By that evening, Assassins had begun to swarm over the city. They peeked in windows and courtyards, peered down alleys, made notes, and moved on.

Susan's window to fix things quietly was closing by her own hand. She tried to search for him again, but the only result was a haze followed by a headache. Rather fitting, actually.

His autobiography might offer some clues, assuming of course that it wasn't blocked by whatever this was. Though that assumed her Grandfather would allow for her to utilize his tools (he did not seem to be in a terribly helpful mood). It also risked her having to find out how a man like that spent his time. There had to be another option.

She looked at the hourglass, whose sand still jerked backwards, and frowned. Who else found people, other than Assassins? And past that, who could be quicker but just as accurate about it?

It was a tall order. To do that, they'd need... Magic.

Susan got out of bed and grabbed her coat.


"Alright, so that's the basic setup," Teatime explained, brightly.

And he was happy, truly, for the first time that day. His reward for staying put all day was to be allowed down to the main dining hall to fill his own plate (a shockingly meager amount, as far as the wait staff was concerned). It meant a great deal, oddly even more than the brand new stealth chessboard

"Think you're ready for a game?" He asked. He practically bounced with excitement.

"I, er.." Ponder gave a concerned look down at the Assassin piece. For a piece of painted wood, it was strangely intimidating off in its own board space. "I believe so."

Teatime motioned to let Ponder take the first move, and then a second later followed it up with his own. The game continued on for a period, with helpful hints here and there but otherwise smooth.

"Don't focus so much on the Assassin," Teatime chided, eyes still on the board.

Ponder wasn't looking down, anymore. "Assassin..." he repeated, hollowly.

"They're almost all always played for distraction, and..."

"No. Assassin," Ponder hissed, more urgently. "There's one in the window!" He lifted his hand to point, but a fierce look forced him to bring it back down and moved a piece instead.

"Don't act like you've seen him. Watch, but keep playing," Teatime instructed. His voice was close to a calm instructor as he could manage. Being Teatime, his intensity kept that from being very close at all. "Is he readying a weapon?"

"He's just looking around..." Ponder said as he huddled down to pretend that he was focused on the board.

"Then he's just looking," Teatime said, brighter, as he collected a piece with a cheerful 'click'. "An Assassin who's let himself be seen like that is just scouting and wants people to know it." He paused and added, "Or he's on contract and an idiot. But it's easy to catch an idiot."

"Don't you... ah... want to turn and see...?"

"Because he's most likely looking for me." Teatime tilted his head, ever so slightly. "You really think should I turn and reveal my most distinguishing feature?" he asked, his voice slightly sharp.

Ponder suddenly had the feeling that shrinking back would be a bad idea. "I er... I didn't... Your... Your hair...?"

"My outfit counteracts that," Teatime explained. He vaguely motioned to the day clothes as he took his next turn. "If I were looking for an Assassin, there's a good chance I'd overlook someone dressed like me as well. Though, thinking like that, I won't in the future." He hummed, happily, as if Assassin in anything but black was that much of a unique idea. Which, to be fair, certainly seemed to be the case.

"Why would, ah..."

"They want to find me?"

Ponder nodded.

"Didn't tell them where I'd be recovering, and I was rather plain that I didn't want to be followed. I hoped they'd respect that, but... It doesn't appear to be the case, now." He kept eye contact as he knocked out another piece. "Not a lot of groups get along with wizards, after all, most especially from my line of work. Consider them dangerous. Didn't you know that?"

"I... er... I wouldn't consider myself dangerous..."

"Oh, you're exceedingly dangerous," Teatime corrected with a smile. "As opposed to some I know. Or... Probably knew, at this point."

"And... that's a good thing?" he asked, his voice more hopeful than he wanted it to be. But that stare would be so nice to break...

"Depends how you use it. Is he still there?"

Ponder had nearly forgotten about the Assassin. "No, he's gone."

Teatime's grip on him seemed to dissipate in a second as he casually returned to his food.

Ponder looked around the room in shocked relief. Everyone was still alive, well, and seemingly completely oblivious to what had nearly just happened. Probably for the best. That didn't say a great deal about the senior faculty's senses, though.

"Your move."

"Oh, yes, right." He looked down and winced at the sheer number of pieces that had been taken out in his distraction. He gave Teatime's giggling a roll of the eyes as he moved to retake his ground.


The lights were on at the Unseen University. That was a good sign. Though, to be fair, Susan couldn't remember a time where the lights had ever been completely off either. Certainly never in the building that seemed to be fully active at all times of day, just as it was lit up then..

That'd be enough, she figured. At least they would know where to find the Archchancellor... or at least have a clue when a man that old might generally be awake.

A student answered her knock at the heavy, wooden door. When he saw it was a single woman standing there, he looked terribly confused and muttered a 'just a moment' before he shut the door again. There was some panicked conversation on the other side. Susan had quite expected one of the elderly sorts to open it back up, and was taken aback by the second man who didn't look much different than the first.

He seemed awfully familiar, though. From the look on his face, and particularly the way he paled, he thought the same of her.

"You're... you're De-"

"Not tonight, I'm not," she corrected. "Tonight I'm just looking for Mr Ridcully." She thought better of it, and quickly added, "On a strictly speaking basis."

"Er... I-I don't think I can just..."

"It's very important," she stressed, "I only need-"

"Susan!"

The two of them froze at the far too cheerful tone. Before either could react further, Teatime was between them. He leaned, in mock casualness, against the door frame in a way that blocked as much of Ponder as he could.

Susan composed herself. "Mr Teatime."

"Really now, this is how we're going to start?" Teatime asked. "And here I thought you'd be happy to see me."

Ponder laughed, nervously "Y-you really shouldn't-"

Teatime held up a hand to stop him.

"We are not friends," she said, just as forcefully.

"I like you."

"You tried to kill me!"

"You did kill me," Teatime replied with a laugh. "It's a rather intimate affair that should bring two people closer, don't you think?"

"She's-" Ponder tried to interject, with a wild hand motion towards Susan.

"If you could stop being a personified headache for two seconds..."

"That's not very polite for a babysitter to say."

"B-but..."

"You're going to die!" Susan cried in exasperation. "We need to talk."

"What?" Teatime's face became far more serious. "Is this about the Assassin that was spying-"

"Y-you need to-"

"He needs to hear me out," Susan snapped, with a hard stare at Ponder. When Teatime bristled, she turned the look back to him, "Come and talk to me for five minutes. That's all."

Teatime made a show of how he looked her over and weighed his options, but straightened up from the doorframe. "Five minutes."

As he moved to follow after her, Ponder grabbed his arm. "She's Death."

"Death's granddaughter. It's different," Teatime corrected, calmly. "Stay inside and away from the windows." He moved Ponder back a few paces and shut the door behind him.