Tunnels in the Sand? [Private] [Contract Forging]

Two days have passed since Talic and Tatsuo searched through the desert for the lost medical shipment. Since then Talic has put in a formal request to investigate what had been pulling the shipment underground feeling as his skill set would be particularly suited for this the Kage would agree. He was put under the stipulation that if it turned into a big deal such as bandits or rouge ninja Talic would be to retreat immediately to the village for further planning and action.

Talic would prepare to leave early in the morning much like the other morning. If he gets into the desert before the sun rises searching the surface for his pillar would be much easier and less taxing on him. With that in mind as Talic passes through the village entrance he would form a smaller nimbus since he didn't have company this time.

Smiling at the single person nimbus Talic couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at how far he had come over the last couple months. Now that he has stopped to think about it about  half a year has passed since Tatsuo and Talic had met now. With the state of the village Talic understands how hard it is to pull the higher ranking ninja back to train the next generation, but he can't help but wonder when they will be apart of an official squad that isn't just them being told to stick together anyway.

Shaking himself back to Talic would jump up onto his nimbus and begin his flight skimming the sand as he keeps a lookout for anything odd that may have gotten turned over during the sandstorms over the last couple days. I'm not worried about missing the pillar...it's more about finding what's around it." letting out a sigh as he goes along. "Part of me wishes Tatsuo would have gone with me..mainly for his sensory techniques, but his company is okay too." letting out a light chuckle then situating himself for faster flight to cover ground quicker as the sun is beginning to crest the dunes.

The pillar made the other day begins to show over the dunes as Talic closes the distance. With a wild smile on his face he can't help but wonder what kind of trouble he was about to find. "I've been itching to find a situation to use my new jutsu...now I don't have to worry about bystanders either!" He would begin laughing as he lands next to the half buried pillar. The wind really did a number on you didn't it!" Placing a hand on the stone he would disperse his jutsu returning it to sand.

Looking down Talic would see a large hole opening up where the pillar had once stood. "Did they try and eat my pillar as well? What on earth is going on down here..." Moving in closer to get a better look the ground around Talic begins to crumble and pull him in along with anything around him...luckily it wasn't much other than sand.

After what felt like an eternity of falling Talic would eventually come to a stop and find himself in what seems to be a large man made tunnel!? "Is this how they manage to get a hold of all the supplies? This might be more than a handful of bandits..." Talic would have a light frown as he begins to move forward into the dark.

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Roaming around in the dark Talic is able to make out the it is in fact a large tunnel. As for what it is meant for that would be a question for later, and as for now he would just focus on trying to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. "I may not be able to see for miles like above ground...but I would certainly settle for a couple feet at this point." After pacing back and forth for a couple minutes Talic can begin to make out more of the walls and ceiling and begins to feel more confident in moving forward.

Talic would begin to use sand manipulation as he goes through churning a line of into the wall making more sand and leaving a trail to follow back to where he started. "This should help a bit...giving me a trail and something to defend with." Slowly being to form a set of spheres behind him while leaving a sand stream trail.

After what feels like forever Talic stops for a moment in order to get his thoughts in check; After all to him it feels like he has been walking for hours. The spheres behind him have continued growing so he knows that he hasn't been going in a circle. "Hmm...This place is weird. When I pull the earth away for my jutsu it feels like there is a resistance like it is being used somewhere else..." Out of the corner of his eye Talic sees the wall begin to shift slightly and hearing what sounds like a stifled laughter.

Talic shifting to a more defensive stance then being to move closer to the wall. Knocking a couple times he hears an echoing thumb. "Is there more tunnel than I thought?" Beginning to spin one of the spheres to act as a drill as he moves it into the wall when suddenly light begins to fill the previous void. "Is that a torch?" Making a larger sphere so that he can fit through the new entry way. Talic entering the dimly lit room would see multiple smaller tunnels and what looks like a map drawn on the wall.

Glancing over the map Talic would notice that there is some kind of village in the center of all this? Taking a general note of where he is and about which direction the village is in. "Honestly...if everything is roughly the same level I could just make my own tunn-" Talic would stop as a figure enter his peripheral vision. Turing to see the figure he would be shocked as he sees a rabbit standing about as tall as he is!

Talic stumbling backwards as this giant rabbit moves towards him. "Di-did I hit my head on the way down? Am I just unconscious in the desert??" Finally backed into the wall Talic would shift a couple of spheres of sand between the two. When finally to his shock the animal begins to speak! "So, Your an earth mover like me then? Completely ignoring my tunnels?! You human are interesting! Most of the time people just cry and panic or end up passing out when they wake up underground out of fear."

Talic looking the giant rabbit over would lower his guard slightly. "Then your not an enemy? Was it you who had begun to take the medical supplies?" Talic looking dumbfounded at this point after all how could giant rabbits be rea-. His thoughts would be interrupted as the rabbit speaks once more. "Alright then...my normal tests won't due this time, so how about this? You see that map and know we have a village down here right? Let's have a race one earth mover versus another?" The rabbit would start thumping his foot in excitement at the idea. "If you win I'll explain what all this is. Do we have a deal?" He would stick his ear out as if offering to shake on it.

Talic beginning to be overwhelmed would have a light grin. "A race? I know I was looking for an excuse to see how fast I could use my jutsu, but now I must be dreaming!" Shaking himself back to a reasonable standing. "You know what? Dream or not I'm up for this race!" Talic would meet the rabbits ear for the agreeing shake. To his surprise the ear would be rather strong and actually grip his hand back in an energetic hand/ear shake.

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Upon releasing the rabbits ear Talic would glance over the map once more before looking towards the direction he believed to be the correct way. "Whoever get to the village first wins then? Alright, lets do this-" As the words leave his mouth the rabbit begins snickering and diving underground. "Oh it won't be that easy!" Can be heard echoing back up to Talic.

Shortly after the rooms floor would turn into a hellish sticky mud. It wasn't actually hurting Talic but it certainly was an inconvenience.   "Well that's a little cheap!" Talic not really being mad but more amazed at what ninjutsu can do to solid earth. Well...if I'm gonna keep up I might as well stop holding back as well!" As he finished talking Talic would release one of his hourglass seals and begin merging with the mud to add to his own jutsu. Once Talic could move his feet again he would make a smaller nimbus under each foot and begin to spin the sand in front of him to make his own path to the village.

Unfortunately Talic slightly over did it with the sand and would quickly start turning the walls and tunnels into something a kin to a strip mine. Trying to focus his flowing sand into a more compact cube behind him would allow him to minimize the damage, but he still couldn't help but feel impressed at what he had done. After what feels like a couple minutes the human sized rabbit came into view and to Talics joy seemed entirely shocked that this human made it out of his trap AND caught up to him!

"He know don't slow down now that I caught up!" Talic mocking the rabbit now. "It would be a shame if I beat you there in your own tunnel!" The rabbit seeming to get excited at the idea of a close race and an actual competition would grin and begin manipulating the tunnels for two now as he thinks himself to be faster still. "A human beating me in a race! That's laughable on it's own, but beating me in my own tunnel! Are you a comedian as well?" The rabbits movement just fast enough to keep about 15 feet between the two. "Yeah? Then just admit the loss now and try and save some face when you lose!" Talic was still in the works of improving his jutsu control and speed and was weary of trying to push it further.

However, Talic has come to far now and has far to many questions to lose now. At this Talic would begin to channel more chakra as it would appear the tunnel is coming to an end and light rapidly approaching. Talic would reactivate his hourglass seal in order to not cause harm to whatever may be on the other side of the opening. With his nimbus reaching a new top speed now matching the rabbit would burst through the opening and in unison shouting. "I WON!" "I WON!" In a shocked move towards the other they would stare at each other and once again say together. "You won?! No I won! " "You win? No no I won!"

As the two stare at each other the last bit of Talic's sand would catch up and finish being stored...it's quick to clean up when it's all together...The two's stare down would be interrupted by a thunderous group applause? Two the duo's shock there would be about twelve other rabbits around clapping as the race had ended in the first ever tie! Talic being shocked at all the different rabbits would notice they all seem like different breeds but the same species? He can tell they are all acclimated to living underground for sure. When suddenly his thoughts are interrupted by a booming voice.

"Zehahahaha, A human finally passing your tests Hideaki?! I never thought I would live to see the day the Rabbit Clan get another contract holder!" A large rabbit standing roughly three feet taller than the one Talic just raced. "Though if I had to guess you didn't think he would make it off the finish line did you?" He lays his ears over his arms folding both to seem crossed and relaxed. "Well Chief I guess it would seem that way, but I didn't expect a tie?! Should I still keep my end of the deal? He had to win after all!"

The large rabbit would walk up to Talic and let out another laugh "Zehahahaha, For someone so small you seem to be brimming with talent! It's no wonder you were able to find your way into our tunnel systems!" Seeming to stop in thought for a moment the large rabbit would then turn towards Hideaki. "Keep your word my son. This one seems worthy enough!" The large rabbit would pull a scroll from what seemed like his ear? Handing it off to Hideaki. "We are the Tunnel Rabbit clan of the Rabbit Species! We have three other clans with a long intertwining history from the sageland plains and mountains. Our tunnels are used to quickly travel between the three while also staying connected to the ninja world as you know it."

Hideaki thumping his foot to cut the chief off. "Hey hey hey, slow down! I get to explain it...or well I would if you didn't just do almost all of it! You even handed me the contract scroll!" Hideaki would let out a huff as he turns to Talic who seems to be in a partial information overload. "Hey stay with me come on! We form contracts with people we deem worthy and help them on their journeys, and well you seem like you might need a lot of help!" Hideaki lets out a light laugh as he sets the scroll in between the two.

Talic shaking himself through this sudden burst of information and letting everything coming to a head. "So...it's not a dream...and I found a village of rabbit under the great desert?" Talic looking down at the contract would then be able to read a brief history and get a general idea of what's going on. "So it says to sign it you need my blood and the summons blood? It doesn't tell me how that's decided?"

Talic seeming confused would be met by the Laughter of the large rabbit known as Hidekana and his son Hideaki. "We choose of course! A summon has to like you somewhat to follow you around for who knows how long! Don't let that get you down though! Give it time and I'm sure other rabbits will be willing to work with you! After all your first contract will be with me after all!" Hideaki would bite the tip of his ear and stamp the middle of the contract. "If you agree stamp your hand on the scroll and we can get to work!"

At the sudden realization of who he would be signing a contract with he would let out a laugh. "I'm sure it won't be as easy as you say, but at this point I don't think of have much to lose by getting your help. I'm sure you all now the desert better than I do, and I'm sure there is plenty that I can learn from you about how to use the earth in jutsu." As Talic finishes his ramble he would bite his thumb allowing blood to flow down enough to give a clear stamp on the contract.

With that the surrounding rabbits would applaud once more and go back to their duties. While Hidekana would begin to move back to the direction he came from. "You have my permission to return to our village. Whether it be for training or just to stop in chat, our clan is now your clan young one!" Letting out another laugh as he burrows down into the ground.

Talic now left with Hideaki would be left to make a choice. Explore this underground village...or head home and report what he found...well most of what he found. "Lets head up to the surface we can talk on the way. After all if I stay out too long the village my send out a search party." Talic would smile as he looks around at all the various tunnels. To which Hideaki would smile and point towards the one next to the one they both shot out of. "You know...if you don't give me a name to call you I can make one up for you?"

The two laughing as they enter the tunnel. "I am Talic Jishaku, and one day I'll become the Kazekage!" Hideaki seeming to be pleased with his answer would respond with an equal amount of ambition. "I am Hideaki of the Tunnel Rabbit, and I want to unite the three clans once again!"

The two would talk and joke learning more about each other as they head back to the surface. After a short while Hideaki would then move a rather thick chunk of land to reveal the surface flooding the tunnel with light and stunning the two for a moment. "Ah I missed the sun, but I don't remember it being this bright!" Hideaki laughing and closing the tunnel as the two stand outside. "I would have to agree..it always feels nice, but it really does a number on my sight for awhile."

At that the two would then start the trek back to suna after all Talic had some reports to give in, and some explaining to do...

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