A/N: So, I finally got my hands on a copy of End of Darkness and, while it wasn't as bad as I thought it was, it was still kind of a trainwreck. The only thing I really took away from it was how fun the council meeting between Ganz and the Deimos looked and that we probably missed some really fun diplomatic events in the five year time skip. So instead of wasting time both playing and acknowledging that that game exists, I decided to write those scenes.

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Prompt: Maru discovers he and the deimos representatives have a lot in common.

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It was the first day of the peace talks, the representatives from each country and deimos tribe had been introduced and then were allowed a couple hours to eat, mingle and get to know each other without the formalities. For the most part, the Deimos were sticking to one side and the humans to the other, each eying the opposite side warily as if expecting an attack. The only exceptions were Kharg and Darc, who were seated next to each other because if they were in the same room they unwillingly gravitated to each other and stayed there because the first to walk away was the first one to admit defeat. The only concession they made to the divide was to sit in the exact center of the room, right on the imaginary line that divided up the two races.

Darc was wearing what he normally did, because the only piece of formal clothing the Deimos recognized was either a crown or one of the great spirit stones; neither of which, Kharg had informed him, were appropriate. Kharg had been forced into a white and gold elaborately decorated uniform, likely a relic from his grandfather's days, a ceremonial sword that would be absolutely useless if a real fight broke out hanging at his hip. He had foregone the food in favor of looking over some paperwork that had been handed to him before the meeting started, though any observer would catch him stealing a morsel or two from Darc's plate whenever the other wasn't looking.

Twenty minutes into the break, after Maru had been chased away from the buffet table for hoarding all the fruit, he approached them, complaining loudly about how his shoes hurt his feet, his clothes itched and why did he have to wear them again. From her corner with the other delegates, Savina looked on, mortified. Kharg glanced at him, one eyebrow half-raised, biting his lip to hold back the laughter he knew was coming; Darc showed no such restraint.

Maru huffed at both of them, crossing his arms and looking away, towards the Deimos side of the room. "None of the deimos are wearing shoes. I shouldn't have to wear shoes either." Maru continued, ignoring Darc's indignant glare -he was wearing shoes-. Kharg choked, one hand rising to cover his mouth as he exchanged looks with Darc.

"Deimos don't need shoes." Darc snarled, drawing himself up and glaring down at Maru, which predictably had as much effect as it would if he had done the same thing to Kharg. Before his twin could point out the obvious contradiction, Darc elbowed him in the ribcage, hard.

"I don't need shoes either. Or clothes. " If Kharg hadn't been too busy rubbing the place Darc had elbowed him, he could have prevented Maru from shredding his shirt. Darc watched with amused horror as Maru started removing bits of clothing.

"Maru." Kharg sighed, one hand rising to cover his eyes as if to shield himself from what was happening. "You have to wear your clothes." Never again would he make the mistake of assuming that the deimos were the ones who were going to have problems adjusting and start a scene; he should have known better. Maru was the closest thing he had to a best friend. "Princes always wear their clothes." He implored, recalling the tired old line his mother had used to keep him in his when he was younger and prone to wandering around without a shirt.

"But..." Maru was interrupted not by Kharg's glare, but by Savina jerking him up by the arm and dragging him out of the conference hall.

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Brought to you by: Maru's introduction speech, in which he mentions not going into town because they insist he wears shoes and clothes.

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