Quoted By:
<span class="mu-g">“Can I get the ball back at least?”</span>
Callisto asked, pointing past you.
<span class="mu-r">“Huh? Oh, right.”</span>
You snagged the ball with a webline and swung it back over to her side. Callisto caught it easily.
<span class="mu-g">“Here it comes.”</span>
She tossed it up and served the ball exactly the same as she had before. Your eyes were laser focused on it as it slowly rose into the air, but when her racket made contact with it, it was as if it had evaporated.
The ball shot forward with surprising speed. You rushed forward to catch it, successfully managing to swat it back over the net. But to your surprise, Callisto was already there and waiting for your returning serve. She lightly extended her racket, gently tapping the ball back over to your side. You dove for it, but you fell just short and instead slid into the net.
<span class="mu-g">“30 Love!”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“You know, for a person with only one eye, you’ve got an uncanny amount of depth perception.”</span>
You grumbled as you picked yourself up. Callisto shrugged and twirled her racket in her hand.
<span class="mu-g">“Call it my superpower.”</span>
She was holding a new ball in her hand, and without warning, she tossed it up and prepared to serve. But her racket stopped just short of actually hitting the ball. You stared in confusion as it fell back down to the ground. And in that one instant, Callisto’s racket <span class="mu-i">blurred</span>.
There was a second ball dropping towards the racket, and you barely got yours up in time to intercept it. There was a brief back and forth, which ended in you overextending on a fake-out from Callisto, which ultimately ended up with her having 3 points to your nothing.
<span class="mu-g">“40 Love!”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“You’re using trick serves now? What do you call that one?”</span>
“‘Ghost serve’. Believe it or not, they actually allow trick shots in pro matches.”
<span class="mu-r">“And I’m sure you’d love to show me the rest.”</span>
Callisto’s only response was a devious grin.
<span class="mu-g">“If you wanted to get schooled, then you came to the right place. How about this? I’ll serve this one to you slowly.”</span>
She raised another ball to indicate it, looking less intense than she had a moment ago. You weren’t fooled for a second, but you had no choice but to play along.
As promised, the serve was slow, and you batted it back with gusto. Callisto was close to the net, and she returned it with a light tap that barely made it over the net. You tried to back up a bit, but you were instead forced to move closer to catch the ball. And in no time at all, you became caught up in Callisto’s pace.
The two of you were practically standing face-to-face, batting the ball back and forth at blinding speeds. You had no trouble keeping up with her, but Callisto’s experience won out in the end. She had far more control, and was able to vary the speed, intensity and angle of her hits. So eventually, you got tripped up and the ball went flying past you.
<span class="mu-g">“Match point. Do you need some time to warm up, or…?”</span>
