True Natures

## Introduction

**Melia:** This flower is much like one that used to grow by Eryth Sea.

**Dunban:** Used to? You mean it doesn’t anymore?

**Melia:** Alas, the breed was wiped out. None like this grow there anymore. But its seed must have dispersed all the way here and taken root. Isn’t nature beautiful?

**Dunban:** I can see you love flowers, Melia.

**Melia:** I do adore them. I like nothing more than finding new species on our travels. How about you, Dunban? Do you like flowers?

## Gain (+8)

**Dunban: *[I’ll be honest... Not really.]***

**Melia:** I don’t get the impression that you dislike them all that strongly.

**Dunban:** Haha. Maybe it’s just that you like them so strongly? You can’t imagine that someone might not like flowers at all.

**Melia:** That’s not what I meant. It’s just... If you hated flowers, you wouldn’t tread so carefully around them.

**Dunban:** I am beaten by your powers of observation.

**Melia:** I can always see a person’s true nature from how they act in public. I’ve studied you all ever since we met.

**Dunban: *[As all wise rulers do.]***

**Melia:** A ruler must know his people. My father and brother taught me much about imperial duties. I never thought I would actually need those lessons... But I will certainly need them now. However, their lessons reached far beyond the particulars of ruling. I learnt how to handle myself and communicate well with people.

**Dunban:** Maybe you need a few more of those lessons...

**Melia:** Are you saying I lack people skills?

**Dunban:** You only seem yourself around Riki and Shulk, if I might say. I wish you’d open up to the rest of us a bit more. We’ve all been through so much together on the battlefield.

**Melia:** Deep down I know that you are right. Thank you, Dunban, for your frank comments. I will do my best to open up more.

**Dunban:** *I didn’t mean for her to treat it quite so formally... but oh well!*

## Net 0 (+4, -4)

**Dunban: *[I’ll be honest... Not really.]***
**Melia:** I don’t get the impression that you dislike them all that strongly.

**Dunban:** Haha. Maybe it’s just that you like them so strongly? You can’t imagine that someone might not like flowers at all.

**Melia:** That’s not what I meant. It’s just... If you hated flowers, you wouldn’t tread so carefully around them.

**Dunban:** I am beaten by your powers of observation.

**Melia:** I can always see a person’s true nature from how they act in public. I've studied you all ever since we met.

**Dunban: *[Then tell me about Shulk.]***

**Melia:** Why Shulk? We were talking about you.

**Dunban:** Shulk is a strange one. He plays with junk, you know? Yet you trust him implicitly. I just want to know why.

**Melia:** It is not just Shulk. I trust all of you.

**Dunban:** And I appreciate it, Melia. Even though I know I am second to another...

**Melia:** How dare you! I would never suggest that Shulk is first in my estimation!

**Dunban:** I believe you just did.

**Melia: Enough of this conversation! You are not second, third or fourth. You are last!**

## Net 0 (-4, +4)

**Dunban: *[Oh... yes, I like them.]***

**Melia:** You do? This is... surprising. I didn’t get that impression from you at all.

**Dunban:** Haha. And you think it’s wise to judge a book by its cover?

**Melia:** That was not my intention. It’s just that I pride myself on being a good judge of character.

**Dunban:** Fair enough. Well, it just so happens that you’re right! Flowers have never interested me. The reason is... ***[One day they wither and die.]***

**Melia:** I see. Flowers are transient, so it is hard to get attached to them. As with soldiers in battle, death is always knocking.

**Dunban:** You are very wise, Melia. To put it another way, I feel that loving a single flower is wrong. If we concentrate on one flower, the rest of the garden may be lost. The water and the soil, the land and the skies... Which is most important, I do not know. So I give my attention to all. I started thinking about it like that in my younger days.

**Melia:** I’d never considered it from that perspective before. You see things very differently to me. It is most intriguing.

**Dunban:** I intrigue you now? I’ll take that as a compliment.

**Melia:** You are welcome. I think I know the perfect flower for you. The renowned Stardrop! None can deny its beauty. All other flowers bow down and wilt at its magnificence.

**Dunban:** Lovely as it sounds, I’ll have to pass. But if it’s a present, I won’t say no. But only because it’s you, Melia.

## Loss (-8)

**Dunban: *[Oh... yes, I like them.]***

**Melia:** You do? This is… surprising. I didn’t get that impression from you at all.

**Dunban:** Haha. And you think it’s wise to judge a book by its cover?

**Melia:** That was not my intention. It’s just that I pride myself on being a good judge of character.

**Dunban:** Fair enough. Well, it just so happens that you’re right! Flowers have never interested me. The reason is... ***[Their pungent smell.]***

**Melia:** You do not like their smell? Certainly, some flowers have pungent smells, but not all.

**Dunban:** I know what I like, and that doesn’t include flowers. A room’s natural smell can be overwhelmed by a flower’s odour. The natural smell of the earth and trees is completely lost.

**Melia:** Is that not a contradiction? Flowers are a part of nature. I am surprised at you, Dunban.

**Dunban:** You’re a sharp one, Melia. I guess you’ve got me there.