This piece is the promotional introduction to the new Art Contest going on at the KakaSaku LJ community: The Tarot Art Contest! It starts today and lasts for a month! If you are interested, please look at my profile where you will find a link to the contest. Follow that link and everything will be explained!

Thanks to winter_hawksan for the perfect beta job!

Tarot

Fireflies flitted in and out of Sakura's vision. They left burning streaks across the dark sky before disappearing in the light of a lantern.

Around her, the festival was being dismantled. It had been a small one, and while at one point in the evening it had attracted a healthy throng, now the night was winding down.

Crickets labored in a shrill chorus to serenade her work as Sakura took apart a stall. She and Kakashi were contractually obligated to help oversee the celebration from start to finish, both having agreed that it would be a nice break from more strenuous assignments.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the partner in question wave at her; his dark glove was like a ripple against the backdrop of the equally dark forest on the outskirts of the festival. She straightened up from where she had been bending over a pile of wood, smiling as Kakashi approached her.

"How's it going?" he asked, sidling into place beside her. His hands were submerged in his pockets.

"Good," she answered, and dusted off her hands on her skirt. Hoping in passing that she hadn't gotten any splinters, she smiled at him. "And you?"

He inclined his head back over his shoulder. "I think we're pretty much done." Indeed, the others who had stayed behind to help clear up seemed to be putting the final things in order.

She inhaled slowly, taking in the cool evening air. "It's such a nice night," she remarked.

Kakashi nodded slowly, casting his gaze out at the bordering forest. He was quiet, but after a few moments he said, "Fancy a walk?"

Sakura raised her eyebrows. He wasn't looking at her, and she followed his gaze to the dark wall of trees. The leaves rustled mysteriously, reflecting moonlight in silver glimmers.

"I don't know…" Truth be told, it looked a little foreboding.

Kakashi turned to her this time, a smirk alight in his eye. "You're scared?" he jeered quietly.

An indignant pout curved her lip. "No," she said obstinately, and promptly strode past him. She led the way to the forest, fuming, and he followed silently.

The thick trees loomed ominously as they approached. Not that Sakura was scared— of course she wasn't scared, she had just been reluctant to disappear on the rest of the crew, that was all…

As they crossed the threshold of the forest, the dull sounds of the fading festival were muffled. Invisible crickets instead overwhelmed them with their songs, and in the midst of this natural symphony, Sakura suddenly felt more comfortable.

She turned to look at Kakashi. Moonlight that streamed through the breaks in the leafy canopy striped him in silver and shadows. His forehead protector glinted as he moved his head, the carved insignia winking at her in familiarity.

She smiled. Really, the forest wasn't so bad. "Come on," she said, hoping to convey through her light tone that her anxiety had evaporated.

They crunched over brambles and fallen branches. Walking side-by-side, they did not follow a particular path, but the forest was not very dense. Through the spaces between the trunks Sakura could see the outlines of bushes, other trees… and…

Kakashi stopped walking. Sakura followed suit and glanced questioningly at him. Stiff and alert, he returned with a concerned frown. It looked like he had started to mouth something at her, but then realized that a mask obscured his face. He shook his head briefly at himself before raising a gloved finger to point towards a dark gap between trees.

Sakura squinted, craning her neck forward to try to get a better view. She had thought she had seen an odd shape, but it took several seconds for her eyes to adjust. Obscuring the natural dappling of moonlight was a… blob. She squinted harder. It had the shape of a—

Tent? she mouthed, returning Kakashi's look of guarded curiosity. His forehead creased with determination and he stepped forward.

They tiptoed towards the dark disturbance, stopping several yards short to crouch behind a cluster of thorny bushes. Upon closer scrutiny the unknown blob did turn out to be a tent; its midnight blue canvas sloped down to the forest floor, where the skirt was kissed by twigs and mushrooms. The tent was small, and a warm glow of what was presumably lamplight pooled through the slit of the opening.

Kakashi tapped Sakura on the shoulder; she looked up and was surprised to see how fearful he looked.

"I don't like this," he said in an undertone so quiet she had to strain to hear. "I get a weird feeling… what is it?"

Sakura shrugged, turning back to look at the tent. While definitely bizarre, it seemed benign to her.

All of a sudden, an unfamiliar voice cut through the crisp forest air.

"Dearies," called the tremulous voice of an old woman; both Kakashi and Sakura started, and Kakashi looked ready to run. "What are you doing outside in the chill? Why don't you come inside?"

The two crouching ninja exchanged looks; Kakashi muttered "trap", but Sakura found the voice, as unexpected as it was, to be warming. To Kakashi's desperate chagrin she stood and left their hiding place to approach the tent. Muttering under his breath and fingering his kunai holster, Kakashi got up and followed.

The canvas felt soft against her fingers as Sakura parted it to enter— and as she entered, she was slowed by awe. The inside of the tent was sweltering compared to the chill of the forest air. One lamp sat crammed into the corner, and candles were peppered throughout. There seemed to be no empty spaces; the tent walls were lined with all manner of trinkets and knick-knacks. Sakura was so captivated by the collection that she stood suspended in the entrance until Kakashi's concerned cough behind her jarred her back to her senses. Her eyes swiveled to the central figure of the tent.

An old woman sat behind a table draped in purple velvet. She was buried in so many beaded shawls and scarves that it took Sakura a moment to register the small, wrinkled face grinning up at her. Several teeth were missing from said grin, which was cushioned by folds of spotted skin, and one was even golden.

Feeling Kakashi trying to push past her to see if something was wrong, Sakura moved in. When Kakashi squeezed into the tent she was squished against a table, the wooden edge of which cut uncomfortably into her thigh.

"There, dearies," the old woman said, her smile widening. "Now that you're all snug, how can I help you?"

Kakashi swatted at a hanging wind chime, which tinkled serenely over his voice. "Who are you?" he asked.

An eye set deep in wrinkles winked at him. "Young man, I can see that you are vexed. Many people share your plight, grappling with life's difficulties, but I… I am here to help you."

Sakura glanced at Kakashi, whose eyebrow had narrowed in confusion. He looked more vexed than ever. "Excuse me?" he asked suspiciously. Sakura elbowed him indiscreetly in the ribs; strange as the situation was, she felt no fear of this old lady.

"How can you help?" Sakura asked; she heard Kakashi give a tight sigh behind her. She couldn't help it; she had always nursed a healthy curiosity for the occult, and judging by the strange symbols stitched into the tent wall behind her, this woman was nothing if not occult.

"I'm so glad you asked, dearie." The woman bent over, fumbling behind the table at which she sat. After a moment of digging she unearthed a dusty felt pouch; she gave it a good blow before setting it on the table.

Sakura found herself peering forward. "What is that?" she asked.

The old woman chuckled wheezily. "So full of questions, so full of questions," she said. "Lucky for you I have some answers."

Kakashi muttered something skeptical under his breath, but Sakura ignored him, watching wide-eyed as the old woman in the shawls pinched apart the mouth of the drawstring pouch. Fingers knotted with veins extracted what turned out to be a deck of cards.

"My dears, have you ever heard of tarot?" questioned the old lady, setting the cards on the smooth velvet tablecloth. "It's an ancient, magical art."

Sakura's brow creased in thought. "I think I might have heard of them…"

The old woman nodded sagely. "I should hope that a well-rounded lady such as yourself would have at least encountered the term," she said. Her jowls wobbled as she spoke. "Now, since the two of you are so young and curious, I will give you a reading for free."

"No thank—"

"Sure!" Sakura cut him off enthusiastically. This was cool, right? There was nothing odd about getting a card reading from a mysterious old woman in the middle of a dark forest. Nothing at all.

"Sakura…"

"Oh come on, Kakashi," she muttered back to him. "It's a little adventure!"

The old woman grinned toothily (or in her case, rather toothlessly). "That's the spirit," she said, and began to shuffle the cards.

They waited in apprehensive silence; Sakura grew mesmerized by the movements of the cards as they flew back and forth between the woman's surprisingly nimble hands. Behind her Kakashi was standing with his hands clenched into fists deep within his pockets.

An owl hooted outside, and the woman stopped shuffling. "Now," she whispered huskily. "Let us see what the cards reveal…"

With painstaking slowness she overturned the first card.

"Past," she rasped.

The next card was placed parallel to the first.

"Present."

Equidistant from the first two, the old woman turned over the final card.

"Future."

It was difficult to make out the pictures in the flickering light of the nearby candle, so Sakura leaned forward eagerly to see.

With a heavy sigh and in spite of his better judgment, Kakashi peered over her shoulder so that he too could see the cards.

And thus begins the Tarot Art Contest! For any soul willing to venture into that world of the unknown, where art mingles with the supernatural, please follow the link on my profile and join the fun!