...)(*&^%$#$%^&*()(*&^%$#@$%^&*(...

I think I've been stuck in this black ____ for hours now. Just floating; I feel like the last star in a dying ________.

"Screen, what the hell?! This isn't what you promised! Get me out of here!"

The screen ignores my demands, the ink too. Is it ink, or just a literal ____? I tried experimenting a bit, even jacked off out of boredom, watching in curiosity as little droplets of sperm dribble free and float away. On one hand, maybe they'll find _________ to impregnate against all odds. On the other hand, whatever changes I go through better involve fixing my production, cause if I've got to lay a hundred hotties, that ain't cutting it!

I pull my shorts back up. What do I do? Jerk off more? Nah, too messy, and no lotion. Count sheep?

It beat staring into whatever this ____ place was.

I'm nearing my mental and numerical limit as I cross off the 522th yellow lamb in my mind's eye. How would I cook it? Boil it in spices? Add it to a stir-fry? Just scarf it down raw if it'd give me something to--!

Like a phone light striking at midnight, the screen pops into existence, robbing me of my loneliness, and inspiring the need to say many things.

"Where have you been?! The--"

[Apologies, Conquerer. Your chosen combo resulted in unforeseen consequences to the timeline when implemented. Therefore, you were kept out of __ for safety while an extensive do-over occurred. Do not worry; you will still receive the powers of your chosen combo: Wilt & Blush, Ravage, Time Out, and Energy Boost.]

A bit of the dryness in my throat leaves. "That's...cool. Okay, fine. But what changes are you talking about?"

[Thank you for reminding me, I nearly forgot!]

The screen does a little spin I'd expect to see from a dog. Although my gut instinct warns against poking fun, it's more difficult than I thought to hold back a chuckle.

[Due to differences in the timelines of the lives of Adam Taurus, Raven Branwen, Ciel Soliel, and Coco Adel, they could not immediately be transferred to attendance at one of the Huntsman academies at 18. Several hundred solutions were inputted, but they all resulted in additional complications or...misfortunes.]

I didn't like the sound of that. "But since you're back here, something you threw at the wall must've stuck, right?"

[Correct, Conquerer! The best compromise that could be achieved was all four members of your combo were transferred to Beacon, where they will be a team. You will be a fellow friend/acquaintance from another team that has graduated already. Because of this, you shall be 21.]

"Hang on, what'll I be doing? Just hanging around like a dusty scarecrow?"

[That's ___. Go get them, tiger!]