"Wha-" Mimete began, confused.

Before she could say anything more, Eudial suddenly kicked down Mimete, sending her to the ground.

"Ack…! What was that for…!?"

"Your memory is back, right? You should know why!"

"Wait… all this time when you talked about the unforgivable things I did to you… you meant that!? All this time you were mad at me over those silly squabbles? Really? Come on, those were just pranks…" Mimete shrugged.

Eudial tensed up. She felt her blood boil at those words, as it rushed to her head.

"...pranks? You called what you did to me a 'prank'...!?"

"Well… yeah?"

Mimete didn't have the time to see Eudial's staff strike down on her, hitting her on the shoulder.

"Argh!"

Mimete fell back to the ground. Eudial didn't give any moment of respite and kept hitting her with her staff with an expression of pure rage.

"You worthless, insufferable, ungrateful bitch! I can't believe you'd think those were just mere jokes! You selfish, double-faced, piece of shit!"

Each of those statements was accompanied by a hit of her staff. All Mimete could do was cry out in pain and curl up, desperately trying to protect herself from Eudial's fury.

The Sailor Senshi were still stuck behind the force field, unable to intervene to save Mimete. Venus particularly was agonized to see someone she thought of as a friend be mistreated like that.

"Mercury! Hurry!" Venus let out, despairing.

"I'm going as fast as I can!" Mercury replied, still typing on her mini-computer. "This barrier is stronger than I expected!"

Eudial continued her assault, letting out all the frustration she had accumulated against Mimete.

"Don't you have anything to say!? Huh, you useless scum!? Speak up for yourself!"

Eudial stopped hitting her. Mimete was still curled up, sobbing.

"I said speak up!" Eudial let out, kicking Mimete in the stomach.

"Urgh! O-Okay, I'm… I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I hadn't realized… how much… I upset you… and for that… I'm truly sorry! Please, senpai, don't hurt me anymore…!"

Eudial scoffed at that.

"Really now? That's all you have to say? Sorry for 'upsetting' me? Do you really think that's the issue here? After what you've done to me!?"

"What I've done to you…? Do you mean… the snails in your locker? Or making fun of your car? Is it hiding your stuff away? Or was it that time I wrote on your face when you were taking a nap…?"

"Seriously? You're going to name every single thing you did to me except what I'm actually referring to?"

"Uhhh… whatever else I have done, I'm sorry for that too!"

Eudial gave her another kick.

"Argh!"

"Don't make fun of me! You know very well what I mean! You belittled me, plot behind my back, sabotage my car and tried to have me killed!"

"W-what…? W-wait…! I never did that! Pulling some harmless pranks sure, but trying to kill you? Have you gone insane?! Who do you think I am!?"

This only enraged Eudial further, and she proceeded to kick Mimete even harder.

"You despicable liar! Stop playing innocent! You know what you've done, so why are you denying it now!? Are you trying to piss me off purposefully? Because congratulations, it's working!"

One too-powerful kick sent Mimete flying across the room. Her tiara fell when she landed and shattered on the impact.

"Ack!"

Mimete remained inert on the ground, in too much pain to move. Eudial was left panting, overwhelmed by all her anger.

"Hanyuu-san!?" Venus cried out.

Eudial suddenly came back to her senses and turned back. She had almost forgotten that they weren't alone. The senshi were looking at Eudial with such contempt, while their eyes expressed nothing but pity towards Mimete. It infuriated Eudial even more.

"What are you looking at, huh!?" Eudial yelled out. "Why are you looking at me like I did something wrong!? I'm not the bad guy here, it's Mimete! She's the one you should be scorning, not me! I am right!"

Eudial couldn't bear to see the disdain in their eyes, she didn't want to think she was wrong. She brushed it off and walked towards Mimete, who immediately started to crawl away in fear before cowering.

"You…!"

"Eek…! P-please, senpai, no more…! I'm sorry! I truly am! I-if you say that I… tried to k-kill you, then okay, I apologize for that too! Just don't hurt me anymore… and don't hurt Lulu either too…!"

Eudial felt more annoyed than angry. Mimete was still persisting in her denial. She was looking at Eudial as if the latter was acting erratic and even insane… this thought was actually making Eudial mad again.

But then, she realized something peculiar with what Mimete had just said.

"... what did you just call her?" Eudial asked, pointing towards Tellu.

Mimete didn't reply, still shivering and sobbing, much to Eudial's annoyance.

"Answer me, or I hit you again!"

"Eek….! Please, don't! I called her… Lulu?"

"Why?"

"Because… that's her name…? Teruno… Lulu?"

Eudial was at a loss for words for a moment. Could it be…? no…

"... and… what's my name?" Eudial asked.

"...? S-Senpai, what's going on-"

"Just answer the question!"

"...! A-Arimura! Arimura Yuuko…!"

Eudial froze. Of course. How could she not have noticed sooner? Those pranks Mimete apologized for… she did those too. And she also used to call her senpai. There might have been an unfortunate misunderstanding. Eudial might have made a terrible mistake.

"Are you… Hanyuu Mimi?"

Mimete looked at her like she had lost her mind.

"... Senpai… what… what are you talking about…? Y-Yes…! It's me, Mimi…!"

The realization of how badly she had screwed up hit Eudial like a train. She had been sorely mistaken all along- this wasn't Mimete. It was actually Hanyuu Mimi. And not simply the amnesiac girl who shared a body with Mimete and Mimi, but the actual human she used to be, with all her previous memories. And she was simply terrified to have her senpai seemingly attack her so brutally and for no valid reason.

Unlike Tellu, awakening as a daimon didn't bring back her witch memory, but her human ones. Given that, unlike Lulu, Mimi had been fully amnesiac as a human, it somewhat made sense.

"...S-Senpai…? Yuuko… senpai…?"

Eudial didn't know what to do anymore. All she had done was for the sake of vengeance. Revenge against all those who have wronged her, especially Mimete. But it wouldn't feel nearly as satisfying to take her revenge on Mimi instead. As she said it herself, what she did were nothing more than squabbles and pranks. Nothing worthy to be punished for. Nothing that could satiate her burning desire for revenge. And if even turning her back into a daimon failed to bring back the Mimete she loathed so much, what could? Her inner beast, the darkness lurking in her heart, had no power over the torment in her mind.

"I… I'm sorry, senpai… whatever I did to upset you, I'm truly sorry…!" Mimi continued to profusely apologize, still shivering in fear.

As Eudial still remained frozen in indecisiveness, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto finally caught up; now all the senshi had arrived.

"... what's going on here?" Uranus asked.

"Eudial snapped, she attacked Tellu and now Mimete, and Tellu's out of commission for now. Oh, and that's an electrified force field, so don't go near it," Neptune summarized. "Mercury is taking care of that."

"Huh. And what about Viluy-"

"Purified, back to being human," Neptune replied.

"How's the barrier thingy going, Mercury? Almost done?" Sailor Moon asked, barely hiding the feeling of urgency in her voice.

"I think I'm almost done finding its weak spot!"

Eudial walked away, heading for her machine. Mimi's head started ringing and pounding. That last hit on the ground did a number on her. But the pain wasn't the only thing weighing in her mind. All those awful things her senpai told her kept haunting her thoughts.

Mimi looked at Tellu. Then at the Sailor Senshi. Her eyes then shifted to her broken tiara on the ground, and then went back to her senpai…

A black star flashed for a brief moment on her forehead.

And then everything came back to her like a flash.

"I got it!" Mercury exclaimed, pointing to a specific spot on the barrier. "If we all attack there at the same time, we might be able to pierce it!"

The other senshi all nodded before getting ready to launch their respective attack.

Mimete grabbed her head in anguish.

"...no… this can't be… what have I done…!" Mimete lamented.

Eudial suddenly stopped and slowly turned back.

"... Mimete?" she softly called.

Mimete started sobbing once more.

"...Senpai… I'm sorry… I'm really sorry…!"

Eudial started to slowly walk back towards Mimete.

"Sorry for what?" Eudial asked calmly.

"F-for everything! But especially… for trying… to kill you…! I… I wasn't being myself… I… what was wrong with me…!? How could I do such a terrible thing to you!?"

Eudial stopped right in front of Mimete, looking down at her with an indescribable expression.

"If only you didn't remember…" she mumbled.

Mimete continued to weep.

"I'm so sorry, senpai! I swear I am! Please, forgive me!"

Eudial stared down at her for a moment until a grin appeared on her lips. Her inner beast had finally won.

"At last… you finally remembered your sin, Mimete!" Eudial exclaimed. "Everything wasn't for nothing after all! My efforts did payout! I was right! Everything turned out exactly like it should have! I am the righteous one!"

"S-Senpai…?"

Eudial then pointed her staff at Mimete. The latter flinched.

"Oh, you have no idea for how long I have waited for this moment," Eudial continued. "To see you cry and beg on your knees and be utterly pathetic. But you actually apologizing to me was actually unexpected, I admit. But that's like the icing on the cake. The cake of revenge!"

The tip of Eudial's staff started to ignite. Mimete began to realize what a dire situation she was in.

"W-wait, senpai…! I'm sorry, I swear! I'm not lying! Don't kill me! I'll do anything you want! Please senpai, forgive me!"

Eudial laughed at that.

"You're just making this even better! But I do believe you! Unfortunately, this does not absolve you of your sin. I will never forgive you, no matter what! You can keep reflecting on what you did to me in hell, forever!"

Eudial raised her staff, the flame growing bigger.

"No, please don't, Yuuko-senpai!"

"My name is Eudial! Now die, Mimete! Death-"

Before she could finish launching her attack, something hit her hand, making her drop her staff.

"Ouch!"

Eudial grabbed her hand, which had a light cut on it. On the ground near her was a red rose, the stem stuck in it.

"Who's there!?" Eudial yelled angrily.

Suddenly, coming from the shadow, a masked man wearing a cape made his entrance.

"Ignoring the cries and begging of a resourceful woman in the name of your twisted sense of self-righteousness is not only immoral and callous, but revolting! Have you not any compassion left, or has your heart fully turned so black with darkness that it holds humanity no more?"

Eudial glared at the man, taking back her staff.

"Shut up! You know nothing! I am righteous! I did nothing wrong! Stop treating me like I'm the one who's bad!"

She then pointed her staff at him.

"Get lost already, you tuxedo-wearing freak-"

The barrier was suddenly shattered, the Sailor Senshi all crossing what was left of it.

"No, that's impossible!" Eudial shouted. "My force field should have been impenetrable!"

"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon exclaimed.

"Now's your turn, Sailor Moon!" he said.

She nodded and turned to Eudial, holding her Eternal Tiare. Eudial immediately pointed her staff at her.

"I won't let you! I haven't said my last word! I will have my revenge!" Eudial let out. "I will have my revenge against all of-"

Multiple vines suddenly seized Eudial, keeping her captive.

"What the…!?"

"It's over, Eudial. I'm done doing what you want!" Tellu exclaimed.

"You… Fire Buster!"

Eudial burned off the vines, breaking free.

"Ha, you idiot! Have you forgotten fire burn grass…whoa-"

Tellu had jumped on Eudial and grabbed her, holding her still.

"Urgh! Let me go, Tellu!"

"No! I won't let you get away with this anymore, Arimura-senpai!"

"Huh!?"

The black star on Tellu's forehead kept flickering.

"Teruno-san? Or is it Tellu!?"

"Both! And the two of us agree you need to be taken down, no matter the consequences!"

Eudial tried to struggle, but it was in vain. Tellu was stubbornly refusing to let go of her.

"Let me go! Or I burn you alive!" Eudial warned.

"Go ahead! I still won't let you go!"

"Don't test me…!"

"Now, Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask said.

Sailor Moon nodded and raised the Eternal Tiare.

"Rainbow Moon Heartache!"

The moon rod sent several energy ribbons with hearts toward the two witches, who were irradiated by the blinding light.

"No, stop… I don't want this! You won't take my revenge away from me!" Eudial screamed.

Eudial and Tellu both got hit by a rainbow, followed by a giant heart that crashed against their bodies.

"...Love… Lovely!" they said in unison.

The heart dissolved into pieces and an egg came out from both Eudial and Tellu's bodies, cracking in two and releasing an evil black smoke.

Sailor Moon sighed. Finally, this was over. She rushed towards Tuxedo Mask to hug him.

"Mamo-chan! What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Artemis called me and sent me your location, said you might need some help," he replied. "I wish I could have helped you sooner with all of this, but you know how busy I was lately, preparing for my entrance exam…"

"Right, the university exam is soon," Sailor Moon concurred.

"Teruno-san!" Jupiter exclaimed.

The green-haired girl was lying on the ground, unconscious. As soon as Jupiter reached her the other previous witch suddenly rose up, staring at her.

"...Arimura…!?"

Yuuko started to walk backwards, glaring at everyone.

"Huh… are you alright?" Mars asked.

"... you… you ruined everything!"

Yuuko suddenly pulled out something from her lab coat's inner pocket and pointed it at them, much to everyone's shock.

"Stay back! Or I'll shoot you!" Yuuko threatened, holding a gun.

"Woah, what are you doing with that? That's dangerous!" Jupiter exclaimed.

"I bet it's not even a real one," Venus said.

Yuuko shot on the ground, a loud gunshot resounding in the room. Everyone instinctively recoiled.

"Alright, it's real," Venus rectified.

"Arimura-san, everything is fine now. You have been purified-" Sailor Moon began to say.

"Shut up! I never asked for this! And stop calling me that! My name is Eudial!"

"What? But… you don't have a daimon egg anymore…"

"I said shut up! This doesn't matter! I'm still me! And we are going to make you pay for this…!"

"We?" Neptune noticed.

"..."

Eudial looked like she had realized she had just said something she shouldn't have.

"Stay away from me! And don't follow me, or else I swear I'll shoot you to death!" she warned before running away.

"Wait, Arimura-san!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, but Uranus grabbed her wrist.

"It's too dangerous," Uranus said.

"But…!"

They didn't notice Mimete standing up, reaching for Eudial's staff. When they did, she was holding it firmly.

"Hanyuu-san, are you alright…?" Venus asked.

Mimete was looking down. She was covered in bruises due to the brutal beatdown Eudial gave her, barely standing up on her feet.

"It… it doesn't matter. Nothing… matters. No matter what I do, it won't matter…"

"...huh?"

"If I can't be forgiven even if I'm being sincere, then what's the point? There is no point in trying at all!"

"Ha-Hanyuu-san…!?"

Mimete suddenly glared at Venus, a black star appearing on her forehead.

"That's not my name! I am Mimete! And I am a witch!"

As she said that Mimete hit the floor with the staff, a yellow smoke came out from it, and she disappeared with it as it dissipated under the shocked expression of Venus.

Eudial was running like crazy, desperately trying to reach the exit. Everything had been ruined last minute, just like last time. But she was determined to not let it slide. She will come back and finish her revenge, daimon egg or not.

Exhausted, she stopped for a moment to catch up her breath, panting.

"You have failed me, Eudial. Or should I say, Arimura Yuuko."

Yuuko jolted and turned back. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw who it was.

"K-Kaolinite-sama!?"

The magus was standing close to her, holding her own staff. She was emanating a menacing aura.

"This… this isn't what you think-"

"You let the Sailor Senshi know you weren't working alone," Kaolinite interrupted her.

"I didn't tell them about you, I swear!"

"But they still know, and they will press you about it."

"I won't tell them anything! You can trust me-"

"Oh, I know you won't tell them anything. Because I won't let you."

Yuuko felt a chill down her spine at the implication.

"W-what do you mean, you won't 'let me'...?"

Kaolinite didn't answer. Instead, she began to walk slowly toward Yuuko.

"Kaolinite-sama, what do you mean by you won't 'let me'...!?" Yuuko insisted.

But she was met by the same silence. Instinctively, she wanted to reach for her gun, but part of her still wanted to trust her master. Also, she doubted she could do much against her with a mere human weapon. And running away would be futile.

"P-please, Kaolinite-sama, I would never tell them-"

The magus finally reached her and grabbed her by the collar before raising her staff.

"No, don't! I swear I would never betray you! Please-"

Kaolinite's staff hit the ground.

And with this chapter, the second arc of Witches 0 is over! This chapter was actually written at the same time as chapter 19, but given how long the chapter ended up being, I decided to split it in half (which ended up fitting with my initial idea of ending the second arc on chapter 20). I also wanted to include Tuxedo Mask in the story for a while and couldn't find the right time to, and I finally managed to squeeze him into the story (it wasn't planned originally when I was writing the chapter).

So, as of this chapter, Eudial, Tellu and Viluy are all purified, Mimete is back to being a witch, and Cyprine/Ptilol are nowhere to be seen. As I said for Fallen Stars, I'm taking a short hiatus for both fics to focus on other projects, hopefully, I should be back soon. Please let me know what you think of this arc and your prediction for the third one!