III

[ Their mission for the day accomplished, Asuka trails back to their collection of tents. Curiosity and a tugging sense of companionship compels her to follow Lakshmi. Without much preamble, she ducks into the tent, in time to catch the sound of the sigh and the flicking arch of the wet hair, the spray of water droplets that spatter against the tent. She blinks through her layers of veils and cloth, acutely aware (suddenly) of how dusty and sweaty she is underneath everything. She feels a touch awkward, as if she's just come in uninvited (which she has), but she presses on anyway. ]

I think we were the best team out there today.

[ She sounds sure of herself, even if she feels anything but, voice muffled by the layers of cloth that cover her face. ]