#business agility with cloud

[ajmishra]

Dominating the Market with Cloud Power

Explore how leveraging cloud technology can help businesses dominate the market. Learn how cloud power boosts scalability, reduces costs, enhances innovation, and provides a competitive edge in today's digital landscape. Visit now to read more: Dominating the Market with Cloud Power

[jcmarchi]

Pipeshift Secures $2.5M to Streamline Open-Source AI Deployment

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/pipeshift-secures-2-5m-to-streamline-open-source-ai-deployment/

Pipeshift Secures $2.5M to Streamline Open-Source AI Deployment

Pipeshift has announced a $2.5 million seed round aimed at providing enterprises with the infrastructure needed to efficiently build, deploy, and manage open-source AI models. As more than 80% of companies move toward open-source GenAI, Pipeshift’s solution removes common bottlenecks related to privacy, control, and the engineering overhead of stitching together multiple components.

Revolutionizing MLOps for GenAI

Pipeshift’s new-age Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) accelerates AI orchestration by offering a modular MLOps stack that runs on any environment—cloud or on-premises. This end-to-end service covers a wide range of workloads, including LLMs, vision models, audio models, and more. Rather than acting as a GPU broker, Pipeshift hands enterprises direct control of their infrastructure, enabling them to:

Scale from day one with in-built autoscalers, load balancers, and schedulers

Fine-tune or distill open-source models in parallel with real-time tracking of training metrics

Save on GPU costs by hot-swapping fine-tuned models without GPU memory fractioning

Maintain enterprise-grade security to keep proprietary data and IP fully in-house

By consolidating these capabilities into a single platform, Pipeshift simplifies deployment workflows and drastically reduces time-to-production.

Strong Industry Backing

The $2.5 million seed round was led by Y Combinator and SenseAI Ventures, with additional support from Arka Venture Labs, Good News Ventures, Nivesha Ventures, Astir VC, GradCapital, and MyAsiaVC. Esteemed angels like Kulveer Taggar (CEO of Zuess), Umur Cubukcu (CEO of Ubicloud and former Head of PostgreSQL at Azure), and Krishna Mehra (former Head of Engineering at Meta and co-founder of Capillary Technologies) also participated.

Arko Chattopadhyay, Co-Founder and CEO of Pipeshift, stated: “2025 marks the year when GenAI transitions into production and engineering teams are witnessing the benefits of using open-source models in-house. This offers high levels of privacy and control alongside enhanced performance and lower costs. However, this is a complex and expensive process involving multiple components being stitched together. Pipeshift’s enterprise-grade orchestration platform eradicates the need for such extensive engineering investments by not only simplifying deployment but also maximizing the production throughput.”

Rahul Agarwalla, Managing Partner of SenseAI Ventures, observed: “Enterprises prefer open-source GenAI for the benefits of privacy, model ownership, and lower costs. However, transitioning GenAI to production remains a complex and expensive process requiring multiple components to be stitched.” He continued: “Pipeshift’s enterprise-grade orchestration platform eliminates the need for such extensive engineering investments by not only simplifying deployment but also maximizing the production throughput.”

Yash Hemaraj, Founding Partner at Arka Venture Labs and General Partner at BGV, remarked:“We invested in Pipeshift because their innovative platform addresses a critical need in enterprise AI adoption, enabling seamless deployment of open-source language models. The founding team’s deep technical expertise and track record in scaling AI solutions impressed us immensely. Pipeshift’s vision aligns perfectly with our focus on transformative Enterprise AI companies, particularly those bridging the US-India tech corridor, making them an ideal fit for our portfolio.”

Why Pipeshift Stands Out

Founded by Arko Chattopadhyay, Enrique Ferrao, and Pranav Reddy, Pipeshift’s core team has been tackling AI orchestration challenges long before this seed funding. Their experience includes scaling a Llama2-powered enterprise search app for 1,000+ employees on-premises, highlighting firsthand how tricky and resource-intensive private AI deployments can be.

Key differentiators include:

Multi-Cloud Orchestration: Pipeshift seamlessly handles a mix of cloud and on-prem GPUs, ensuring cost optimization and quick failover.

Kubernetes Cluster Management: An end-to-end control panel allows enterprises to create, scale, and oversee Kubernetes clusters without juggling multiple tools.

Model Fine-Tuning & Deployment: Engineers can finetune or distill open-source models using custom datasets or LLM logs, with training metrics viewable in real time.

360° Observability: Integrated dashboards track performance, enabling quick troubleshooting and efficient scaling.

Built for Production, Not Just Experimentation

Companies often face limitations with generic API-based solutions that aren’t built for in-house privacy. Pipeshift flips this model by focusing on secure, on-prem or multi-cloud deployments. The platform supports over 100 large language models, including Llama 3.1, Mistral, and specialized offerings like Deepseek Coder. This diverse selection helps meet the specific performance, cost, and compliance needs of each project.

Some notable benefits include:

Up to 60% in GPU infrastructure cost savings

30x faster time-to-production

6x lower cost compared to GPT/Claude

55% reduction in engineering resources

Looking Ahead

Having already collaborated with over 30 companies, including NetApp, Pipeshift plans to further its mission of delivering powerful open-source AI solutions without the usual complexity. Its single-pane-of-glass approach to MLOps, combined with dedicated onboarding and ongoing account management, ensures enterprises can stay focused on leveraging AI for business outcomes rather than wrestling with infrastructure.

With private data protections, hybrid cloud compatibility, and modular flexibility at its core, Pipeshift is poised to meet the diverse needs of enterprise AI projects. By bridging the gap between open-source innovation and enterprise-grade requirements, the company is paving the way for a new era of agile, secure, and cost-effective AI deployments.

Pipeshift offers end-to-end MLOps orchestration for open-source GenAI workloads—embeddings, vector databases, LLMs, vision models, and audio models—across any cloud or on-prem GPUs..

[coderower]

Building The Future: App Development Trends for Business Growth

Explore app development trends shaping business growth and discover strategies to drive innovation and success in the digital era.

In today’s fast-changing digital world, mobile apps are crucial for driving business growth and enhancing customer engagement. As technology evolves, it’s important for companies to stay updated on the latest app development trends. From AI integration to cloud solutions, these trends improve user experiences and streamline operations. In this blog, we’ll explore the key app development trends…

[vastedge330]

VastEdge provides Oracle Cloud Migration services, ensuring a smooth and secure transition to Oracle Cloud. Boost your business agility, enhance performance, and leverage scalable cloud infrastructure with VastEdge's expert migration solutions. Migrate to Oracle Cloud with zero business disruption.

[internett1line]

What is XaaS? The Future of Business Services in the Cloud

The evolution of cloud computing has given rise to a new paradigm in how businesses consume and deliver services. XaaS, or Anything as a Service, refers to the broad category of cloud-based services that deliver various IT resources and functionalities via the internet. This model allows businesses to adopt, scale, and manage services more efficiently and cost-effectively, replacing the need for…

[sfleekit]

Mastering Automation: Our Toolchain for Software Excellence

Struggling with manual processes slowing down your development team? We've been there! That's why we built a robust automation toolchain to streamline our workflow and achieve software excellence.

Head over to our latest blog to discover the secrets to our success: https://fleekitsolutions.com/mastering-automation-our-toolchain-for-software-excellence/

[techtoio]

Exploring the Latest Trends in Software Development

Introduction The software is something like an industry whose development is ever-evolving with new technologies and changing market needs as the drivers. To this end, developers must keep abreast with current trends in their fields of operation to remain competitive and relevant. Read to continue .....

[sigzentechnologies]

Embracing Agility: How Cloud Architecture Design Transforms Businesses

Introduction to Cloud Architecture In the contemporary landscape of technology, businesses are increasingly reliant on cloud services to propel their operations forward. Cloud architecture design has emerged as a pivotal element in this domain, offering scalable, flexible, and secure infrastructures that cater to diverse business needs. Crafting an efficient cloud architecture involves strategic…

[ourjobagency]

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the cloud has emerged as a transformative technology that empowers businesses with flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Migrating to the cloud is no longer an option but a necessity to stay competitive. 

[bigification]

Forced Popping - Male TF

Nick wasn't planning on actually popping Pulaski, it was just a bluff. Why would Nick ever plan around him wanting to be popped. Well of course he had to turn into a massive monster that could easily escape. Regardless, there was no reason to dwell on the past. Nick and his crew quickly pursued. They chased Pulaski as he jumped from building to building using his newfound strength. You'd think the fat would slow him down, but he's moving like no human should be able to.

With Pulaski's speed and agility, it didn't take long for him to escape. Nick felt guilty about his misstep, accidentally popping Pulaski and letting him escape. He decided to head home after a rough day and relax. He changed into a loose shirt and camo shorts before sitting on his couch. He forgot his sorrows while watching tv. He got so engrossed in it that he failed to notice the loud thumping coming from outside his home. The thumping became louder and louder until a loud crash shocked Nick off the couch. Something had crashed through his wall. Dust and insolation filled the air around Nick and clouded his vision. Suddenly, a large mass rammed into him. It was Pulaski. Nick felt his body sink into soft fat before it bounced back like an elastic, sending him flying across the room. He slowly managed to pick himself up off the ground, his head ringing.

"We've got some unfinished business, my friend." A voice in a southern accent rung out from the thick dust filled air.

Pulaski appeared in front of Nick. He held up that same box of powder that popped him. "It seems ya forgot this. Let me do ya a favor and return for ya."

Nick realized he left the box in the freezer, he must have gone back for it afterwards. He tries to think of a way to escape, but before he could make a move, Pulaski shoved him against the wall.

"Open up!" He said with a devilish chuckle as he forced a handful of the powder into Nick's face. Nick tried to hold his breath, but it was only delaying the inevitable. Pulaski used one hand to cover Nick's mouth and the other to push the powder up his nose. And with his large body pressing Nick into the wall, there was no escape. Nick held his breath for as long as he could, the thought of ending up like Pulaski scared him enough to hold it longer. But the time eventually came that he took a deep breath in through his nose. All the powder that was in Pulaski's hand was now in Nick's system. He coughed violently, sending fumes of white powder out of his mouth.

"Now you'll be just like me." Pulaski whispered in Nick's ear, letting out another chuckle.

It didn't take long for Nick's body to start growing. His shirt became more of a crop top and his shorts seemed to shorten as he grew taller. He must have already been two feet taller than before. Fat piled into his stomach, riding up his shirt even more. His once flat stomach quickly became a beer belly, then a large ball belly, then an obese paunch. His massive gut sagged under its own weight, hanging well over his waist line. His love handles also spilled over the waist of his shorts, spreading all the way to his back. His shirt continued to ride up his chest as his pecs began to grow as well. They softened into tits bigger than any woman he knew, and continued to grow past that. They grew to the point of resting on his belly, becoming so large that they sagged under his arms. His arms and legs got covered in a thick layer of pudge, but Nick could also feel the power rushing through them. He felt his legs thicken to hold his immense weight, and his arms grow strong enough to lift a car. He could even feel his hands and feet growing to match his obese body. Finally his face began to change. His pretty face became almost unrecognizable as fat piled into it. His jawline disappeared into soft rolls of fat and he grew a double chin that drooped down to his chest. His nose widened a bit and his cheeks puffed out. Light stubble grew over his fattened face, finalising his popping.

Nick stood there for a moment, in shock. He grabbed his massive gut as his drooped under its own weight. He rubbed his massive nipple and cupped his soft moobs. He tried reaching his crotch, but he would never be able to again. He grabbed the sagging fat on his ass, only being held up by his tight shorts.

Pulaski let out a loud laugh. "You turned out nicely." He gave Nick's belly a firm slap. "Your partner is next. What was his name? Roy I believe. Can't wait to see how he turns out." Pulaski continues laughing as he runs out through the hole in the wall.

Nick makes his way to his bedroom, making sure to duck through the door ways. He sits on his bed and looks at himself in the mirror. He wants to think it's really bad, but he can feel his dick start to poke into the underside of his belly. Maybe it's not so bad after all.

[helvegen-s]

Rage, rage | ten

index

Pairing: Azriel x Hybern!Princess!OC

Summary: Nimue was a gift for the King of Hybern. His shining jewel, the perfect heir. However, she is clear about who the villain of the story is. When she saves her father's enemies from a tragic end, she realizes that now it's the Cauldron who has a gift for her: a mate.

Warnings: injuries, description of injuries, graphic violence, emotional crisis, bad relatives (not the best family), emotional abuse, poison, a little fluff at the end.

A/N: im excited por this part, things are finally setting into place. i hope you like iiiiiiiiiiiiiiit hihi. i appreciate your feedback, its heart warming to read your comments. if you want to be added to the taglist please just let me know

A shiver ran down Nimue’s spine. Dagdan and Brannagh, her cousins, blocked their path, their faces masks of barely contained fury. They had walked straight into a trap.

"Azriel," Nimue whispered urgently. "We need to leave. Now."

Azriel tensed, his shadows swirling around him like the prelude to a storm. "We can’t just—"

"Please!" Nimue begged, her eyes fixed on the looming threat. "I don’t want to fight them. Please, let’s go."

But it was already too late. Dagdan, his face twisted into a cruel smile, stepped forward. "Oh, cousin," he sneered. "Where do you think you’re going in such a hurry? Don’t you have time for your dear family?"

Brannagh’s eyes burned with hatred. "It seems you’ve been very busy conspiring behind our backs. Did you think we wouldn’t notice?"

Nimue’s stomach twisted into knots. She knew there was no escape. The only way out now was to fight—and that meant someone here was going to die.

Dagdan drew his sword, the steel gleaming under the sunlight. "It’s time to pay for your betrayal," he growled.

Without further warning, he lunged at Nimue, his blade whistling through the air.

Tension snapped like a taut bowstring. Dagdan and Brannagh, their faces contorted with fury, charged at Nimue and Azriel, initially ignoring Lucien. The sunlit glade became a whirlwind of steel and fury, swords clashing and hissing like enraged serpents. Azriel moved with lethal grace, his daggers dancing in a deadly rhythm, while Nimue fought beside him with restrained ferocity, evading her cousins’ attacks with feline agility, unwilling to strike back.

Despite the rage in her eyes, Nimue couldn’t bring herself to unleash her full power against them. A strange pang of remorse, an echo of the familial bond they shared, held her back. She didn’t want to kill them—she just wanted to escape. But Dagdan and Brannagh had no such reservations. Every strike, every roar of fury, was meant to end their lives.

Lucien, caught in the chaos of steel and magic, hesitated for a heartbeat. Loyalty to his Court, to Tamlin, warred with the new path he’d chosen—the promise he’d made to Nimue and Azriel that he would not betray them. With a growl, he leapt into the fray, his sword clashing against Brannagh’s in a spray of sparks.

A pained grunt snapped Nimue out of her focus. Azriel, his left arm immobilized, was retreating under Brannagh’s relentless assault. Worry clouded Nimue’s judgment. She had to help him.

In one fluid motion, Nimue summoned her power—not to attack, but to defend. She wove an invisible shield around Azriel, deflecting Brannagh’s blade at the last moment. The impact echoed in the air, but Azriel remained unharmed.

It was then, in that vulnerable instant when her attention was fixed on Azriel, that Dagdan seized his opportunity. With a savage roar, he lunged at Nimue, his sword a deadly streak aimed at her heart. Nimue, unprotected, couldn’t react in time. The blade sank into her side, carving a deep, agonizing wound.

A scream of pain and fury tore from her lips. Her vision blurred with red, and the world wavered around her. She fell to her knees, clutching at the wound in a desperate attempt to stem the flow of blood.

But instead of fear or despair, a cold, implacable rage consumed her.

Rage, rage and nothing else but rage.

The pang of regret, of empathy, of kinship she’d felt for her cousin vanished, replaced by a thirst for vengeance that burned through her. Her eyes, once filled with hesitation, now glowed with savage intensity. The power of the Cauldron, long restrained, erupted like a volcano.

Azriel and Lucien shielded their eyes as a blinding light burst forth from Nimue, forcing them to step back instinctively. Shadows swirled around her, their tendrils infecting everything surrounding her. Her fair hands started sharpening into claws, her teeth elongated, her face twisted into a feral snarl.

With supernatural speed, she launched herself at Dagdan, ripping his throat open with brutal precision. Blood sprayed in violent arcs, soaking the grass in crimson. Brannagh, paralyzed by terror, tried to flee, but Nimue was faster. She caught her by the ankle, slamming her to the ground with a bone-jarring impact. With a triumphant growl, Nimue plunged her claws into Brannagh’s chest, tearing through muscle and bone with raw strength. Brannagh’s scream was choked off as the light faded from her eyes.

A heavy silence descended over the clearing, broken only by Nimue’s ragged breaths. The transformation faded as quickly as it had come, leaving behind a trembling, wounded figure drenched in blood and staring blankly at her cousins’ lifeless bodies.

Azriel and Lucien approached cautiously, their expressions stunned by what they had just witnessed.

Nimue collapsed to her knees, pain radiating from her wound as blood seeped through her fingers, staining the earth a deep red. A solitary tear traced its way down her cheek, mingling with the blood.

"Let’s go," she rasped, her voice thick with emotion. "We need to leave."

They had escaped Dagdan and Brannagh, but their journey to Velaris, to safety, was far from over. The cost had been unimaginable. Nimue’s innocence—that fragile core hidden beneath her strength—was lost forever in that forest clearing, drowned in the blood of her own kin.

Azriel watched Nimue with a mixture of horror and fascination. He had never seen her like this—unleashed, wild. The blood of her cousins stained her face and hands, and a primal darkness seemed to emanate from her. A pang shot through his chest, a mix of fear and admiration. It was terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure. That ferality, that unrestrained power, reminded him of his own—the one he so often struggled to control. In that moment, he understood that Nimue wasn’t just his mate; she was also a reflection of his own darkness.

Nimue stood and, with her magic, began to seal the wound on her side. For a moment, a wave of nausea threatened to overwhelm her, but she suppressed the urge and continued knitting her own flesh.

They staggered away from the clearing, the air heavy with the stench of blood and the echoes of recent violence. They walked in silence until Nimue could no longer contain the question that burned in her throat.

“How did you know?” she asked, glancing at Lucien out of the corner of her eye, her face still pale from what had happened. “How did you see through my deception?”

Lucien let out a sigh, running a hand through his tangled hair. There was a resigned weariness in his face, but also a spark of something else—something she hadn’t expected. “It was the bond,” he finally answered, his voice low. “Between you and Azriel. I saw it.”

Nimue’s heart seemed to stop for a moment. Her steps slowed until she came to a complete halt. “What?” she whispered, her eyes searching his desperately, as if hoping to disprove what he’d just said.

He nodded solemnly. “I saw it in the clearing. It’s not something you can easily hide… that connection is unmistakable. It’s there, Nimue. You’d need to understand it deeply yourself to conceal it from others. For me, it was enough to know what I was looking for to find it.”

For a moment, the world seemed to crumble around her. A whirlwind of emotions overtook her—shock, disbelief, and a wave of something that felt far too much like fear. Azriel was a vulnerability, a crack in the armor she’d built over the years. She wasn’t used to this—to depend emotionally on anyone else. She had always been self-sufficient, the one who moved others as pieces on her board. But now… now Azriel wasn’t a piece. He was a weakness she didn’t know how to handle.

She looked ahead to where Azriel walked at the front, scanning the forest for a secluded place where they could safely winnow home without drawing more attention. He was trying to push aside the whirlwind of emotions Nimue was unintentionally pouring through their bond, but it was incredibly difficult. Especially when he glanced back at her, and Nimue immediately looked away when their eyes met.

The conversation hung in the air as Nimue, overwhelmed by her emotions, lifted her trembling hands. Her power flowed from her like an unbridled river. Azriel’s shadows moved toward her, soothing her, while Lucien watched in silence. With a blinding flash, the three vanished from the clearing and reappeared in the courtyard of the house she had come to call home.

Feyre, Rhysand, and the others were already waiting in the courtyard, alerted to their arrival by the brief message Azriel had sent to Rhysand’s mind. Their faces reflected concern and vigilance, and now, seeing the state the three were in, the alarm in their eyes deepened.

“Nimue,” Feyre murmured, stepping forward.

But before anyone could move closer, Nimue let out a heart-wrenching sob. Her body shook violently as she collapsed to her knees on the cobblestone ground, her hands pressed against her face as if to hide her shame and pain.

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” she murmured, almost inaudibly. “I don’t… know what I’m doing.” Her words were barely a whisper, fractured by the gasps of her sobs.

“Nimue,” Rhysand tried, his voice carrying his characteristic calm authority. He took a step forward, but Azriel raised a hand, silently suggesting they give her space.

“My father…” she continued, her voice trembling, without lifting her head. “He’s going to kill me. He’s going to kill all of us… all of you, when he finds out what I’ve done.”

Her voice broke, and when she finally looked up, her eyes were brimming with tears. The vulnerability in her expression was devastating. “I’m a monster,” she whispered, as if finally admitting it out loud—not just to them but to herself. “I always have been. What I did today… what I saw in myself… this is what I am. I’ve always known it.”

Nesta took a step forward, but Azriel reached her first, kneeling beside Nimue with an expression of uncertainty and something else… something close to pain. He didn’t say anything, but his presence was a silent reminder that, monster or not, she wasn’t alone.

“That’s not true,” Azriel murmured at last. His shadows wrapped around her gently, almost like an embrace. “You’re not a monster, Nimue. You did what you had to do to survive. You saved our lives. You’ve gained information that will be crucial to winning this war against your father.”

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “What I did… it wasn’t just to survive. I enjoyed it. My whole life, I’ve enjoyed this—terror. I was trained to kill, and I never questioned my masters. I’m a hunting dog. What kind of person does that make me?”

Rhysand and Feyre exchanged a look, and this time it was Feyre who stepped forward. Her voice was calm but firm, as if speaking from her own experience. “A person who’s been pushed to the edge,” she said. “Someone who’s learning to be more than what life forced them to be. I’m not going to judge you for the decisions you make to protect those you care about, Nimue. Right now, you think what you did was horrible, but I can only thank you for saving Azriel and Lucien,” she added, casting a knowing glance at Lucien, filled with understanding and quiet solidarity. “For bringing them home safe.”

Nimue squeezed her eyes shut, as if trying to block out the words, but she couldn’t. Her sobs grew louder, and though no one else moved, the warmth of the support surrounding her was undeniable.

Azriel remained by her side, his gaze fixed on her, but he said nothing more. He knew that words had their limits, and now, the only thing he could offer her was his presence. Feyre and Rhysand stepped back, giving Nimue the space she needed to process.

“When I came here, I thought I didn’t deserve what I found,” Feyre said, her tone low but full of meaning. “Love, compassion... a family. But I learned that it doesn’t matter where we come from or what we’ve done; what matters is what we choose to become from now on.”

The words seemed to penetrate the wall Nimue had built around herself. She lifted her gaze to Feyre, but before she could respond, something in the air shifted. A palpable tension settled, as if the world were holding its breath.

Azriel was the first to react. His shadows stirred around him, as if sensing an imminent threat. “Do you feel it?” he asked, his voice low but laced with alarm.

Rhysand nodded, his expression hardening. “Something is coming.”

Suddenly, the ground trembled slightly, like a distant echo drawing closer. Lucien moved to the entrance of the courtyard, his golden eyes gleaming with alertness. “We’re not alone.”

Nimue rose to her feet with effort, still unsteady, but her expression had changed. Though her eyes still shone with tears, there was a spark of determination in them. Something had awakened within her—a reminder of what was at stake.

“It’s my father,” she said, her voice trembling but firm. “He won’t come himself, not yet. He’ll send a message. A warning. He wants to make it clear that he knows what we’ve done, that he’s watching us, that he’s coming.”

“Then we must be ready,�� Rhysand replied, stepping into his role as strategist. “But this time, we’ll face him together.”

The tension within the group was palpable, but so was the bond that was beginning to form. Nimue, though broken inside, felt something new: a longing to fight, not just to survive, but to protect those who were starting to matter to her.

The poisonous presence of her father’s magic faded as suddenly as it had appeared, and Nimue felt all the muscles in her body relax for the first time in a long time.

She was home.

The echo of the events in the forest clearing still lingered in the air, but in the days that followed, the calm sanctuary of Velaris offered Nimue a respite she hadn’t allowed herself in a long time. While the rest of the Court moved in a constant flux of maps, strategies, meetings, and plans, Nimue stayed on the sidelines, limiting herself to rest and recovery.

The wound on her side stubbornly refused to heal, even with her magic, so she concluded that the sword that had injured her must have carried some kind of poison she had yet to identify. With care and time, she eventually purged the toxin from her body, but she couldn’t prevent the ugly scar that now crossed from below her chest to her back. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the blood of her cousins covering her hands, felt the echo of the rage that had consumed her. In her mind, her father’s voice rang out, always relentless, always accusatory.

She had managed to befriend a flock of crows that lived near the house and had taken to feeding two stray cats that roamed by the Sidra River. Since Lucien had been granted some freedom, they had also spent time exploring Velaris together, and Nimue discovered in him the pleasant company Feyre had spoken about.

But she hadn’t crossed paths with Azriel. Not until now.

She had assumed he’d been busy. She had managed to isolate herself from reality for a couple of days, but the looming shadow of war followed her wherever she went. Azriel, on his part, had work—now more than ever. Speaking with his spies in other courts, pulling strings, traveling to the Court of Nightmares…

Nimue found him sitting on a stone bench in the garden beside the house. In his hand was a cup of tea (Nimue loved tea; every time she smelled it from the other side of the house, it was as if she were enchanted with a spell of eternal happiness), and Azriel was gazing at the sky with his eyes closed, enjoying the last rays of sun on that June evening.

The princess hesitated at first, her steps faltering as she approached. But there was something she needed to tell him, something she could no longer keep to herself. Finally, she stopped a few paces away, her hands clasped in front of her.

Azriel looked up, his amber-colored eyes meeting hers. There was a trace of concern on his face, a slight tilt of his head that indicated he was listening even before she spoke.

“It’s been days. How are you?”

“Fine,” Nimue began, her voice barely a whisper. “May I sit with you?”

He nodded, shifting slightly to make room. “Of course.”

She sat down beside him but didn’t look at him immediately. Instead, she fixed her gaze on the horizon, watching the sun slowly disappear behind the mountains. For a moment, silence stretched between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was as if they were both waiting for the right moment to speak.

Finally, Nimue broke the silence. “When Lucien said he had discovered me—because of our connection, our bond…” Her voice trembled slightly, and she swallowed before continuing. “It felt like something inside me crumbled. I’ve always been so… careful, always in control. But with you… with you, I can never fully be in control. And that scares me.”

Azriel watched her, his expression soft yet intense. “Nimue,” he said quietly, as if he spoke her name with a special reverence. “I understand what you’re saying more than you might think.”

She looked at him, surprised. “Really?”

He nodded, his shadows moving slowly, as if mirroring his mood. “I’ve spent my life hiding parts of myself, keeping others at a distance. Not because I didn’t trust them, but because I feared what they would see if they got too close. With you… everything is different. I see myself in you. I feel like I’ve finally found the person I can show the worst parts of me to, and they’ll accept me anyway.”

Azriel’s words struck something deep within Nimue. She turned to him, her eyes shining with a mix of emotion and vulnerability. “But what if this makes us weaker? If we become a burden to one another… I can’t go into war knowing I’ll lose something I never imagined I’d find.”

Azriel shook his head, letting out a soft laugh, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that almost made her shiver. “We’re not a burden. We’re a team. You make me stronger, Nimue. And I think I can be that for you too—if you let me.”

She let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling slightly. “That’s what scares me. Letting you. Depending on someone else.”

Azriel extended a hand toward her but didn’t force her to take it. He left it there, open, as an invitation. “You don’t have to face this alone. I don’t want you to feel obligated, but if you ever decide you’re ready to trust someone else, I’ll be here waiting.”

Nimue looked at him, and for a moment, she seemed to wrestle with herself. But then, with a courage she didn’t know she possessed, she took his hand. Azriel’s fingers closed gently around hers, and that simple gesture gave her a sense of security she had never experienced before.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice heavy with emotion. “For not giving up on me.”

Azriel smiled faintly, and something in his expression made her feel less broken, less monstrous. At that moment, she understood she wasn’t alone, that she didn’t have to bear the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Without thinking too much, she leaned toward him, and Azriel didn’t pull away. Their lips met in a soft kiss, full of uncertainty and unspoken promises. It was a moment of pure connection, a refuge amidst the storm both carried within.

It was then that Nimue realized what she had just done, and she pulled back abruptly, bringing her hands to her lips.

“Oh, by the Cauldron. How inappropriate was that? And without asking for permission! Oh, my goodness, what a disaster. I’m like one of those girls in Nesta’s books—oh, this is so nerve-wracking. How embarrassing, forgive me.”

Azriel couldn’t contain the pure laugh that escaped his chest. Nimue kept apologizing and talking and talking, her face as red as the flowers on the bush behind her, gesturing wildly as she tried to hide her face. Azriel smiled, his eyes narrowing as he tried to etch into his memory the image before him: the raw beauty and innocence of Nimue, the sensation he had felt in the center of his chest when their lips had been joined for just a few seconds.

taglist:

@lilah-asteria @agentsofsheilds @leptitlu @just-here-reading @glitterypirateduck @saltedcoffeescotch @krowiathemythologynerd @donttellthecats @annblvck @annamariereads16 @crazylokonugget @smoooothoperator @superspideyparker @bookwormysblog @quiet-because-it-is-a-secret

[e-dubbc11]

Scars

Photos are not mine. They are courtesy of Pinterest/Google.

Pairing: Billy Russo x F! Reader

Warnings: Mentions of childhood trauma, attempted kidnapping, fluff, smooches

Word Count: 1.8K-ish

Summary: Billy comes home while you’re taking a nap, he notices a scar on your ankle and wants to know the story of where it came from

A/N: I found this idea online somewhere. I needed a little help with new ideas and this caught my eye. I hope you like it!

As always, thank you for reading!  I appreciate it so much and comments, reblogs are welcome and encouraged. Don’t be shy to tell me your favorite part. 💕💕 💕

The weather outside your window changed quickly from the early afternoon sun immersing the surrounding buildings in its warm light to it disappearing behind the fast moving gray clouds that swallowed up the bright blue sky.

“Where did the sunshine go?” You said out loud to yourself from your penthouse perch, gazing down at the busy city below.

This time of year could be quite unpredictable as far as the weather goes. Late summer was still very hot, sometimes less humid, and could get a little cool at night into the early morning. But also the sun could be blazing in the sky one minute and the next time you looked outside, your once blue sky was now fully covered in dull gray clouds, ready to rain down on top of you.

And then you heard it, the sound of light rain tapping against the window as you gathered everything you needed to give yourself a relaxing home pedicure. You had the bubbling and warming foot spa, the lavender bath salts, moisturizing lotion, and all of the tools you needed.

Soaking your feet after a long day at work felt wonderful. The hot water bubbled under the balls of your feet, massaging away the stress of your day. As you inhaled sharply and let out a forceful exhale, your shoulders relaxed and your eyes closed, tuning everything out except the rhythmic sound of your own heartbeat in your ears.

Hopefully, you will be finished before Billy comes home.

**********

Faintly, you could hear the rain drumming against the roof. Earlier, that sound had lulled you to sleep and it was also the first thing you heard as you were starting to stir. After painting your nails, you told yourself you were just going to close your eyes for a minute while they were drying.

An hour later, you didn’t even hear Billy come home.

The strong scent of nail polish hung in the air as he walked through the door. Billy called out to you but you didn’t hear him.

“Baby?” He said softly.

No answer.

Meticulously, Billy put his things away…his keys, jacket, gun. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his dress shirt sleeves so he could roll them up to his elbows. He followed the scent of nail polish to your shared bedroom and paused in the doorway to briefly watch you while you slept.

Outside, the sky was gloomy and overcast but inside you were his bright spot. You were the warm afternoon sun that danced across his face and made him smile after his dismal ride home.

Billy carefully walked over to the bed, looked at your newly painted toes and smiled because you had painted them black, his favorite. They shined like patent leather even in the dimly lit room. Your hands were resting on your stomach and he watched as your chest rose and fell gently with every breath you took.

He committed to memory the way you looked at that moment, the soft comfortable shorts you were wearing, his hoodie that you constantly stole from him to keep your arms warm, and he loved the peaceful look you had on your face while you slept.

When he looked closely at your ankle, he spotted a triangle shaped scar that he had never noticed before. Billy thought he had memorized every inch of your body but he didn’t remember if you had ever mentioned how you got that one.

Reaching for you with his agile fingers, he lightly and slowly traced the outline of your scar, while desperately trying not to wake you. Billy had a very light touch but between the rain and the slight tickle you felt on your ankle, your eyes gradually fluttered open.

A sly smile stretched across your lips as you looked down and saw him tracing the scar on your ankle.

“Whatcha doin’, handsome?” You asked.

Before turning his head to look at you, Billy smiled and replied, “I was admiring your fresh pedicure when I noticed this scar and I don’t know what it’s from, I thought I knew every mark on your body. Why don’t I know about this one?”

Billy’s tone was somber and his lips pulled back over his teeth like he was upset that he didn’t know all about your scar.

“It’s just an old bicycle injury, Billy. It’s not a big deal.” You replied and shrugged at the same time as you tried to conceal how nervous you were.

Billy brought his gaze up to yours, his endless brown eyes looked like two black ink wells and the muscles in his jaw tensed when he asked about the scar.

“Tell me, my love.” He said with an uncomfortable smile, almost like he knew it wasn’t JUST an old bicycle injury.

“Billy, I don’t know—“ You had started to say before he interrupted you.

“Just tell me what happened, sweet girl.” He said calmly. “It’s ok.”

Trying to smile, you sat upright in bed with your back resting on the headboard. It had been a long time since you had thought about that day.

It was around this time of year, late summer, the sun was high in the sky so it had to have been around lunchtime or a little after when you were outside playing with your brother and your cousin. You were probably around 11 and the three of you were getting ready to ride your bikes back home from the park where you were playing.

You were the oldest, it was your job to watch out for the younger ones, so you let them ride up ahead of you. Once they had turned onto your street, you felt immense relief that you were almost home and that’s when you sensed a car slowly pull up behind you.

And then you heard that voice.

“Hey sweetheart, you lost? Anyone ever tell you how pretty you are?” He had said with an evil smile.

“Pretty…” Billy hated that word. As you looked over at him, he had clenched his fist, his face was flushed with rage, while he gripped the blanket on the bed so tight that you thought he may rip it.

You couldn’t recall what the man looked like when he called out to you but you do remember his voice. It sounded like he did nothing but smoke cigarettes all day, it was deep, scratchy and made your skin crawl, like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Nervously shaking your head, you said, “No, I’m fine.”

Your heart was leaping out of your chest and you felt the sweat on your brow about to trickle down your forehead when you decided to make a run for it. When you forcefully pushed down on the bike pedal, your foot slipped and you ended up slicing your ankle on the jagged teeth of the pedal which is when another man jumped from the car and tried to grab you.

But you managed to pedal as fast as you could to catch up to your brother and your cousin who were waiting for you around the corner from where the man tried to grab you.

They didn’t follow you and you never saw them again but the memory always came back when the scent of clove cigarettes was in the air, or heard a deep raspy male voice, or felt someone walking behind you.

It was something from your childhood that you never spoke of again until now, not even to your brother or your cousin who were with you that day. And you’ve been looking over your shoulder ever since.

Knowing what Billy had been through as a young child, your entire body tensed watching him seethe with anger. His cheeks were flushed and you could hear him grinding his teeth while still tightly gripping the blanket in between his fingers.

“Billy? Say something, please.” You said, breaking the silence.

He gently kissed the scar on your ankle and crawled from the foot of the bed up to you, pulled you into his chest and kissed the top of your head. His heartbeat pounded against your ear as you melted into his arms and closed your eyes.

“You don’t look over your shoulder when you’re with me, baby.” He said in a slightly confused tone.

You pulled away to snake your arms around his neck and look into his eyes.

With a warm smile, you replied, “Being with you is the ONLY time I don’t look over my shoulder, Billy. Because I know they’d have to get through you to get to me.”

Billy gently pressed his lips to yours which tasted like peppermint. His shoulders relaxed a little as he smiled back and said, “I’ll never let anything happen to you, sweet girl. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.”

After finally telling someone your secret, the weight of that secret had finally been removed from your chest and you could breathe a little easier now. Your terrifying childhood experience that had been kept inside all of these years was finally out in the open but you were ok with it.

“I love you.” You said in barely more than a whisper as your eyes welled up with tears. “So much, Billy.”

Billy just smiled, lightly brushed his knuckles against your cheek, and kissed you again before saying, “I love you too, sweet girl. And I’ll pay to have that scar removed, just say the word and it will be gone.”

In that moment, you felt so loved, so seen, and understood. All he wanted to do was make sure you were happy, that you were ok, and he would do anything for you to make that happen, even going as far as paying to have your scar removed.

“Oh Billy…that’s so sweet. But my bike probably saved my life, and yes, looking at that scar reminds me of that day but I’m very thankful for that bicycle and the mark it left on me…literally.” You said, trying to smile. “Thank you, my love.”

Although your experience wasn’t the same as Billy’s, he knew it could have been so much worse for you than it was but that didn’t make him any less angry about it. Your only wish was that he had been able to escape his worst nightmare also.

He knew what kind of real life monsters existed in this world and that he may never have had the chance to meet you if they had taken you. You were the person that understood him the most and loved him for exactly who he was. He didn’t even want to think about what his life would be like without you…but he’d never have to.

“Well, if you ever change your mind…” Said Billy, pulling you tight to his chest again.

You would always be there for each other, for love, comfort, or just to listen.

Relaxing into his embrace, you kissed him on the neck, and said with a smile, “I know, baby…I know.”

It felt good to finally let go.

Tag List: @wheresthesunshinesblog @idaoftheburningmind @rafaelakelley @fakehappy27 @snowkestrel @music-indie-tv @kayhi808 @munsonownsmyass @gijos @fictional-hooman @celestialend @nutmeg17 @k-marzolf @vaguekayla @rosaleenablack @danzer8705 @fireeyes-on-teller-dixon-grimes @mysteriouslydeafeningwerewolf @aoi-targaryen @rachlovesactors @qu1etwolf

Others that might enjoy: @itwasthereaminuteago @fluffyprettykitty @jvanilly @imagine-a-fictional-boyfriend @mrsbillyrusso @colereads @ittybxttykxttytxtty

If you’d like to be added (or removed from) my tag list(s) for the ever so handsome Billy Russo, just let me know and thank you again for reading! 💕💕💕 If I tagged you but you didn’t want to be, just let me know and I’ll never do it again.

[jcmarchi]

DJ Fang, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer at Pure Global – Interview Series

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/dj-fang-co-founder-chief-operating-officer-at-pure-global-interview-series/

DJ Fang, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer at Pure Global – Interview Series

DJ Fang is a technology executive and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience driving digital transformation and innovation across industries, including finance, energy, and healthcare. He has led initiatives for Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, combining business expertise with technical skills in AI, cybersecurity, and cloud infrastructure.

As a serial entrepreneur, Fang has successfully built and scaled businesses, excelling in product development, market strategy, and operational execution.

Pure Global combines real-world experience, AI, and data to create smart and efficient medical device regulatory consulting solutions for more than 30 markets.

Could you share your journey from working with top consulting firms like Deloitte and PwC to becoming the co-founder of Pure Global? What inspired this transition?

My journey to co-founding Pure Global was shaped by two pivotal moments. First, the COVID-19 pandemic threw the world into chaos, forcing individuals, businesses, and governments to re-evaluate how they operated. As a volunteer helping hospitals and schools source PPE, I gained firsthand insight into the challenges people faced adapting to sudden changes in regulations and market access. That experience really opened my eyes to a critical need.

Second, my entrepreneurial drive came into play. I’ve always been drawn to identifying challenges and creating effective solutions, embracing the process of refining and adapting ideas to address changing needs.

Before Pure Global, I had my own big data and cybersecurity consulting firm, and prior to that, I worked at Big Four firms like Deloitte and PwC. I was constantly pushing the boundaries of technology, creating custom solutions for clients facing unique challenges. It was exciting work, always dynamic and demanding.

At Pure Global, I’m tackling similar challenges but with a healthcare focus. We’re helping MedTech companies bring quality products to market faster and more efficiently. It’s incredibly rewarding to apply my skills and experience to make a real difference in this critical industry.

Pure Global was founded during a critical moment in the pandemic. What were the key challenges and opportunities you identified at that time that led to its creation?

During the pandemic, we began by volunteering to help hospitals and schools source PPE. As we worked with global suppliers, we gained insight into the complexities of international trade and regulations. While assisting manufacturers with changing pandemic rules, we also improved our internal processes for efficiency.

Initially, we only supported a few organizations. However, as requests from manufacturers seeking assistance across various countries grew, we identified a clear need – and a market opportunity – for technology to modernize traditional, often inefficient workflows. We saw an opportunity to make a significant impact by developing solutions to address these challenges

Your Resource Center leverages AI to provide real-time regulatory updates and compliance insights. Can you walk us through how the AI algorithms identify and prioritize regulatory changes across 30+ global markets? What challenges did you face in training these models?

Our Global Markets Resource Center serves as a centralized hub for the latest regulatory updates and insights across all major global medical device markets. We’ve built a robust system to gather regulatory data from diverse sources, such as official agency websites, legal databases, and public announcements. This includes web scraping with intelligent parsing to extract data from unstructured formats like PDFs and HTML, as well as using APIs where available.

When clients register their devices in our Pure Certification module, we leverage AI to suggest the most relevant changes and prioritize them for review. AI text embeddings and similarity calculations rank these updates. For example, if you have a ‘portable dialysis machine’ and three related news articles:

Article #1: New guidelines for the disposal PPEs (cosine similarity to product: 0.2)

Article #2: FDA approves a new portable dialysis machine with improved safety features (cosine similarity: 0.8)

Article #3: Cybersecurity vulnerabilities discovered in connected medical devices (cosine similarity: 0.5)

Text embeddings convert all text into numerical representations in a multi-dimensional vector space. Cosine similarity then calculates the distance between these vectors. The higher the cosine similarity, the greater the relevance of the article to the product.

The Translation Manager uses AI to convert technical documents into over 20 languages. How does the system ensure accuracy and cultural relevance in translations for highly regulated markets, and how does it compare to traditional translation methods in terms of speed and compliance reliability?

AI is truly breaking barriers in this regard. From our internal testing with localized regulatory experts, the accuracy of these AI translations exceeds 80%. Combined with our proprietary MedTech-specific multilingual glossaries, we can push this to over 90%, significantly reducing the time required compared to traditional translation methods.

With AI-driven tools like the Translation Manager and Certification Manager, what kind of feedback have you received from clients about their efficiency gains?

Clients have reported significant efficiency gains through the use of our AI-driven tools. Many have experienced reduced translation costs, particularly for high-volume content, thanks to the automation of previously manual tasks. This has not only cut costs but also accelerated workflows.

Additionally, the consistency and flow of translations have improved. Our multilingual translation terminology management ensures consistent language use across all translated materials, which is critical for maintaining brand identity and clarity in technical documentation. Previously, depending on who performed the translation, the flow could differ slightly. With AI-driven translation, however, the consistency and flow are seamless.

In your opinion, how is big data reshaping the MedTech industry, especially in regulatory compliance and market access?

Some exciting developments in the context of big data are as follows:

Data-Driven Decision Making (Market Intelligence): Big data tools provide comprehensive analytics, enabling companies to make informed decisions about market opportunities, patient behavior, product development, market access, and commercial success.

Post-Market Surveillance: Real-world data monitoring can identify safety issues or areas for improvement, leading to faster, more effective post-market surveillance.

Real-World Evidence (RWE): Analyzing large datasets of real-world data (patient records, clinical trials, device usage) can provide evidence of product safety and effectiveness, supporting regulatory submissions and post-market surveillance. However, much of this information still resides within large hospital systems and research institutions, and accessing it remains a challenge.

Cybersecurity:  With the surge in connected medical devices, wearables, and healthcare IoT devices generating vast amounts of data, the attack surface for cybercriminals continues to expand. Sensitive patient information stored in large datasets becomes a prime target for hackers, potentially leading to data breaches that compromise privacy and safety. Then, many healthcare organizations still rely on outdated systems with insufficient cybersecurity measures, increasing the risk.

How do you envision the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and MedTech evolving in the future?

There will be more personalized options as AI enables the development of medical devices and treatment plans tailored to individual patient needs. By analyzing patient data, including genomics, lifestyle factors, and medical history, AI can optimize device design and functionality. Additionally, AI can accelerate the design and prototyping of medical devices by generating design options, simulating performance, and optimizing for specific requirements, allowing companies to iterate quickly and bring new products to market faster.

Cybersecurity is becoming increasingly emphasized in the MedTech space. This shift comes as regulators recognize its growing importance and transition from a reactive approach��mainly responding to incidents—to a more proactive approach focused on risk management and prevention. As submission requirements for cybersecurity continue to increase in rigor, companies will need to prioritize cybersecurity throughout the entire product development lifecycle, from design to deployment, to ensure the safety and reliability of their devices.

What do you see as the biggest challenges for medical device manufacturers in the next five years, and how does Pure Global aim to address them?

The biggest challenge is that regulatory agencies worldwide are raising the bar for safety, efficacy, and cybersecurity, making it increasingly difficult to keep up with evolving requirements across multiple markets

How Pure Global can help:

AI-Powered Regulatory Intelligence: Pure Global’s AI platform monitors regulatory changes across 30+ markets, offering real-time updates and personalized alerts for compliance.

Streamlined Submission Workflows: AI helps reduce time and costs for regulatory submissions, making the clearance and approval process more efficient.

Market Intelligence: With a comprehensive database covering regulations, product registrations, and clinical trials across 30+ markets, manufacturers can analyze trends, identify opportunities, and assess competition.

What advice would you give to startups and scaleups in the MedTech space looking to navigate complex regulatory landscapes?

Prioritize Regulatory Strategy Early On:

Integrate from the start: Incorporate regulatory considerations into your product development from day one, rather than treating them as an afterthought.

Proactive planning: Establish a clear regulatory strategy early, outlining target markets, device classification, and necessary approvals.

Expert advice: Consult regulatory experts or experienced consultants to understand the specific requirements for your device and target markets.

Stay Agile and Adaptable:

Expect changes: Regulatory landscapes are constantly evolving, so be ready to adapt your strategy as needed.

Flexibility: Keep flexibility in your product development plans to accommodate potential regulatory changes or market requirements.

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Pure Global.

[raileurta]

Thinking about a Miko getting enlarged to Cybertronian size and going feral protecting her dad Bulkhead.

Massive ⚠️ TW ⚠️dog this gets dark fast. (There is fluff at the end though)

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—

Miko ran as fast as her legs could carry her; she had to find Bulkhead! They'd been separated when she had to flee a decepticon soldier; who she'd thankfully managed to lose in the bad weather.

Speaking of weather, the dark clouds above the human pelted her skin with their harsh cold rains. The sky continued to roar above her as she kept running. The wet terran making every step that much more difficult. She had fallen many times already evident by the mud on the girl's clothes.

Her lungs hurchled painfully in the girl's chest, begging for her to slow down but she refused. Even with her new found cybertronian height from that size gun Miko was hit with she still had lots of ground to cover.

She continued to rush feverishly.

Leaning herself against a mountain for a temporary break she tried to listen out for her friend. It was hard to hear over the noise of the storm but Miko heard a familiar yell. Bulkhead she exclaimed in her head! Rushing towards the sound with newfound energy she couldn't wait to see him. When she came to a destroyed clearing she was met with a harrowing sight.

A severely damaged Bulkhead with his legs cut off was facing the business end of Megatron's arm cannon. Miko didn't even need to think about it before she jumped in front of her friend to protect him. The human reached up in height to the halfway point of the bot’s chest.

Megatron, obviously not aspecting her, was surprised at the child’s stupid decision.

“If you want to hurt Bulkhead you'll have to go through me!” Miko declared in a yell.

“Haha, brave human, stupid but brave. Even at your current size you have no hope of defeating me. So do us both a favor and just leave with your life intact.”

Miko didn't move. She just grit her teeth more and stared up at him in defiance.

“I hope you wouldn't be smart enough to take me up on my offer.”

Megatron powered up his cannon to shoot the human girl and Miko lunged for him. Moving out of the way of the blast she jumped onto him then began to try to punch the Decepticon leader. Megatron clamored to get Miko off of him. He managed to grab her left arm and throw her off of him. He hurled Miko angrily into some nearby trees, breaking them from the impact. Painfully she got up into her knees. Shaking off the bruising pain Miko felt she began to run to Megatron again.

He activated a thin long sword on his right arm. Megatron wanted to cut this human down to size the overlord thought. He ran towards Miko himself and attempted to slice her in half, seeing what he wanted to do, she swiftly rolled out of the way of his blade. Changing directions Megatron swang right for the girl but she dogged again. Sure Megatron was far more experienced than her and was stronger but Miko was much more agile and unpredictable.

Dunking under another strike Miko attempted to close the distance again; Megatron expecting this made a faint for her side as she dogged the mech he grabbed the girl's arm, crushing it instantly in his grip. Miko let out a shrill shriek as she felt the agony of her now ruined arm. Yanking the limb away as soon as Megatron released her, she backed away. The evil overlord let out a cruel chuckle, delighting in seeing the pain he had caused. Looking down to see her left arm, a section of it was mangled beyond repair having been crushed into a bloody pulp below the elbow leaving only the hand, a bit of wrist intact, gushing out lots of blood. Well there's no fixing that Miko thought hysterically. Slapping her face with her good hand she tried to get herself together. Okay she had to stop the bleeding or she was going to pass out she thought. Yanking off her shirt with the custom alien she painted on it she used her teeth to rip out a strip. She thanked whatever God was watching that June taught her how to do this. Tying the improvised tourniquet in a tight tug Miko looked over to Megatron to see him staring at her with amusement. Of course the bastard found this funny. Turning his gaze to the horrified Bulkhead he sent her another evil glare as he walked over to him, slowly. This was definitely a trap or something but the girl didn't care.

She sprinted towards him.

As soon as she was in range Megatron turned towards her and swung his sword again. She slipped down into a slide, the wet dirt making it an easy glide as she moved under the parting in his legs. Miko jumped up and put herself between the Decepticon leader and Bulkhead again. Not seeming surprised he brandished his sword and walked towards her. Miko couldn't keep dodging forever and eventually the adrenaline was going to wear off, as another throb of pain traveled up her arm she got an idea; it was a horrible idea but it was the only one she had. Taking any leftover remnants of her only just hanging shirt she bunched the fabric in her mouth. She then grabbed her left hand and began to yank, it was barely hanging on the damaged flesh with all the bones in it turned to paste it shouldn't be too difficult to get it off. It wasn't but the pain Miko felt was beyond excruciating; she had never felt something so painful in all her life. As the skin, muscles, fat torn in wet squelches she yelled. When it finally came off it sprayed a wave of blood onto Megatron's face. Full of disgust for the organic filth on him he wiped at his face frantically trying to get it off of him. Seeing her opportunity she dashed towards him; Megatron took away his hands to see Miko charging at him with her broken hand. She jumped at the overlord once more ramming the bone part into his right optic. She doesn't know what they're made of but assuming they're more vulnerable like most eyes in people she thought they would be more easily damaged. As she made the move to stab the other optic out a sharp pain radiated through her abdomen, she slowly looked down to see Megatron's sword piercing right through her.

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—

Bulkhead watched as Miko was stabbed through, he let out a sorrowful cry at seeing his charge being killed. What a useless guardian he was, he thought to himself. His charged hanged limply on Megatron’s sword the only her hair was moving now in the harsh winds.

As the warm blood ran into his servo Megatron brought up Miko to his face.

“I must admit you surprised me little girl. You're much more of a threat than I gave you credit for. But in the end it doesn't matter, you are still just only a

weak

pathetic

human.”

As Megatron finished his gloating Miko suddenly snapped her closed eyes open and used her good arm to pull Megatron's helm back to expose his neck’s fuel lines and bit into them viciously. She tore them out, biting and ripping everything she could get her mouth on. Even as the energon burned her face she didn't stop, not for a second. It was like she was a simple minded wild animal. Megatron tried to shake her off but she had a firm grip on his helm. He retracted the sword on his arm to use his sevos to pull her away.

The nauseating sound of tearing energon wires rang out, seemingly defining the storm in comparison. Now with her mouth dislodged she made attempts to grab at the mech’s bleeding neck. She barely got close before Megatron threw her at Bulkhead. The autobot quickly catched her new large form. Stumbling up in a slumped position akin to a broken doll she bared her teeth at him, and holy Primus fragging growled at Megatron. The sound Miko made was one he knew was going to haunt his recharge for months. It was guttlier thing, full of pain, blood, and pure animalistic anger. Unprompted the memory of something he saw a few human weeks ago surfaced in his processor.

One day while he was waiting for Miko to get out of school he had saw a carrier cat with her kitten in it, both being chased by a pack of starved dogs he thinks that they were called. It eventually was cornered between the dogs and a concrete wall. The Carrier dropped the cat sparkling and put herself between them and her spawn. The fight between the organics was slow as it was gruesome to witness. The dogs would snap at the cat trying to crush her windpipe in their maws, she would fruitlessly claw at them trying to keep them away from her sparkling. Near the end the cat was severely injured and slowly bleeding to death but she continued to fight on. The bell rang out shockingly both the animals and him. Finally, seeming to deem it not worth it anymore the dogs fled. Once the animals were out of the cat's sight she knelt down to check on her sparkling. Sniffing it lightly, once she knew it was safe the cat collapsed onto the pavement. Bulkhead scanned the creature as he feared it was dead. Once the students started to pour some noticed the aftermath. They went to the cat's side to check it was alive. He overheard their sadness and confusion chatter about the cat. One student quickly got the others' attention; They were holding the cat's sparkling. It was so small and scared in their gentle grasp but most importantly it was safe. Their talk quickly turned to getting the “kitten” as they were calling it at a safe place. He was abruptly pulled out of his overhearing when Miko pulled open his passenger side. She began talking about her “boring” day and whatever new gossip she had heard. Bulkhead had tried to respond the best he could but his processor was still focused on what he saw. While the wrecker knew next to nothing about organics he thinks that if the carrier cat was somewhere in the humans “heaven” she was up there happily with no regret.

Flash.

The loud boom of the storm pulling him back to reality. He looked towards the Decepticon as lightning flashed, and whatever Megatron had seen on Miko’s face Bulkhead could tell had chilled him to his very spark.

Multitude of emotions cycled through the bot's face plate he couldn't decipher before settling on an unreadable neutral expression. Megatron gave Miko a stiff nod and he then turned into his alt mode then simply left; just like that. Seeing their enemy fleeing Miko collapsed onto her guardian and let out a sigh of relief.

—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—

Back at the base Bulkhead sat on the metal gurney trying to tune out Ratchet yelling at him for his loss of pedes. He was more focused on his charge. She was passed out beside him, her pale face settled into a peaceful one. Miko was still enlarged by the Decepticon’s gun. Apparently it was a permanent alteration for the foreseeable future. That was definitely something he had to get used to.

Miko was hooked up to a bot sized fake blood bag, with new clean clothes, with still a bit of dirt in her hair. For all intensive purposes she should have died from blood loss hours ago but here she was still kicking. Ratchet couldn't figure out why but he theorized it was a side effect of the size ray she was hit with. The medic then again did say this was “defies all know logic” Miko they were talking about, so who knows.

Yep that's his Miko alright. Continuing to fight the impossible even when the battle was done. She really is a true wrecker Bulkhead thought proudly. He definitely has both now a new found fear and respect for her. Gently taking his charge’s hand he laid back onto the gurney and started to go into recharge, tuning out Ratchet’s yelling. It's been a long day for both of them.

Just before recharge overtook him he thought back to Megatron's horrified face. He wondered what he had seen……. whatever it was he would never know and he would like to keep it that way.

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[vastedge330]

Microsoft Azure stands out as an ideal platform for cloud migration due to its comprehensive services, strong hybrid cloud capabilities, scalability, and security features. Additionally, Azure integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft ecosystem, offering businesses a reliable global platform to optimize their cloud strategies.

[vinestaffery]

oh em gee the request box is open!! may I order a tall and strong fem!reader with any phighter during a match? (hell, you can do all or do a love triangle to stir some drama!) ty for ur time :D

—also idk, something with strong and buff fem!readers are something cool and amazing! 😭🙏

HELLO HELLO!!! AND YES, OF COURSE??? I ABSOLUTELY LOVE TALL, BUFF, AND STRONG READERS. THEY ARE SO COOL!!!! i will say it was a bit difficult for me to figure out how to implement. so i tried my best!!! otherwise, i hope this is good enough : [ I am so sorry for the wait!! I’ve been actually quite busy unexpectedly so my schedule was draining me horribly. Once again, the gear reader I tried to make was very brief, so it's completely up to interpretation! If there's any mistake, please do tell me!! I am also trying out a new layout of how I start stuff, so enjoy! Characters: Boombox, Skateboard, GN! Reader Prompt: Love Triangle, Fluff + angst, headcanons + small drabble oneshot! Requested! 

When you first joined the matches and tournaments, your gear was without a doubt one of the most interesting

While everyone had somewhat of a weapon of some sort, you used your complete strength and agility to defend yourself and teammates

Being able to block, punch and deal tons of damage to opponents

Tons of people loved you! You were practically an all-star!

That’s when Boombox and Skateboard were opposed to you on the other team

Boy, were they over heels for you!

Boombox would always find himself getting flustered each time you threw a sense of encouragement, even though you had beaten his ass THOUSANDS of times!!

Skateboard loved riling you up and making your ego grow, ending up with him accidentally getting his mind-games completely demolished!! 

You’d practically trample over them and help win points for upcoming festivals!!!!

Not to forget, you're one of the tallest phighters, making Ban Hammer more nervous sometimes.

When the Dove vs Crow festival came by, they finally realised their complete love for you. 

And boy, did it turn into utter chaos.

Boombox started rejecting his own teammates support 

Skateboard started to laze around and discourage one another!! 

It was total chaos, and out of character for them! But they’d always somewhat change whenever you came by to support and fight one of them

But, that got even worse when Boombox and Skateboard collided with another and ended up in a brawl.

It shocked you, really! And you were in disarray when it happened.

Sadly, such a brawl caused them to get a penalty. Big time. 

Medkit, thankfully as a close friend to you, helped them out and headed to the hospital. They suffered major damage to one another.

You felt like you had done something horribly wrong, and who wouldn’t? Your two pals fighting over something you had no clue what of? 

Call that worse than Noob Nardashins!

You started to avoid matches, refusing to support the team and staying on the sidelines until the other two recover so you could formally apologise

Vine Staff and Slingshot were concerned for the best, you seemed to be different after the major incident

Luckily, Skateboard and Boombox recovered quick, and heard about the news from Slingshot (who was quite disappointed in their little brawl)

Devastated to say the least they were!! 

So, they ended up putting their differences aside just to prove to you that it wasn’t their fault; maybe a few confessions on the way.

The rain seemed to be more gentle than the other days it started hitting. You had no clue on what to do anymore, your passion ran dry after that fight. Holding the train-bar tight, looking out the window where clouds seemed to endlessly create nothing more but chaos. Windforce must be disappointed or something.

“Ma’am!” A tug at your leg, you looked down. A small little demon-child, holding an autograph of what seems to be you.

“Oh, hello!” In their perspective, you were enormous. So tall, and much more different than any other phighter or civilian. “Could you sign my autograph! I miss when you used to phight, you are so cool! I want to be like you one day!”

The steady speed of your heart pulsed. A heart, so metronome, keeping a sensible rhythm, collapsed at the thought of someone wanting to be just like you. You trembled, but kept a smile. “Why, of course!” and you bent down on one knee. 

The small child held out their photograph, taking out what seemed to be the cutest gel-pen possible. It was bedazzled with keychains of different phighters — Medkit, Subspace, Vine Staff, Katana, Boombox, and Skateboard — that caught your attention. Heart soon skipped a beat at the sight of two familiar phighters.

Taking the gel-pen, you wrote your name in thick writing, right where it would be suitable for the child. You looked back up at the child, handing both the pen and the autographed paper. “I saw what happened in that one phighting match, I’m sure it’s not your fault! Maybe they just fought because they like you!” 

No, that’s not right. It’s not because they like me – it’s because I am the problem. Your eyes seemed to be pale and your skin full of goosebumps at such words. Words that seemed to taunt you soon enough to the brink of extinction. If I just never seemed to enter those phights, none of them would’ve gotten hurt. None of them would’ve gotten hurt.

None of them would’ve gotten hur—

The sound of the train stopping, halting as the doors slid open. The child vanished as she yelled goodbye in the cloud of civilians. They all pushed through and tried to get onto the train as fast as possible, while the ones hopping off did the same.

— * * *

You waited at the hospital seating area. Visitation hours were becoming slim, but thanks to Medkit, you’ve been granted more than the usual civilian. He sat at the front-receptionist, seemingly boring himself in constant work and typing. You could hear his quick work-skills not too far, colliding with the clock’s agonising voice.

“You can visit them now.” Medkit piped up. It had to take him a few tries to finally catch your attention, zoning out was not something fun for you.

“Hey, you can visit,” Medkit yelled with a more guided, threatening tone. That caught your attention. Waking from your small dissociation, you got up and trudged off through the door. To the shared room of your two “friends,” that you hated to call them that.

You had feelings for them, of course. They were just so your type, stupid but clever. They were risk-takers, just like you, but you overall enjoyed their thick humour and how they correlated with you quite well; rejection was bound with this. 

Knocking at the door of the room, you opened the sliding door. There, Skateboard and Boombox sat. 

“Oh- Did I interrupt something?” You bent down slightly to walk into the room. The two phighters turned to face you. Skateboard relaxed at the sight of your face, while Boombox just let out a thankful sigh.

“I thought you’d never visit!” Skateboard rushed off of his chair, running over to hug you. You couldn’t help but smile, this is what you missed. Spending endless time with the two, you couldn’t help it. “I was! You guys were just in serious deep sleep.”

“Ha ha, yeah right,” Boombox piped up, elbowing you as he sighed. “Gosh, you're getting taller. You need to stop growing!” Shaking his head, letting out a laugh, he looked out the window and back. “I never thought you guys missed me this much.”

“Miss you that much? Oh boy, we missed you more than you missed us!” 

“Yeah, what the skater said!” 

You smiled, humming as you looked at them both. The comfort that came from them both, came from fortitude. It felt like protected walls that returned the healing hearts; to welcome them to the fort and that they spared any harm. It made you feel happier.

“But,” The two phighters moved back, leaving the last hug.

You raised a brow, eyeing at the two as they sat down. You plucked out a chair from the side, sitting down on it yourself as you stared. “We owe you an apology,” Skateboard nodded. Boombox seemed to look away in slight embarrassment, but shook his head. He had to prove this to you.

“What happened in that match was completely me and Skateboard’s fault. We didn't mean to be that mean towards each other, it’s just…” Skateboard looked at Boombox, who struggled to continue his apology. It was like something had been caught in his throat.

“It’s just…?” You eyed them, concerned. Maybe this was the end of your two’s shared friendship? It was your fault all along.

“What happened that day, it wasn’t your fault. Me and Skateboard have had this… little–""BIG crush on you, and we started to hate one another because of it and we are so sorry for what we had caused! You can hate us all you want, but please, it was entirely our fault and our recklessness taking over!” 

Boombox’s face turned light green as Skateboard waited patiently for your response. You were shocked.

“Please don’t hate us.” 

“Hate you?” 

Silence. You bursted out laughing soon after. “Hate you? No! Absolutely not! I have a crush on you guys too!” 

They stared in shock. You? Loving them both? Wow. 

“...” “... FUUUCK YEAAHH!!!”