Summer had a way of getting everyone in the worst of moods and eleven-year-old Takasugi was no exception to this. Takasugi, in fact, was more prone to being in a bad mood than most of the students that studied the sword under Yoshida Shouyou, and the heatwave had made him nearly unbearable even to Katsura and Gintoki, his only two friends.

"We can't just leave him alone all summer." Katsura spoke to an irritated Gintoki, who fixed him with a dead-eyed stare.

"Watch me, Zura." Gintoki replied.

"It's not Zura, it's Katsura!" Katsura's brow furled in irritation that rivaled Gintoki's own. "It's hot out, Gintoki, but if we let the weather dictate our mood how can we call ourselves samurai?"

"You look just as pissed off as I do." Gintoki complained. He picked his nose and flicked a booger at Katsura who didn't notice this offense. "Fine. I'm bored anyways. Lets go challenge him to a game of kick the can."

Takasugi had been sitting under a large sakura tree not far from the school hoping to catch a cool breeze or two if such a thing existed anymore. He about halfway up a nearby mountain on the ledge of a cliff that ended in a sudden drop. It was a spot he often went to be alone, and his mood soured even more when he saw his two friends bounding towards him.

"Takasugi! Stop sulking and lets play." Gintoki called lazily.

"There's a heatwave." Takasugi snapped. "What makes you think I want to run around all day with you idiots?"

"Heatwave?" Gintoki smirked. "Hoho? You notice such a thing? I'd think a runt like you would be just fine since hot air rises. Must be pretty cool all the way down there."

"Someone like you is made primarily of hot air!" Takasugi growled; he leapt up from his spot as quickly as a cat and swung his wooden sword at Gintoki, who just barely managed to parry with his own.

"You two always carry those things around everywhere. I guess a samurai is nothing without his sword." Katsura nodded in approval at his own statement, then turned back to his friends. "Stop. Let's go back to school."

Takasugi and Gintoki ignored him and stayed locked in combat. Takasugi was faster, but Gintoki, who'd gone through a bit of a recent growth spirt, was stronger and he pushed the other back quite easily.

"Surrender. I want to go back and get some strawberry milk." Gintoki complained.

Takasugi wasn't having it. They were 21-22 and he wasn't about to fall behind even more. He lunged forward and when Gintoki went to parry he feinted left and kicked him hard behind the knee. Gintoki stumbled backwards toward the edge of the cliff; Takasugi kept on him and smacked him so hard in the stomach that the wind was knocked out of him and he lost his footing.

"Oi!" Gintoki called, wide-eyed as he scrambled to grab the ledge. He managed to grab on just barely, his palms bleeding as the scratched the rough surface.

"Help him up!" Katsura rushed forward, but Takasugi pushed him away and began to stomp on Gintoki's fingers.

"Oi! Takasugi! Oi! You win! Okay! You win! Hey!" Gintoki called in panic, but the other didn't seem to hear him.

Katsura did the only thing he could think; he prayed Gintoki could hold on and ran to get Shouyou-Sensei.

"Enough." Shouyou's voice was enough to stop Takasugi in his tracks. The man's long brown hair blew in the wind gently, a stark contrast to his now harsh face as he reached down and pulled Gintoki up. Gintoki collapsed on the ground and began to kiss it in relief.

"Katsura, take Gintoki back to school." He ordered. Katsura nodded and instantly did so. He then turned to Takasugi. "What got into you?"
"He was bothering me." Takasugi said, almost sheepishly. He was fond of Shouyou above everything and his displeasure was really upsetting the child. Still he didn't apologize or elaborate.

Shouyou

sighed. He knew he was in a den of troubled orphans, but he'd never known them to put each other in danger that much. He looked at the young man before him. He was one of the worst offenders when it came to unpredictable behavior. He wondered if Takasugi would always be someone who only knew how to solve his problems with violence. He hoped not. Maybe though, some pain was the only thing that would get through to the stubborn child. Without another word Shouyou took Takasugi's arm and began to lead him away down towards the school. Takasugi offered no resistance and when they arrived they walked into Shouyou's room in silence.

Takasugi looked around. He'd never really been in his Sensei's room before. Had he really screwed up this time. Hesitantly, he asked, "Are you kicking me out?"

"Of course not." Shouyou looked around the room. He seemed a bit apprehensive as he pulled a stool out into the center of the tatami mat that covered the floor. His apprehension made Takasugi even more nervous and the child glanced toward the door.

Should I make a run for it? Takasugi thought to himself.

"Don't even think about it." Shouyou commanded, reading his mind.

"Fine." Takasugi turned his gaze to his teacher.

Shouyou took a seat on the stool and patted his lap. "Shinsuke, come here."

Takasugi took only a few steps forward before kneeling on the floor in front of him. Why do I have to be that damn close for him to give me a lecture?

Shouyou was looking intensely at Takasugi and the boy didn't like it at all. He decided it was best to just give his Sensei what he wanted.
"Sensei, I'm sorry. I know Gintoki is your favorite." Inwardly he thought, and I'm not as good in class as Katsura. And all I do is cause trouble. Why does he keep me around?

Shouyou sighed. His young pupil wasn't understanding at all. Grounding worked wonders on Katsura and Gintoki, who had things they cared about, but Takasugi was detached and patient, such things didn't faze him. It was the only thing he could think of to do, even if he didn't want to. "Shinsuke. Closer."

Takasugi got up and slowly walked closer. When he was within arms length of Shouyou the man reached out and pulled. Before Takasugi could react he was lying face down over his teacher's lap.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Takasugi was confused, he struggled to get up, but Shouyou held his hand firmly on the child's back and held him in place.

"That was dangerous. You could have really hurt Gintoki. I know you're better than that." Shouyou accented his words by delivering a firm smack to Takasugi's upturned bottom.

"Stop!" Takasugi cried in horror as he realized what was happening. He was being spanked like a small child. Shouyou didn't speak. He delivered three more spanks and the violet-haired boy struggled even more and kicked his legs wildly. His pride was hurting more than his rear end and he needed to escape. Shouyou wasn't letting up. He still held Takasugi in place and rained down spanks. Takasugi, whose legs didn't even reach the floor, craned his neck and managed to bit down on Shouyou's calf.

"Shinsuke." Shouyou sounded sad, almost apologetic; it caused the boy to let go. His bite had left small teeth marks that though didn't bleed, would likely bruise. "You must be less impulsive."

Takasugi felt Shouyou's left hand leave his back and rest on his hakama. Takasugi's pulse sped up and his olive-eyes widened as he guessed his teacher's intent. He was helpless to resist and with one tug his hakama rested at his ankles.

"Shinsuke, your habit of not liking underwear was a bad idea today." Shouyou said with a sigh. He placed his hand back on the small of Takasugi's back.

Tears pricked Takasugi's eyes as Shouyou began to spank his bare bottom. He'd never felt more foolish in his life. He was supposed to be a samurai and instead hear he was lying over his Sensei's lap while the man reddened his ass with a barrage of slaps.

Smack. Smack. The sounds echoed around the room as Takasugi's ass cheeks took on a rosy hue. Shouyou didn't speak and concentrated on punishing the naughty bottom before him. Takasugi had by now stopped struggling and his ass glowed red. Shouyou arched the boy up and began to concentrate on his sit-spots, leaving no area without correction. His hand stung, but it was worth it if he could get a message through to the stubborn boy this way.

Takasugi's ass felt like it was on fire, but still he didn't make a sound. He was too stubborn to give in, even if he was in a pretty pathetic situation. He hated to think what anyone would say if they heard him or in anyway noticed what was going on. Surely, Zura and Gintoki would have a field day with knowing he'd been brought to Sensei's room for a spanking. He knew he was the only one to receive such a childish punishment and he hated the knowledge that his ass burned so much that he had to hold back tears. He also wondered how comical he must have looked ass bared, legs kicking, as he tried to escape Shouyou-Sensei's barrage of spanks to his cherry red behind.

Shouyou looked down at Takasugi. Now that he'd stopped struggling was he ready to listen?

"Why am I spanking you?" He asked his student.

"Because... Gintoki is your favorite." Takasugi's voice only cracked a little, no tears fell even though they'd hung in his eyes for so long.

It was such a childish, bratty answer that Shouyou nearly smiled. He managed to keep his composure and delivered a particularly harsh spank to both of the child's burning ass cheeks. Takasugi let out a low gasp of pain, the first sound he'd made that let Shouyou know the spanking was having an effect on him.

"That's not true. Try again."

"B-Because I could have k-killed Gintoki." Takasugi was still holding back, but his answer had improved.

"We don't try to kill our friends. No matter how annoying they may get." Shouyou delivered five harsh spanks to Takasugi's sit spots. "I'm very disappointed in you."

Takasugi whimpered. Hot tears fell down his face and onto the ground below. He'd forgotten his own embarrassment. He'd disappointed the only person he'd ever cared about. The only person that had ever cared about him.

"I-I'm... s-s-sorry." Takasugi choked out. He began to sob. It no longer mattered who heard him. He sobbed like a little boy over Sensei's knees.

Smack. Smack. Smack. The sounds echoed through the room again, mixing with the rising crescendo of Takasugi's crying and whimpering. Shouyou had wanted to stop, but he'd continued, allowing the experience to sink in that Takasugi was in fact a child who would receive discipline if he stepped out of line. Despite how strong he was, or however strong he might get, Takasugi needed to realize that if he stepped out of line, Shouyou would be there to take him over his knee, bare his bottom and reduce him back into a sobbing, punished little boy to real him back in. There would be no going astray as long as Shouyou was there.

Takasugi didn't know when the assault on his bottom had stopped. He felt his teacher rubbing rhythmic circles on his back and humming gently to him.

"I love you, Shinsuke. I care about you and don't want you to end up a monster." Shouyou said lowly as he helped his student up. "Never forget that."

Takasugi sobbed into Shouyou's chest as his teacher held him close. He didn't care that his hakama was still around his ankles and his punished ass was on display. He cared that his Sensei loved him again.

"Never do that again."

"I won't." promised Takasugi.

"Good. If I hear you've betrayed your friends trust again you know where you're going to end up."

Takasugi nodded. He hissed as he pulled his hakama back on and allowed his Sensei to lead him to the corner for the last part of his punishment.

Later:

Takasugi felt his throat go dry. His back was to the wall as he faced a very disappointed looking Utsuro.
"Shinsuke..." The man said in a voice that sounded not like that monster crow, but a lot like his former Sensei's. "Remember what I told you would happen if you tried to hurt your friends again?"