I do not want to repeat fics from John Hitchen's list; obviously, they're great and need no further promotion. My reading habits are a bit different, so it really wasn't a problem to pick out some different stories to showcase. I chose my selections based on which stories I remembered best after about a decade of first reading them. There will be a good bit of first season/Dark Kingdom stories in here, since that's my favorite season.

In more or less favorite order:

1. Renaissance (179k) by Yang Wenli
Pluto gets a chance to shine in this epic. What could have easily have become a Gary Stu character in Ferryman remains a believable and engaging new original character. I would say this has a distinctly manga-version feel to it. And as you might guess, there's a Dark Kingdom connection that makes the loop seem complete and explain the segue into Crystal Tokyo. While there are some typos and odd grammar, it manages not to be a deal-breaker when compared to the whole package. (Maybe one of these days I'll run all the fics through a spellchecker.)

2. Time Twister (124k) by Mike Chenoweth
Time travel in Sailor Moon offers a real playground for talented authors. In this NA dub fic, we are presented with a "what if" time travel scenario from an accident with Rini's Time Key. What if Nephlyte survived the attack in the park? One change snowballs into further tragedy -- how can this be fixed? You'll just have to read it to find out!

3. The Four Horsemen (95k) by Ken Wolfe
In order to prevent a resurgence of the Dark Kingdom., the Inner Senshi set off to destroy a second power source building strength under the Arctic Ocean. What they find there is not exactly what they expected. It seems almost any choice the senshi took here was going to lead to tragedy; Ken Wolfe ramps up on that emotion with a look at the youma of the Dark Kingdom and why they fight. This story will make you to pause to consider the first season in a new light.

4. The Dark, Twisted, Grotesque, Violent and Generally Perverse Adventures of the Sailor Scouts! (51k) by Mark Latus
This is a bit of what I'd call meta-fanfiction. There's not one complete story story here, just some excerpts of fics-that-could-have-been strung together by frame that is very similar to MST3K. The senshi are supposed to pick a fic, or bad things will happen. Are any of these worthy of the senshi? Familiarity with other fic cliches and anime may increase your enjoyment of this story.

5. Disgust (12k) by Lunari
So how did Metallia enter the solar system? Lunari explores the darker side of magic in this brief but chilling look at the beginning of the end of the Silver Millennium.

6. The Lunch Counter (9k) by Kenjiro Cross
A look at the senshi unwinding after a fight. The perspective of the Everyman narrator is perfect; he can ponder those improbable things we've always wondered about but can't seem to address in a serious, Senshi-centric fic. Where DO they keep their purses in their fukus?

7. Queen of Diamonds (19k) by Pandora Diane MacMillan
An exploration of Mamoru, Prince Diamond, and the woman they both love. You should read this one after dark for an extra level of spookiness.

8. The Case of the Missing Senshi (99k) by Frank Barr
A Sailor Moon Expanded story. It can stand on its own, but it should ideally be read after "The Babe Wore Blue." An interesting story melding hardboiled detectives and Crystal Tokyo. The research process here is much like my job and it's perfectly, realistically frustrating. The missing senshi may not be the one you're expecting.

9. All Quiet on the Terran Front (14k) by Victor Naqvi
As the title implies, this story draws heavily on All Quiet on the Western Front, but could be enjoyed without having read that first. A look at Jadeite and his experiences in the war against Beryl. Does this interpretation make Jadeite the weakest general, or the strongest?

10. A Chibi Chibi Lemon (12k) by Pandora Diane MacMillan
How would you write a lemon starring Chibi Chibi? Wait, don't try it without reading this first! This is also a piece of meta-fiction, requiring some familiarity with another infamous, not G rated lemon for full enjoyment.

Tags: bsmfn, good fics
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