A/N - A couple of things in these flashes might be quoted out of "Once Upon A Time," if you spot them, you get a muffin.

REMEMBER: Not all of these flashes may end up being part of the canon/fanon continuity, so keep an open mind, they're just ideas answering prompts. LA Knight can pick and choose whatever elements she likes.

German translations at the bottom in the end-notes.

Update Mar 11: All flashes except Potatoes in this chapter of the Coruscation series are canon. Technology is still pending.

BLOOD

(Sometime before Ch. 37 & 38: When You're Gone [parts 1 & 2] of "Once Upon A Time")

Geri liked the smells that hung around Lorelei, the most prominent of which was the scent of water. The fresh, clean scent that hung over a deep river. But if he got closer to her, like sometimes when they were dancing, or just off by themselves talking, then another mix of fragrances would register on his senses, and they all seemed to come from that stuff that she had dabbed on her ruddy lips, making them an even richer red than they already were.

The top-note was wine and roses. Classic. Romantic. The essence of seduction. Very Lorelei.

Underneath that was the smell of warm honey. Rich, sweet, and golden. Like her.

But hiding underneath the romance and the warmth, at the base of the bouquet staining her lips, was a scent that set off flashing red lights in his brain whenever he got a sniff of it.

Blood.

The first time that he'd caught the scent of it on her mouth it had made his claws and fangs protrude, and she'd asked if there was something on his mind. He'd feigned a casual interest in the fact that they apparently made lipstick that smelled like wine and roses these days.

"They don't," she'd responded. "The lip-rouge that I wear is natural and of my own invention. I make it myself."

Well... That was unexpected, thought Geri.

Lorelei's golden eyes had twinkled, and a very sexy smile bloomed on her blood-colored mouth. "I know what it is that you smell, Geri. Don't think that I don't sense the predator standing with me now," she'd said.

Damn. A wolf and a fox. What a hell of a pair they would make.

HANDS (2)

"Hold onto me," Wink growled.

Lorelei complied, wrapping her slender arms around his thick neck as best as she could, clinging tightly as he held her flush against his body with his left arm. Then the enormous troll raised his right arm, and launched his mechanical hand far out into the air. Once it grasped the purchase that he was aiming for, both troll and rhinemaiden held to each other a little tighter, bracing themselves for what they were about to do.

With three of Wink's great strides, they were suddenly flying into space, swinging by the chain to which his metal hand was attached - the air whooshing past them ruffling the hairs on Wink's battle-scarred face, and making Lorelei's long tresses flutter behind her like black satin ribbons.

(The above can be imagined in either a "Wink's being dashing & cavalier" context, or a "we gotta run for our lives now" context, either works.)

BONDS

The young Rhine daughter gazed with a peculiar fascination on the shining symbol that adorned Mr. Wink's large leather belt. She had seen it before, of course, both Prince Nuada of the elves and his right-hand man (troll) wore it, but no one had yet elaborated to her as to why, or what it was, exactly.

Lorelei began tracing over the elegantly wrought lines hammered into the metal with a curious fingertip. Wink was quick to notice. "Admiring the pretty design, eh?" he prompted. The girl nodded.

"Both you and His Highness wear it," she observed aloud. "What is it?"

Wink bent down so that he could look the young girl in the eye better, as he explained, "Every kingdom through all the ages has its own signs and symbols, things to designate itself by. A signature. And this," he indicated the prominent adornment on his wide belt, "is the royal seal of the elf kingdom of Bethmoora, which Nuada is crown prince of - even in exile - which is why he wears it."

"But you're not an elf," Lorelei observed aloud again. "Why do you wear it?"

Wink smiled at her question. "No, an elf I am not, but I am in service to one, and so I wear his symbol as a sign of that."

Lorelei eyed the gleaming crest at the troll warrior's waist, and appreciatively started tracing over it again. Wink could see in the young Rhine daughter's eyes the inherent love that her race had for gold and beautiful things starting to turn the wheels in her mind, and he was quick to deduce what she might be thinking. He lifted her chin to have her eyes meet his. "I can see that you greatly appreciate the artistry of Bethmoora's seal, but do not think that you can simply don this like any other piece of jewelry, lass," he told her. "This is a symbol of high importance - it means something. It is a sign of loyalty and honor, and the bonds that we make with them. Do not forget that."

TECHNOLOGY

(Sometime after the events of Telephone, in Coruscation Pt. 1)

1:04 AM EST

From: dmyers ***** . net

To: drachegold ***** . com

dmyers: Lorelei, you there?

drachegold: Ja, but don't think that just because I HAVE electronic mail that I make a regular habit of USING it. :P Haha. :)

drachegold: What's up? Are you and his highness well?

dmyers: Yes, we're fine, I just...

dmyers: Arg, I'm essentially DATING an impossibly beautiful dream when it comes to him, but everything that surrounds us is still so messed up!

dmyers: Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning. Like I'm in over my head and I can't breathe.

dmyers: I guess I just wanted to reach out and talk to someone who would understand it all better than anyone else might, since you're seeing Wink and all that.

drachegold: Dylan Myers, bear in mind that I am a daughter of the Rhine - I KNOW a thing or two about drowning.

drachegold: And the way *I* see it, you are a HARD woman to kill, body and soul. Remember that.

dmyers: Thanks :)

drachegold: Bitte sehr :)

drachegold: Speaking of my lover, he is awake and I must leave you now. ;)

dmyers: Bye, have fun.

drachegold: I can assure you, I will. ;)

drachegold has logged off.

Dylan had to smile as she powered her smartphone off. She really was happy for Wink and Lorelei. She liked the big hulking troll quite a bit, and the rhinemaiden always treated her decently - never threw Dylan's humanity in her face like there was something wrong with it or anything, but treated her on the merits of Dylan being Dylan, not Dylan being human - a gracious woman of any sort that Dylan had met.

The pair deserved to be happy together, even if they were a bit of an odd-looking couple, though it was likely that they were neither the first nor the oddest twosome that history had ever seen. Yet, not for the first time, Dylan felt a little envious of Lorelei.

It wasn't the most "saintly" thing to feel envious about, but Dylan couldn't just deny what she felt physically as well as in her heart for Nuada, she loved him and wanted him with everything that comprised her being. But she had a covenant with her Heavenly Father to keep, and she was a woman of her honor - she would keep it.

Lorelei had no such covenant. Dylan knew from study that it was the nature of Rhine maids to seduce and have their way with passing mortals, if they didn't just lure them to outright kill them for sport. As for love, Dylan had never heard of any siren - Germanic or otherwise - that had customs of marriage in their heritage. In whatever stories she had seen of a rhinemaiden in love, they simply took a lover and were happy with them, come what may. If they ever married, it was in the custom of their husband's clan, or tribe or kingdom or people or whatever, not their own.

So, all in all, there was nothing to stand between Wink and Lorelei acting on their feelings at all... and here was Dylan, feeling so close yet still so far from her prince.

Oh yes, she envied Lorelei, but all the same, she was happy for the river siren, and so help her, she would hold onto that happiness with everything she had.

POTATOES

Dylan honestly did not know what to make of the scene in front of her eyes. Nuada was off to the side, polishing a few weapons, a soft smile playing about the edges of his dark mouth, while Lorelei was going off in rapid-fire German, pacing about the room, and appeared to be ranting quite animatedly as Wink kept growling, grunting, and rumbling to her, apparently trying to get through to the agitated Rhine daughter rationally and not having much success. As the seconds ticked on, the growls became more and more prevalent, until finally as she made another stormy pass by him in her pacing he outright roared at her. Lorelei shut up, whirled around, and blinked a few times, as if she were just now seeing the troll that towered over everyone in the room. Wink lifted his flesh-and-blood hand to cup the side of Lorelei's face, and slowly, gently, stroked his thumb over her smooth, fair cheek, rumbling softly to her.

Like magic, Lorelei calmed down. She leaned into the touch of the veteran warrior's hand and closed her flashing, ultra-gold eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Wink gave a soft grunt to get her attention, and she opened her eyes briefly before he pulled her into a close hug, which she returned in equal measure. After a few moments of holding her like this, he used his mechanical hand to lift her chin so that she would look him in the eye. He rumbled something to her, it seemed like he was asking her a question. Lorelei nodded solemnly, and with a firm grunt, Wink released the river siren and turned to depart the room. Lorelei brought both her hands up to her ruby lips to blow a kiss after him with a grateful smile - a smile which the troll returned - and then turned to make her own exit out another side of the room, bidding the smiling elfin prince a mutual "Gute Nacht" on her way out.

Dylan came over to Nuada's side and took a seat. "What was that all about?" she asked, thoroughly in the dark. "Were they fighting just now?"

Nuada gave a short frown as he answered, "Oh no, no, no, not at all." He gave a few short waves of his hand as if to dismiss the very idea of such a thing. "Lorelei was just upset about a dealer, an insectoid of some sort, that managed to cheat her in a recent transaction regarding some crates of potatoes that she needed to re-stock Fafner's Cave. What Wink just did now was volunteer to pay him a visit... To help set his crooked ledger straight, as it were," Nuada said with a dark smirk and a mischievous mirth in his eyes.

Dylan stared in the direction that Wink had gone, and found herself saying, "May Heaven have mercy on the insectoid, because I somehow doubt that he will."

Nuada laughed. "How true that is, mo duinne, how very true, indeed."

DANCE

Wink and Nuada just stared. Motionless. Speechless. Helpless, even.

Lorelei and Dylan were dancing.

The rhinemaiden was the one playing the part of la chanteuse in this scene before them, utterly swept up and exultant in the song that poured forth from her garnet lips... and consequently making Dylan a little more uninhibited than usual because of it. Mortal and faery both swayed to the count of the song, hypnotizing in the smooth flow of their motions, like serpents balancing on their tails or flows of water given female shape.

Nuada looked at Wink, eyes light as palest gold-kissed ivory, while Wink's every bristle stood visibly on end. The troll looked at the elf, and the prince blew out a long puff of air through his dark lips in a silent whistle. The troll gave a short, quiet grunt in whole-hearted agreement, and both warriors returned their eyes back to the two ladies that remained unknowing of their silently suffering audience.

THREAT

Most clubs and bars in New York City had bouncers, hired big guys to throw out the rowdy and keep the peace. Others didn't. They didn't need them.

Plenty of the regular patrons that frequented Fafner's Cave were creatures of a very physically impressive sort - ogres, trolls, and others that were equally intimidating. They loved the food and drink, they enjoyed the atmosphere, and every last one of them thought well of their charming hostess, it was only natural that they all took it upon themselves to make it their business that no trouble was tolerated.

But sometimes, just sometimes, even the "unofficial bouncers" had to be put back in line.

"Oy! Lei-lei!" One not-so-sober old bridge troll called from one of the tables to Lorelei. "Give us a song, will ye!" A few of his pals sitting at the table with him chimed in in agreement.

The river maiden smiled coyly as she personally brought the table full of various assorted trolls their round of drinks. "Tut mir leid, Jungs," she said. "No songs." As she came around to the old bridge troll she added, "And Blick," the particular troll in question looked up at his hostess' face, and as he did she took his drink and tossed its soaking contents right into his wrinkled, slate-gray face. "If you ever call me that, or any other ridiculous pet-name ever again, I'll be tossing you out."

The rest of the present company roared in hearty laughter as Lorelei smirked and plunked down the empty mug in front of Blick, who looked very unhappy and sulky as he croaked, "I paid for that drink!"

"Na ja," she replied nonchalantly, her voice like a careless March wind, "looks like you'll have to buy another." Her smirk turned into a grin as she sauntered back to the bar, aurulent eyes dancing with mirth, the laughing and hooting behind her only increasing at the expense of poor Blick.

MIDNIGHT

(During the events mentioned/alluded to in Telephone, in Coruscation Pt. 1, which is ch. 2 of this fic. CANON: co-running with chapter 53 of "Once Upon A Time.")

"Ach!" Lorelei cried out, as she was sent sprawling to the ground, partly in pain, partly in rage. Dragon's fury burned from her smoldering eyes as she carefully lifted her head to glare at the Butcher guard that stood over her, as dark and menacing as Death itself.

Come closer, she silently willed it, just a little more. Once the Butcher was just close enough, ready to swing its blade down on her, she struck out hard with her foot, connecting right at its ankle joint. The Butcher's balance was thrown off, and the rhinemaid hooked behind its knee with her still outstretched leg to bring it down even further. Her hands shot out to grip at the Butcher's sword-wielding hands, keeping the blade from savaging her, and digging her ever-sharp nails into its flesh, slicking its grip with its own black blood. The Butcher jerked back with its upper body, and Lorelei used the momentum to assist lifting herself up. Her hands not leaving the clawing grip that she had on the Butcher's hands, she struck down with the edge of her bent arm at its elbow joint, and the strike was enough to further loose the Butcher's hold on its sword enough for Lorelei to wrest it from its grasp, and pulling the sword straight back in a long, deep slice at the juncture where neck met shoulder, she incapacitated the Butcher long enough to send a finishing jab right through its heart from behind with the sword that she now held.

About thirty paces away from the Rhine daughter, more Butcher guards lay dead with broken necks and mangled torsos at the feet of a slumped over, gasping Wink, the slick blood of their fresh corpses shining in the dim, ambient light of the atmosphere over the city. There had been many. Too many. The troll had bashed and jabbed, punched and rent, and strangled his way through foe after foe. Sheer numbers had allowed them to cut and stab at his arms, his legs, some had even managed to cut through his armor! This wasn't like war. In war, there were many opponents, battling each other. In this fight, all had been focusing on him alone, but for the couple that had given their vicious attention to Lorelei. Oh gods, Lorelei!

"Lorelei!" Wink roared.

"Ich bin hier!" she answered back, running to him, slipping a little in the shadowed pools of dark blood as she approached him. "Mein Gott," she breathed, "Wink, you're bleeding all over... Oh, nein!" She gasped as she saw more closely the damage done to him, the bleeding gashes in his armor, the deep slashes on his limbs and a split in the left side of his upper lip, places where he'd doubtless bear a few new scars... if he survived. His breathing was labored, and his flesh hand clutched at one of the gashes in his torso.

His mind wasn't on himself though, he got one look at Lorelei's disheveled long hair, worse-for-wear dress, and black-blood-streaked form, and the first words wheezed out of his mouth were, "Are you injured? Are you alright?"

She answered, both honestly and rapidly, "Mostly bruises and scrapes. A few cuts. Nothing broken. Gott, we have get you away from here, someplace safe." Lorelei's head whipped up as she heard footsteps approaching from a distance away.

More Butchers. They were searching for the bloodied pair.

Lorelei snarled softly and grimaced, cursing under her breath through her gritted teeth, "Ach! Fick. Mich."

"With pleasure," Wink actually had the energy to quip with a weak smile. "... If we survive this night," he rumbled softly, his aspect once more becoming grim whilst he cast his eye on the not-long-in-approaching Butchers.

"It's a deal," Lorelei said with an equally solemn expression, putting gentle hands on her hulking companion and starting to lead him, limping, with her to whatever safe route away she could get them to. "Provided that you hold up your end of it," she added gravely, as he winced from the pain.

A/N - I originally told LA Knight that I didn't plan to elaborate on the events of Telephone, from Coruscation Part 1, but then... I really wanted to illustrate Lorelei's fighting style, as you see here in Midnight. She doesn't use strength or agility, like Wink and Nuada, but instead, she uses her enemies' own movements against them, striking at pressure points and balance points to bring them down and then stabby-slice, if she's using blades. It's not the most macho or "Xena" way of doing it, sure, but it is effective. Depending on her foe, this isn't always going to work, naturally, but "adapt to the situation" is key anyways.

- Blick is an "extra," only serving that one flash-prompt, Threat, don't expect to see him again.

TRANSLATIONS

Bitte sehr = you're welcome

Gute Nacht = Goodnight

Tut mir leid, Jungs = So sorry, boys

Ich bin hier = I'm here

Mein Gott = my god

Fick mich = (C'mon, really, if you don't get the gist of this one, then you deserve no muffins.) :P