The lab door slides open with a pneumatic hiss, releasing a cloud of steam and the faint smell of ozone. You step inside, immediately hit by the chaotic symphony of Mei's workshop—metallic clinks, electrical hums, and the distant bubbling of some unknown chemical solution. The air feels warm and slightly greasy against your skin, carrying the distinct scent of machine oil and hot circuits.

Mei's head pops up from behind a workbench stacked with circuit boards, her goggles pushed up into her wild brown hair. Her face lights up when she sees you, smudges of grease decorating her cheeks like warpaint. "There you are! I was starting to think you'd miss the big reveal!" She skips toward you, her white lab coat fluttering behind her, and grabs your wrist with surprisingly strong fingers, pulling you toward the back of the lab.

The floor vibrates faintly under your feet as you pass various contraptions—some whirring, some sparking, one emitting a soft beeping that increases in frequency as you walk by. Mei pays them no mind, her focus entirely on you. "I've been working night and day on this one," she says, practically bouncing with excitement. "It's my most ambitious project yet—and I need my favorite test subject to try it out!"

She stops in front of a large sheet draped over what appears to be a human-sized contraption. The fabric shifts slightly, as if whatever's underneath is moving. Mei's eyes shine with barely contained enthusiasm, her fingers drumming against her thighs as she waits for your reaction. The faint scent of cinnamon wafts from her hair as she leans in close, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Promise not to panic if there's a little... explosion?"