Many would consider the skyscraper-infested realm, whether the sun or moon was out, peaceful now that Yuri and company had prevailed over the almighty Administrator. With the victory came new allies, which she was ecstatic about — to her, meeting new people was the exciting part. Proclaimed as the Administrator now, some went so far as to say Yuri possessed full authority over the realm. Additionally, she held jurisdiction over the Guardian Angels themselves if she wished to take command of them. However, many speculated she was far too kind to do that.

One of Yuri's most sought-after goals was to convert the chaotic reality into one of peace and harmony. It would take a while, that was for sure, but no challenge was too big with the dedicated friends she had made. Among the first steps taken was enforcing the civil deportation of those wishing to leave without bloodshed of any sort. With this already confidently out of the way, there was still much to do. However, one thing was obvious: her authority and determination were undeniable. These two together forged a blueprint of conceived perfection.

The land of high-rises could be defined as infinite if one imagined hard enough. It expanded as far as the eye could see! With that came the possibility of unexplored areas and perhaps unknown masks. However, the chances of undiscovered 'personalities' would be close to none considering the realm was confined to four, or at least that's what was believed. But it was only a matter of time until the light of discovery was shed upon every bit of the unknown.

Guardian Angels, better known as Angry Masks, were the first solution to purging the unknown. Once serving the purpose of ensuring the creation of God was halted at all costs, they had a new task: protect those who were vulnerable and found themselves in the unforgiving realm. The eight guardians, once nine, wandered in search of civilians while additionally serving as mappers of the areas beyond. With a few more days of recon, they would have a mile radius of Yuri's 'home base' mapped, which was just an ordinary skyscraper. Civilians rescued were also a good source of information, given they likely explored a bit until being found.

While Kuon could've assisted, she was far too busy aiding Sniper Mask in locating food and water to keep the group supplied for the foreseeable future. Mayuko was hesitant about leaving Yuri's side, so she remained. Being the Administrator only furthered the toll on Yuri, so Mayuko felt justified, which effectively left only the Guardian Angels since others had tasks to attend to. If that wasn't enough, Mayuko wasn't really keen to help them. Miko Mask had threatened to kill both her and Yuri if they hadn't realized their place early on, which was quite ironic now.

The sun gradually descended into the depths of the altered reality that few managed to escape from by a singular helicopter. Someone holding a Barrett M82 in one hand walked down an empty hallway of a skyscraper. With their other hand at their side, clenching tightly, their steps were heavy despite wearing sandals. Pausing in front of a door, they firmly knocked three times before backing up, seeming agitated.

"Gambler, I told you we had to head out in fifteen minutes! Hurry it up!"

There was no answer, so the figure knocked again, but five times this time around, and more forceful than before. When there still wasn't a response, a loud sigh and growl of anger echoed in the hallway. Taking a step back, the person lifted its rifle in one hand, pressing the barrel against the doorknob. Its finger was teasing the trigger, about to press it down as hard as it could, but then a voice rang out, causing all to cease.

"What did I say about shooting my doorknob to barge into my room, Miko?" a gentle voice echoed. Its tone was peaceful, one soothing enough to encourage tranquility. Though, it didn't work on the figure dressed in a shrine maiden outfit, who was threatening the life of an innocent door. It rarely did.

Miko Mask, the woman who carried around the sniper rifle, lowered it slowly. Turning to look, her eyes rested on the one and only Dealer Mask, another Guardian Angel. Dressed in a casino outfit, it was fitting to Miko that her partner's alias was Gambler. However, what definitely was not acceptable was how Dealer's M4 Carbine was strapped to her side rather than being in her hands where it should've been. She was holding two sundaes, which Miko didn't seem too thrilled about. At all.

"What's the meaning of this?" she said, walking towards Dealer before halting in front of her. Staring down at the sundaes before gazing back up, both raised an eyebrow even though they weren't visible behind their masks. Miko's set of glowing crimson eyes met Dealer's own bright set of light azure eyes.

"The same meaning as every other time, Miko. What flavor do you want this time around? Rich Vanilla or Sweet Strawberry?" she said, offering the strawberry sundae.

"I'm feeling forget the sundaes and remember that we have a routine to uphold!"

Miko, clearly disapproving of snacking at this time, unclenched her hand, making a swat for the sundae. Expecting this, Dealer moved to block the swat with her forearm while simultaneously making sure she didn't drop either sundae. Having her swat blocked, Miko rolled her eyes and lowered her hand, already abandoning her efforts at stopping her partner.

"As cute as you are when you're angry, which is like all the time," Dealer said, teasingly chuckling, "I want to eat our sundaes before they melt. C'mon, I know you want one, so stop making this cuter than it has to be and take one. I'll ask you again: what flavor do you want?"

Grumbling, Miko slung her rifle's strap over her shoulder before taking the strawberry sundae in a swift motion like she didn't want it to be seen. All Dealer could do was smile as she observed her counterpart move her mask to the side, revealing her beautiful face that few had laid eyes on. The gambler chuckled, adjusting her own to the side.

"Aww, such a lovely face under there. I don't know why you always wear it even though it's not mand—"

"You've already convinced me to take the sundae, so if you're trying to convince me to throw this damn thing out the window as well, you'll find it to be a lot easier this time around!" Miko exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at her complimenter. However, she pressed the sundae close to her chest, seeming to secretly desire to enjoy it. She also didn't wish to admit that she took the compliment to heart, but the deep blush on her face said otherwise.

Taking a bite of her vanilla sundae, Dealer gulped it down before an innocent smile formed on her face. Pointing the spoon at Miko, Dealer bounced her eyebrows once, not seeming to feel threatened at all.

"Your heart seemed to have no problem convincing you to show how you feel, so tell yourself there's no problem in eating a sundae in front of me like all of those other times. I won't tell anyone. Promise.~"

Concerned by apparently showcasing her feelings, Miko's eyes narrowed as her hand lowered. Turning to look at one of the numerous tall windows preventing them from plummeting thirty stories, she immediately noticed the blush that claimed her face in the reflection. Facing Dealer, she pointed at her again.

"My heart or how I look has nothing to do with this! You're so annoying, I swear! Keep up your talking, and that window will have this sundae all over it! PROMISE!"

Gulping down another generous portion of her sundae, Dealer slowly walked forward. "Now now, dear. You promised you would start working on your anger management for me. I don't think throwing a sundae at the window will help." Stopping next to her, she plunged her spoon into Miko's sundae, fished out the unused one, and proceeded to walk, hiding a smirk.

Grumbling from remembering the promise, Miko focused her attention on Dealer, her head following her light blue eyes and any other noteworthy actions. Blindly observing her spoon being swapped before Dealer kept walking, it took a few moments before Miko fully processed what happened.

"H-HEY, WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, FLOOR SEVEN?!"

Laughing, Dealer tapped on the glass of her sundae with her spoon a few times. "Think of it as me helping you overcome your tendency to let anger get the best of you, dear. A contribution, if you will."

"Some help you are, Gambler. You can just hear in my voice how much I appreciate it, Gambler. HOW IT'S JUST CRACKING IN ANGER AND RELIEF, GAMBLER!" Miko shouted, following the Guardian Angel.

"Yup. I sure can, Miko. I sure can," she teased back before looking out a window. The sun was halfway down, signaling that their use of time was cutting it pretty close. She knew this was a perfect opportunity to mess with Miko again. "Come on, Miko, we're going to be late if we don't get a move on!" she said before going right back to snacking on her sundae, preparing her ears.

Miko paused in her tracks, one of her eyes twitching. Grabbing the end of the spoon, she waved it at Dealer violently despite her inability to see it. "THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU, FOOL! THIS IS THE EXACT REASON WHY I SHOULD'VE GOTTEN A FLOOR PROMOTION!"

Sighing in an exasperated manner, Miko followed in silence. She lagged a bit behind due to pondering whether to eat the sundae. "It looks so delicious," Miko thought.

A few minutes passed, and she still found herself staring at the spoon like she was fighting her conscience. Finally, after giving in, she scooped out a bite, eating it after a bit of hesitation. As it fully melted in her mouth, she let out a small moan of mystified origin. The flavor was hypnotizing, and like every other time, she devoured it little by little, enjoying it to the highest degree.

Meanwhile, back in the front, all Dealer could do was smirk and smile inside, knowing Miko was enjoying her sundae with every fiber of her being. With a feeling of accomplishment washing over her conscience, they neared closer and closer to their destination.