Title:  Monster in the Loch
By:  Donut
Edited By:  Shortcake (Dount's Daughter)
E-Mail:  poberlin@pathwaynet.com or roberlin@pathwaynet.com
Rated: G

Disclaimer:  I don't own Sailor Moon and neither does my daughter.  We enjoy the 
programs, but don't wish to try to pay for the rights.  We have enough on our 
plates as it is.

Author's Notes:  I choose to have use my husband's and my daughter's e-mail for 
any comments.  Flames hurt though and I would appreciate not getting any.  If 
there is anything that is incorrect then my daughter and I appologize.

Editors Note:  Yes, I'm Shorcake.  I am told that I named myself Shortcake, so 
that explains the name.  Mom wrote the story and I helped her by typing and 
editing it.  We both hope you enjoy!

	As the sun broke through the clouds on an early morning, at the place 
where the Scottish loch met the horizon, there sat a girl on the dock dangling 
her feet in the water.  All of a sudden she saw a shadow gleaming in the water 
off to her side.  She thought is was just another monster and she put herself 
into a position to deal with the monster.  But little did she know that it was 
Darien coming to surprise her and ask her out to breakfast.

	As he approached her, he saw his pretty little girlfriend sitting demurely 
on the dock dangling her feet in the water.  He thought of planting a kiss on 
her cheek and whispering sweet nothings into her ear.  

	As he was getting ready to approach her, she moved into position to throw 
the monster over her shoulder and into the water.  As Darien moved closer and 
bended down to plant a kiss on her cheek, Serena grabbed the monster around the 
neck and threw him over her shoulder and into the water.  Then she realized that 
it's not a monster after all.

	She yelled, "Darien!"

	As his head popped to the surface he yelled, "Serena!"

	"Swim over to the dock ladder and I'll help you up," said Serena, 
concerned.  "Oh, Darien, I'm so sorry!  How could I mistake you for a monster?" 

	"Yes, Serena?  How could you," he remarked as she helped him up onto the 
dock.

	She started to laugh and said, "If only you could see yourself.  You are 
all dripping wet.  Oh, here's your hat."

	Darien grabbed his hat indignantly and flopped his hat onto his head as a 
rush of water spilled out and drenched him once more.  But our Darien was cool 
as ever.  He smiled as Serena and walked toward her slowly and deliberately in 
that "I'm-going-to get- you-back-for-this" type of walk men have.

	Serena started backing up as she said, " Now Darien, let's be a good sport 
about this.  You know it was all a mistake.  You do understand, don't you?"  Her 
voice went up a notch.

	Darien said, "Why of course I do my little dumpling."  He put his hands 
out toward Serena as he reached for her. 

	"Darien, don't touch me, your all wet!" squealed Serena as she started to 
back up on the dock, giggling and apologizing.  Darien just came closer and 
closer as Serena came to the end of the dock.  "Darien, I can't go any farther 
backwards."

	"I know," he said as he reached for her a little abruptly.  He landed a 
passionate kiss on her lips that literally knocked them both off their feet. 

	KER-SPLASH!!!!!

	They both hit the water.  Down, down, down they went until all of a sudden 
their eyes popped open and they swam vigorously to the surface.  As they were 
gulping for air they exclaimed to each other, "Did you see that?  Yes, I saw 
that!"

	"What was it?" asked Serena.

	"I don't know," said Darien.  "But I think we should go and ask Amy for 
some advice."

	"Do you remember what it looked like, Darien?" asked Serena.

	"Of course I do.  Something that big, you don't forget," said Darien.  

	So with shaky legs, Darien helped Serena up the dock ladder.  He put a 
wet, protecting arm around her waist, kissed her cheek, and murmured into her 
ear that everything would be all right. 

Serena looked up into Darien's eyes and said, "Oh Darien, I know that I'm' safe 
in our arms, but I'm so hungry.  Let's change and go have breakfast at the the 
inn as fast as we can."

	Darien laughed and said, "Okay."

	As they were walking away from the dock, Darien turned to look back once 
more at the loch where they had just emerged from and noted a small oval shaped 
rock just above the surface that wasn't there before.  He turned and looked down 
to Serena and smiled as she looked up at him.  

	Serena asked Darien, "Is something wrong?  You look awfully white."

	Darien said, "What?  No everything is fine.  Then he turned to see that 
the small rock had disappeared from the surface, sending little ripples of water 
as it submerged into the water.

	As Darien and Serena approached the "Lucky Loch Inn", they hurried to 
their rooms and changed into some dry, warm clothes because the water was COLD.  
Serena opened her door in time to see Amy and Darien coming down the hall.  
Serena ducked back into her room to grab a handkerchief because she felt a 
sneeze was coming on.

	"Hi, guys," she said.  "Let's eat."

	Darien and Amy said hi and Amy continued, "Tell me about the mysterious 
monster that you saw in the loch."

	"Okay," said Serena.  "After we eat."

	As the trio entered the dining area they were greeted with a very solemn 
atmosphere.  Word had gotten around quickly about the monster.  In quiet 
murmuring the townspeople conversed about how they were going to deal with the 
monster.  So far no one in the town knew that Serena and Darien had saw the 
monster.

	The barkeep approached Darien, Serena, and Amy and asked them what they 
would like to have for breakfast.  As they all sat down they said, "Sure.  
What's on the menu?"

	The barkeep looked at them questioningly with a "what-did-you-say?" "Why 
miss, all we've got for breakfast is bannocks, sausage, tea, and dark ale."

	"Well, okay.  We'll have three bannocks, two teas, and one dark ale," said 
Darien.

	The barkeep took the order and left.  "Darien, why didn't you order tea 
with us?  Don't you know that dark ale is like grog back in the sixteenth 
century?  It's very strong," said Amy.

	"Amy, I can't let these people see me drink tea when every male in here is 
drinking ale, can I?" said Darien.  "After all, ale is a MAN'S drink."

	"Oh, yeah?" said Serena. "I think I'll have some ale instead of tea, too.  
Oh barkeep, change my tea to ale, please."

	"Oh, no, you don't," said Darien.

	"Too late.  I already have," retorted Serena.

	"Okay, but your going to drink every last drop of it," said Darien.

	"Ah, here comes our breakfast.  Oh, everything looks delicious," said Amy.  
"My tea is perfect.  How's your ale you guys?"

	Darien grabbed his mug of ale and Serena grabbed hers.  Darien downed his 
half way and said, "Not bad."

	On the other hand Serena downed hers half way and made a most unattractive 
face and spits out the ale.  "Yuck!  My stomach is on fire!  Darien why did you 
let me do this?  I want some milk."

	The barkeep immediately brought Serena some milk.  She downed the milk and 
said, "Yuck!  What kind of milk is the?  It tastes terrible."

	The barkeep said, "Why, it's goats milk.  Would you care for some water 
then?"

	Serena said, "Yes!  Yes, please."

	Everyone in the inn started talking and laughing about the commotion going 
on with the three newcomers.  But Daren and the girls couldn't understand them 
because the people were talking in English with their heavy Scottish burrs.  

	After Darien and the girls paid for their breakfast, the trio set off to 
see some of the interesting spots in the area.  As they browsed through the 
shops, they saw a lot of figurines of dragons and magicians of the sort that was 
familiar to Serena and Darien or was it just coincidence?  Some of the 
shopkeepers started to talk about what happened down at the dock the other day.  
A fisherman and two young people on the dock saw it.  

A shopkeeper asked a question to a customer, "Do ye think that they've disturbed 
him?  Are we in danger do ye think?"

The customer said, "No, we're not.  He's just curious.  Never ye mind.  Just do 
yer business as always.  Everything will be fine."  The customer purchased her 
items and left with a smile to the shopkeeper and the trio.

Darien said, "I saw a bakery down the road a bit.  Why don't we stop and get 
some bread and cheese and something to drink and rent some bikes and go out into 
the country a ways."

"Okay," chimed in the girls.  

So they rented some bikes and got some food to refresh themselves during the 
journey down the bumpy road.  The countryside was beautiful.  In a distance they 
could hear someone playing a bagpipe.

Serena said, "Let's stop and listen.  Besides there's a tree over there and we 
can eat our food and rest a while before we go back."

Amy spread out a wool blanket on the ground and Darien unpacked the food and the 
girls helped him.  As they were eating and listening to the sound of bagpipes in 
the distance, they heard a couple of farmers talking about the monster in the 
loch.

"Don't worry!  He's just curious.  Nothing will happen like it did the last 
time."

Serena whispered to Darien, "What do they mean nothing will happen like the last 
time?"

"Shh, Serena.  Maybe if we're quiet they'll talk more and we'll have an idea," 
said Darien.

Amy leaned back against the tree trying to hear what the farmers were saying.  
The farmers continued to talk.  "It only happens at night anyways.  If we're all 
inside we don't have for worry."

"Aye, well, it's getting close to that time.  See ye tomorrow."

Little did Darien and the girls know that the farmers knew that they were 
listening to their conversation with a twinkle in their eyes.  They smiled at 
one another and waved good-bye.

"Oh, Darien, I think we better go.  When we get back to our rooms we should talk 
about this over tea."

So they went back and ordered tea to be brought up to Serena's room.  There they 
sat on the floor next to the brazier (heater) with their tea and discussed the 
day's adventure.

"What should we do?" asked Serena.

"Wait for night.  Then we'll see what this monster does.  But we better be 
prepared in case something happens," said Amy.  

In a few hours supper was served as the trio descended downstairs to eat.  There 
was a mild murmuring, but nothing they could understand except "maybe tonight" 
was leaked out in the conversation.  Darien and the girls went back upstairs to 
rest a while and wait for the coming late night when they assumed the monster 
would show himself.

They rested in Serena's room because it was closer to the stairs.  The 
activities started to slow down and the noise was getting quieter as the smoke 
cleared a bit from the rooms.  Smells of the kitchens were drifting off into the 
air as the barkeep closed up his inn for the night.  There were the sounds of 
chairs were shuffled as they were dragged across the floor to be put on top of 
the tables seats down and the legs in the air and the tinkling of glasses and 
plates being wiped and put away.  The lights were turned down low and with a 
loud BANG the shutters were being closed.  

At that point Serena rolled out of the bed and onto Darien as he was resting on 
the floor.  With an "Oomph" Darien said, "Serena get off me!  What's wrong?"

"Didn't you hear that?  What was that anyway?  Oh, Darien, I'm so scared," said 
Serena.

"Oh Serena, that was the barkeep closing the shutters," said Darien agitatedly.  

"Is it time to go?" asked Amy

"Well, since we're all awake, I guess we can go down to the dock to see what 
there is to see.  How about it?  Let's go," said Serena.

So the trio set out down the stairs and out the front door.  (Why should the 
door be locked any way?  In this small a town people trusted one another as well 
as helping out in times of need.)  Onward to the dock the trio walked.  They 
noticed that the town shutters were closed.

Do they do this all the time or just sometimes, the trio wondered.  The feeling 
of someone or some ones were watching them followed them as they silently walked 
down through the town to the dock.  Darien turned to look and didn't see anyone, 
though.  Maybe a light here or there, but he thought that the people were just 
going to bed.  In actuality the people were watching the trio approach the dock.  
As they neared the loch, they walked carefully onto the dock, hearing creaking 
and moaning of the wood that wasn't there before.  Still they walked, linking 
arms after transforming into the Sailor Moon and Mercury and Tuxedo Mask.  

They were in a few feet of the end of the dock when suddenly to their surprise 
there arose a rush of water and up sprang a long, dark, sleek neck of the 
monster.    Through gleaming green eyes, it looked down on them as if to say 
what do you want?  The trio stepped backward slipping and sliding on the wet 
dock away from the monster.  Sailor Moon fell down and as Sailor Mercury bent to 
help her up, the monster lowered his neck and opened his mouth as if to eat 
them.  Instead he sniffs them. 

Tuxedo Mask threw a red rose into the monsters mouth to ward him off from the 
two Sailors.  The monster backed away just as quickly as Tuxedo Mask threw his 
rose.  Tuxedo Mask shouted, "Don't harm someone who doesn't want to harm you."  

The monster just snorted and raised his head back and opened his mouth and let 
out a loud roar.  Out of his mouth shot up a mist of green and white sparkling 
dust with a flame.

Tuxedo Mask yelled, "Are you ready Sailor Moon?"

Sailor Mercury gave the calculation on the distance to Sailor Moon so she could 
use her power on the monster.  Sailor Moon went into her stance and yelled,

"MOON <SNEEZE> SCEPTER <SNEEZE SNEEZE> ELIMATION! <SNEEZE>"

	As she lowered her scepter and aimed to the heart of the monster, there 
was a large and loud BOOM, as if a cannon had been fired.  To the trios 
amazement they looked up and saw green and white sparkling mist descending down 
upon them.  The mist disappeared as it hit the water and ground.  In a blink of 
an eye the monster was gone and the trio were the only ones to hear the gushing 
of water.

	They detransformed and turned around to start back to town when they saw 
the townspeople coming to see what was going on.  Some of the people were 
saying, "As we expected, the monster did it again.  Nothing.  He must be 
guarding us against some evil force.  He must know that there was no harm meant 
when we came here to the loch," the barkeep said.  He turned to the other 
townspeople and said, "Come on, I'll open up my inn and serve ye all a dark ale 
for such a cool evening.  Don't worry, it's on me."	The townspeople hurried 
down to the inn.  

	As Darien turned to look back once more to the loch where the monster was, 
he saw green and white dust sparkle in the light and small ripples of water 
lapping to the shore.  Just as Darien turned back around Amy and Serena saw what 
he had seen.  With wide eyes and a gaping mouth, Darien turned to the girls and 
said, "Let's RUN!"

	Serena was off like a shot with Amy and Darien not far behind.  

	Is the monster really gone or . . .