OnAHiatus

PROLOGUE

Gojo Satoru didn’t feel the pain anymore.

No heartbreak.

No regret.

No body.

Just… the slow, eerie sensation of something unraveling. Like a thread tugged loose from the fabric of his soul and cast adrift into the void.

Then—

He existed again.

He ga...

CHAPTER FOUR: HOSTAGE

The facility shook violently as Noelle’s monstrous form tore through steel walls somewhere behind him. Harry stumbled as another explosion r

The facility shook violently as Noelle’s monstrous form tore through steel walls somewhere behind him. Harry stumbled as another explosion rocked ...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND SKY DIVING

The plane rattled as it climbed, the wind howling just beyond its thin metal walls. A red light above the open hatch pulsed steadily. A countdown.

Contessa sat near the open door, wearing a regulation jumpsuit, snug goggles, and a parachute she’d personally triple-checked. She stared out ...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND ROOM SERVICE

The morning sun filtered through gauzy curtains, casting golden stripes across the hotel bed. Maggie lay tangled in the sheets, hair a mess, eyes half-lidded with sleep. She stretched, yawned, and blinked at the figure silhouetted near the window.

Contessa was already dressed. Not in tactic...

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: THE WEIGHT OF A NAME

The Manor was too quiet.

Not in the sterile, suffocating way hospitals were. Not like the locker, where every second of silence had been weaponized. No—this was a different kind of quiet. The kind that seeped into the walls, settling into the wood and stone, into the bones of the building...

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO - REBECCA II

Rebecca stood atop the shattered roof of what had once been a corporate tower, its skeletal frame jutting into the evening air like the ribs of some long-dead titan. The wind tugged at her cape, dusting her skin with fine grit. Below and behind her, the skyline of New Delhi lay broken and bruised...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND ROMANTIC DATES

The restaurant was all dark wood and soft jazz, the kind of place where conversations happened in low voices and desserts came in tall glasses with delicate shavings of gold on top. A small candle flickered between them.

Contessa sat perfectly upright, hands folded in her lap like she was a...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND ROLEPLAY

Warm shadows stretched along the walls of the hotel suite, and the curtains were drawn shut against the city outside. Maggie sat cross-legged on the edge of the bed, her hair still damp from the shower, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

Contessa stood a few feet away, arms folded, lookin...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND BOARD GAMES

The hotel lounge was quiet, lit by the dim glow of hanging lanterns and the flickering orange of a fireplace. A few guests were scattered around, lost in books or nursing drinks. In the middle of the room, a table lay cluttered with colorful cards, wooden tokens, and a neatly folded rulebook.

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND STARGAZING

The beach had emptied out after sunset. The bonfires had burned low, the music faded to a soft jingle in the distance, and most vacationers had retreated to their hotels or tents. The sky stretched out above, vast and clear, scattered with stars.

Maggie lay flat on a towel in the cool sand,...

CHAPTER THREE: THE GAMBIT

Rows of monitors cast a cold glow across Coil’s office, each one a window into a different cell, corridor, or containment unit. On one scree

Rows of monitors cast a cold glow across Coil’s office, each one a window into a different cell, corridor, or containment unit.

On one scree...

CHAPTER TWO: THE ANOMALY

Thomas Calvert prided himself on control. Every variable accounted for. Every outcome anticipated. That was the promise of his power—complet

Thomas Calvert prided himself on control.

Every variable was accounted for, and every outcome was anticipated. That was the promise of his pow...

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE TEST

Despite it occurring in his head, the conflict had been simmering for days, just beneath the surface. But in the sterile light of the PRT testing chamber, it finally boiled over.

Despite it occurring in his head, the conflict had been simmering for days, just beneath the surface. But in the...

INTERLUDE: A MEASURED HAND

Screens flickered in shades of blue and gray in the PRT’s operations hub, surveillance feeds pulling in fragmented images from across Brockton Bay.

Armsmaster—Colin—stood at the central console, fingers flying across the interface with practiced ease as he parsed data faster than most...

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: A WARNING

The gym lights buzzed overhead, harsh and fluorescent, casting long, flickering shadows across the padded floor. The air still smelled of sweat and exertion, stale and heavy, even though the last of the other trainees had filtered out minutes ago, leaving only Taylor and Brian behind.

Taylo...

ANNOUNCMENT

I’m really sorry, guys, but I'm feeling ill. There might be no update today and tomorrow. Sorry once again; I will try and manage myself better

CHAPTER ONE: DEAD MAN WALKING

The Killing Curse should have been the end. The ground rushing up as green light filled his vision, bringing with it the certainty of death. Then…

A gasp, raw and desperate, tore from Harry’s throat as he lurched upright, only to be wrenched back by cold metal. His wrists and ankles wer...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND BEACH GAMES

The frisbee arced through the air, spinning lazily before landing with a soft thwap in Maggie’s outstretched hands. She grinned and tossed it back toward the group playing nearby. The sand was warm beneath her feet, the sun painting everything in a soft golden light.

Contessa stood beside...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND SOUVENIRS

The gift shop was cramped, its narrow aisles packed with trinkets, postcards, and novelty items branded with the town’s name. A sluggish stream of tourists drifted through, idly flipping through T-shirts, picking up keychains, and debating whether overpriced snow globes were worth the splurge.<...

CHAPTER FORTY: FALLING INTO A ROUTINE

Days passed, and Taylor settled into a routine. Or tried to, at least.

Morning lectures. Afternoon study sessions. Evenings spent tucked away in the quiet corners of the library, where the hum of fluorescent lights and the rustle of turning pages filled the silence. She attended class, comp...

CHAPTER THREE: BROCKTON BAY’S GANGS

PRT Threat Assessment Office

Shikamaru spread three files across his desk.

Empire 88.

Azn Bad Boys.

The Merchants.

Each folder was overstuffed with arrest records, territory maps, and incident reports—enough paperwork to bury a lesser man. He lit a cigarette (his ...

CHAPTER TWELVE: EYES IN THE DARK

The security footage played for the third time, the grainy image flickering across the monitor. Armsmaster leaned in, his armored fingers steepled beneath his chin. 

The scene was brutal. A mugger lunged—only to be yanked forward by an unseen force.  

Then— &nb...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND VACATIONS

The sun dipped low over the horizon, casting the ocean in molten gold. Waves lapped against the shore, steady and unhurried, the brown noise punctuated by the distant laughter of children, the intermittent thud of a volleyball being passed around, and the occasional cry of seagulls circling overh...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND IN-FLIGHT MEALS

Flight attendants moved down the aisle in the cabin, their carts rattling softly over the carpet. The scent of reheated food wafted from the neatly arranged trays, vaguely savory, but undercut by the artificial tang of packaged condiments.

Maggie stretched in her seat, eyeing the approachin...

CHAPTER TWO: THE ART OF DOING NOTHING

PRT Headquarters

Shikamaru had perfected the art of looking busy.

It wasn’t hard. A slightly furrowed brow here, the occasional tap of a pen against his temple there, and—most importantly—never making eye contact with anyone who might assign him more work. He’d spent the last...

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: THE MASK OF NOMALCY

Taylor sat stiffly in the high-backed leather chair across from Bruce Wayne. The study was dimly lit, the glow of the fireplace casting long shadows across the room. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined the walls, filled with tomes that looked well-worn rather than decorative. A heavy oak desk sat ...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND AEROPLANES

The airport was a study in controlled chaos. Announcements crackled over the intercom, suitcases rolled across polished floors, and travellers moved through long lines—some rushing, some waiting, all bound for destinations unseen.

Contessa stood at the terminal gate, watching. The massive...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND COFFEE

The coffee shop was small, nestled between larger buildings on a quiet street. The air carried the rich scent of roasted beans and freshly baked pastries, blending with the low murmur of conversation and the occasional hiss of steamed milk.

Contessa sat across from Maggie, fingers curled ar...

CONTESSA DOESN’T UNDERSTAND… THE CARNIVAL RIDE

The carnival was alive with sound: the shrill screech of roller coasters, the rattle of carousel horses, and the occasional laughter of children, high-pitched and carefree. The scent of caramelized sugar and hot buttered popcorn hung thick in the air, competing with the faint, sweet waft of cotto...

CHAPTER ONE: REINCARNATION IS SUCH A DRAG

The first thing Shikamaru Nara became aware of was the dull, relentless pounding in his skull.

It wasn’t the sharp sting of a kunai wound, nor the dull ache of chakra exhaustion—this was something entirely more mundane. A hangover? Had he been out drinking with Choji? He couldn’t reme...