To say that Rantaro wasn't curious about Niles's gesture would be a lie. Having survived the previous Killing Game, he knew he needed to be careful who he trusts but also knew that peculiar gestures like the one Niles performed usually meant something. Rantaro knew he could trust Niles simply because he was the only one who knew the truth about the Outlaw. To not raise suspicions, the green haired student lingered in the cafeteria with everyone else, gauging the other 15. As he chatted with the others, he was trying to figure out who should be tested to trust and who to stay away from. Additionally, he was trying to see if someone's behavior, speech pattern and overall personality triggered his memory. But speaking of memory, he couldn't remember much sadly.
When people started to filter out for the night, whether it was to go to their rooms or to wander the grounds of their confines, Rantaro decided that now would be an okay time to go to Niles's room to discuss their game plan. Bidding those who lingered in the cafeteria goodnight, the Survivor makes his way back to the dorms casually. Upon entering the dorms, Rantaro glances around first for Niles's room and then for anyone who might be lingering around. Seeing no one, he makes his way over to the door with Niles's portrait and knocks on the door.
"Who is it?" came Niles's voice.
"It's Rantaro," the green haired male answers. After a pause, Rantaro hears faint footsteps and the click of a lock, the door opening to reveal Niles, who was leaning suggestively in the door frame. Rantaro couldn't help but roll his green eyes playfully at the display.
"Good to see you match your smarts~ Come in~" Niles grins before stepping aside. Rantaro steps into the room and turns around when hearing the door shut. His green eyes follow Niles's movement through the room, noting that the big blue cape was gone, revealing the purple vest and the black shirtless sleeves completely. Glancing around, Rantaro noticed that the cape, chest guard, belt and key ring lay on the nearby desk. Niles sits on his bed and motions for Rantaro to sit next to him and Rantaro does exactly that.
"So I assume you called me to your room to further plan?" Rantaro asks, quirking an eyebrow.
"That would be correct. I say tomorrow we try to get into the mastermind's room at some point. Ideally that'll give us something to go off of," Niles says as he pulls off his boots before flopping backwards.
"Agreed. Also, I want to test some people. See who else we can trust," Rantaro says. This catches Niles's interest and his blue eye goes to the male sitting next to him.
"Oh? Who do you have in mind?"
"Shuichi, Kokichi, Miu, maybe Kaede."
"The detective and the inventor I can understand. But why the pianist and the supreme leader?"
"I have reason to believe that Kaede would be good to keep around for morale when the goings get tough. As for Kokichi, the sooner we have him on our side, the better off we'll be in the long run."
"True... I can't read his tells. He has similar energy to me and I bet he'll figure out our secrets sooner or later on his own."
"My thoughts exactly."
"Since you lingered to be a social person.. Anyone throw you off?"
"Angie and Korekiyo for sure. They're both rather odd... Angie with her.. Atua.. and Korekiyo with his weird mask."
"Same. Also Maki. She's hiding something. Childcare Giver is definitely a cover-up for something. I intend to find out one way or another."
"Just don't get yourself killed..." Rantaro says, sweatdropping a bit.
"Oh don't you worry your pretty little face. I have no intentions to die, after all, I have a Kingdom to get back to that's in the middle of a war," Niles says, smirking a tad.
"True, you have the most at stake as far as we can tell," the Survivor nods. Niles then blinks as a thought occurs to him and sits up.
"Wait, you have a map of the entire place, right? Let me see it real quick, would ya?" Niles says, holding his hand out. Rantaro hands the MonoPad over to Niles and peers over the man's shoulder to see what he would do. Niles gets the maps open and starts looking at each floor plan carefully. He was looking for Maki's Research Lab since they all had these special labs, even though no one could access theirs yet. As Niles gets to the third floor plan, he pauses and peers at the symbol of one of the research labs - some foreign object and a knife. He then taps the symbol. "What is this object next to the knife?"
"That would be a gun. Fires off deadly metal projectiles with a simple click," Rantaro explains. A wide and cruel smirk splays on Niles's lips as he pieces together what Maki's true Ultimate talent it.
"Well, well, well Rantaro~ Looks like we have Maki's true talent - Assassin," Niles says.
"Assassin you say? Huh," Rantaro says. He takes the MonoPad back and checks the Student Profiles and goes to Maki's profile. "Yeah, even mine says Childcare Giver, even though the Research Lab has the Assassin symbol on it. Weird."
"Weird indeed," Niles hums in agreement. "So tomorrow, I think we should start with Kaede and Shuichi after we investigate that mastermind room some."
"Sounds good to me. How you thinking we test them? See how willingly they open up?"
"Kaede might but Shuichi? No, he's too shy and they would expect the same from us. I'd have to fabricate an entire backstory that won't feel out of place in this world."
"Good point. Maybe instead, we watch our people of interest and watch their behavior in a casual manner?"
"Oh yes, that'll work much better. And I highly doubt anyone will question the two of us hanging out - the Amnesiac and the Outlaw as we are the most suspicious of all."
"Haha, yeah that might put our people of interest on edge if we're lingering around."
"If they're too on edge with us lingering around minding our own business then we clearly cannot trust them!"
"Fair point. If the Research Labs are ready by tomorrow, we should check yours out. I assume the bow and key is yours anyways. It's in the basement near the library."
"That makes sense and I cannot wait to get my hands on a bow and quiver. I feel absolutely naked, and not in the fun way, without them," Niles says. Rantaro covers up a snort at that comment.
"People probably won't try anything with you if you're armed again," Rantaro says thoughtfully.
"Ideally," Niles says. "But sounds like we have a game plan."
"That we do. I'll see you at breakfast?" Rantaro asks as he stands up from Niles's bed.
"See you at breakfast," Niles nods. With a genuine smile, Rantaro heads over to the door and cracks it open to check to see if anyone was around. Seeing that the coast was clear, Rantaro glances behind him and just sighs noticing that Niles was, for some reason, shamelessly staring at his ass. With a shake of his head, the green haired male steps out of Niles's room and heads to his own for the night.
The next morning had Rantaro up and early as he was an early riser. He makes his way to the cafeteria, having a feeling that Tojo was already there and cooking breakfast given she was a maid. Upon entering the cafeteria, his nose was hit with a delicious scent and confirmed his feeling. What surprised him was that Niles was already there but was the only one in the cafeteria. The Survivor makes his way over to Niles and sits with Niles noting that the Outlaw had purposely brought an extra table in here.
"Already starting the test?" Rantaro asks.
"Yup. Besides, last night I could tell that various people were not quite comfortable sitting at the same table as me so I decided let's start the test right away no?" Niles hums.
"Fair enough. The angle is good. Not directly staring at the others but allows us to see them," Rantaro nods.
"And to have some privacy," Niles points out.
"Yeah, privacy is always a good thing," Rantaro says before looking over to see the doors open to reveal a few students walking in - Angie, Kaito, Tenko, Tsumugi and Ryoma. The two sitting off to the side watch as the five that enter go to the main table but sit separate from one another, throwing a few glances their way. The door opens again a few minutes later to reveal Kiibo, Gonta, Miu, Kaede and Shuichi entering. Kaede hesitated when seeing Niles and Rantaro off by their lonesome but goes to the large table instead, Shuichi following her. Tojo came out of the kitchen a minute after to bring out the breakfast she had been preparing. Maki enters next and just ignores everyone as she takes a seat, Himiko trailing behind her sleepily. The two girls are followed by Korekiyo who tilts his head curiously at Rantaro and Niles, observing them the best he can for a few moments before sitting at the table. Kokichi was the last to enter and instead of going to the main table, he bounds on over to Niles and Rantaro, grinning like the little gremlin he is.
"Goooood Morning Niles and Rantaro!" Kokichi greets, sitting across from them.
"Good Morning Kokichi. How did you sleep?" Rantaro asks pleasantly as he began eating breakfast. Tojo comes over with some breakfast for Kokichi and sets it in front of him before starting to walk back to her seat.
"Quite well! And Thanks mom!" Kokichi says, grinning even more at Tojo.
"...Do not call me mom," Tojo sighs before continuing her way. Kokichi just snickers before looking at the other two males.
"So Kokichi, what brings you to the sketchy table?" Niles asks, his blue eye watching the purple gremlin before him.
"Well, if this is indeed the sketchy table, then I'm in the right place, no? The Outlaw, an amnesiac and the Supreme Leader?" Kokichi hums out before eating some of his breakfast.
"He has a point. The three of us are the biggest misfits. A supreme leader of a supposed evil organization. A literal criminal and then someone who can't remember his own talent," Rantaro says.
"Very true. Misfits should stick together no?" Niles says.
"Exactly~" Kokichi chirps before lowering his voice. "Besides, I know you two know more than you're letting on~"
"Whatever makes you think that?" Niles asks.
"You and Rantaro were rather close yesterday and I noticed that small gesture you gave him."
"Perhaps I'm using Rantaro to further my own goals. I am a criminal after all."
"Nishishishi~ Maybe you are but we both know that's a lie."
"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Who can say for sure?"
"I suppose only time will tell, won't it?"
"Indeed. Only time will tell," Niles says, sitting back in his seat, much more relaxed. Rantaro notices the more relaxed nature of Niles and wonders if that meant Kokichi passed a test. However, Rantaro just shrugs it off and chats with the two males he was sitting with. He kept a faint eye on the bigger table to watch Kaede, Miu and Shuichi to gauge their body language. When Kokichi had finished his breakfast, the Supreme Leader heads off to mind his own business, claiming to the two that he had some evil scheming to do. Niles stands and gestures with his head to the door before starting to leave the cafeteria. Rantaro follows Niles and stays quiet as the one eyed male leads him down to the basement. Just as Rantaro was about to ask Niles a question, Monophanie pops up.
"Oh good! You're here Niles! Your Research Lab is ready to use now! Not sure why Daddy wanted yours done so quickly, but it's ready for you to use!" Monophanie says before disappearing. Niles blinks.
"Well! That answers one question!" Niles says before walking to the Research Lab in question, Rantaro following behind.
"So about the whole thing with Kokichi... Is he to be trusted?" Rantaro asks as Niles opens the door to the lab.
"He passed one test but not quite ready to spill the beans so to speak," Niles answers before pushing the door open and stepping inside. When Rantaro stepped into the room, his eyes widen with amazement. The Research Lab had an archery range at the far end, multiple quivers of arrows lined against the wall. The part of the Lab closer to him and Niles was done in a medieval manner, with the floor done in cobblestone and with torch sconces on the wall, the torches clearly electrical as to not burn the lab down on accident. In one corner was a large wooden chest which Niles made a beeline for. Rantaro noticed a small cell that looked like it could hold one or two people in without being crowded. Rantaro moves over to Niles and watches him pick the lock of the chest.
"Where'd you find the lockpicks?" Rantaro asks, getting a chuckle in response.
"A thief always has lockpicks on them~" Niles answers before getting the chest to pop open. A wide and wicked grin appears on Niles's lips as he picks up his trusted bow from the chest. "Oh how I missed you~"
"Should I give you some private time?" Rantaro jokes, amused by how attached Niles seemed to be to his bow.
"Maybe I want you to watch~" Niles smirks, wiggling his white eyebrows at the Survivor. The Outlaw then saunters over to the quivers and picks one up and secures it around his waist, the actual quiver resting on the small of his back. He then hooks his bow behind him and looks over at Rantaro. "Let's go pretty boy. We have a mastermind room to find and people to make uncomfortable!"