment cards. We have to pick our own punishment in a sense; the different colour cards tell you what to broadly expect. Red ones are straight up spankings, white ones are 'painless' punishments, blue ones are non-spanking pain, and so on.”
“Why do I get the feeling you avoid the white ones?” Talek asked.
“I've never been allowed to pick one,” Rilka replied. “I had a blue one last year and got force-fed hot sauce. The whites usually play out over the rest of the holiday, not just tomorrow; Lusu picked one of them last year and swore she'd never touch them again!”
“What happened to her?”
Rilka let out an unhappy huff. “She can tell you if she wants to. Just know they might make tomorrow easier, but they could ruin the rest of your holiday. But there are some good things about the day too, like ice-cream!” the girl added. “It's easier if you just see for yourself.”

New Year's Eve dawned, and their parents were once again present bright and early. They came downstairs holding a necklace each; Shon's had three clips upon it, Liki's four.
The cream-scaled Karrian girl looked at her mother and to Talek's surprise managed a smile. “Is that a white clip?”
“Yes it is!” Liki announced, holding up the necklace. “one white, one blue, two red. A big improvement on last year!”
“The car's waiting, let's not dawdle,” Shon added, helping the two rejuves out of bed. “Go ahead and potty, but you'll be in bare scale for the rest of the day. All you get to wear is this,” he added, raising the necklace. Talek flinched at the announcement. Rilka simply grinned, enjoying the boy's embarrassment.
At least the hovercar spared them a walk in the cold, dark morning. The Northrock pier and centre had been set up like a carnival, with awnings and stalls everywhere they could fit. Even the school was open to give more space for the day's events, and portable heating units created fields of warm air so that the naked cubs weren't shivering all day. The shivering in fear was unavoidable, however.
“You get to sit the first one out,” Shon told his son, squeezing Talek's paw. “Rilka can take her licks and then we'll have a little rest before the second round.”
“Do you want to get a red letter out of the way now?” Liki asked Rilka as they located one of the 'present' stalls. The envelopes were all of a uniform size and form; bright red with festive ribbons binding them shut. “Can you pick one for me?” Rilka asked.
“You're supposed to pick your own, you know that,” Liki replied.
“I know, but I...” the girl scrunched her pale snout up in anguish.
Liki ruffled the girl's dark blue hair and said, “well, I suppose as long as you're picking the colour and stall,” she selected the nearest envelope and offered it to the girl. “Is this one okay?”
Rilka nodded. Liki opened the envelope and read the instructions. “Oh. It seems we need to find a spanking booth.”
“At least it's not the Penny-Go-Round, right?” Shon offered, trying to be sympathetic as their tearful daughter was led through the festival of pain and suffering. Around them the various hard-timers of Northrock were being taken to benches, pillories and other sites of punishment; paddles, straps and canes cracked against bottoms, thighs and tails; youngsters bawled as they were made to kneel on sharp gravel, or subject to unseen horrors from inside of a nearby tent. Talek was seeing first hand what kind of horrors the day held in store for him, and it broke him. He was crying as hard as anyone when they finally found the ominous grey obelisks of the Spanking Booths.
Somehow, they were so much worse than the public scenes. Rilka went in, the door closed, and Liki programmed the sequence written on the card. All that came after was unknown; from inside the sound-proofed machine, Talek heard not a single crack of a paddle, nor howling of his sister.
“Hey, what's the matter?” Shon asked, kneeling down to comfort his crying son. “Are you scared?”
Talek merely nodded, bawling openly as the terror of the day overcame him. His father did his best to comfort the crying lad. “I know this must be a lot to take in, but I promise it won't be nearly as bad as you think. Besides, it's just this once. Be brave for us, okay?”
After an unbearably long time the door of the booth swung open, revealing a well-spanked, howling little lizard girl. Rilka was given a cool drink and a long cuddle helped soothe her, and as a final touch Liki added a small red coin-shaped tag onto a red clip of her necklace. “One down, cream-cake. Three to go.”

While Rilka settled, Shon took the opportunity to explain more details. “I think Rilka has already told you about how colours impact the punishments, hasn't she? You've got one of each 'primary' colour. The white punishments will be simple things like corner time, but they can carry over beyond today. Then the blue punishments could be a soapy muzzle, or tine on a studded corner-stool.”
“Or hot sauce?” Talek asked.
“Yes, or hot sauce. You have the option to 'upgrade' your punishments – you can have a blue or red in place of a white, or a red instead of a blue. However, I'd like you to just take what you've been given.”
Talek's eye was drawn to the howls from a nearby bench. A Karrian boy of eight, his scales a similar green to Talek's own, was presently being subjected to an extremely harsh paddling. Every blow made the juvenalas wince in anxious sympathy. “Rilka said the white ones can be really bad,” he said.
Both parents looked to each other, each wondering how much information to give. Liki shrugged, and Shon continued, “It depends on where your tolerances lie. I think a lot of penitatas dislike them because they can impact the rest of your holiday. Some, like Rilka, prefer it to all be over and done with today.”
Satisfied Rilka was up for it, Liki helped the girl back onto her feet and took her paw. “Why don't we try over by the school next?” It wasn't really a question, as she set off straight away with the little girl in tow.
When the two youths returned to the familiar surrounds of Northrock Correctional Elementary, Talek couldn't help but notice that the tearful penitatas in and around the school tended to be younger than most. It was also here he noted a different coloured envelope in the hands of a four year old girl. “What are the purple ones?” he asked Rilka.
The girl flinched at the question. “They're the really, really bad ones. Reds on steroids. They handle the pinks here too. They're... sexual.”
The comment made Talek blush. “Sexual how?”
“It doesn't matter, because you won't have to do to them,” Shon cut in.
Rilka glanced up at her father before flashing Talek a nervous smile. “Let's just say you'd best really like boys if you plan to ask for one.”
“He's not going to be asking for one because you don't ask for special cards!” Shon snapped at the girl.
Sensing her parents were turning against her, Rilka scurried over to the card vendor. “I'd like my blue one, please!” She picked out one near the bottom of the pile and brought it back to Liki, who opened it and read the instructions.
“Looks like you'll be getting some attention under the tail. You've earned yourself a hot, spicy enema!” The girl winced at the pronouncement.
“I-I want a red!” Talek blurted out, and Shon took him over to the stall to select his fate. He took the top card and let his father read it.
“You have a fitting card for school,” Shon said. “I'll be taking a ruler to your backside. Come on, Talek.”

The boy was led into a nearby classroom. Chairs had been set out with plenty of tools in hand, and there was another boy present already; Ki'reth, his classmate. The Aspatrian boy was leaning on the teacher's desk for support, howling away as a school cane was brought against his backside over and over. As an extra cruelty, a defolicator had been used to strip his cheeks of their fur. The sight of his friend so violated made Talek feel sick, almost as much as his fear of his own impending spanking.
“Come on, over my lap!” Shon ordered as he found the ruler and took a seat. He helped his son into position, letting him settle comfortably before raising his tail. “It'll be on your backside only, but it will be a long one. Bear it as best you can, okay?”
Talek's whimpering reply was cut short by the sharp crack of hard wood on soft scale. The boy's legs kicked out in spasming protest, but the follow-up stroke came regardless. The boy clutched the legs of the chairs as tight as he could, head lowered and teeth grit against the steady smacks that sent bands of hot pain through his helpless rear. It took no time at all for his yelps to give way to open sobbing.
CRACK! SMACK! CRACK! SMACK! The steady pace of the ruler beat against his rear at a steady pace, landing over and over in the same intense area just below the tale. His tail-hole clenched and throbbed as each hot line was placed across it, with each smack sending an uncomfortable pulse of pressure into his gut to enhance the fiery sting within his cheeks.
“D-dad!” Talek yelped between stinging smacks. “Ow! Pl-please stop! Owwoww!”
“I'm sorry, but I can't stop until it's over,” Shon replied with no change to the pace of his spanking.
The ordeal was no easy thing to bear. Over and over the ruler beat against his scales, turning them pink, then darkening them to a searing, bruised red through agonising repetition. With every smack it became harder to keep still, or keep quiet. He squirmed and writhed on his father's lap, hoping at least to change the angle off attack and have the hated ruler strike somewhere that wasn't so painfully bruised!
Shon paused his punishment. “Talek, you need to keep still! If you keep squirming you'll just earn extra swats!”
“But it hu-urts!” Talek wailed.
“I know,” his father answered with a sigh. “This is the worst you'll have to suffer today. You can take comfort in knowing that, right?”
“P-lease da-ad!” the boy howled in vain as the rulering resumed, and the boy's howling redoubled.

When the ruler was finally set aside, Talek was so exhausted he couldn't stand unsupported. Shon knelt down and offered his shoulder, taking the boy's weight as he howled out his suffering. “That was a harsh one,” Shon whispered. “For what it's worth, you took it well.
The boy couldn't form a reply. All his strength was consumed by the effort of crying, and his mind couldn't focus on anything but the searing agony across his tail-hole. When thoughts did form they were solely focused on the future – how was he supposed to endure more of this? The last few days had been awful, and today even worse! It wasn't even over yet!
A soft chuckle from his father made the boy flinch. “You must be pretty thankful right now.”
“T-thankful?” the boy answered. He meant to sound incredulous, but blubbing and spluttering robbed him of his desired inflection.
“Yeah. This is the only New Year's you have to suffer. If you were a real Penny you'd have to go through this every year! Your poor sister was getting five punishments prior to her 'easing', and at least one far worse than what you just went through! Must feel good to know this is the last time you'll have to fear the holiday.”
The comments robbed the boy of any reply. Shon took the pause as an opportunity to break the hug and produce a red disk, which he clipped onto Talek's necklace. Staring at the red coin dangling from the red clip, Talek thought about Rilka and how she'd howled coming out of the spanking booth. That had earned her a red token as well. She had one more to go, didn't she? She'd have to endure another punishment just like his, and then do it all over again next year!
It was a sobering revelation, but it helped him find a little composure. “Yeah. I guess... I am glad about that,” he sighed.

The family reunited in the cafeteria, both rejuves having been treated to long bouts of comforting cuddles ahead of time. They had the scent of food to help distract them from their pain, though Talek still perched himself on the back edge of the bench as much as possible so his bruises wouldn't contact the hard plastic. At least there was no sign of punishment in what was being served; the food options were varied and carnival themed, with burgers and hotdogs being the meal of choice.
“Why don't we switch things up after lunch?” Liki asked. “Talek, I'll take you for your next punishment, and Rilka can go with dad.”
A pale blush formed on Rilka's snout at the suggestion. Her claw timidly rose to play with the red and blue tags dangling from her neck. “About that. Dad... I wouldn't mind asking for a pink card, if you were okay with that?”
“You don't ask for special cards, Rilka,” Shon reminded her.
“I know. But... it'd be fun for you, right?”
“Rilka, why do you want a pink so badly?” Liki asked, drawing the girl's attention.
The girl tried her best to appear confident. “I'm not stupid. I know there's a lot of stuff you'd like to do with me if we were allowed. Think of it as me giving you a present.” She chewed her lip a little before adding, “Plus, I'm going to need a special to buy the presents I want later.”
“It's your choice, Rilka,” Shon said at last.
The girl took the offer with surprising confidence. When they sought out the punishment stalls once more, Rilka approached and asked loudly, clearly and politely for a pink envelope. She met with resistance, but persisted until she got the fate she wanted. Talek followed, clinging to Liki's paw, and noted how virtually all the red cards were gone. “Umm... I'll take a blue one,” he mumbled as he selected the nearest.
Liki opened the envelope carefully. “Mouth soaping,” she announced, and led him to the nearest restroom. She seemed unconcerned that it was the girl's room, pushing open the door and ushering Talek in.
It looked much the same as the boy's room, though Talek hoped the most noticeable difference was temporary; the stalls were gone. An unfortunate girl was currently leaning against one of the toilets to allow her father to apply an enema, which judging by the child's howling was an extremely painful experience! Liki took a gentle grip of her son's snout and turned him toward the sinks. “Worry about your own punishment, dear,” she said gently. “Now, open wide!”
She took a toothbrush from a pile at the corner and removed the wrapper, then applied a hefty dollop of brown soap to the head. “This is going to taste awful, but you're not to spit any out without permission!”
Re-establishing her firm grip on his snout, Liki began to scrub. She started with his tongue, and in moments a noxious, toxic taste filled Talek's mouth, causing the Karrian boy to gag and wretch. His mother's fingers tightened their grip as the toothbrush worked towards the back of his mouth, almost triggering the boy's gag reflex.
Tears began to trickle down his cheek as he desperately tried to flick the foulness of his mouth, but that only earned him a scolding. “I told you not to spit!”
“Ig dgugstig!” Talek whined as the toothbrush was topped up.
“It's supposed to be disgusting!” Liki answered back. She began to work the soap over the boy's teeth and gums next, leaving a vile, waxy coating over his pearly whites.
“Mrmmr!” the boy whined through the toxic-tasting suds that filled his maw, but there was no sympathy coming from his mother. Not yet, at any rate. She was focused on applying a fresh coat to his lower teeth, the dark soap adding to the fluids already pooling under his tongue. The angle his maw was held at meant some of the soap was oozing into the back of his throat, making him swallow involuntarily; an act that hit him with a wave of nausea. “Pls nmor!” he gargled in frantic desperation.
“Close your mouth now,” Liki responded, holding his snout shut for him with her paws. “Your going to hold that soap in and let it to its work. I know it's foul, and I know it stings, but that's the point.”
A series of pitiful whines slipped from the boy as he huffed and stomped, paws closed on his mother's wrists for support as she held him firm. He wanted to spit more than anything! The only other option he had was to swallow, but his guts already churned with what little he'd accidentally ingested. Liki watched him writhe for several minutes more before relenting. “Okay, you can spit.” The result was undignified to say the least. “Okay, go stand over there while I clean up around the sink. You've made quite a mess!”

Emerging from the restroom still feeling sick, Talek tried his best to scrape the waxy taste of soap off his tongue using his teeth, a pointless exercise but one he continued regardless. His gums stung from the scrubbing of the soap, and he couldn't help but gingerly poke at his teeth as if he expected them to fall out. Liki took him by the paw and steered him back outside to the school's main gate. They waited there for Shon and Rilka to return while other penitatas and their parents came and went; those children arriving were increasingly anxious, while those leaving were thoroughly belted, paddled and caned.
“Hello again, Talek!” a female voice called to him. He turned to see Jalia's parents approaching, their sorry little charge between them. Jalia had been recently punished with something thin and whippy, leaving harsh red marks across the front and back of her thighs, as well as directly over her crotch. The girl's one free paw was busily trying to wipe away an unending flow of tears.
Talek stepped back against his mother's side, turning away quite deliberately. “I'm sorry, I don't think he's ready for this yet. Especially not today.”
“Of course. We're sorry to have interrupted.”
The boy risked a glance at his rejuvenated birth-mother, meeting her eye only briefly before she was led inside. There had been four coins dangling around her neck already. “Where's Rilka?” he asked, eager to be away from the school.
When father and daughter pair arrived, Rilka looked sullen and walked with a stiff, wide stance. He could tell from her strained tone she was putting on a brave face. “Gets easier as you go, right?”
“Yeah. You... you okay?” Talek asked, risking anxious glances toward the girl's reddened, puffy crotch.
A self-conscious paw moved to block his glance. “It hurt a lot more than I thought it would,” she said, all bravado gone. “Dad... had to be rough with me. Part of the rules, you know?”
Shon put his paws upon her shoulders, saying nothing. He looked downright sorrowful. Rilka wiped her snout with the back of one paw and squeezed his finger with another. “I just want my comfy pants and my ice-cream!”
“Okay. Let's go pick out a white punishment then, so we don't have to delay,” Shon said, giving the girl a gentle nudge forward.
There was only one stand offering white punishments at the school, most catering to harsher outcomes. The stall only had three left when the family arrived. Rilka took one without comment, and Talek did the same. Before either could hand over their choices they were joined by two more Karrians, the youngest of the pair greeting them eagerly. “Rilka! Had a feeling you'd still be here!”
“Hey, Lusu!” Rilka greeted her friend as warmly as the day allowed.
Lusu padded over, her smile freezing for a moment as her brain visibly shifted gears before turning into a look of open-mouthed horror. “Is that a pink!?”
“Yes, please don't bring it up!” Rilka shot back defensively. “I brought it on myself and I really, really want to move on!”
Lusu lunged forward to embrace the sorry girl in a caring hug. The wordless act made Rilka blub, but it was a relieved venting of frustration more than pain. After a minute or so, still wet-eyed but smiling warmly, the two girls broke apart. “Thanks, I needed that,” Rilka said.
“I'll hug you any time you like!” Lusu giggled back. She turned to the stall and her smile once more faded. “Oh no!”
“Don't panic, I have it here!” her mother announced, waving the white envelope Lusu had been looking for. “I didn't want someone else to snatch it on you! Let's see... lines, dear. Quite a few of them.”
“Pffft!” the girl snorted in reply, clearly acting up to amuse her friend. “Lines are easy!”
“Let's just rein in that attitude or you'll be getting something far worse,” her mother warned, prompting Rilka to flash a 'you've been told!' grin to her blushing friend.
Liki was next. “Your turn, Rilka! And it is... oh my, quite a bit of corner time!”
“Woo!” Lusu's reaction met with a furious scowl from all present. “I-I'm just happy because Rilka got the lightest punishment! You all know it could have been way worse, right? Like... lots of lines?”
Rilka stifled a giggle at Lusu's expense. “How much corner time, mom?”
“Twelve hours” Liki answered.
Now it was Rilka's turn to appear brave in front of her friend. “Two or three hours a day and it'll be done in no time. It's not the worst I've ever endured.”
Lastly, Shon opened his envelope. The Karrian's already bleak mood chilled instantly as he read the letter. “Oh. I'm sorry, Talek, but you're the unlucky one today. Grounding.”
“What does that mean?” the boy asked.
“It means you're confined to bed for the whole weekend. No toys, no guests, minimal radio, books or company. It also means you won't be getting your presents until after the weekend is over. I'm sorry, but there's always one envelope like this.”
“Yeah, I got it last year,” Lusu sighed.
The announcement made all the colour drain from the boy's face, turning him from a light green to a bleached grey. “I... I don't... get to... b-but you said you'd play my new game with me!”
“I will, after this is over,” Shon replied, gesturing with the envelope. “I'm sorry. On the bright side, there's still a chance for you to have some fun tonight.”
“It's n-n-not-” the boy hid behind his paws, mewling in anguish at the prospect of two full days of hellish boredom ahead. He couldn't even find the words to express how betrayed he felt. The news knotted his stomach so tightly he felt sure he'd throw up!
In the midst of his despair, he barely registered Lusu's timid words. “Mom? I think... you got the envelopes mixed up.”
Talek dared to peer from behind his fingers, blinking away tears as Lusu, anxious and miserable, pointed meekly towards Shon. “I think that envelope is Talek's, and his dad has mine.”
All eyes were on the cookie-splotched girl as she turned her attention to Rilka. “You're not going to be able to enjoy the holiday if your brother's grounded. I've been through it once, I can do it again.”
“I... Lusu...” Rilka's jaw fell open as above her head the parents exchanged proud smiles and envelopes.
Shon took the opportunity to address his bemused son. “I hope for your sake you've been practising your handwriting, young man!” he scolded forcefully, gesturing with the new punishment envelope. “Lines done sloppily won't count, so do it right or you'll just be making more work for yourself!” the frown became a grin and he added more gently, “and you really ought to say thank you to your friend.”
“T-thank you, Lusu! I owe you one!”
She giggled and replied, “you owe me more than one! But... let's maybe worry about something more important, yeah? I think we've all taken our share of licks so... mom? Can we go to the floof store now?”
Rilka's voice broke with excitement at hearing the word. “Floofs!? The floofs are back?”
“Didn't you know? It's the only reason I was willing to risk a white!” Lusu laughed, grabbing Rilka's paw before remembering her place. “Umm... is it okay if Rilka and I go to the store?”
“We will all go to the floof store!” Liki announced, beaming at the childish glee that filled the two little girls as they led the way towards the mystical vendor.

The stall in question was on the pier, with a large cartoon sign. Two chibi-styled Penitatas held up a banner that read FLOOFS, both cartoon Karrians grinning despite the rosy tint on their backsides. The stall itself was full of cuddly critters of varying sizes, from little squishy ball-creatures that fit easily into the palm to a colossal cat that was almost as big as Lusu, who squealed with delight at the sight of it. “Ooh! That is amazing! I want it so bad!”
The young man behind the desk checked the price tag. “It's... two blue and four red.”
“What? No way! Who's going to be able to afford that?”
He shrugged. “I guess it's here for the really bad boys and girls who need some extra comforting.”
Lusu's gaze turned to the coins around Rilka's neck. “Riiilllkaaa?”
The cream-coloured lizard opened her mouth to protest, but all that came out was an exasperated gasp. “I guess I owe you for helping Talcum out.”
“Oh you definitely do!” Lusu agreed.
With some reluctance, Rilka unclipped the pink coin from her necklace and held it up. “This is worth two, right? This and my friend's coins for the big cat?”
The man nodded. Accepting the combined offerings, he passed the calico cat over to Lusu, who squeezed it with giggly glee. “It's soooo smooshy!” she cried aloud, before awkwardly offering Rilka a hug. The cat was getting in the way of her affection. “Thank you so much!”
“Yeah yeah yeah,” Rilka laughed off the thanks and turned her eye back to the stall. “I guess... ah, I really wanted comfy pants, or at least some ice-cream! But I can't turn down a floof!”
“Get one that matches!” Lusu piped up, thrusting an eager digit towards a smaller version of her own prize.
“Fiiine!” Rilka responded, handing over her necklace. “I'll have the medium calico, please!”
“There you go!” the cat was handed over. It was less than half the size of Lusu's monster kitty, but seemed an ideal size for a one-handed snuggle.
Talek crept up to the stall in kind, studying the array of animals. There were cats, dogs and birds aplenty, all with cute grins upon their faces. He found himself drawn to a grass-green snake, wordlessly handing over his necklace and pointing to the coiled cuddly toy. It was soft and plush, feeling nice against his scale as he rested its head on his shoulder and settled the body into the crook of his arm.

Rewarded for their suffering with cuddly toys, the rejuves got to experience the fun side of New Years Eve. At the far end of the seafront were food vendors offering kid-sized portions of sandwiches, salad, and juice, along with a selection of fairground attractions. More and more penitatas were wearing bright red underwear now – the aforementioned 'comfy pants', which Rilka had eluded to. “They have an analgesic coating on the inside,” the girl explained. “Nowhere near as good as nano-cream, but they certainly take the edge off!”
“No good if you get your thighs and tail worked over though!” Lusu chuckled, flashing her own stripes for Talek to see. “I think most kids buy them for a little decency!”
“Yeah, I bet. Probably a bunch of non-Penny rejuves come to watch us, right?”
Rilka giggled at her brother's self-conscious tone. “Nah! They know to stay far, far away from us tonight! I hear a couple of voluntaras wanted to watch the other year and they both got paddled for it!”
“How about we play a few games?” Shon suggested, pointing to a brightly coloured tower on the beach, styled to look like an ancient lighthouse. A slide wrapped around the outside of the tower. “Do you think your tushes can handle that?”
“I'm willing to risk it!” Rilka giggled.
Talek watched a fellow Penny race down on a sled. “Sure,” he said, less enthusiastically than his sister. The wind whipped him as he followed down the stairs, briefly stepping out of the cultivated heat and climate fields to feel the full brunt of winter. Thankfully, the field systems built in and around the lighthouse made it feel like a calm summer's day again. There was a queue running outside of the narrow tower when they arrived – it seemed every penitatas in Northrock wanted a turn! It was worth the wait in the end. The tower seemed much higher from the top than the bottom, but eventually the trio found themselves stood on the narrow platform at the head of the slide. An elevator assembly delivered the sleds for them and the ride manager sent them down one at a time, wishing them luck before pushing them off. Talek heard the two girls ahead of him squeal all the way down, and when it was his turn he couldn't contain himself either. Despite the sting in his rear from sitting on the hard sled, Talek howled with glee as the wind whipped through his hair, and while his inner teenager knew the ride wasn't all that fast, his outer child felt like the sled was going a hundred miles an hour!
“That was awesome!” he cried as he was helped off the sled at the end. “I want to go again!”
Shon ruffled the boy's dark hair playfully. “There's only so much time to play, Talek! Spend too long here and you'll miss out on the carnival games!”
At the insistence of the girls the group headed for the games. They were simple, traditional affairs; whack-the-rat, basket tosses, throwing games and finishing games. There were no prizes, but no cost to play either; it was all about bragging rights, and the two girls were in full competitive mode. The little party expanded when they came to a rope bridge challenge they found Kost and Bubbles, who were diplomatically linked into their growing circle of penitatas. Bubbles was the only rejuve to be clothed, the amphibian girl having been put back into her wetsuit once her punishments were over. Kost wore a pair of bright red 'comfy pants', confessing with some embarrassment that, like Ki'reth, he had no fur left on his cheeks.
The last stop on their afternoon of play was a bouncy castle. They were one of the last rejuves to enjoy it, nabbing the last timeslot on one of the inflatables. The five dove in with no thought of restraint, hurling themselves into the walls or competing to see who could bounce highest. Even a little wrestling broke out with no sign of parental intervention. They were only summoned off when the sky turned amber-gold, all of them panting and tired from their energetic play.

The games and rides might have all closed, but it wasn't home time just yet. Having clearly pre-arranged one last meeting, the group were taken back along the waterfront to the pier where two Aspatrians were waiting. Ki'reth, with his mother close by, was sat with his legs dangling through the safety rail along the side of the pier. He too had opted for 'comfy pants' as one of his paid-for treats. Isabelle stood next to him, staring out to see with a grin on her muzzle. She caught sight of the others approaching and waved to them. “Hey! I was hoping to see you all!”
“How come you're here?” Talek asked. “I thought today was just for Pennys.”
Isabelle chuckled at the question, lifting her skirt to reveal she had no underwear beneath. There was a redness to her buttocks. “I paid the price of admission.”
“Why?” Kost asked, rubbing his own punished tush.
“I... didn't want to spend New Years alone,” the white-furred fox confessed. “All my other friends are long gone from here. I met up with Ki'reth while he was buying his pants. I like the floofs!”
Almost as if she'd forgotten about her toy, Lusu turned sharply and scuttled over to her mother, who snickered as she handed over the large cat. Talek and Rilka retrieved their own with less drama as the little group of rejuves all made themselves comfortable together, some standing, some sitting. Their parents gave them space.
Talek's claw stroked the soft snake in his paws. “So... what happens now? Seems like everything's closing.” He shivered as the wind changed; their choice of seats were right on the edge of the portable climate-control fields, and a strong enough gust was able to hit them with icy blasts. It made the boy painfully aware of his own nudity again, something he'd all but forgotten when playing.
“We wait for the light show,” Rilka explained. She found a spot to stand next to Lusu, who took her paw.
Bubbles took a spot next to Isabelle. “We're getting presents tomorrow, right?”
“I already know what one of mine is,” Talek announced with a grin. “Dad got me Heroes of the Heroic Guild!”
Isabelle groaned theatrically, “Oh, not Dungeons of Deepdark! I have no idea what anyone sees in that corny fantasy nonsense!”
“Nothing wrong with a bit of 'fantasy nonsense', little miss pet-play!” Lusu shot back with a giggle.
“That was one time!”
“One time you really enjoyed!”
Isabelle pointed a warning finger at Lusu. “If you want to start dragging up the past in front of my friends, Lusu, then I can respond in kind!”
Rilka made herself the referee, raising her free paw towards Isabelle. “Okay, okay! Let's not earn any more spankings here!”
Whatever reply Isabelle intended to give died as her expression shifted, ears pivoting backwards in a sudden movement. “It's starting!” she announced in an excited whisper. Moments later, Talek heard the first notes of a soft, melodic tune.

It turned out that the day of punishment was to be capped off with a fireworks display, enhanced by music and holo-projections. Feeling every brilliant explosion in their chest emphasised how wondrously real the spectacle above them was, and it infused the moment with a primal passion no amount of virtual images ever could.
Home time came all too soon. The negative after-images of the fireworks lingered in their vision and ears still rang with the pyrotechnic bursts, but after all they'd experienced that day the children were thoroughly spent. They could at least end on a high note. There were quiet promises made of meetings during the week, chances to visit one another's homes guaranteed via the parents present. Talek and Rilka were taken away from their friends to join a queue of waiting families as hovercars shuttled parent and Penny alike to their destinations. When Shon and Liki finally climbed aboard they took a child each onto their laps, wrapping them in jackets, and both were sang to slumber by the gentle hum of repulsor-lift engines.

Rolling out of bed the next morning, Talek found the door to the Penny Room wide open. He padded curiously across the open space towards the windowed wall, but there was no sign of anyone in the corridor.
Rilka leapt from the bed behind him, moving with a speed and giddiness he was unaccustomed to. “Happy New Year!” she cried, hugging him before dashing to the open-plan bathroom space to relieve herself.
“Why's the door open?” he asked with a tremble in his voice.
His nerves made Rilka giggle. “Oh relax! Mom and dad will be waiting downstairs for us. Do your tinkle and let's go!”
The prompt made the boy blush. “Shouldn't we get dressed?”
“Nope!” the girl chuckled in response.
Sure enough, the two adult lizards were sat on the sofa in sleepwear and dressing gowns, nursing steaming cups of something caffeinated and with dark rings around the eyes that spoke of a night's heavy drinking. “Moooorniiiiing!” Rilka sang out joyfully as the two children descended.
“Hush! Not so loud!” Liki answered. “Some of us are a little worse for wear this morning.”
“We're not above sharing the misery either,” Shon warned, though his light tone told Rilka she had nothing to fear.
The two youths sat by the crackling fire, Talek simply following Rilka's lead as she clearly knew what to expect. There were six gift-wrapped boxes under the coffee table, two of which Talek knew about already. Shon took one, and Liki two. “This one is from me,” Shon said as he handed the box to Rilka, who carefully unwrapped it.
The girl's face lit up at the sight of the book. “A jumbo book of brain-teasers! Thank you so much!”
“No need to ration them quite so strictly now!” her father chuckled in response.
“This one is from Talek,” Liki passed what the boy knew to be the paint set. It went down well, earning him a fierce hug.
“You know I didn't really buy it, right?” he asked, not wishing to mislead Rilka.
The girl laughed, “Of course! But you picked it out, and that's what counts!” Liki's present turned out to be a skipping rope, and when told she'd be trusted to go out front and play with it, Rilka all but burst into tears, so overwhelmed by the trust that represented.
Then it was Talek's turn. His father's gift was known and he repeated how grateful he was for it, receiving confirmation that friends would be coming over to play a game with them in the week. Liki got him a diary. “I know you've had a rough few days lately,” she said as he looked over the unexpected gift. “Having a place to write down your thoughts and feelings might help you find your centre.”
“You... you read it though, don't you?” he asked shyly.
“Only to better understand what you're going through,” Shon assured him. “I know it might have seemed like we used Rilka's against her, but I promise that wasn't the case. We might... ask a few questions based on things you write down, but short of confessing to some truly heinous behaviour we won't use it against you.”
“It's something you just need to trust us with, sweetheart,” Liki added.
Rilka nudged the boy's elbow with her own. “You still have one present to go, Talcum! Oh... sorry. You didn't want to be called that anymore.”
“It's fine. I... I don't mind when it's you who does it.”
The girl grinned at the assurance. “Good. Now for your present!”
To Talek's surprise, Rilka leaned in and kissed him. It wasn't a subtle kiss either; she planted her lips firmly against his own and leaned in, letting her tongue slip into his maw to caress his unsuspecting tongue. The suddenness made him go wide-eyed, but neither parent seemed at all concerned, nor inclined to interrupt. She broke the kiss only to whisper to him in a low, sultry tone, “I'm going to milk you dry this weekend. Every time you get even a tiny bit stiff I'm going to ride you 'til you pop!”
Confirming this dirty promise, Liki stepped over with a small squirt bottle in her paw. “I'll give you a little lube, cream-cake, just to make sure you're good and slippery.”
“Y-you really mean it?” Talek gasped, a hot blush forming over the green scales of his snout. It faded quickly, for his blood was rushing away from his face and toward his crotch.
“Forty-eight hours of uninterrupted fun,” Liki confirmed. “It seemed a fitting way to remind you that life here isn't all pain and misery!”
Shon let out a singular snort, “Though you might well be awfully sore by the time that little minx is done with you!”

Rilka pushed Talek to the floor with a giggle, her eyes pouring over his nude body with unabashed hunger. A low whimper slipped from her cream-coloured snout as Liki applied a generous dose of cold lube to her slit, priming her for the display to come. She shuffled forward, straddling the boy and rubbing herself along his hardening member, both to tease and to share some of the lube before rising up just enough that Talek's cock could be steered into place. A hungry whimper escaped the boy's lips as the head of his boyhood was pressed gently into the warm, lubricated folds of Rilka's sex. With one paw she carefully steered him into place, then descended. A blissful dizziness overcame the boy as he was gently, lovingly enveloped, Rilka taking him in inch by wonderful inch until she came to rest upon his hips, his twitching length fully enveloped.
“I love you so much!” he gasped, caring nothing for what his parents might think of the outburst. Corny as the proclamation was, it made Rilka clench in a most delightful fashion.
“I love you too, Talek,” she replied earnestly.
He began to thrust, raising his hips against her slowly, but steadily. The open rutting gave the boy butterflies in his stomach, but that made it all the more pleasurable. Rilka's sighs became low moans as Talek's cock massaged her cunny, which simply drove Talek to thrust faster.
As a climax built, Talek gripped Rilka's thighs and thrust as deep as he could to trigger a twitching, gasping orgasm.
“Alright you two, you've had your presents, now let's get some breakfast!” Liki announced with a playful grin.
“Which one of us is going to be the bad guy?” Shon asked as the two children sheepishly uncoupled.
“Corner time, right?” Rilka asked as she helped Talek to her feet.
“Just for an hour, then the day's yours.”
“But first, breakfast!” Liki insisted, waving the children towards the dining area.
Talek playfully brushed his tail against Rilka's thigh as he passed her. “I know what I'd like for breakfast.”
“Oh? I can't possibly imagine what you're hinting at!” she replied, barely able to contain herself. She planted a peck on his cheek and added, “think of punishment time as a chance to rest up for round two!”
“I like the way you think!” Talek said as they settled into their chair for breakfast, the first meal in what was surely to be a truly wonderful weekend.