Just as Rantaro and Niles stepped out into the hallway, they heard the TV in the hallway crackle to life. Looking over, the two males saw Monokuma was on the screen and the bear didn't look too happy and both could conclude that it was due to no one being dead yet. Both were shocked upon Monokuma revealing the First Blood Perk - the first killer would walk free, no trial held! It seemed too good to be true and both males wondered if there was a catch to it.
"Buuuuuuuuuuut! There's a caaatch~" Monokuma starts. "You have two days to use it! Additionally, if no one is dead by the third night, you all will die! GAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"He really wants someone to murder..." Niles comments to Rantaro.
"So if you don't want to end up as bloody smears, get killing~" Monokuma says before the TV shuts off. Rantaro lets out a heavy sigh.
"That's definitely going to cause someone to murder..." Rantaro says, running a hand through his green hair.
"Sadly I have to agree with that statement," Niles says. "But the question is, will someone take advantage of that perk? That in of itself is a very tempting incentive. And then throw on the two deadlines, and voila! Murder!"
"You're not wrong. Though I wonder, if we can figure out the Mastermind and kill them, would we end the game early?" Rantaro muses.
"I would say ask but that would let the Mastermind know what we're planning," Niles hums out. "But that would be a genius thing - use the perk that's meant to spark this game into life against the Mastermind to end it."
"Well, since you're better at this whole murder thing, I'll let you kill them if we can figure it out," Rantaro says. Niles smirks and pats Rantaro on the head.
"Smart choice~ Now, into the library," Niles says before turning and heading into the library. Rantaro follows Niles, hands in his pockets. So far, it was just him and Niles at the moment which was good. The two then separate and start scouring the library for the opening mechanism of the door. Niles wonders how he missed a secret door yesterday when he inspected this room. The Outlaw was randomly pulling and pushing on odd looking books to see if those had any significance when he eventually gets a click in response. Niles backs away as the bookcase rumbles and swings open. Rantaro had looked over upon hearing the click.
"Wow! Nice job Niles!" Rantaro says, walking over.
"I didn't think that would work," Niles admits. He was about to continue when he heard faint voices and he immediately pushes the bookcase back into place. Rantaro was about to question him but he soon enough heard two voices approach the library. Rantaro quickly goes back to looking at the books he was looking at prior. He felt Niles's presence by him a few seconds later just as the library doors open. Playing dumb, Rantaro pokes his head out to see Kaede and Shuichi.
"Oh hey Kaede, Shuichi! What brings you two here?" Rantaro greets with a smile as he steps out from where he was.
"We're just making another investigation down here!" Kaede answers, returning the smile.
"Uh, Rantaro.. Have you seen Niles lurking about?" Shuichi asks, tugging his hat down a bit. Niles then struts out and rests his left elbow on Rantaro's right shoulder.
"Lookin' for me Detective~?" Niles asks, a playful smirk on his lips. His blue eye focuses on Shuichi, purposely making the male uncomfortable with his gaze. Shuichi looks off to the side to not meet the gaze of the one-eyed man.
"Y-yeah. Since Kaede's Research Lab opened... I w-was wondering if yours did," Shuichi stutters out.
"As a matter of fact it did. And I'm quite happy it is open," Niles answers.
"Oh! Can we see it? If that's alright, that is," Kaede asks. Rantaro looks at the Outlaw to see what he would decide.
"I suppose I can show you my Research Lab and that I have naught to hide," Niles says before starting to exit the library. Rantaro, Kaede and Shuichi follow Niles out of the library, down the hall and into the Research Lab. Rantaro lingered near the door since he had been in there before while Kaede and Shuichi looked around in wonder. Niles, who was next to Rantaro, quietly pulls out his bow and nocks an arrow aiming for a target. Rantaro sweatdrops as he figures out what the white haired male was planning. A cruel grin splays on Niles's lips as he releases the arrow just as Shuichi and Kaede went towards the targets. The arrow whizzes between the two, causing the two to yelp in surprise and jump apart as the arrow hits the bulls-eye of the target.
"NILES! YOU COULD HAVE HIT US!" Kaede shouts, her face pink.
"If I was going to hit you, my arrow would have hit you. I don't miss my target," Niles smirks. "Besides, weren't you told not to enter the archery range unless it was safe to do so~?"
"A-Ah yeah... That is the safety procedure..." Shuichi says, looking even more embarrassed.
"And we didn't see a bow around.. So that was on us, wasn't it?" Kaede says, rubbing the back of her neck.
"You bet it was," Niles says before sauntering on over to get the arrow he fired off.
"Despite it being terrifying, your aim is impeccable," Shuichi admits.
"Why thank you Detective~" Niles says before playfully pinching Shuichi's cheek and walking back towards the exit. "If you two are done looking around, pretty boy and I are going to continue exploring the library."
"Ah, yeah, sorry to disturb you from that," Shuichi apologizes before following Rantaro and Niles out of the Research Lab and back to the library.
"Have you two been successful?" Kaede asks once they were all back in the library.
"Not yet," Niles lies. Rantaro shakes his head.
"Kinda hard to be successful when Niles keeps flirting with me," Rantaro chuckles, half-lying. Shuichi took that chance to start his investigation once there were no eyes on him.
"Niles..." Kaede says, frowning. "You better not be bothering Rantaro with your flirting!"
"Me? Bothering? What a bold statement for you to make Kaede! You're not bothered by me, are you Rantaro?" Niles says, a hand on his chest in mock offense. Rantaro shakes his head.
"It's quite fine Kaede. It's more amusing more than anything. Besides, if I was bothered, I wouldn't be hanging out with Niles," Rantaro explains.
"I suppose that's true... Though I do have to ask you to refrain from teasing everyone Niles," Kaede says, looking the Outlaw in the eye. Niles couldn't help but smirk cruelly once more seeing Kaede start to stand up to him. He then walks over to her and gets into her space, looking down at the blonde since he was six inches taller.
"Why should I~? Does it get under your skin?" Niles asks, piercing Kaede's pink eyes with his dark blue eye.
"You've already planted the seeds of doubt and discourse!"
"Oh but the seeds were already there, weren't they?"
"Didn't mean you had to help them sprout! That's just what the mastermind wants! We need to work in harmony!"
"How naive! You truly think everyone is going to work together?"
"I believe if everyone puts their differences aside, we can all win this! What you're doing is cruel and unnecessary!"
"Cruel and unnecessary? You think my harmless teasing is cruel? You don't know the definition of cruel then! But that's to be expected from someone labeled the Ultimate Pianist!" Niles sneers, his playful tone now gone. Shuichi had stopped his investigating when hearing Niles's tone of voice change from playful to pissed. Panic spreads upon his face and he looks at Rantaro to see what the green haired male was doing. Rantaro shook his head at Shuichi, signifying to him to not interfere. Kaede goes to refute but Niles clamps a hand over her mouth and leans in very close. "I know what you're going to say.. Words can be hurtful and if I had to guess based on what you told me yesterday, you were teased for loving to play the piano a lot right?" he asks, before moving his hand enough to let Kaede answer.
"Yeah... Piano freak. But... I learned to embrace it.." Kaede admits.
"Then you truly don't know cruel. Come back to me when you lose an eye or when someone who doesn't deserve to be murdered dies," Niles snarls before turning and walking to the corner of the room. Kaede winced at the words Niles spoke but turns to Shuichi to help him with his investigation. Rantaro walks over to Niles and leans against the wall next to the one-eyed man who was watching the other two.
"You alright there Niles?" Rantaro asks softly. Niles sighs.
"No, I'm not. I don't normally lose my composure like that," Niles answers quietly. "But that naive and optimistic hope in her eyes pissed me off."
"I see. Do you think we should still try to recruit her should things go south?" Rantaro asks.
"Perhaps. Depends on how she changes if that happens."
"Though I do have to ask... Why do you tease the others the way you do?"
"Seeing people without a care in the world as if they've never been tainted by any worry or those very well off annoy me. So seeing people squirm at my words as they feel the bare minimum I once did brings me a twisted sense of joy."
"I see. And yet you don't treat me like that. You only flirt. Why is that?"
"Well, once you told me what you did yesterday, I knew you've been through a similar but different pain than myself so I see no need to drag you like I do others. And I flirt with you because you're easy on the eye and a decent person."
"O-Oh you genuinely mean that-" Rantaro says, his cheeks turning a light pink. Niles's lips quirk into a small grin, signifying that he was starting to feel better and calm. He goes to speak before hearing the telltale click of the mastermind door and a small oh! from Shuichi.
"Rantaro! Niles! Come look!" Kaede calls out to the other two males, her small spat with Niles gone from her mind. Niles and Rantaro walk over, and act surprised at the secret door.
"Great work Detective~" Niles comments. Shuichi blushes a bit.
"Erm, thanks-" Shuichi says.
"Interesting door design," Rantaro comments, now that he can get a good look at the door. He notices what appears to be a card reader "What's that?" he asks, pointing to it.
"Huh? Oh it looks like a card reader!" Kaede says. "But if this door is here... One of us really is working with Monokuma..."
"Are you really surprised to figure that out?" Niles asks.
"Yeah... I was hoping that the Mastermind wasn't one of us.." Kaede says, looking down. Shuichi walks over to the card reader and scoops up some dust, sprinkling it into the card reader.
"Well, we can test to see who might be the Mastermind. If they swipe, they'll disturb the dust and tell us that someone did indeed use this. Unless it's one of us four," Shuichi says.
"As cruel as I am, I solemnly swear upon my one eye that I am not the Mastermind. I would be too obvious of one," Niles says.
"Like I said before, I swear I'm not the bad guy here despite lacking my memories and what my talent is," Rantaro says.
"I trust both of you as I do Kaede. If I had thought any of you were the mastermind, I would not have done that," Shuichi says.
"Right, so we have a plan! Let's check back later!" Kaede says, her spirits picking back up. She then pushes the bookcase shut. With a wave, Kaede and Shuichi then head off to do more of their own planning. Rantaro and Niles let out a breath they didn't know they were holding.
"Well! That was a thing that happened! Now I'm going to go find Maki to make her confess and maybe twist her arm to help us out~" Niles smirks as he starts to leave but Rantaro grabs his arm.
"Wait, before you leave.. Have Kaede and Shuichi passed the first test? And where should we meet up later?" Rantaro asks.
"They passed the first test. And I say meet me in the cafeteria in about two hours," Niles answers. Rantaro nods and lets go of the Outlaw who then makes his way to find the Assassin. It took a little bit of asking around and looking but Niles eventually finds the girl sulking off to the side on her own. The white haired male takes the opportunity to sneak up behind Maki and sets his hand on her shoulder. He dodges the fist that had gone flying towards his face. "You're quite the feisty one, aren't ya Miss Ultimate Assassin~?"
"What are you talking about? I'm the Ultimate Childcare Giver," Maki says, narrowing her eyes at Niles.
"Oh really? Then what was that reflex?" Niles asks.
"Just a way to protect myself and the children from creeps," Maki says, her eyes now hardening.
"Uh huh..." Niles says. He steps closer to Maki, keeping his eye trained on her body movements. Maki bristles a bit in response and goes to run but Niles grips her arm in a vice grip. "Now Maki... You and I both know that Childcare Giver is a cover-up. We both work in the dark after all so we need to know when we see a fellow lurker of the shadows. So drop the act doll~"
"Fine, now let go of me," Maki growls. Niles then lets go. "What do you want?"
"You have impeccable observational skills I would imagine, yes? Then I have an offer you really can't deny."
"Out with it Niles."
"I want you to help me figure out who the Mastermind is. Observe the others in my stead since they'll most likely trust you over me. Report to me everyday with your findings of anyone acting.. odd. If you don't cooperate with me.. I'll oust your true Ultimate to everyone."
"...You're an outright bastard Niles. But fine. I'll do what you want. I assume we start this tonight?"
"Yup! I'll be in the courtyard outside the living quarters after the nighttime announcement. Sound good?"
"Yeah. Is that all, or can I go now?" Maki asks, clearly annoyed.
"That's all. See you later doll~" Niles chirps cheekily as he saunters off to go meet up with Rantaro in the cafeteria. It had been quite the successful morning for him and the Survivor.