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[h3][color=0072bc]Cheiko Honma[/color][/h3][i][color=7ea7d8]Konoha Ame-Suna Border, Outside the Harvest Festival[/color][/i][/center][hr]Cheiko had laid sprawled on a nice warm patch of grass. Eyes closed she had listened to the people around her giggle, laugh and generally enjoy life. Happily naive. Chieko lifted a land lazily and swatted at the fly as it persistently buzzed her face. Soon no one would be laughing. The Red Sages would take the festival, kill Lord Hamajō and pretty much win. Unless they all died.

Chieko exhaled in a long breath before spring to her feet in one smooth motion, a burst of movement. Her short red hair settled about her face as she turned around to look at the other Sages she was with. One was looking up at the sky with a bored look. It had been a long wait, but soon it would be over.

[i]Soon.[/i]

Cheiko lifted her own face to the sky, raising her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. She briefly wondered if her sisters were on duty at the festival. If her parents were there, enjoying the festivities. Cheiko's stomach did a weird flip, but she ignored it. She had chosen her path, and there was no returning. Not even if she had wanted to. The Red Sages were her family now. 

Chieko lowered her arm and sighed, making one of the other chunin raise an eyerbow.

"[color=7ea7d8]Nothing.[/color]" Chieko said closing her eyes again and going back to listening. It was nothing. She would be strong. She would. She would not doubt. She would not falter. She would build a better world.

"It's happening." Another of the chunin said. Her voice was nervous.

Chieko's eyes flicked back open, her hands raised and making seals. She took a deep breath and three more of her appeared. "[color=7ea7d8]Then lets move.[/color]" The grumpy teen said before she leapt off to join the battle.

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[h3][color=ec008c]Umary Honma[/color][/h3][i][color=f49ac2]Konoha Ame-Suna Border, Inside the Compound, Harvest Festival[/color][/i][/center][hr]There was no rest for the wicked. That was what Umary thought as she rubbed a kink out of her back. Both her and Noriko were on duty. Standing guard over a bunch of politicians wasn't the most exciting thing in the world, but it allowed her unprecedented access. If they discussed the Red Sages, she's hear it. 

Over three months ago Chieko had vanished from home. All of the family had looked for her after she didn't come back home after a week. After two weeks it was apparent that she had left for some reason. Noriko believes that she was taken. Umary wasn't sure. She had been close to her younger sister in a way Noriko could never be. Saw how Chieko chafed and struggled. Umary hoped she was wrong. Hoped with a passion. Still, here she was volunteering when she could have been with her father enjoying the festival.

Of course she wasn't the only volunteer. Earlier the sisters had eaten lunch together before they had to separate for their shifts. 

Umary shifted again on her feet, trying to keep them from getting too sore. She also had to stifle a yawn. She had got appointed to this position because of her skills on barriers. In fact she had tags up bordering the area, just in case something did go wrong. There were four other shinobi with her to help maintain said barrier in the event.

Despite all the preparation it appeared nothing was going to happen. They had been lulled into complicity with in action. So when a flare appeared overhead, Umary didn't give it much thought. Until people started screaming.

[i]"We're under attack!" 

"Help!"

"Kekkai!"[/i]

Umary, startled out of her horror, raised her hands. "[color=f49ac2]Kekkai![/color]" She shouted and a glimmering shield raised around her group of delegates, before settling, invisible. The other shinobi in the room had taken up similar stances to help maintain the barrier.

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[h3][color=9e0b0f]Noriko Honma[/color][/h3][i][color=ed1c24]Konoha Ame-Suna Border, At the Harvest Festival[/color][/i][/center][hr]Noriko was diligent. She stalked around the festival, glaring at everyone and everything, including the produce. Once she spotted her mother and father leaving one of the game areas and waved, but that was the extent of her impropriety. 

People scattered out of Noriko's way as the chunin surveyed the area. Not that she minded, it was the opposite in fact. They recognized true power when they saw it. Unlike some people. 

Noriko's thoughts were cut short when a flare flashed in the sky. The woman knew the itinerary. She knew it was out of place. Without a moment's hesitation she drew her Wakizashi and turned to the civilians around her.

"[color=ed1c24]You will want to seek shelter.[/color]" Noriko's voice was deceptively calm, but one look at her face and her short sword sent the crowd scattering. It didn't hinder efforts that people started screaming. Sounds of battle erupted quickly. 

Noriko was able to quickly spot the red bands of the Red Sage. Morons, the whole lot. Murderers and Thieves and vagrants. They were the only ones stupid enough to attack the Confederacy. 

Two Red Sages charged at her, tossing exploding knives. She flicked them away from her contemptuously. Still moving the woman swayed to the side and kicked out at the man on the left. He crumpled with a grunt. 

Noriko turned her head and made the tiger seal and exhaled a ball of fire and set the right man on fire. He wailed but Noriko dismissed him to drive her Wakizashi through the left man's heart. Within a few seconds both were dead without any fan fare. With the two dispatched Noriko fell back on her standing orders. 

As much as the woman wanted to find her family and hold them close, they were shinobi, just as much as they were. So she's stay and protect the civilians from a grisly death and worry about things she couldn't change later.