�Lord Koenma!� The little godling cringed and looked up at the oni who�d called him. �Your father ��
�Wants to see me. I figured he would,� Koenma sighed and hopped out of his chair. He had no idea what his father would do or say. Koenma felt guilty that the first time his father had trusted him with this responsibility, such a mistake had been made.
The young Junior Lord of Rei-kai walked, head hanging, from his office towards the throne room. Finally, he reached the huge double doors. Looking up at the Gozu Mezu who guarded the door he said, �My f-father requested my p-presence.� Though he�d tried, Koenma couldn�t keep his voice from trembling. The two spirits had always frightened him.
They nodded at him, opened the door and announced him. Koenma walked in and looked up � way up � at his father. Just looking at the scowl King Yama wore, Koenma began to shake. �F-father,� he started.
�Just what were you thinking?� the god thundered, knocking his son off his feet with the tremors his ire caused.
Koenma didn�t even try to sand back up; he just sat where he�d fallen. �I-I�m sorry,� he squeaked. �I-I guess I misunderstood your directions,� he began to explain.
�Are you saying this was my fault?� Yama roared, sending more tremors through the room.
�No! No, the fault is mine, Father,� Koenma said looking down at his clasped hands and sucking unconsciously at his pacifier.
�Good,� his father said in more moderate tones. �I�m glad to see you admit when you are at fault. Now, you will accept the consequences of your actions.� Yama crooked a finger at the little godling. Koenma clambered to his feet and walked over to where his father sat. No sooner had he gotten there than the larger god grabbed his arm, pulled him off his feet and laid him across his knee, pulling down his pants in the process.
Koenma squeaked at the first impact of his father�s hand across his bottom. He whimpered at the next impact and at each subsequent one. Over his whimpered apologies, Koenma could hear his father counting as he delivered the blows. When he got to one hundred Yama stopped, grasped his son�s shoulders and plunked him on the ground. �That will be all. You may go,� he said, dismissing Koenma as the godling readjusted his pants.
�Y-yes F-father,� Koenma said, rubbing his backside and sniffling. The little goding bowed at his father, turned and shuffled out of the room. He made it halfway down the hall before breaking into a run and then floating into the air. He made it all the way to the palace gardens before he started sobbing. He landed smoothly and ran to his favorite spot near a secluded fountain. Laying down in the soft grass, Koenma sobbed softly into his arms.
Koenma shrugged and began haltingly, �He-he spanked me� one hundred times, Botan. He�s rarely laid a hand on me, except to slap my hand when I disobeyed. Mother would never have allowed him to spank me; not one hundred times.� He pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them. �Now, since I�m his Junior Lord officially, he can discipline me as he sees fit.� Koenma sniffled. �He�s forbidden me from seeing Mother, until my coronation. I-I feel so alone, Botan.�
�Not anymore,� she told him cheerfully, �I�ve just been assigned as your assistant.�
�Really?� the little godling asked, brightening.
�Really,� Botan replied. Taking his hand to help him to his feet, she asked, �Shall we go to your office?�
�Okay,� Koenma answered, rubbing his arm across his eyes.
�An oni? What would be the purpose of that? � Koenma asked, perplexed. He knew the spirits served in records, but he�d never expected to have his own personal assistant, and certainly not an oni.
�He�s supposed to be very good. His name is George. I suppose this way you have someone to help with the paperwork and, if you leave the palace grounds, he can protect you.�
Koenma nodded, it made sense; and then he realized something. �I remember George. He used to watch me when I was very young. I won�t mind seeing him again.� The ferry girl nodded and beamed at him. Floating up so he was eye-to-eye with her, Koenma said, �Um, Botan,�
�Yes, Koenma, sir,� she responded, smiling.
�Thanks,� he replied, warmly, giving her a crooked smile. With that, they went into his office to begin the day�s work.
End
