Alright, time to get down to business. [i]"Hey, Seikatsu."[/i]
Seikatsu had been laughing until I tried to hail her attention, to which, in my mind's eye, she turned around, faced with a sullen face and said one word: [u]"What."[/u]
[i]"Look, can I talk to you for a moment? It's rather lonely out here, and I want to take my mind off the fact that I'm in a boat. Alone."[/i] I had to give a no-nonsense answer, I felt, it was the only way to show her I was serious.
[u]"Well then. If you put it that way...no."[/u] Go fig.
[i]"Can't you just talk to me normally today?"[/i] The one-word answer from Seikatsu reverberated again, and I got understandably mad.
[i]"Fine. I guess I'll have to make you. I mean, after all, I know a little secret of yours."[/i]
[u]"Psh. You don't know anything, do you?"[/u]
[i]"Oh, but I do."[/i]
I reached for my formerly blank spellcard. Having seen Seikatsu enough times in my dreams, I was able to draw her as accurate as humanly possible. Seeing what I was about to do, Seikatsu quickly threw on the brakes, trying to physically prevent me by taking over my body. It didn't work as well as she'd hoped. [u]"Crap!"[/u] I quickly threw the spellcard up and called out its name in the small timeframe that Seikatsu's stunned form wouldn't move.
Human Sign 「Birthing of a God」
The spellcard, instead of dissipating, suddenly grew until it became a flaming ball of fire above me, which slowly but surely started to rise into the air. I wasn't sure what to do with it until I saw I had an arrow and bow in my hands. Quickly, before anyone took notice, I aimed and shot the arrow at the ball. The ball stopped moving upward, cracked, then opened, releasing Seikatsu, who promptly fell into the lake. My failure to wince said it all.
I had done it. I had wanted to see Seikatsu face to face for the longest time, and now I could. Except it didn't look like she was resurfacing.
---
Back on the boat, Seikatsu was ringing out her hair, facing the dock, while I was putting my underwear and shorts back on, facing the other way. I never really understood why people in those dramatic situations (as Keine had told us) kept their clothes on when they dove in. It's extra baggage, it's uncomfortable to wear afterwards, and you end up getting sick most of the time. I took the time to take off everything but my shirt before jumping in, and boy am I glad I did the right thing. I may not be able to swim well, but in emergencies I'm a lot more focused.
[ ] Wait for Seikatsu to finish drying before talking
[ ] Try starting a conversation with Seikatsu
[ ] Remain silent and wait for her to talk first