Fractious Friends

"Fractious Friends" is the 38th episode of Sailor Moon. It was preceded by Tuxedo Unmasked and followed by The Past Returns.

Plot
Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus are fighting Sailor Moon for the Crescent Moon Wand. Malachite's servant, Ninjana, takes pictures of this and shows them to Malachite and Queen Beryl. Beryl suspects a trap, but Malachite is sure that Ninjana, who thinks that they are fighting for real, doesn't make mistakes.

Ninjana attacks Molly and her mother while stealing some jewelry from their store. Sailor Moon comes to fight her off, but gets into an argument with the other Sailor Scouts. Ninjana sneaks off and turns into a reporter named Nancy Vargas, who takes pictures of them and tries to interview them. Luna and Artemis suspect that she is from the Negaverse.

The other Sailor Scouts fight Sailor Moon again. It turns out that the whole thing is indeed a trick as part of a plan so they can find the entrance to the Negaverse. Later, at the temple, Luna and Artemis tell them all that Nancy is involved with the Negaverse. Serena gives her a note from Sailor Moon telling to meet her and that she wants to leave the Sailor Scouts. When Ninjana shows the note to Malachite, he decides to come with her.

Sailor Moon and Nancy meet up, and Nancy turns into Ninjana. Malachite arrives. He tells her he wants her to join the Negaverse (though she says that she does not want to) and that Tuxedo Mask is very weak and might not survive, and seeing her might make him feel better. Sailor Moon says she'll give him the wand if he teleports Tuxedo Mask to them, but Malachite (likely because his story is not true) says that he is too weak for travel, so Sailor Moon decides not to many any deal with him. Malachite creates a warp hole to the Negaverse. When Sailor Moon refuses to enter, Ninjana strangles Sailor Moon with a string.

The other Sailor Scouts try to decide whether or not to help her. Sailor Mars wants to stick to the plan, while Sailor Mercury gets a reading on the warp hole. Sailor Mars also reveals that she took the Crescent Moon Wand when Sailor Moon left it in her room. Eventually, they jump out and Sailor Mars attacks Ninjana, releasing Sailor Moon from her attack. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus combine Jupiter Thunder Crash and Venus Crescent Beam Smash on Malachite, but he is even more powerful than last time, and protects himself with a barrier. He then teleports away. Sailor Mars gives Sailor Moon the wand, but before she can use Moon Healing Activation, Ninjana multiplies into five. Sailor Mercury uses Mercury Bubbles Blast, and Sailor Mars destroys the fakes with Mars Fire Ignite. Sailor Moon uses Moon Healing Activation on Ninjana, turning her back into Nancy.

Unfortunately, Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars get into another argument with them sticking their tongues out at each other, but it is quickly ended when Nancy butts in for details about the Sailor Scouts breaking up, startling Sailor Moon and Mars out of their argument, and when Nancy asks for answers, Sailor Moon replies "No comment".

Trivia

 * "Fractious Friends" is one of the small amount of episodes where the girls are not shown transforming into the Sailor Scouts.