If anyone can suggest a SM 'fic that's actually in the style of the
series - a lot of comedy with the fighting, normal high-shool girl
problems, etc - can you please tell me?

Symphony of the Planets and Sailor Moon Z is the closest thing I've read.
The only unlikely aspect of the fic is the scope, where the anime tends to
try to keep relatively few characters invlolved in one ep, in Sailor Moon
Z it is constantly increasing in complexity.  However, the whole thing is
in the style of SM.

As far as your comments about characters I have to agree... I have seen
virtually all the original series and have yet to see a fic which deals
with the ones pasty the dub with any accuracy.  

My major problem with a lot of fics is that I can't stand the dub names...
to me Serena is not SM... but that's just my opinion :)

Oren