Unit 07: Mei

​The afternoon heat shimmered off the hardcourt. Across the net, Mei’s opponent prepped a high-spin serve, panting heavily. Mei bounced on her toes, ponytail swaying behind her yellow band, as her internal array calculated the trajectory before contact. ​Trajectory locked. ​As the serve cracked across the net, Mei exploded left. She intentionally dragged her back foot a fraction of an inch—a calculated "imperfect" lunge—before snapping her wrist to drive a forehand down the line, clipping the tape. ​"Game, match," the judge called. ​Her opponent slumped, hands on knees. "How did you even reach that?" ​"You dropped your shoulder on the setup!" Mei laughed, stepping off the court without a trace of fatigue. Watching nearby is her close friend, Chloe. Chloe handed her an icy drink. "You're practically steaming. Thought he had you on that angle."