Fanfic / Sailor Moon: Between the Lines

Sailor Moon: Between the Lines is a collection of Sailor Moon FanFics written by former Sailor Moon tumblr blogger Jet Wolf. The overall premise involves stories and character reflections that occurred before, during or after a given episode.

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SM: Between the Lines provides examples of:

• Adaptational Superpower Change: In the canon version of Episode 143, Pegasus was responsible for helping the Inner Senshi achieve their Super forms. In the fanfic, it's explained that he simply boosted their powers to the way they were before Pharaoh 90's cosmic attack.
• Ambiguous Situation: Episode 139 describes a future battle where the Sailor Senshi are separated across Japan and having to hold their own against monsters. The exact details for what type of threat they're facing is along with the respective missions are never specified.
• And Then What?: In Episode 105, Makoto vents to Mamoru about her failure as a protector and worries over what will happen when they face off against a Monster of the Week who isn't vanquishable like the others.
• Apocalypse How: Several stories focus on the girls surviving an apocalyptic era before the world was salvaged by Neo-Queen Serenity.
• Armor-Piercing Response: In Episode 112, Haruka is against working with the Inner Senshi believing them all to be too weak for their own good. She soon has second thoughts after hearing Michiru's response.
  Michiru: It's worth noting we're only here due to the 'weakness' of one young girl.
• Ascended Fangirl: Makoto fell in love with the Sailor Senshi after they took down Jadeite and is more than thrilled to a be part of their group after her awakening.
• Back from the Dead: The theme of Episode 113 involves Usagi thinking about Kaolinite's return and worries if it's possible that any of her past villains could come back from the dead so suddenly.
• Bathos: Episode 156 involves Chibi-usa trying to have a bonding art session with Michiru despite having bitter feelings towards her for trying to hurt Hotaru. This happens while painting an unamused Haruka whose wearing a party hat and a frilly apron.
• Be Careful What You Wish For:
  • Ami in Episode 9 is ecstatic over the Super Computer Luna gave and is dying to learn everything it has to offer. When she gives in to her desire by pressing one of the buttons, she receives a cryptic report that leaves her feeling nothing but misery and hatred.
  • This is Played for Laughs in Episode 21: Minako gets to see the premiere of the Sailor V movie, only to learn she doesn't care for any of the artistic liberties taken with her animated counterpart.
• Big Damn Heroes: Just before Sailor Moon is axed to death by a monster in Episode 139, a full grown Miharu, the samurai girl from Super S, shows up to defend her.
• Birds of a Feather:
  • Minako comforts Usagi in Episode 135 by assuring her that she'll be by her side failing her tests on boring academic subjects throughout their high school years.
  • In Episode 138, Haruka finds an unlikely friend in Ami Mizuno who's exceptionally knowledgable when it comes to the mechanics of automobiles.
• Broken Pedestal: Ami's admiration for her father falls into ruin after she realizes his true character during a phone call with him in Episode 151.
• The Bus Came Back: Not a character example. But in Episode 139, Sailor Moon is able to conjure Moon Tiara Action again despite not having a physical tiara.
• Call-Back: While in disguise at an adult bar, Usagi tries to order a cream soda like in Episode 6 of Season 1.
• Cassandra Truth: Episode 128 features Usagi trying to convince the others that she really did see a giant circus tent floating in the air right after the solar eclipse.
• Catapult Nightmare: Minako does this in Episode 120 after having a nightmare where she imagines herself in Mimete's place during her final moments, only she's executed by Usagi instead of Tellu.
• Cerebus Retcon:
  • Episode 20 puts a darker spin on Usagi going out of town with Ami and Rei for a beach vacation by centering on Naru's reaction to finding out about said trip.
  • The last scene of Episode 123 involved Artemis telling the Senshi that they helped all the unconscious Mugen Academy students escape from the collapsing building off-screen. But in the actual story, Minako realizes that he lied to them and left them for dead.
  • Episode 136 has Makoto, Ami and Minako discussing Usagi getting worked up and dressing like a ninja to spy on Rei. They soon realize that her excessive new antics are a new coping mechanism to deal with the trauma of Pharoah 90's presence.
  • And in Episode 142, the Inner girls realize they were also weakened by Pharoah 90 too
• Continuity Nod:
  • Rei mentions the time Makoto won the punching bag game from the Sailor Moon S: The Movie in Episode 118. Usagi also brings up how Rei used her psychic powers to win the last two cruise tickets.
  • While watching a fashion show in Episode 140, Haruka compares a model whose dressed as a race car to a Daimon she and Michiru fought.
  • Rei and Ami investigate the place where Usagi had her Dream Mirror shattered mixed with Pegasus spiriting away the Amazon Trio in Episode 155.
• Cute Kitten:
  • Episode 142 has the Outer Senshi making the acquaintance of Tiny Kitten Diana.
  • Then in Episode 148, Diana requests to spend the day with Makoto to learn more about her then just her Senshi image.
• A Day in the Limelight: Episode 99 focuses on Grandpa Hino as he thinks back to his granddaughter growing up along with her special destiny.
• Death Is Cheap: When Rei tells Usagi that people don't come back from the dead so easily, Minako retorts that they did it twice.
• Didn't Think This Through: While coming up with an elaborate plan on presenting herself as a stunning lady in a night club and making her way to the bar, Rei forgot to take into account how to actually order a drink for herself.
• Disappointed in You: Makoto isn't very pleased to know that Rei used her powers to cheat and win cruise tickets.
• Doing Research: Ami has made it a habit to have notebooks full of research for each of their adventures and missions as detailed in Episode 122.
• Dramatic Irony:
  • The ending of Episode 10 has Rei thinking to herself that she'll never be friends with Usagi, not even if she lived to be a thousand.
  • Episode 21 ends with Rei remarking to Usagi that the girl being dragged out of the theater looks a lot like Sailor V. Usagi retorts that she doesn't look anything like her, both unaware that they're talking about Minako.
• Due to the Dead: In Episode 126, Haruka and Michiru make a grave to honor Setsuna.
• Failed a Spot Check: Makoto lists a variety of flower shops for Artemis to go to so he can pick up a bouquet in Episode 100. She does this until she remembers that he's a cat.
• Failure Hero: To Minako's horror, the anime adaptation of Sailor V portrays her as a bumbling crybaby who can't catch a single criminal.
• Fashion Show: Episode 140 has Michiru and Haruka attending a fashion show with the former finding the whole event to be dull and uninteresting. Though she gains a moment of interest when she sees the designs made by Yoshiki Usui.
• Flash Forward Fic:
  • Episode 146 shows Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion playing sick to get out of a royal ceremony.
  • Episode 150 has Hotaru and Chibi-usa hanging out as teenagers.
• Foreshadowing: In Episode 119, Makoto comments that it would be nice if the bad guys beat themselves up. Starting from Mimete, each of the Witches would be killed by their own actions.
• Forgot About Her Powers: The girls interrogate Makoto in Episode 118 in regards to why she chose roulette, a luck themed game, to compete against the daimon over a physical game she could easily win. Makoto justifies herself claiming that she was on a lucky streak for the past week and decided to try her luck with roulette.
• Formula-Breaking Episode:
  • Episode 121 goes into the past of Silver Millennium and focuses on the relationship between Queen Serenity and Sailor Pluto.
  • Episode 146 jumps into the future that show Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion taking a break from their royal duties while assigning Future Mars to deal with the upcoming visit.
• The Future Will Be Better: Sailor Pluto shows Queen Serenity visions of Crystal Tokyo along with the adolescence of her granddaughter Chibi-Usa.
• Girl's Night Out Episode: Gender-flipped in Episode 133 when Mamoru and Artemis go out for drinks.
• Glamour Failure: Episode 102 involves the Inner Senshi trying frantically to perfect Minako's disguise as Sailor Moon with undesirable results.
• I Hate Past Me: In Episode 110, Usagi encounters Future!Sailor Uranus who admits that she isn't proud of how her past self acted, especially to the bun-head.
• Happy Place: Minako's happy place is a playground with a swing set as seen in Episode 109.
• Happy Dance: The Inner Senshi dance with each other in the rain in Episode 147.
• Heroic BSoD: Usagi experiences shell shock after her horrifying battle with Pharaoh 90 leaving it up to her friends to try and bring her back.
• History with Celebrity: Discussed in Episode 134 as Minako wonders if Makoto knows any other potential celebrities. To her surprise and joy, Rei reveals that she has her own mint-condition copies of Codename: Sailor V and has her sign them.
• Im Properly Paranoid: In Episode 141, the guilt of lying about her age to get into a night club consumes Mako to the point that she has complicated thoughts on how her talking to a foreign club patron will kickstart World War III.
• Ironic Echo: In Episode 101, Haruka goes on a tirade about how pointless birthdays are and how she doesn't even remember hers. The blonde soon eats her words when Michiru asks if she remembers her birthday while throwing her lover's words back at her.
• It Sucks to Be the Chosen One:
  • Episode 1 involves Usagi complaining about being a Sailor Senshi and how it'll interfere with her carefree lifestyle.
  • Episode 21 has Minako giving a depressed tirade over how miserable she is after turning into a Pretty Soldier.
    Minako: I’ve been doing this for how long? Almost a year? What do I have to show for it? No friends, more groundings than I can count, and a scar on my shoulder I don’t think will ever heal. It’s a movie, all about ME. It’s someone trying to GIVE me something for a change. I just need this. Okay?
• Jerkass Realization: The premise of Episode 8: Usagi is initially overjoyed at the prospect of befriending Ami because she could help improve her grades. However, she comes to realize how lonely Ami has been, especially since she's only recognized for her intellect.
• I Just Want to Have Friends: Episodes 104 and 107 focus on Chibiusa's turmoil over her friend making mission.
• Let Us Never Speak of This Again: Episode 12 ends with the girls deciding to never mention cruises ever again after Usagi learns that the 'cute captain' was actually a disguised Jadeite.
• Magical Computer: Ami takes the time to study her gifted Super Computer in Episode 9, and marvels at how technologically advanced it is despite its old age.
• Meaningful Echo: Most of Episode 111 has Rei going through the major developments involving her apocalyptic visions, the rocky relations with the Outer Senshi, Usagi being the Messiah, and her drooling on her bed while writing it off as a "bad day". The last part has Usagi recounting all the good things that happened leading her to call it a "great day".
• Minor with Fake I.D.: Courtesy of Minako, the Inner Girls pass themselves as young ladies to have a fun night in a night club in Episode 141.
• Mood Whiplash: In Episode 132, Rei is visibly upset to hear that Usagi almost died while she and their other friends were miles away unable to save her. The mood then turns super silly when Usagi asks for her help in picking out an ugly stuffed animal.
• Moving Angst: Episode 25 partially focuses on Makoto's angst with having to move constantly because of her Bully Hunter ways. She even mentions that she barely lasts a month in any given school.
• My God, What Have I Done?: Rei gets this reaction in Episode 119 when she realizes that she unintentionally hurt her friends by keeping her apocalyptic visions a secret for so long.
• My Significance Sense Is Tingling:
  • In Episode 125, Makoto could tell that Usagi disappeared from their world the moment she entered Pharoah 90's dimension to destroy him.
  • In Episode 149, Sailor Venus can feel Usagi's Dream Mirror being shattered and rushes to reach out to her alongside their friends.
• Mythology Gag: The end of Episode 21 has Rei ask Usagi if the girl throwing a temper tantrum at the theater resembles Sailor V. Much like the Dreamland episode, Usagi shoots her down, saying that it isn't possible.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: In order to catch their opponents in a friendly game of tag for Episode 116, Mercury enlists Jupiter's help in creating a miniature storm with their powers. This ends up creating an actual thunderstorm that puts Juuban in a tizzy.
• No Infantile Amnesia: Episode 117 covers Hotaru as a baby who's delighted to meet her athlete hero Shun Hayase.
• No One Gets Left Behind: The girls assure Usagi in Episode 98 that they'd never abandon her or each other if the situation called for it.
• Non-Answer: Artemis doesn't give a solid answer to Mako's question on how he, a cat, can carry or even have money.
• Not So Above It All: Episode 154 features Makoto trying to convince Sailor Venus not to steal back her teddy bear from the devil child who bought it from them. But Venus realizes that Makoto had the same idea given how she suspiciously appeared in front of the apartment like her.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: In Episode 125, Ami can tell that something went wrong for Usagi not to smile after finding her in the ruins of Mugen Academy.
• Oh, Crap!: Usagi gets this at the start of Episode 98 when she realizes that she's stuck in the forest with no way of getting home.
• Once Done, Never Forgotten: In Episode 156, Chibi-usa still has disdain to Michiru for trying to kill Hotaru.
• Pet the Dog: Realizing how upset Usagi is over his Near-Death Experience at the beach, Shingo offers his sister a chance to play video games with him in Episode 144.
• Playing Sick: In the future, Neo Queen Serenity pretends to be sick so she doesn't have to sit through a boring and superficial meeting.
• Poor Communication Kills: Episode 20 reveals that Ikuko assumed that Naru was already aware and included in Usagi's plans for that weekend.
• Rage Breaking Point: Minako was not having a good time at the Sailor V movie premiere. But she's absolutely outraged when her fictional counterpart's civilian form is portrayed as a fragile, mousey brown-haired girl with no curves.
• Refusal of the Call: Haruka and Michiru get a phone call from the Inners in Episode 129 about the Dead Moon Circus. Though they decide to let them handle it while they enjoy their current vacation spot.
• Right Behind Me: In Episode 103, Minako pretends to be an exaggerated version of Makoto while wearing her yukata and comes to regret it when the girl sees her from behind.
• Screw the Rules, I Have Supernatural Powers!:
  • Deconstructed. Rei tells Minako in Episode 12 that she could use her psychic intuition to win at just about anything, but abusing such power would lead to negative consequences from the Kami she believes in.
    Minako: Karma's a bitch?
    Rei: Headaches for a month.
  • Played straight in Episode 127 where Minako transforms into Sailor Venus in order to break in to a photo development shop out of dissatisfaction with their poor services.
  • Happens again in Episode 154 as Sailor Venus planned to use her abilities to steal back a teddy bear from a bratty child.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Rather then spend her time wandering the woods for a fairy obsessed nutjob, Ami decided to go back home.
• Secret Secret-Keeper: In Episode 99, Grandpa Hino has a vision about his granddaughter becoming Sailor Mars.
• Self-Serving Memory: Rei proudly declares that her going on a cruise trip with Ami was a wonderful experience which helped strengthen their friendship. Ami's reactions tell a different story.
• So Proud of You: Ikuko feels pride for her little Usagi after learning how she helped another girl named Miya who was miserable during their first day of school.
• Someone Has to Die: Sailor Pluto ponders to herself in Episode 124 on how she's always been the "piece" that must be sacrificed for the safety of her friends.
• Start My Own: While slightly bitter that Usagi went on a picnic date with Mamoru, Makoto decides to make her own picnic date with Ami, Rei and Minako in Episode 116.
• Stepford Smiler: Episode 6 featured Rei giving what her grandfather calls her "executive smile" to the thousands of visitors who come for lucky charms to solve their trivial problems. Though she does give more sincere smiles to the customers who come for different but exceptional reasons.
• Stop Worshipping Me: Even though Usagi has now evolved into Neo Queen Serenity in Episode 152, she detests seeing Makoto treat her differently compared to when they were in middle school.
• Switching P.O.V.: Episode 125 covers each of the Inner Senshi as they process the aftermath of Pharaoh 90's apocalyptical presence.
• Tears of Joy: Usagi and Makoto do this in Episode 152 after the former begs Makoto not to treat her differently after she ascended the throne as the future queen.
• Thinking Up Portals: In Episode 110, Setsuna summons the Space-Time Door to allow Usagi to travel into the future to reach the cathedral and save Uranus and Neptune.
• Throw the Dog a Bone: After Minako argues with Artemis over how hard life has been for her even since she turned into Sailor V, the white cat decides to pull some strings so she could go to Tokyo and see her new movie.
• Tragic Keepsake:
  • Sailor Venus returns to the ruins of her old home in Episode 114 and picks up a CD belonging to the idol Jinta Arai, one of her favorite singers who already accepted that he would be forgotten in the future.
  • In Episode 152, Neo Queen Serenity ends up finding the magazine that Rei was featured in during the Super S season and keeps it with her.
• Trauma Button:
  • Episode 150 shows a teenager Chibi-usa having a panic attack after her friend Hotaru brings up a circus flier which made her remember how Momoko was targeted by the Dead Moon Circus.
  • This is Played for Laughs in Episode 153 as a teen Chibi-usa panics over Hotaru visiting the dentist.
• Villain Episode: Episode 13 focuses on Kunzite feeling upset over Jadeite's punishment while Zoisite remains unfazed over the loss of his coworker.
• Wild Wilderness: The Inner Senshi get lost in the woods in Episode 137 while trying to find the fairy hunter Kitakata.
• What Did I Do Last Night?: Rei takes Usagi out for breakfast in Episode 108 where she eats off a hangover while being informed over what she did at the rosy party.
• What Is This Feeling?:
  • Even though Kunzite doesn't know the exact reasons, he does feel genuine sorrow for Jadeite's death and is frustrated with his lover's indifference.
  • Episode 117 features professional jumper Shun Hayase feeling nostalgia and pride after a chance encounter with Baby!Hotaru.
• What the Hell, Hero?:
  • The girls thoroughly chew out Rei in Episode 119 when they discover that she's been having visions about the apocalyptic Silence for months and chose not to tell any of them.
  • Minako does this to Artemis in Episode 123 for lying about saving all of the unconscious Mugen Academy students when in truth he and Mamoru only saved a few of them while the rest were left for dead.
  • Rei calls out Mamoru in Episode 145 over his recent string of fatphobic comments to Usagi.
• Whole Episode Flashback: The focus of Episode 130 covered Usagi in her first day at school where she struggled with learning, cried most of the time, but managed to help another girl who was having a harder time.
• Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Ami gives a positive one in Episode 10. After rescuing the buses from the youma's dimension, she called the police pretending to be one of the victims so they could come and help everyone. She even mentions to Rei that she explicitly told them that the Hikawa Shrine was in no way responsible for the mass disappearance.
• Ye Goode Olde Days: Tying to the You Are Fat section below, Mamoru's weight "jokes" were his way of seeing if he and Usagi could bicker like they used to before they became a couple. But looking back, they can't compare to the more pleasant moments in the present along with Usagi's somber reactions.
• You Are Fat: Played for Drama in Episode 145. Mamoru's recent comments about Usagi's weight come off as quite offensive rather then as playful teasing like he intended. It takes Rei having to barge in his apartment and yell at him about it for him to come to his senses.
• You Are Not Alone: The ending of Episode 104 has Usagi reminding Chibiusa that in spite of her new mission to make friends, she already has them.
• You Remind Me of X: To Naru's lament in Episode 131, her interactions with Tiger's Eye brought up harsh memories of her past love for Nephrite.
• Your Days Are Numbered: Given her title as the Guardian of Time and Space, Pluto already knew when she would die in Episode 124.

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