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Even though Arno assured his Penny daughter there would be no nettles involved she had every reason to be afraid of what lay in store, and would ultimately have her fears proven right. Her father opened the patio door and pushed her through, gently but firmly, marching her towards the metal framework of the 'punishment track'. The weather was cooling, but she was still left in bare scale. Without explaining what he had planned, Arno slipped a restraint harness around her chest. It was normally something used when a penitatas was to be escorted by a Watchdog but needed their hands free. The harness was fastened to the pulling block, prompting rapid, panicked breathing from the six-year-old girl. Anor repeated his promise there would be no nettles.\nHer claws were pulled behind her back and fastened tight to the harness. “Kneel down.” The words made Tulu shudder. The gravel beneath her feet was sharp and uneven, unpleasant enough to stand upon, let alone kneel in. But she had no choice; her hesitation prompted a firm push that forced her down on one knee and drew a pained yelp from her little maw.\nAnor's next touch was to place a bar across the lower track. He lifted each of her feet in turn and bound her ankle to the bar, forcing even more of her weight onto her knees. Her breathing was already deep and pained, but the final act sent her right over the edge. Her father slipped a rubber collar round her neck, then grabbed her tail and yanked it up, binding it to the back of the collar. Tulu overbalanced, falling forward, yet she barely slipped an inch before the leash on her back went taut. “There. I want you to think long and hard about the actions that landed you here, little traitor.” She flinched at the hateful nickname. “I will come get you in a while.”\n“How long is a while?” Tulu whined, but her father chose not to acknowledge her words. Letter her snout drop, Tulu focused on the sharp rocks biting into her knees; their shape and size was irregular, some forcing her to rest her bodyweight on a sharp corner, others jabbing in with a point. She tried to wriggle her knees to shuffle the rocks and find a more comfortable position, but all it did was grind the points deeper in. Desperate, she tried to lean to her right and gain more motion with her left knee, but that just sent an unbearable surge of sharp pain through her right knee. In trying to escape, she overcompensated and dug in too deep with her left, finding an especially sharp wedge of rock that bit right under her kneecap.\nThe girl's howls rang out, loud and shameless. No doubt the whole street knew of her misery, which grew beyond what she could stand within minutes. No matter how much she howled, no-one came. No matter her screamed pleading for mercy, no parent was there to rescue her. Her knees felt like they were being cut to ribbons, and not a soul cared.\n\nTalek followed the sounds of anguish around the house, ducking under the white bar that separated the back garden from the unworked land beyond. Tulu was too distraught to acknowledge him; the girl's head was lowered, her eyes closed. She only looked up when he knocked on the patio door. “Help!” she cried. “Ple-ease!”\nThe boy's lip curled at the cry. “I can't. I'm not allowed to interfere with another Penny's punishment.” Tulu went on pleading, but Talek turned away. He saw Arno and Reel inside, both clearly having heard the knock. Neither seemed to be in any rush to answer, so he knocked again. Finally, Arno waved and got up out of his chair.\n“Alright, let's deal with our little lady,” he said, crossing to Tulu and lifting her out of the gravel. “Would you mind untying her feet?”\nTalek did as asked. Tulu's knees were reddened by her kneeling, with multiple irregular indentations. One small pebble even hitched a ride, clinging to the seam between her soft, blue-green scales. As a kindness, he plucked it out. Not for the first time, Talek was quietly impressed by how much 'harm' a Penny could suffer with no real damage being caused. “Talek, you can go upstairs and wait in Tulu's room. I'll bring her up when she's had a chance to calm down.”\nNodding, Talek stepped through the back door and followed the familiar layout up to her room. Downstairs the home was quite different to his own – different coloured walls, different furniture, and so on – but Tulu's room could easily have been his own. The colour of the walls, the carpet, even the furniture was identical. Apart from the meagre Penny possessions (Tulu had less) and the different coloured bedsheets, this may as well have been his bedroom.\nArno kept the boy waiting almost ten minutes. He came up with Tulu cradled in his arms; she was still red-eyed and pouting, clearly having cried a great deal during her calming session. Talek stood up when they entered and stepped back as Arno approached the bed. He sat down and settled Tulu onto his lap.\n“Thanks for letting me speak to Tulu again,” Talek felt it wise to address Arno first.\n“You are welcome to come over any time,” Arno assured him.\nNodding, he turned his attention to the girl. “You said you were trying to make things better. I wanted to know how.”\n“Why?” Tulu asked, glaring suspiciously at the boy.\nHis lip twitched at the sharp question. He chose to be equally obnoxious in return. “Because.”\nFlinching as Arno gave her a subtle squeeze, Tulu relented. “Most worlds with a penitatas system don't allow the kind of 'inventive' punishments we do. I wanted to put a stop to things like that.”\n“Inventive like... hot stuff shoved up your backside?”\nTulu took a moment to study his face, almost as if trying to figure out if that was something he'd endured, or wanted her to suffer through. “Yes, stuff like that. They don't allow it on Alqurai.”\n“Then why do we do it?” the question was aimed at Arno rather than Tulu.\n“We've tried a lot of different ways to punish and reform over the centuries,” the parent answered. “Some changes are done based on hard facts, others are more difficult to pin down. There's no objectively 'correct' way to do things, despite what some might say.” He gave Tulu another squeeze.\n“There are things we get in return though, right? If we were on Alqurai I wouldn't be allowed to be friends with Rilka, would I?” Arno snorted at the choice of words.\n“No, Talek, you wouldn't be allowed to have sex with other penitatas on Alqurai.” The bluntness made Talek blush. “To be honest, that's the reason I've opposed these reforms most of all. I've been here a long, long time; long enough to see how much a loving bond can change someone. Some will say we should push back on that, force you to be children and trust that platonic bonds will be enough to get you through, but I've come to believe friendship isn't enough. You've been a good influence on Rilka, no doubt she's influenced you as well.”\n“I wasn't... umm...” the boy turned his face away, unwilling to meet the adult's gaze. He took a moment to steady himself. “What would it have meant for me if the Juvenalas Penitatas 'experiment' never happened? I'd have just been a juvie, right?”\n“Probably.”\n“You weren't meant to come to Northrock,” Tulu spoke up to the surprise of both Arno and Talek. “If it wasn't for me you'd have been sent to Ashfeld. You'd have never met Rilka. I pushed for you to be placed with another Penny in the hope it'd get you in more trouble, so I guess you have me to thank for living with her as well.”\nTalek's jaw dropped open. He had no idea what serving time in some other town would have been like, but the idea of not having Rilka beside him was mortifying. “I think I need to go,” he mumbled, but hastily added, “thank you for seeing me.”\nHe hurried home, shivering for reasons that had nothing to do with the weather. He couldn't accept her words as truth – she had to be like Jalia, lying to mess with his head! She couldn't be the reason he was here, in this house, sharing Rilka's bed! She couldn't! He stormed back to the front door, hammering his fist into it but cursing himself instantly. He fully expected to see a furious parent open the door, but instead he was met by a sympathetic mother. “Are you alright, sweetheart?”\n“No I'm not!” he cried out. Liki immediately swept him up into a hug, cradling the boy until she felt him pull away.\n“Why don't we sit down and talk? You can tell us both what was said that upset you.”\nThe comforting embrace had shifted his negative thoughts aside enough to give him some clarity. He watched Shon settle onto the sofa as Liki did the same, both parents leaving a gap for him to fill. He turned the offer down. “I'm okay now. May I go back upstairs?”\n“Alright,” Shon nodded, still wearing a patient smile as Talek walked towards the staircase. He wanted Rilka, her presence if nothing else. As he began to ascend, Talek caught the beginnings of a private conversation, the word 'birthday' jumping out at him.\n“Has it really been a year?” he asked the empty staircase. It certainly wasn't far off. Time had lost all meaning in Northrock, the days blending together in a long stream of often-miserable experiences. But, he had to admit, there were a lot more good days lately; long gone were the dark, icy treks to a school full of strangers, or the hellish ordeal he'd earned though foolishness. Hell, he'd even learned a little self-control with his privates – he hadn't gone begging to his dad for a climax in months!\nThe thought made him snicker, but to his surprise it also sent a subtle throbbing through his cock. Did he... did he [i]want[/i] to be pawed off by his dad? He shook the thought away as quickly as it came and focused instead on something far more pleasing; the cream-coloured girl tucked comfortably into a bean-bag chair, studiously reading the role-playing book Shon had purchased for Talek as a gift. Her dark blue hair, now allowed to grow long, was plaited together in a pleasing fashion. He liked to run his claw along it, feeling the interlocking tensions and firmness the weaving pattern provided. Rilka seemed to enjoy it as well, for she'd started to flick her ponytail towards him whenever she felt bored or wanted a distraction.\n“What do you think they'll do for my birthday?” he asked.\nRilka glanced up from the book and grinned at him. It was the special grin she saved for imagining a way Talek was about to get himself in trouble. He used to hate that grin, now he adored it. “You're owed one Penny birthday, right? Learn from my mistake – ask for your smacks first thing in the morning! That way you've got the rest of the day as a fun treat!”\n“Good idea. What are you getting me?” he settled on the floor in front of her.\nGiggling, Rilka opened her legs to reveal her underwear. “I've got something in mind. Providing mom and dad approve.”\n“I can't wait!”\nThey shook off their flirting and settled down to focus on more pressing matters – how best to level up their characters if they gained enough experience points next session. Their intense focus and attention to detail would doubtless have frustrated any teacher who saw it, for it was certainly not present in any homework assignment ever handed in, but it whiled away a good chunk of time. They were both caught by surprise when their parents entered.\n“Talek, we need to have a word.” Both rejuves turned pale at their father's tone. “We've received a call from the Department. They've arranged a court hearing first thing on your birthday.”\nTry as he might, Talek couldn't reply to his father – it felt as if his throat had swollen shut. Rilka jumped from her seat to answer for him, “what does that mean? Is Talcum getting paroled?”\n“We don't know. It's a review hearing, that's all we can say.”\nRilka turned back towards him, her expression one of shock. He knew she should be happy for him – he was overjoyed for her when she got her sentenced reduced! So why did she look so frightened? For that matter, why did he feel sick to his core?\nThey both knew the answer. Neither dared speak it, nor even dwell on it, for fear that doing so might make their greatest fears come true.\n\nTalek barely slept a wink the night before his hearing. He lay in bed with his eyes closed, but his mind raced for hours, flooded with terrors of what fate might befall him. Rilka lay snuggled against him, head upon his chest, but she never seemed to truly settle either.\nAs with every court session before, the household dressed in their best formal garb and took a hovercar across the ocean to the distant court building. Numb with terror, the boy went through the motions in a dream-like haze, though he was eternally grateful that his place on the stand was a far cry from what he'd experienced before – nobody stripped him bare, nor restrained him. He was free to stand and face his judge.\nThe black-robed figure that stepped up to the judge's seat was not a Karrian as Talek had suspected, but an Otter-like male with long, scruffy whiskers and weary eyes. He sniffed loudly as he took his seat and reviewed the information before him. Talek's heart pounded so loudly he struggled to make out the words over the thundering in his own ears. Aware of a pause in the judge's speech, Talek tried to work up some saliva to moisten his desert-dry mouth. “My name is Talek. Age... 10, as of today. Serving 1x9-21, penitatas ID: 0E0D-1101-B556-J. Formerly Talek Nodaro.”\nThe nod from the judge suggested he'd responded correctly. “There's no need to be so frightened, Master Talek. I'm aware that your last visit to these courts ended poorly for you, but I hope today will be a much happier one for you.”\nThe words slowed Talek's heartbeat enough that he felt light-headed from the difference. Unsure of what, if anything to say, he settled for, “Thank you, your honour.”\nThat earned him a fleeting smile. “This court session is intended to deliver judgement on the Juvenalas Penitatas program as much as it is to decide the fate of its sole candidate. Your situation is shocking to me, not least of all because of the gross betrayal recently uncovered that was intended to sabotage your fate. The irony, of course, is that Miss Tulu's efforts might well have paid off.\n“To review your crimes, I cannot deny there was grounds to sentence you to Juvenalas status, but the notion that your actions justified serving what amounts to hard time? That is a step too far, and I am not alone in this assessment. The evidence is clear that, far from seeking to enact proper justice, you were seen as a rare opportunity to test someone's pet theories. In short, you were over-sentenced to justify the testing of a new penitatas classification.”\nTalek felt Rilka's gasp from the observation seats. A word, a name, one spoken of only in dreams and the most hushed of whispers formed in both children's minds. Innocentatas – rejuves wrongly convicted and given a utopian childhood in compensation.\nThe judge continued, “In light of this, it is my opinion that the fairest means of restitution is to grant you the status you should have been assigned initially, with suitable reductions for time served. As such, you will be reclassified as a Juvenalas. You will be returned to your home, with arrangements made for a supervising governess. We will review your file again in two years, and-”\n“Wait!” Talek blurted out to the acute surprise of the judge. “You're sending me back here? To Newfounding?”\n“That is what I was saying before you interrupted,” the judge replied.\nTalek turned instantly to Rilka. His jaw trembled at the sight of her for what he feared might be the last time. “I don't want to go,” he whimpered. No sooner had the words left his maw did he notice another figure, a familiar male sat in the back row.\nFlustered, the judge tapped his gavel. “Perhaps a short recess is in order? Mr Nodaro, if you'd like to speak to your son you are welcome to approach.”\nAs his father approached, Talek's legs turned to rubber. Ken Nodaro threw his arms around his son and squeezed him tight. “I've missed you so much!” he whispered into Talek's ear-slit.\n“Dad...” it was all Talek could manage before tearing up.\nThe pair broke apart. “Talek, you're coming home! Don't you understand that?”\n“I don't want to come home.”\n“Why not? Why on Halkat would you want to stay in a penitatas town?” Ken followed his son's longing gaze to the trembling little girl in the viewing box. “Is that who you've been staying with?”\nTalek nodded. “That's my dad, Shon; my mom, Liki; and my... my sister, Rilka.”\nKen turned back to his son. He used his thumb to wipe away a smudge left by a trickling tear. “Talek, [i]I'm[/i] your dad. They're not your parents.”\n“They... they are though,” Talek whimpered. He looked away for a moment to steady himself. “I met Jalia.”\nNow it was Ken's turn to go pale. “Your mother?”\n“She's not my mom. Not now. I finally learned what she was like, dad. She never loved me.”\nKen pulled Talek in for another hug. “She was a troubled woman, Talek, but she did love you in her own way.”\n“No, dad!” the boy pulled away sharply. “She used me! Because of her I suffered the worst punishment a Penny can! You don't understand! You don't know what it was like, you don't know anything! You don't...”\nKen let him cry it out, waiting with anguished eyes until Talek was ready to listen. “This year must have been awful for you, but you'll have time to tell me everything. I want to hear it all, Talek. I want to help you, the way I should have before. Things will be different from now on.”\nOnce more, Talek's gaze turned to his Northrock family. Rilka had buried her face in Liki's side to hide her tears. Suddenly, all his own grief began to fade, replaced by an unfamiliar sense of clarity. “You did your best, dad. I know that. But going home... it's not what I want. That house isn't home anymore, the people I knew weren't really my friends. Northrock has been awful sometimes, but... I have a mom again. A mom who actually loves me. I volunteer in the community now, I'm learning to play an instrument. I... I even have a girlfriend.”\n“You want to stay in Northrock because of a girl?” Ken asked in disbelief.\nTalek raised his right paw, studying the silver letters there. “I've spent a whole year trying to figure out what these meant, whether I was a juvenalas or a penitatas. I thought I wanted to be a juvie, but... now I don't. If I have to wear one of these letters, I'd rather be a penitatas. I want to stay in Northrock.”\n“Mr Nodaro, if I may?” Ken turned to face the judge, nodded slowly, and stepped away. He gave Talek a comforting pat on the shoulder as he returned to his seat. “Forgive me for eavesdropping, but you wish to be a penitatas rather than a juvenalas?”\nTalek stood ramrod straight. “Yes, your honour.”\n“This is... an unprecedented situation, Master Talek. You are still a kindern, after all.”\n“Do I have to be? Can't you change that?”\nThe judge scrutinised Talek's face, seemingly confused by the boy's newfound focus. His eyes moved to the cream-scaled girl in the viewing box. “You know, I have recently come across several testimonies stating that, far from forbidding penitatas from forming relationships, we should encourage the behaviour. Said testimonies claim it can completely change the character of a Penny for the better. Before today, I don't think I've ever heard someone ask to [i]remain[/i] a penitatas. She must be a special girl indeed.”\nBlushing, Talek whispered his thanks to Isabelle under his breath, for he felt certain she must have been one of those testimonies. The judge continued, “If it is your sincere wish to remain in Northrock, you deserve to know the consequences: it will end your kindernhood, effective immediately. You will be recognised and treated as an adult, and thus be serving your remaining sentence as an adult. And you will be serving time, Master Talek.”\n“I understand, sir,” Talek answered with a respectful nod.\n“Very well. This is your last chance to change your mind – juvenalas, or penitatas?”\n“Penitatas.”\nThe judge nodded. “Then your sentence is hereby amended: one cycle of ten-to-twelve, to be served soft-time.” With the bang of a gavel, the Juvenalas Penitatas program came to an end.\n\nTulu had made the mistake of stomping her feet too hard as she came down the stairs, and Reel's helper paddle had come out to correct that behaviour. With bottom and thighs stinging, the little girl stood in the corner of the living room, crying out her latest punishment. It seemed there was no end to them, nor would there ever be.\nThe doorbell sang, and Reel answered it. “Oh. Hello, Talek. We weren't expecting you.”\n“May I speak to Tulu, please? Just for a few minutes?” Tulu's ear-slit prickled at the boy's voice. She dared to turn her head and look as he approached, an odd little smile on his face. He stopped in front of her and raised a claw, showing the letter there. It was a silver P, with a break at the bottom of the loop.\n“Y-you're a soft-timer?” Tulu stammered.\n“I thought you deserved to know, seeing as you're the reason I'm here,” he lowered his claw. “You got what you wanted. No more Juvenalas Penitatas. The judge wanted me to go back home and be a regular juvie, but I... I chose here. You said I'm here in Northrock, in the Dafron household because of you. In away, I guess... I'm grateful.”\nTulu had no idea what to say in response. Talek answered her awkward silence with some of her own, then glanced towards Arno and Reel. “I don't know if we'll ever be friends, but I don't want any enemies either. So... truce?”\n“O-okay. Truce.” Tulu shook his claw before giving him a weak little smile. Talek left her to her corner time.\n\nShon was waiting at the door for him. The boy went to step inside, but found his father's arm suddenly blocking his passage. “Don't go upstairs until you're called,” he said.\nTalek waited, curious as to why, until Liki descended and gave him the all clear. His eagerness grew when he noted the twinkle of mischief in her eye, and sure enough he found a pleasant surprise waiting. Rilka was stood by the bed, wrapped up in wrapping paper. A paper tag hung from her mouth. She snickered at the sight of him. Entering the room, Talek felt his member stiffen in anticipation. The tag read “Happy Birthday”. Kneeling down, he poked a finger through the paper to make a peep-hole at crotch level. Sure enough, a bare mound greeted him.\n“Happy birthday, Talcum,” Rilka said, barely able to keep from giggling.\nTalek pressed his lips to hers, letting his eyes drift closed as the rest of the world fell away. A lifetime passed before they broke apart, lips still linked by a thin rope of saliva. “I love you, Rilka. I never want to lose you.”\nFor just a moment, Rilka's eyes flicked downward for just a moment before returning to his own, and a familiar, filthy smirk crossed her muzzle. “Unwrap your present already!” He obliged, throwing her onto the bed and climbing on top of her, pressing his hardened cock against her wet, welcome folds.\nA part of him knew it wasn't forever. In two years he'd make parole, and Rilka would not. That would be the beginning of the end for them, the inevitable drifting apart that was the fate of any relationship between penitatas. Northrock wasn't forever; you either left it, or were left behind.\nBut they had two years to worry about that. Then and there, they had each other, and permission to love each other, and to express that love however they desired.\n\nThat was all that mattered.", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Being invited outside, no matter how softly, was a source of mortal dread for Tulu. Even though Arno assured his Penny daughter there would be no nettles involved she had every reason to be afraid of what lay in store, and would ultimately have her fears proven right. Her father opened the patio door and pushed her through, gently but firmly, marching her towards the metal framework of the 'punishment track'. The weather was cooling, but she was still left in bare scale. Without explaining what he had planned, Arno slipped a restraint harness around her chest. It was normally something used when a penitatas was to be escorted by a Watchdog but needed their hands free. The harness was fastened to the pulling block, prompting rapid, panicked breathing from the six-year-old girl. Anor repeated his promise there would be no nettles.
Her claws were pulled behind her back and fastened tight to the harness. “Kneel down.” The words made Tulu shudder. The gravel beneath her feet was sharp and uneven, unpleasant enough to stand upon, let alone kneel in. But she had no choice; her hesitation prompted a firm push that forced her down on one knee and drew a pained yelp from her little maw.
Anor's next touch was to place a bar across the lower track. He lifted each of her feet in turn and bound her ankle to the bar, forcing even more of her weight onto her knees. Her breathing was already deep and pained, but the final act sent her right over the edge. Her father slipped a rubber collar round her neck, then grabbed her tail and yanked it up, binding it to the back of the collar. Tulu overbalanced, falling forward, yet she barely slipped an inch before the leash on her back went taut. “There. I want you to think long and hard about the actions that landed you here, little traitor.” She flinched at the hateful nickname. “I will come get you in a while.”
“How long is a while?” Tulu whined, but her father chose not to acknowledge her words. Letter her snout drop, Tulu focused on the sharp rocks biting into her knees; their shape and size was irregular, some forcing her to rest her bodyweight on a sharp corner, others jabbing in with a point. She tried to wriggle her knees to shuffle the rocks and find a more comfortable position, but all it did was grind the points deeper in. Desperate, she tried to lean to her right and gain more motion with her left knee, but that just sent an unbearable surge of sharp pain through her right knee. In trying to escape, she overcompensated and dug in too deep with her left, finding an especially sharp wedge of rock that bit right under her kneecap.
The girl's howls rang out, loud and shameless. No doubt the whole street knew of her misery, which grew beyond what she could stand within minutes. No matter how much she howled, no-one came. No matter her screamed pleading for mercy, no parent was there to rescue her. Her knees felt like they were being cut to ribbons, and not a soul cared.

Talek followed the sounds of anguish around the house, ducking under the white bar that separated the back garden from the unworked land beyond. Tulu was too distraught to acknowledge him; the girl's head was lowered, her eyes closed. She only looked up when he knocked on the patio door. “Help!” she cried. “Ple-ease!”
The boy's lip curled at the cry. “I can't. I'm not allowed to interfere with another Penny's punishment.” Tulu went on pleading, but Talek turned away. He saw Arno and Reel inside, both clearly having heard the knock. Neither seemed to be in any rush to answer, so he knocked again. Finally, Arno waved and got up out of his chair.
“Alright, let's deal with our little lady,” he said, crossing to Tulu and lifting her out of the gravel. “Would you mind untying her feet?”
Talek did as asked. Tulu's knees were reddened by her kneeling, with multiple irregular indentations. One small pebble even hitched a ride, clinging to the seam between her soft, blue-green scales. As a kindness, he plucked it out. Not for the first time, Talek was quietly impressed by how much 'harm' a Penny could suffer with no real damage being caused. “Talek, you can go upstairs and wait in Tulu's room. I'll bring her up when she's had a chance to calm down.”
Nodding, Talek stepped through the back door and followed the familiar layout up to her room. Downstairs the home was quite different to his own – different coloured walls, different furniture, and so on – but Tulu's room could easily have been his own. The colour of the walls, the carpet, even the furniture was identical. Apart from the meagre Penny possessions (Tulu had less) and the different coloured bedsheets, this may as well have been his bedroom.
Arno kept the boy waiting almost ten minutes. He came up with Tulu cradled in his arms; she was still red-eyed and pouting, clearly having cried a great deal during her calming session. Talek stood up when they entered and stepped back as Arno approached the bed. He sat down and settled Tulu onto his lap.
“Thanks for letting me speak to Tulu again,” Talek felt it wise to address Arno first.
“You are welcome to come over any time,” Arno assured him.
Nodding, he turned his attention to the girl. “You said you were trying to make things better. I wanted to know how.”
“Why?” Tulu asked, glaring suspiciously at the boy.
His lip twitched at the sharp question. He chose to be equally obnoxious in return. “Because.”
Flinching as Arno gave her a subtle squeeze, Tulu relented. “Most worlds with a penitatas system don't allow the kind of 'inventive' punishments we do. I wanted to put a stop to things like that.”
“Inventive like... hot stuff shoved up your backside?”
Tulu took a moment to study his face, almost as if trying to figure out if that was something he'd endured, or wanted her to suffer through. “Yes, stuff like that. They don't allow it on Alqurai.”
“Then why do we do it?” the question was aimed at Arno rather than Tulu.
“We've tried a lot of different ways to punish and reform over the centuries,” the parent answered. “Some changes are done based on hard facts, others are more difficult to pin down. There's no objectively 'correct' way to do things, despite what some might say.” He gave Tulu another squeeze.
“There are things we get in return though, right? If we were on Alqurai I wouldn't be allowed to be friends with Rilka, would I?” Arno snorted at the choice of words.
“No, Talek, you wouldn't be allowed to have sex with other penitatas on Alqurai.” The bluntness made Talek blush. “To be honest, that's the reason I've opposed these reforms most of all. I've been here a long, long time; long enough to see how much a loving bond can change someone. Some will say we should push back on that, force you to be children and trust that platonic bonds will be enough to get you through, but I've come to believe friendship isn't enough. You've been a good influence on Rilka, no doubt she's influenced you as well.”
“I wasn't... umm...” the boy turned his face away, unwilling to meet the adult's gaze. He took a moment to steady himself. “What would it have meant for me if the Juvenalas Penitatas 'experiment' never happened? I'd have just been a juvie, right?”
“Probably.”
“You weren't meant to come to Northrock,” Tulu spoke up to the surprise of both Arno and Talek. “If it wasn't for me you'd have been sent to Ashfeld. You'd have never met Rilka. I pushed for you to be placed with another Penny in the hope it'd get you in more trouble, so I guess you have me to thank for living with her as well.”
Talek's jaw dropped open. He had no idea what serving time in some other town would have been like, but the idea of not having Rilka beside him was mortifying. “I think I need to go,” he mumbled, but hastily added, “thank you for seeing me.”
He hurried home, shivering for reasons that had nothing to do with the weather. He couldn't accept her words as truth – she had to be like Jalia, lying to mess with his head! She couldn't be the reason he was here, in this house, sharing Rilka's bed! She couldn't! He stormed back to the front door, hammering his fist into it but cursing himself instantly. He fully expected to see a furious parent open the door, but instead he was met by a sympathetic mother. “Are you alright, sweetheart?”
“No I'm not!” he cried out. Liki immediately swept him up into a hug, cradling the boy until she felt him pull away.
“Why don't we sit down and talk? You can tell us both what was said that upset you.”
The comforting embrace had shifted his negative thoughts aside enough to give him some clarity. He watched Shon settle onto the sofa as Liki did the same, both parents leaving a gap for him to fill. He turned the offer down. “I'm okay now. May I go back upstairs?”
“Alright,” Shon nodded, still wearing a patient smile as Talek walked towards the staircase. He wanted Rilka, her presence if nothing else. As he began to ascend, Talek caught the beginnings of a private conversation, the word 'birthday' jumping out at him.
“Has it really been a year?” he asked the empty staircase. It certainly wasn't far off. Time had lost all meaning in Northrock, the days blending together in a long stream of often-miserable experiences. But, he had to admit, there were a lot more good days lately; long gone were the dark, icy treks to a school full of strangers, or the hellish ordeal he'd earned though foolishness. Hell, he'd even learned a little self-control with his privates – he hadn't gone begging to his dad for a climax in months!
The thought made him snicker, but to his surprise it also sent a subtle throbbing through his cock. Did he... did he want to be pawed off by his dad? He shook the thought away as quickly as it came and focused instead on something far more pleasing; the cream-coloured girl tucked comfortably into a bean-bag chair, studiously reading the role-playing book Shon had purchased for Talek as a gift. Her dark blue hair, now allowed to grow long, was plaited together in a pleasing fashion. He liked to run his claw along it, feeling the interlocking tensions and firmness the weaving pattern provided. Rilka seemed to enjoy it as well, for she'd started to flick her ponytail towards him whenever she felt bored or wanted a distraction.
“What do you think they'll do for my birthday?” he asked.
Rilka glanced up from the book and grinned at him. It was the special grin she saved for imagining a way Talek was about to get himself in trouble. He used to hate that grin, now he adored it. “You're owed one Penny birthday, right? Learn from my mistake – ask for your smacks first thing in the morning! That way you've got the rest of the day as a fun treat!”
“Good idea. What are you getting me?” he settled on the floor in front of her.
Giggling, Rilka opened her legs to reveal her underwear. “I've got something in mind. Providing mom and dad approve.”
“I can't wait!”
They shook off their flirting and settled down to focus on more pressing matters – how best to level up their characters if they gained enough experience points next session. Their intense focus and attention to detail would doubtless have frustrated any teacher who saw it, for it was certainly not present in any homework assignment ever handed in, but it whiled away a good chunk of time. They were both caught by surprise when their parents entered.
“Talek, we need to have a word.” Both rejuves turned pale at their father's tone. “We've received a call from the Department. They've arranged a court hearing first thing on your birthday.”
Try as he might, Talek couldn't reply to his father – it felt as if his throat had swollen shut. Rilka jumped from her seat to answer for him, “what does that mean? Is Talcum getting paroled?”
“We don't know. It's a review hearing, that's all we can say.”
Rilka turned back towards him, her expression one of shock. He knew she should be happy for him – he was overjoyed for her when she got her sentenced reduced! So why did she look so frightened? For that matter, why did he feel sick to his core?
They both knew the answer. Neither dared speak it, nor even dwell on it, for fear that doing so might make their greatest fears come true.

Talek barely slept a wink the night before his hearing. He lay in bed with his eyes closed, but his mind raced for hours, flooded with terrors of what fate might befall him. Rilka lay snuggled against him, head upon his chest, but she never seemed to truly settle either.
As with every court session before, the household dressed in their best formal garb and took a hovercar across the ocean to the distant court building. Numb with terror, the boy went through the motions in a dream-like haze, though he was eternally grateful that his place on the stand was a far cry from what he'd experienced before – nobody stripped him bare, nor restrained him. He was free to stand and face his judge.
The black-robed figure that stepped up to the judge's seat was not a Karrian as Talek had suspected, but an Otter-like male with long, scruffy whiskers and weary eyes. He sniffed loudly as he took his seat and reviewed the information before him. Talek's heart pounded so loudly he struggled to make out the words over the thundering in his own ears. Aware of a pause in the judge's speech, Talek tried to work up some saliva to moisten his desert-dry mouth. “My name is Talek. Age... 10, as of today. Serving 1x9-21, penitatas ID: 0E0D-1101-B556-J. Formerly Talek Nodaro.”
The nod from the judge suggested he'd responded correctly. “There's no need to be so frightened, Master Talek. I'm aware that your last visit to these courts ended poorly for you, but I hope today will be a much happier one for you.”
The words slowed Talek's heartbeat enough that he felt light-headed from the difference. Unsure of what, if anything to say, he settled for, “Thank you, your honour.”
That earned him a fleeting smile. “This court session is intended to deliver judgement on the Juvenalas Penitatas program as much as it is to decide the fate of its sole candidate. Your situation is shocking to me, not least of all because of the gross betrayal recently uncovered that was intended to sabotage your fate. The irony, of course, is that Miss Tulu's efforts might well have paid off.
“To review your crimes, I cannot deny there was grounds to sentence you to Juvenalas status, but the notion that your actions justified serving what amounts to hard time? That is a step too far, and I am not alone in this assessment. The evidence is clear that, far from seeking to enact proper justice, you were seen as a rare opportunity to test someone's pet theories. In short, you were over-sentenced to justify the testing of a new penitatas classification.”
Talek felt Rilka's gasp from the observation seats. A word, a name, one spoken of only in dreams and the most hushed of whispers formed in both children's minds. Innocentatas – rejuves wrongly convicted and given a utopian childhood in compensation.
The judge continued, “In light of this, it is my opinion that the fairest means of restitution is to grant you the status you should have been assigned initially, with suitable reductions for time served. As such, you will be reclassified as a Juvenalas. You will be returned to your home, with arrangements made for a supervising governess. We will review your file again in two years, and-”
“Wait!” Talek blurted out to the acute surprise of the judge. “You're sending me back here? To Newfounding?”
“That is what I was saying before you interrupted,” the judge replied.
Talek turned instantly to Rilka. His jaw trembled at the sight of her for what he feared might be the last time. “I don't want to go,” he whimpered. No sooner had the words left his maw did he notice another figure, a familiar male sat in the back row.
Flustered, the judge tapped his gavel. “Perhaps a short recess is in order? Mr Nodaro, if you'd like to speak to your son you are welcome to approach.”
As his father approached, Talek's legs turned to rubber. Ken Nodaro threw his arms around his son and squeezed him tight. “I've missed you so much!” he whispered into Talek's ear-slit.
“Dad...” it was all Talek could manage before tearing up.
The pair broke apart. “Talek, you're coming home! Don't you understand that?”
“I don't want to come home.”
“Why not? Why on Halkat would you want to stay in a penitatas town?” Ken followed his son's longing gaze to the trembling little girl in the viewing box. “Is that who you've been staying with?”
Talek nodded. “That's my dad, Shon; my mom, Liki; and my... my sister, Rilka.”
Ken turned back to his son. He used his thumb to wipe away a smudge left by a trickling tear. “Talek, I'm your dad. They're not your parents.”
“They... they are though,” Talek whimpered. He looked away for a moment to steady himself. “I met Jalia.”
Now it was Ken's turn to go pale. “Your mother?”
“She's not my mom. Not now. I finally learned what she was like, dad. She never loved me.”
Ken pulled Talek in for another hug. “She was a troubled woman, Talek, but she did love you in her own way.”
“No, dad!” the boy pulled away sharply. “She used me! Because of her I suffered the worst punishment a Penny can! You don't understand! You don't know what it was like, you don't know anything! You don't...”
Ken let him cry it out, waiting with anguished eyes until Talek was ready to listen. “This year must have been awful for you, but you'll have time to tell me everything. I want to hear it all, Talek. I want to help you, the way I should have before. Things will be different from now on.”
Once more, Talek's gaze turned to his Northrock family. Rilka had buried her face in Liki's side to hide her tears. Suddenly, all his own grief began to fade, replaced by an unfamiliar sense of clarity. “You did your best, dad. I know that. But going home... it's not what I want. That house isn't home anymore, the people I knew weren't really my friends. Northrock has been awful sometimes, but... I have a mom again. A mom who actually loves me. I volunteer in the community now, I'm learning to play an instrument. I... I even have a girlfriend.”
“You want to stay in Northrock because of a girl?” Ken asked in disbelief.
Talek raised his right paw, studying the silver letters there. “I've spent a whole year trying to figure out what these meant, whether I was a juvenalas or a penitatas. I thought I wanted to be a juvie, but... now I don't. If I have to wear one of these letters, I'd rather be a penitatas. I want to stay in Northrock.”
“Mr Nodaro, if I may?” Ken turned to face the judge, nodded slowly, and stepped away. He gave Talek a comforting pat on the shoulder as he returned to his seat. “Forgive me for eavesdropping, but you wish to be a penitatas rather than a juvenalas?”
Talek stood ramrod straight. “Yes, your honour.”
“This is... an unprecedented situation, Master Talek. You are still a kindern, after all.”
“Do I have to be? Can't you change that?”
The judge scrutinised Talek's face, seemingly confused by the boy's newfound focus. His eyes moved to the cream-scaled girl in the viewing box. “You know, I have recently come across several testimonies stating that, far from forbidding penitatas from forming relationships, we should encourage the behaviour. Said testimonies claim it can completely change the character of a Penny for the better. Before today, I don't think I've ever heard someone ask to remain a penitatas. She must be a special girl indeed.”
Blushing, Talek whispered his thanks to Isabelle under his breath, for he felt certain she must have been one of those testimonies. The judge continued, “If it is your sincere wish to remain in Northrock, you deserve to know the consequences: it will end your kindernhood, effective immediately. You will be recognised and treated as an adult, and thus be serving your remaining sentence as an adult. And you will be serving time, Master Talek.”
“I understand, sir,” Talek answered with a respectful nod.
“Very well. This is your last chance to change your mind – juvenalas, or penitatas?”
“Penitatas.”
The judge nodded. “Then your sentence is hereby amended: one cycle of ten-to-twelve, to be served soft-time.” With the bang of a gavel, the Juvenalas Penitatas program came to an end.

Tulu had made the mistake of stomping her feet too hard as she came down the stairs, and Reel's helper paddle had come out to correct that behaviour. With bottom and thighs stinging, the little girl stood in the corner of the living room, crying out her latest punishment. It seemed there was no end to them, nor would there ever be.
The doorbell sang, and Reel answered it. “Oh. Hello, Talek. We weren't expecting you.”
“May I speak to Tulu, please? Just for a few minutes?” Tulu's ear-slit prickled at the boy's voice. She dared to turn her head and look as he approached, an odd little smile on his face. He stopped in front of her and raised a claw, showing the letter there. It was a silver P, with a break at the bottom of the loop.
“Y-you're a soft-timer?” Tulu stammered.
“I thought you deserved to know, seeing as you're the reason I'm here,” he lowered his claw. “You got what you wanted. No more Juvenalas Penitatas. The judge wanted me to go back home and be a regular juvie, but I... I chose here. You said I'm here in Northrock, in the Dafron household because of you. In away, I guess... I'm grateful.”
Tulu had no idea what to say in response. Talek answered her awkward silence with some of her own, then glanced towards Arno and Reel. “I don't know if we'll ever be friends, but I don't want any enemies either. So... truce?”
“O-okay. Truce.” Tulu shook his claw before giving him a weak little smile. Talek left her to her corner time.

Shon was waiting at the door for him. The boy went to step inside, but found his father's arm suddenly blocking his passage. “Don't go upstairs until you're called,” he said.
Talek waited, curious as to why, until Liki descended and gave him the all clear. His eagerness grew when he noted the twinkle of mischief in her eye, and sure enough he found a pleasant surprise waiting. Rilka was stood by the bed, wrapped up in wrapping paper. A paper tag hung from her mouth. She snickered at the sight of him. Entering the room, Talek felt his member stiffen in anticipation. The tag read “Happy Birthday”. Kneeling down, he poked a finger through the paper to make a peep-hole at crotch level. Sure enough, a bare mound greeted him.
“Happy birthday, Talcum,” Rilka said, barely able to keep from giggling.
Talek pressed his lips to hers, letting his eyes drift closed as the rest of the world fell away. A lifetime passed before they broke apart, lips still linked by a thin rope of saliva. “I love you, Rilka. I never want to lose you.”
For just a moment, Rilka's eyes flicked downward for just a moment before returning to his own, and a familiar, filthy smirk crossed her muzzle. “Unwrap your present already!” He obliged, throwing her onto the bed and climbing on top of her, pressing his hardened cock against her wet, welcome folds.
A part of him knew it wasn't forever. In two years he'd make parole, and Rilka would not. That would be the beginning of the end for them, the inevitable drifting apart that was the fate of any relationship between penitatas. Northrock wasn't forever; you either left it, or were left behind.
But they had two years to worry about that. Then and there, they had each other, and permission to love each other, and to express that love however they desired.

That was all that mattered.", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Juvenalas Penitatas 23 - Judgement Day", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "text/rtf", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "1", "views": "189" }