A/N: I don't know anymore. I just… don't. This fic was supposed to be cracky but then it just turned out serious. You'll see what I mean next chapter.

The Glass Chimera

Prologue

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Lelouch

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"Hi."

Somewhere within the lush gardens of Ashford Academy, amongst the peaceful swaying of amethyst irises and ivory lilies in the balmy breeze, lays a slumbering Britannian prince.

Groaning, he lifts the forearm shielding his eyes from the blazing sun, cracking them both open. It takes them a while to adjust to surrounding light as he props himself up from the flattened grass, a cluster of colourful stars mottling his vision.

Something looms over him – a tall, skeletal figure swathed in moonless night – frankly the most terrifying thing he's seen in his seventeen, soon to be eighteen, years of living, casting a shadow on him as it blocks out the too-bright sun (and that's saying something, considering just how much he's seen throughout the duration, ranging from Euphy gunning down thousands of Japanese due to his carelessness, to his mother and sister lying in a pool of blood on that dreaded staircase, to his father standing unforgiving above him readying to strip him of his will and memories).

"I said hi," speaks the hellish creature.

Lelouch… doesn't quite like it.

His gaze sharpens, assessing the being in front of him with a heavy dose of wariness. He's had his share of bizarre supernatural experiences, but this seems to be cutting it a bit far. Would C.C. be able to identify this creature for him? What purpose does it possess for appearing before him? A monster? A messenger of the C's World? A demon? An angel? Something bound by the existence of Codes or Geass?

He glances around him; it would appear he's alone in the garden. He's specifically chosen an area that remains a blindspot to the newly-planted surveillance cameras in the campus; it's a disturbing thing having a crew of Britannian spies watch him as he sleeps.

Is this creature even visible to anyone else?

"…Hi," Lelouch finally returns doubtfully, looking back at it.

It continues to hover ominously over the ground, choosing to stare at him in glum silence.

The logical question would have been 'who are you', but instead he finds himself asking, "What are you doing?"

Something in the air shimmers a brilliant silver, and a giant scythe materialises in one of those skeletal hands. "I'm checking you out."

He blinks his eyes several times in succession, trying to process the concept.

"What?"

He has deduced the entity before him to be Death, its appearance matching the features of the Grim Reaper in popular mythological depictions, the materialisation of the scythe further cementing his suspicions.

How… disturbing. He's escaped the prying eyes of the Britannian espionage group only to be ogled by Death himself. Spying the monstrous scythe once more, he feels a cold shiver lick down his spine.

Lelouch has always expected to meet death in the midst of battle against Britannia, or through some grand design of his own making as a sacrifice to bring peace and justice to the world. Certainly not…

Certainly not while he was in the middle of an idle nap on the school grounds.

"And here I thought I was speaking to the most intelligent person on this earth," grumbles Death. "What nonsense is this? Why is she making me do this shit?"

Lelouch bristles at the implied insult. True, he isn't at his finest point, his mind still slightly fogged by remnants of sleepiness. But judging from the latter part of his oration, the Grim Reaper has been sent here under the orders of an apparent female, and doesn't seem to appreciate it very much.

"Have you come to claim my soul?" he dares to query, not quite sure how to proceed with this awkward encounter. If that is to be the case, such a situation will prove detrimental to his plans; he has no intention of dying just yet – he's yet to rescue Nunnally from the clutches of the Britannian Royal Family, and neither has he achieved his ultimate goal of changing the world or destroying Britannia.

"Meh. I wish," scoffs Death, and Lelouch finds the fist of ice around his heart unclenching immediately. "My Master wishes for me to discern if you are worthy enough company to fool around with throughout the duration of her stay here. It's really stupid, if you ask me."

To… fool around with?

Lelouch's eyebrows twitchingly knit together, incredulous.

The Reaper then tilts his head in thought, suddenly brightening up. "Hmm. Maybe the idea may have some merit after all. Maybe she can convince you cut down on your exploits so we get less paperwork! YAS!" Death does a little jig that Lelouch would have taken a bit more seriously if it wasn't for the fact that it was Death.

The idea of soul-reaping working like a bureaucracy has his interest slightly piqued.

The Reaper stops, and behaves as though his little celebratory dance never happened. "Go back to sleep, impudent child. You really aren't that interesting after all."

…And that kind of hurts. You would think that being an exiled prince presumed dead by the world with a tragic backstory who was sold out to the Emperor by his best friend for a promotion for becoming a masked rebel declaring war against his own country with a supernatural mind-controlling power would be considered… you know, slightly interesting?

"Nope. Definitely not interesting. At all. Melodramatic kids like you make me want to go on vacation or sleep it off for a million years. Gah, just the mere thought of your whole story is making me nauseous."

And Death disappears. Just like that.

Lelouch finds himself staring at the spot where the dark wraith previously was.

"Hmm."

He goes back to sleep.

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Next Chapter Preview;

"Who are you, Miss?"

She hears the person in front of her shift in surprise.

"I'm a person who wishes to help your big brother, Nunnally."

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A/N: So, guys. Just to let you know, this is going to be a Lelouch-Harry-centric story. And it's also going to be a small project for me where you all get to comment a prompt or scenario you want to see happen between the two (or with any other character in the series for that matter). I'll pick the ones that catch my eye and try my best to write something based on it. Funny, sad, fluffy, action-packed, give me your all. Thanks for reading!