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Chapter 1: Life Renewed

Characters and Story Copyright Katya Saint Croix

Original Concept Copyright Lurking Dragon

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To learn anything in the 28th century, a price must be paid. Thanks to the creation of Rejuvenation Technology, mankind has become immortal. By implementing this technology in a new way, prisons became obsolete, and were no longer necessary to contain and discipline criminals. The government decided that they would use Rejuvenation as a means to force a second childhood upon the criminal, and have them raised in strict homes, under the most brutal of rules, in hopes of causing a permanent change in character. This would come to be known as the Penitatas Cycle System.

I lie awake at night, gazing up at my ceiling, and wonder why I am where I am now. When you are marked as a Penitatas, life changes in the most unique of ways. For me, it was an event that marked the end of one life, and beginning of a new one, where things would be different.

My name is Starlight-le Saint Mark, an orphan left here on Earth when my mother passed away suddenly. I was 6 years old then. My memory is very fuzzy, and I can't even remember what my mom looked like, but I remember her scent so vividly that if I'm walking through a thick grove of orchards in springtime, when the lavender and roses are beginning to bloom, I can almost smell her in the air. Being an orphan alien from a distant world means having to live with the pros and cons of life on Earth. Humans tend to be accepting, although this is not always the case. That's how things were for me. That is...until today.

As those large steel doors opened, and the brightness of the fluorescent lights clashed with my dimmed senses, I covered my eyes and tried to shield them from the intensity. A large hand emerged from the light on the other side, lightly grabbing my paw and softly pulling me from my metal containment.

"Come along child. Your new parents are on their way here. We need to get you dressed and ready for when they arrive" The voice seemed full of exuberance, though it had a soft tone to it, like the soft cooing of a dove

I simply nodded my head and tried to walk beside them. I concluded in my mind that this person was female, though I wouldn't know for sure until my eyes re-adjusted to the condition of the room. As we moved, I felt my legs giving way beneath me, and I had to use the unknown person's hand to keep from falling. A soft giggle concluded that this person was indeed female.

"Take it easy. Let's take a moment and get you used to walking around." She stopped and took my other paw in her other hand, "Just keep walking towards me."

Slowly, she began to back away, holding my hands firmly in her own. So thus, I was being taught to walk once again. Right paw over left paw, step by step, I took things very slow. Once I got used to my new center of balance, I could quicken my pace a bit, and walk easily at her side. My eyes finally got used to the light in the room, and I took a second to observe my surroundings. It was a strange laboratory of some kind, with a large metal cylinder in the corner, which I hypothesized to be the Rejuvenation Capsule.

"What's your name little one?" The woman spoke casually to me as we ventured around the perimeter.

"Stah-wh..." My voice dimmed and died slowly.

The rejuvenation process has several side effects, such as a new center of balance, and the retuning of the larynx. It's an irritating and generally slow process, which usually takes anywhere between a few minutes and a few days.

"You need to get used to speaking. Just take a deep breath and think really hard about speaking properly and it will work." The lady gave a soft chortle.

I paused briefly and acknowledged her, drawing a deep breath and trying my hand at speaking intelligibly.

"My name is Starlight-le Saint Mark." I was astonished by my grasp of verbal literacy this soon after rejuvenation.

"Very good. Give it a little time and you'll get used to it." Her face seemed full of energy

With a soft swish of my tail, we began strolling down the hall once more. The path was tiled in a dim shade of gray, while the contrast of the walls, with their creamy hues of yellow and brown, provide an interesting effect and make the hallway seem a lot longer than it is. After a small amount of time, we finally reached a vast room with a metallic table in one half of the room, with a huge overhead light that seemed to bear down searing light onto the table, and in the other part of the room was a strange machine.

Before this whole incident occurred, I was a counselor for Penitatas. I was rather familiar with the concepts of branding and rejuvenation, as well the horrific conditions of which they were raised. One thing that always seemed to stand out to me was the brand, of which every child was forced to get, even if they weren't rejuvenated. Each brand had a meaning: A bold P for Hard Time Penitatas, who often commit violent and very serious crimes; An unfilled P for Soft Time Penitatas, those that commit a crime that isn't violent or very serious; M for Mericolas, someone who was rejuvenated for a medical reason; K for Kindern, a real child; C for Completatas, a criminal that has completed their assigned cycles and is allowed to grow up; and V for Voluntatas, those who elect to be rejuvenated of their own free will. The brand often appears on the left hand of the person, and made to be completely visible, regardless of skin color.

The still unnamed lady brought me over to the machine and place my right paw into a large slot. The slot was about eight inches long by five inches tall, extending inward about ten inches. It looked like an old twenty-first century computer with its CD-ROM drive removed, only the opening was slighter bigger by all means.

"This machine is going to brand you. Don't worry, it doesn't hurt and lasts just a minute." Came her voice from behind a console, softly tapping away at the keypad.

I merely gave her my affirmation and waited. After a few seconds, a small beam made itself visible inside the opening. The intensity of its luminosity was painful to look at, and made my paw very balmy. Closing my eyes to shield them from the burning glow, I bit my lower lip and waited. The woman didn't lie. In a flash, the beam lost its luminosity and vanished from sight. Removing my paw from the slot, I examined my new marking: an unfilled P.

Due to the fact that my crime wasn't a very serious one, though it aroused the mental anguish so many, I was given a light, though enduring, punishment of four cycles of ages six to eleven, which is denoted 4x6-11. This simply meant that I was now a six-year-old, and on the day of my twelfth birthday, I would be rejuvenated back into a six-year old. This would occur four times before my sentence would be complete and I would earn my Completatas marking.

"Hop up on the table and wait for me. I'll get you something to wear." And with that, she turned and walked off.

I slanted my eyes in a quizzical manner, giving me a profoundly dumbfounded look that radiated like Chernobyl before it exploded. Setting my uncertainty aside, I complied with my order, hopping up onto the metallic table with the effort of a few bounds. The table was very warm, almost searing with the flame of light. Rather than sitting on this bed of heat, I hopped off and stood, patting my now toasty rear with a soft murmur of relaxation.

With a vast amount of inquisitiveness in my soul about the extent of the rejuvenation's work, I decided to explore the depths of my changes. With a tender touch, I let my paws roam over my fur and body, adoring the smooth, tender fur and... Well, too personal, but at least from these...discoveries, I could confirm that I was indeed a child once again.

"Here you are Star." I looked up and realized I was staring at the same woman from before.

"Uhm... thanks" I took the clothes from her and turned away from her while I began to dress.

Despite the unoriginality of my clothing, they weren't too bad. They fit comfortably, though the fact that they closely resembled that of a nightie kind of irked me. I have never really been one for shorts or skirts. They make me feel like people are staring at my tail with a lust and sickening passions roused in their souls. Fastening the Velcro strap of my panties over my tail, I played with the material of my attire to make them more comfortable.

"Are you done playing?" Came the giggly voice behind me.

"Yes Ma'am." I turned and looked at her with a sassy smirk sprawled across my lips.

"Very well. Let's go. Your parents are here."

She turned on her heels and began to walk down another corridor. After standing with a flabbergasted expression on my face, I scampered after her to catch up. While at her side, I took the liberty to ask a few questions. She had been really kind to me thus far, so I was rather interested in knowing her name. After a few exchanges of gazes and looks, she finally crackled with laughter and patted my head. Her name was Marisa Paterson. She was a tall character, looming over me by what appears to be three feet, but that isn't surprising considering that I'm only two feet nine inches tall... Her hair was auburn, and flowed down her back like water down the tender waterfalls of a tranquil stream, while her eyes contained the depths of the oceans within their pale blue haze. Based on how lovely she looked, I would assume that she would be in her mid to late 20s.

At the end of the corridor, of which Marisa and I had been walking for several minutes, was a large steel door. Controlled by a sensor and a series of micro-machinery, it gave a marvelous yawn and allowed us to enter without hassle. This room, lit dimly by a series of micro lights built into the ceiling, was a meeting room. In the middle of the room was an enormous table, which, seated at one end, was a pair of Aspartian foxes. I have only heard of these foxes a few times, but I've never actually seen one. Though they are not as rare to find as Alluatran foxes, they still are quite an uncommon sight.

"Mr. And Ms Hartraft, allow me to introduce you to your new Penitatas Daughter." Marisa softly pushed me in their general direction.

With lack of eagerness in my stride, I slowly approached, stopping only a few feet before them. Looking them over, I could easily distinguish the male and the female. Ms Hartraft was a slender being, her streamline figure accentuating every fine curve of her well-toned body. Her eyes reminded me of newly bloomed lilacs, running along the edges of a wondrous forest path. The smoky red color of her fur gave her a nearly feral appearance, and made her seem like she would be more of a disciplinarian then her husband. Mr. Hartraft, on the other paw, was not at streamline, but his features, by no mean, showed that he wasn't as agile as his mate. His body was very ordinary, but hidden beneath those overt features lay many highly trained muscles. His stern features gave way to a tender face, almost feminine if you will, and the look of his eyes reminded me the bark of a tall, ancient oak. With the creamy red fur, one could almost mistake him for a woman... almost. Tee-hee...

"Hello there. I am Sally, and this is my husband James" Sally spoke with a chipper tone.

"It's nice to meet you...uhm... What's your name child?" James leaned over and looked at me on an eye-to-eye level.

"Starlight-le Saint Mark." Curiosity found it's way into my voice

When a couple picked up a Penitatas, they receive a data pad with all the background information on them. It struck me as considerably awkward that these two foxes hadn't read that information. If they had, they would know my name, as well as my crime, and further information on me.

"We decided that we should let you tell us your name and your crime, rather then reading it from the data pad. So... what was it that you did to wind up a Penitatas?" Sally shook the data pad in one hand while locking her gaze on me.

"I lost control of my hover car and caused an accident. The accident resulted in the death of five-year-old kindern Karla Artea..." I slowly affixed my gaze on the tiled floor beneath my feet as my voice lost intensity and drifted into nothingness

Sally and James exchanged a few nods, as if having a conversation in some secret language. As for me... Well, I just looked over my shoulder at Marisa, who seemed to have an equally dumbfounded look on her face.

"Let's get you home Star." Sally stood up and walked over slowly.

As luck would have it, Sally just happened to be the single most motherly person on Earth. I assume that either her or James were sterile, which would explain the motherly affection at least to a minor extent.

Sally knelt down before me, softly placing her paws under my arms and lifting me into her embrace. It's a strange feeling when you are 32 in your mind and six in body. The idea of being treated like a kid again wasn't exactly something I had wanted, but granted the new conditions of which I would be living, I could learn to enjoy the tender affection that Sally and James were showing. She gave a quick spin on her heels and walked towards the door, with James following in tow. Gazing over Sally's right shoulder, I gave a slight wave to Marisa. As we walked out the door, I felt disheartened at the fact that I would probably never see her again. I could only hope that she would live happily for as long as she elected to live.

Even though technology has granted humanity and other anthropomorphic beings on Earth immortality, it was still possible to elect to not be rejuvenated and die. I assume that not everyone likes living forever.

Sally hoisted me over to the hover, with my head propped up against her right shoulder. James took advantage of our slow rate of movement to move on ahead and open the backseat. With a quick glance at the backseat, I could easily conclude that Sally and James had received information about me beforehand. When you are really small and there is a child safety seat in the back of the hover, you can tell that at least someone knew you were going to be small enough to not sit in a normal seat properly.

With a profoundly dumfounded look sprawled across my muzzle, James plucked me from Sally's arms and proceeded to buckle me into said child safety seat. I felt rather mortified, since the seat was designed for children under the age of four. My facial fur appeared to turn a soft crimson with humiliation as I affixed my gaze at the floor. Sally and James entered the vehicle and started the engine.

The interesting thing about Hovers is the fact that they are automatic. I don't mean transmission wise either. Hovers were designed to be self-piloting. Using a special connection to a database somewhere underneath the Senate building, locations of different places were transmitted to the hover and the hover would begin to head for that place. There is a manual mode to them, but use of it is strictly forbidden by law, most likely to prevent accidents like the one I caused from occurring. They travel at speeds well over 200 miles/minute so travel time is usually never more then a dozen minutes... Well... most of the time.

Time passes slowly when you feel mortified to death, sitting in a child safety seat designed for someone nearly half your age, in the backseat of a car with a couple who might as well be my real parents. I couldn't stop thinking. The hardest part of being rejuvenated is coming to terms with a new reality. In the coming days, I would learn what to expect.

After only a few minutes, or what felt like hours to me, we finally arrived at my new home. As the hover came to a stop with a soft, almost inaudible Thud on the ground, James slipped out of the vehicle. Sally unbuckled her seat beat and looked over her shoulder, gazing at me with a sweet crescent across her lips. I stared at her blankly, fumbling to undo my restraints. I just wanted out of the blasted car seat!

"Take it easy. Here, let me assist you with that." Sally leaned over the seat and unbuckled my restraints with ease.

The crimson colored appearance of my fur spread upward into my ears, and I involuntarily folded them back to conceal the change in color. Sally gave a vicious grin as she began to tickle me unmercifully. With a yelp, I batted at her paws in a rampant flurry, trying to abate the tickling onslaught. I ventured that someone had informed Sally at the fact that I was tremendously ticklish.

"Sally, don't make the poor girl wet herself." James's voice crackled from outside the car, as he was looming in the doorway.

"Aww! But she's sun fun to tickle! She's almost like a doll!" Sally smirk crookedly and scooped me up once more.

I gave Sally a pouty, almost angry gaze, though I doubt she even realized that I had. Using the leverage of her feet, she pushed the car door closed and padded off toward the door. She stopped in front of James and passed me off to him like I was a football and this was a handoff in the super bowl. With a nearly inaudible growl, James carried me off to the living room, while Sally walked upstairs. James sat me down on the sofa and took a seat in the recliner.

"While Sally readies your bath, I guess I should take some time to tell you a few things," James locked his gaze on me and crossed his arms, "Sally and I don't believe the system is right. It's far to harsh and most of the time it leaves emotional scars that are so damaging that therapy is required to undo them."

"So, we've decided that we're going to tone down the punishment. Rather then the usual two punishments a day, you'll be getting one. Other than that, we shall decide when the time comes. In our eyes, you are just a child who needs what all children need: Love and Care," Sally's voice resonated from the staircase, "Please come upstairs"

What luck! These two understand that the system isn't always right! Before the incident, I understood that as well. You see... I was a counselor to Penitatas. Every day, I would lend an ear to those criminals who had already realized their folly and just wanted to move on. I would hear stories about how their first day as a Penitatas went, from their first steps to the Penitatas Welcome Spanking. The PWS, as it is sometimes referred to, was one of the most brutal experiences in the life of a Penitatas, failing just short of Christmas, the one day that every Penitatas fears because of what the law requires, but more on that later.

I would gather that Sally was preparing for the PWS, which filled me with a dark dread unlike anything I have felt before. My knees began to quake and buckle, and I found it increasingly harder to walk. Each step from my seat on the sofa was ever more painful than the last. The steps of the stairs might as well have been covered in spikes, because I felt like my hind paws were being torn asunder. Had it not been for James, who was follow closely, I almost certainly would have collapsed. I walked into the bathroom, and James kept walking down the hall.

Sally was comfortably perched upon the toilet, just waiting, a grin of joy sprawled across her lips as I entered. I realized that she was waiting for me to close the door and undress, which made my ears turn almost completely red as I began to blush profusely.

"Why are you so nervous? It's just us girls in here, and besides, I need to make sure you don't drown yourself in your bath" Sally leaned over and swirled the water with her paw slightly, giving her right ear a slight flick.

What I would later learn is that Sally flicks her ears back and forth when she's curious or lost in thought. Seizing the few seconds of minor privacy, I disrobed and quickly folded my garments neatly, setting them at the base of the sink. Being six years old means that I am way too short to use the sink. Hopefully Sally and James would get me a footstool or something I could use to boost myself up on, otherwise I wouldn't be able to wash my paws or brush my teeth. Folding my ears back and pressing them against the sides of my head, I slowly padded over to the tub. With some help from Sally, I managed to climb in.

Sally is a truly unusual character. She's very motherly, as one would be able to assess from her behavior thus far. Most people treat their Penitatas like prisoners, limiting rights and making their lives sheer hell, but I could compute that these two were truly different. She saw me as her daughter, and despite the fact that I am a Penitatas, she loves me all the same. I adore her for it...

Sally dumped some water on me, causing my brain to stop assessing Sally and general character and reflexively yelp. I never did like the water too much. I can't really explain why, because I really don't remember, but I thought, or perhaps imagined, that I was being pulled underneath the water. Swiping in a rash flurry, I tried to get out from underneath the water, but Sally's tremendous laughter caused me to stop and realize my stupidity.

"Easy there. Didn't think you'd have a heart attack from a little water," She tried her best to recompose herself, though the mental image of me trying to swim away from a torrent must have been rather comical for her, "I needed to do that if I'm going to wash you."

My ears snapped forward and my jaw fell agape as I stared it her with a combination of mortification at the thought of being bathed, and shock, as it was completely unexpected. Lathering up some baby soap in her paws, Sally proceeded to lather my fur into a white, lathery puff. I tried my best to keep from fidgeting and trying to get out of her grasp, though Sally had to strike my muzzle lightly from time to time to stop me.

After an incredibly through cleansing of my fur, Sally then proceeded to wash my hair with some baby shampoo. With my growing inquisitiveness getting the better of me, I gazed over at the bottles atop the counter, since I couldn't really move my head. The soap and shampoo Sally had so kindly purchased for 'bath time' were designed for Fox-morphs, as Alluatran and Aspartian are sometimes called, between the ages of newborn to age three. I guess that, at least in Sally's eyes, you got to treat a child like a toddler before you can treat them like a kid. Yet another dunking of water atop of me restored my original point of focus, escaping the torrent. Lashing out at the 'surface' once more, Sally's booming laughter once again filled the room. If nothing else, I was going to need to get over this fear of water...

"Well, now that you're not drowning, lets get to dried up." Sally spun around, quickly snatching up the stopper in the tub, followed by seizing the towel from the rack, and plucking me out of the water, right into her towel-covered paws.

With a soft yelp at the rapid succession of actions, I began to struggle uncontrollably in Sally's grasp. However, a soft thwap to my muzzle reminded me I had to behave and let her do what she needed to. Sally set me down upon the ground and began to towel me off, rubbing the towel almost coarsely across my fur, drying it out as much as possible. Despite her motherly efforts to make it as painless as possible, I didn't enjoy getting toweled down, not in the least.

Shortly after Sally was convinced I was dry enough, she folded the towel and set it back on the rack, scooping me up into her arms as she padded out of the bathroom towards the room at the far end of the hall. We crossed two doors along the way, one of which went to the study, and the other lead to the master bedroom, where Sally and James slumbered.

My room, as fate would so kindly provide, wasn't a childish décor of lavish pink walls with decorative white trim and lace, frilly bed skirts with a My little Pony down comforter on it. In fact, I was rather astonished by the sight of my room. The room wasn't very big, about nine feet by twelve feet, with the walls a soft tender shade of lavender with small tufts of silky white splotched about across them, shifting hues to deep reds and extravagant oranges, like a sky during sunset. The arrangement of the room provided a grand contrast from the light, airy texture brought out by the walls. The fine pine dresser, accented by its handcrafted details, reminded me of a 19th century armoire with its slender groves and curvatures. Further adding to the feeling was a relic of a desk. Light oak, obviously young at the time of it's manufacturing, and fine craftsmanship filled the room with a bright elegance with its fresh leaf-green surface mixed with the light brown shades of the oak of which it was crafted. Barely able to contain myself, I let my eyes drift around the room. In the corner was a decent sized toy chest; obviously brimming with toys, as its timely, almost childish, appearance gave the room a powerful connotation that one would relate to a playful child. As for my bed... The vast bed, of about a twin-size, wasn't overly large, but simply too vast for someone such as myself to rest in alone. Adorn in a pine frame, trimmed with light textures that resembled golden strands, and a Southeast Asian down quilt, accented with its deep blue hues and golden threads, completed the royal and regal appearance that make the room look as if it were meant for a princess. I simply couldn't believe this was my room!

"Is this...?" I was overwhelmed by the stunning appearance of my bedroom.

"Yes little one. This is your room." Sally set me down upon the quilt softly, turning and moving toward my dresser, rummaging through its contents for a suitable pair of pajamas.

Rather then questioning the point of this loving parental concern, I took the time to let it engulf me. This couple, these two foxes, could easily give me the one thing I never really had growing up: A family...

Sally returned holding a lavender colored footed-sleeper in her paws, as well as a pair of panties made for foxes. Setting them on the bed next to her, and pulled me lightly into her lap.

"This is the part that we are required to do. It's time for your welcoming spanking" Sally cooed softly, stroking my hair with her paw, "Though you may not see them, your punishment tools are here in your room. James and I decided to keep them here in the concealed compartment. There are several tools I'll have to use..."

"How many...?" I gulped softly, fearing the impending hurt that would soon be afflicted upon my person

"There is a paddle, a cane, a switch, and a special glove. That's four, and since you have to be spanked with each one ten times, that's forty spanks."

I gulped, slipping down from Sally's lap, and gazing around at the walls of my room. Sally said they were in a concealed compartment in the wall, but the question I had was where? Sally stood up from the bed and walked over to the wall near my desk, pressing her paw against the smooth texture of the wall. With a soft flicker of light, in the form of a rectangle, the surface parted and revealed my punishment tools. The paddle wasn't very big, and looked like a ping-pong paddle; the cane looked like it was made of cast iron, appearing very menacing in it's cold appearance; the switch was made of mahogany, its color a deep rich brown; and the glove, which appeared to be a fingerless glove, like something a biker would wear, but the palm was a collection of small curved steel plates. The idea of that striking my loins filled me with a dread that caused me to cover my youthful rump protectively.

Sally collected the devices and set them down upon the desk, pulling out the chair and taking a seat. With a soft pat on her lap, I padded over slowly and climbed into her lap. Clenching my teeth tightly, I took a deep breath and waited for the punishment to begin. WHAP! Down came the paddle across my tail base, causing my body to shake violently on impact. WHAP WHAP! The paddle came down in rapid succession, and in an instant, Sally switched over to the cane. BAM! The impact was so painful that I couldn't keep from crying or screaming. I howled loudly, the pain surging through my as I made a feign attempt to cover my ass with my tail. Sally quickly snatched it up and continued the assault. WHAM BAM! I shrieked! I couldn't stand it. This pain was beyond something I could ever imagine from my days as a counselor. The horrible sheering pain made me feel like I was being torn apart. CRACK! Without even knowing it, Sally swapped out the paddle for the switch, and the sudden alteration in objects resulted in a howl so painfully loud that my larynx wouldn't made an audible sound afterward. As the next few strikes rose and fell across my overly tender ass, I found myself unable to produce a sound. I wept for what felt like eternity... SMASH! The glove found its mark on my flesh. The recoil was terrible! It actually broke the forming blistered from the onslaught of weapons that have been used in my 'dismemberment', or at least what felt like it. Before the third spank came down, the pain overcame me and I blacked out....

I awoke several hours later. Sally had curled up beside my bed, asleep. The sky was black like charcoal, and my room wasn't even lit by something in the hall. I rubbed my eyes. I didn't feel any pain in my rear anymore. As for Sally, she had apparently been overcome with grief at the extent of which I was punished, so she felt compelled to stay by my bedside tonight. I smiled at her, softly stroking her cheek with my paw. She had healed my pain and dressed me for the night, much like a mother does for her ailing child.

"Thank you..." I kissed her forehead lightly and I curled up on the bed, staring up at the ceiling for a moment.

The day had been long and painful, but despite the horrifically painful conclusion, I was happy. Unlike most Penitatas, I had a family that truly cared about me, and wanted only the best for me. I tilted my head slightly, gazing at Sally's figure, her cheeks still slightly damp from tears of sorrow, and found myself in a state of happiness untouchable by words. As my eyes began to droop, and sleepiness overwhelming my senses, one word escaped my lips, nearly inaudible to the world around me...

"Mommy..." I reached out slightly, curling my small digits around one of Sally's, and fell into a blissful sleep for the first time in twenty-eight years.