Chapter Fifty-Nine: Polar Opposites Part I

Naruto and Oturan were continuing on their way toward the ramen shop. As they made their way there, Naruto pulled out his kunai and slashed at Oturan. The older teen jumped away dumbfounded before falling on his butt to the ground.

"Who are you," Naruto demanded with the kunai aimed at Oturan, ready to strike if given the wrong answer.

"W-What are you talking about," Oturan asked trying to hide his panic.

"You're not who you say you are," Naruto said.

"Say what?! I-I-I don't know what are you talking about?"

"Don't give me that crap," Naruto yelled, "Makiuzu Oturan? That's my name spelled backwards and rearranged! I'm not that slow not to be able to see through that lame excuse for a name! Now start talking or I'll-"

"Please don't hurt me nii-chan," a familiar voice panicked from the older looking teen as he placed his hands together in prayer form over his head. U. Naruto gave the older looking teen a confused look.

"Konohamaru," Naruto asked while keeping his kunai aimed at the stranger. The older teen puffed into white smoke and revealed himself to be indeed Sarutobi Konohamaru wearing a wireless radio communicator.

"It's me boss," Konohamaru said with his hands still in prayer form, showing his surrender, "You got me nii-chan."

"He did indeed," spoke a figure with the familiar mature voice, coming out of the shadows of an alley from U. Naruto's left, revealing himself to be almost the exact person Konohamaru henge'd into, except the person had differences that stood out.

First off his sanguine cape-like cloak and hood were abound with dark golden designs of open eyes all around it and in the middle of the back of the cloak was the kanji for "All Seeing." He had on midnight blue ninja pants and a short sleeve form-fitting shirt that showed off his built chest and abdominals. He wore white bandage wrappings around his ankles and on his feet were black sandals. A dark brown belt was worn around his waist and attached to his waist on his right side was a black folded fan with the kanji for "Wind Mistress" inscribed on it. Attached to the upper left side of his shirt was a beautiful ornament, a jewel flower of a rose with a ruby in the center of it. Inscribed on the jewel flower were two kanji writings for "Body and Soul."

The stranger himself had aqua green eyes and a sanguine ninja mask covering the bottom half of his face with strands of spiky red hair over his forehead. He also wore a pair of black combat gloves and silver arm braces.

"Dai-kun," Konohamaru turned and greeted as he got up and stood off the ground, "How was I?"

"Your entrance and performance in deception was good for a first start," Dai-kun said as he crossed his arms over his chest, "You were rather convincing until you gave yourself away with that rather sad excuse for a fake name you gave yourself. The one thing you never do during a covert operation Konohamaru is use your target's name in any rearranged or reversed fashion, especially if that target is an experienced ninja. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Dai-kun," Konohamaru with his head slightly lowered after being chastised, "But I couldn't think of a better name to give myself."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Dai-kun said as he leaned down and patted Konohamaru's head before retrieving the wireless radio communicator from the boy, "Like I said, it was a good first start."

Dai-kun removed the radio communicator he himself was wearing and sealed them into a small scroll along with the ones he took from Konohamaru. He then placed the scroll into a small dark brown carrying bag tied to his waist at his left.

"Who are you," Naruto asked while putting his kunai away seeing that Konohamaru knew the stranger standing before them, "And how do you know Konohamaru? I've never seen you from around here."

"Permit me to properly introduce myself," Dai-kun said, "I am Rurounin No Daisuke. I met Konohamaru the other day. He's quite a kid with potential."

"Dai-kun is really cool nii-chan," Konohamaru said looking up at Naruto, "He knows a lot of stuff and he was willing to play Ninja with me too like you do."

"Play "Ninja" with you," Naruto repeated before turning to Daisuke with a glaring look, "Let me get this straight; you were the one telling Konohamaru all those things to say to me through those devices?"

"Yes indeed fanboy," Daisuke remarked mockingly, "It wasn't hard at all."

U. Naruto growled angrily and barked, "I'm not a fanboy!"

"From the hyperboles you used to describe this Sakura girl on your Genin cell squad," Daisuke replied, "You did it in the same fashion that a fangirl would do about some 'cool' and 'mysterious' guy she has a childish crush on."

U. Naruto was really starting to dislike the older teen in front of him. Fangirls were bad enough, but to be compared to them was even worse.

"Hyperboles," Konohamaru asked, "What's that Dai-kun?"

"Hyperboles are exaggerated statements, descriptions or expressions about a particular person, place, thing or idea," Daisuke explained, "And in Naruto's case, his overestimation of Sakura."

"Hey," Naruto retorted, "I wasn't exaggerating!"

"Then tell me," Daisuke challenged while looking down at Naruto, causing the younger teen to look straight up at him involuntarily, "What exactly makes Sakura the smartest and prettiest girl in Konoha?"

"For one thing," Naruto answered confidently, "Tsunade-no-baachan, the Godaime Hokage of Konoha, chose Sakura-chan as her new apprentice because of her book smarts and excellent chakra control. She's studies a whole lot and has improved in her skills as a ninja a great deal. She wants to become stronger than she used to be so she could be more of an asset to everyone in the village and is making steady progress in doing so. Even Rock Lee's seeking to win her affections which I'll beat him to!"

"So she was chosen as your Hokage's apprentice," Daisuke remarked with a bored and unimpressed tone, "Big deal."

"Huh?," Naruto retorted indignantly.

"Your explanation only provided me with superficial reasons for your attraction to this Sakura, along with the fact that you're competing with another Genin for the girl's attention and affection, like two foolish fangirls competing for some guy to have his time and attention."

This brought to Naruto's mind the memories of Ino and Sakura repeatedly fighting each other over Sasuke before the Uchiha's desertion. That form of rivalry nearly ruined and destroyed their friendship. Naruto was getting angry fast.

"Your statements did not answer my question fanboy."

"Stop calling me that!"

Konohamaru was seeing that the first time meeting between Daisuke and Naruto wasn't going as well as he was hoping for earlier when Daisuke sent him a message requesting his assistance in introducing himself to U. Naruto by means of the game "Ninja."

"I will if you can provide me with a satisfying answer to my question," Daisuke stated, "I repeat, what exactly makes Sakura the smartest and prettiest girl in Konoha? Did she establish the foundation of all medical protocols that nurses and doctors in this village must follow? Is she best at everything in this village? Does her beauty go beyond that of any other girl you've ever seen in your whole life; so much so that every male in the village wishes to date and court her?

"Is her behavior and characteristics toward you favorable in any way in the eyes of onlookers? Is she the violent type that's quick to lose her temper and beat you to a pulp as a means to vent out her anger? Or is she the calm-mannered type that would try to settle matters in a more mild temper state of mind rather than being aggressive and violent about it?

"I'd like to hear a satisfying answer if you will without the use of hyperboles or any superficial reasoning."

Naruto, though angry, was trying to come up with an excellent explanation that wouldn't make him sound like an senseless fanboy. Some of the points Daisuke brought out didn't help to shine a positive light on Sakura, and Naruto was hard pressed to come up with facts in her defense. Daisuke looked on silently as Naruto thought hard on what he could say.

"It's clear to me that you have to think long and hard on what more you can say about Sakura," Daisuke remarked, "This only proves that your feelings for her are nothing more than a childish crush you need to wake up and grow out of fanboy."

U. Naruto was getting pissed off as he leaked bloodlust at Daisuke. Konohamaru looked scared at how angry his role model was becoming though Daisuke looked and stood unaffected whatsoever.

"Who are you to talk," Naruto retorted, "You don't know anything about me!"

"I may not know a whole lot about you boy," Daisuke admitted, "But based on everything you told me, I do know that such behavior as the one your manifesting now is both foolish and unbecoming for one seeking to earn the title of Hokage."

Naruto involuntarily flinched on hearing that verbal jab. The blonde was about to retort when…

"Yes," Daisuke continued, "Becoming Hokage is your dream. You said so yourself in your indirect conversation with me through Konohamaru, who also told me much about you Naruto. I wanted to see for myself if you were all he believes you to be. And from where it stands after all that I've seen and heard, both you and Konohamaru still have much to learn and mature from, especially since you both are competing for the title of Hokage."

"You're a whole lot of talk buster," Naruto remarked, "Being some lone traveler and coming here acting like you can tell me what it takes to become Hokage!"

"Boss," Konohamaru spoke up trying to intervene, "I think it would be best to show Dai-kun a little more respect than you do with others. He's not one of your common shinobis, I know that much."

"And what makes him-"

Naruto suddenly stopped and recalled something that happened earlier, "Wait a minute! How was it that you were able to float down from that pole Konohamaru?"

"Wind manipulation," Daisuke answered, "From a distance, I used my wind element to encase Konohamaru in an air bubble and carry him down and over to you."

"You have the ability to float people off the ground," Naruto asked with fascination.

"Not just that," Daisuke said as he himself levitated off the ground and flew backwards to a nearby light pole, "I can use my wind element to fly too if needed."

"That's a cool jutsu," Naruto admired, "I know some cool jutsus myself!"

"Mind giving me a demonstration," Daisuke asked, floating back to the two younger boys. Naruto moved back, formed a hand sign and…

"Oiroke No Jutsu," Naruto said before transforming into a beautiful naked female blonde with two long pigtails with white smoke covering her privates standing in an erotic pose. Daisuke boredly stood there and asked, "Is that all?"

Naruto puffed back to normal and replied, "Is that all?! That jutsu works against many ninjas like Iruka-sensei and ero-sennin."

"That doesn't mean it'll work against every single ninja," Daisuke said.

"What are you, gay," Naruto snorted. Daisuke suddenly appeared behind Naruto and smacked him hard across his head, "No stupid. I'm just one of those ninjas whom such jutsus as the one you used will have no effect on. However, I myself have successfully used sexual perversions strategically against both ninjas and kunoichis alike."

Naruto grimaced from the pain Daisuke's smack came with as he rubbed his head.

"So you're a pervert who's a sex-offending ninja," Naruto remarked, which won him another smack to the head, only harder than before, "OOW!"

Konohamaru winced from the sound that came from the second smack.

"I'm no more a pervert than you and Konohamaru are," Daisuke shot back, "Seeing the jutsu you used, I'm sure you've studied and watched enough porno to get an idea for it."

"I don't watch or read porno like Kakashi-sensei or ero-sennin," Naruto exclaimed heatedly while rubbing his sore head.

"…Whatever," Daisuke remarked, "What else can you do?"

"I know how to do the Rasengan," Naruto replied.

"The Rasengan," Daisuke asked, "That sounds like an interesting jutsu. Show me this Rasengan of yours. I'd like to see how it works."

"I'd rather not," Naruto replied.

"Oh?," Daisuke asked.

"I barely know you," Naruto said, "What's to say that you're not an enemy in secret?"

"I like that," Daisuke said, "You weren't quick to show off one of your stronger jutsus to me. I respect that."

"Dai-kun," Konohamaru asked, "Didn't you say you were going to go to the library with me to check out some stuff?"

"I haven't forgotten Konohamaru," Daisuke said, "So, let's take a stroll to the library, shall we? And since you're here, why don't you accompany us Naruto?"

With that the three males started on their way to the library with Naruto and Konohamaru leading the way and Daisuke following close by.

"I recall hearing your teammate Sakura saying she was going to the library to study, yes," Daisuke said. Naruto replied, "Yeah. She went to study for some test Tsunade-no-baachan is going to give her."

"I see," Daisuke remarked, "And that was when she ditched you after turning you down for a date, again."

Naruto groaned with his headed lowered, "You don't have to rub it in."

"Sakura isn't the only smart and pretty girl in Konoha," Daisuke said, "There are many smart and pretty girls out there Naruto, perhaps smarter and prettier. Take my advice, broaden your horizons and stop being narrow minded."

Naruto gave no verbal reply to Daisuke until…

"I know that Sakura-chan has turned me down every time I ask her out."

"And you foolishly think that by continuously asking her out that she will eventually have a change of heart," Daisuke replied dryly, "That kind of behavior will only make her see you more as a nuisance than as boyfriend material, let alone a friend."

"I'm sure that Sakura-chan doesn't hate me-"

"It's not a matter of her hating you, boy," Daisuke interjected, "Your tunnel vision behavior is the problem. You're only cheating and selling yourself short by devoting so much time and energy on one girl who clearly has no romantic interest in you whatsoever. You have a short sighted view of what makes a girl smart and pretty that you fail to notice the more important characteristics about what makes a girl appealing. In other words, you're failing to look underneath the underneath."

Naruto's eyes widened on hearing those familiar words. He stopped walking and seconds later, Daisuke and Konohamaru also stopped walking seeing that Naruto was just standing where he was.

"That's usually what Kakashi-sensei would tell us," Naruto said.

"You ought to start taking your sensei's advice with regards to what makes a girl appealing to the eyes besides her outward appearance and what you see on the surface. Anyone can look attractive on the outside, but their unappealing characteristics and personality will nullify their outward appearance and make them look completely unattractive.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but has Sakura's treatment of you always been the most appealing? Doesn't she always get violent with you whenever she loses her temper, with you always being at the receiving end of her fist? Aren't you also afraid of her whenever she gets mad or have mood swings which makes her more aggressive towards you? Or are you a masochist who sees Sakura's character as girlfriend material? I learned some facts about this Sakura and some of the things I've heard weren't appealing to me."

Naruto snarled at Daisuke while thinking up things to say to counter Daisuke's words about Sakura. That pink-haired kunoichi was the girl he's been seeking to have as a girlfriend for a long time and this stranger from out of nowhere came and started bad mouthing his long-time crush.

"Teme," Naruto retorted angrily, "Who the hell do you think you are ridiculing and talking bad about Sakura-chan as if you know her!? Sakura-chan isn't a bad person! You don't know her like I do! So don't come in my face and start preaching to me about whom I should be interested in!"

"Konohamaru told me that this Sakura has a one-track romantic interest in a traitor who betrayed Konoha and its comrades. From this and the way she treats you, frankly, I don't think she's right for you."

Naruto didn't miss how Daisuke emphasized the word "traitor" with deep loathing. Sasuke's desertion was a touchy subject for Naruto and the way Daisuke regarded it showed how little Daisuke thought of Sasuke.

"So Konohamaru told you about Sasuke's desertion that happened not too long ago," Naruto asked with a sadden and depressed voice.

"That and I heard many other things from others during my travels about this so-called last Uchiha," Daisuke said, "Him becoming a traitor makes him a most unfavorable person to me."

"You don't understand the circumstances that happened while he was here," Naruto retorted heatedly, "You don't know him like how Sakura-chan and I did! You have not idea what happened to Sasuke or what he went through while here in Konoha! You weren't here when-"

"He betrayed your village for power," Daisuke interjected, "Sided with Orochimaru, one of your village's worst and most hated traitors responsible for Konohamaru's grandfather's untimely death and the deaths of many other Konoha nins. Sasuke got you, several Genins and other ninjas ambushed and nearly killed by Oto Jounins when you were all sent after him. His only objective and obsession in life is revenge against Itachi. He betrayed you, his team and everything the Hokages and many others before Godaime gave their lives for. That Naruto, makes Sasuke lower than trash!"

Konohamaru looked and saw tears of anger, sadness and denial building up in Naruto's eyes.

"Those who abandon the mission are trash. But those who betray their comrades are lower than trash."

Those were Kakashi's own words to him, Sakura and Sasuke. And now those same words were starting to haunt him, especially since Daisuke unknowingly made reference to them. The blonde looked like he wanted to give Daisuke a piece of his mind.

"Sasuke's issues with regards to what happened to his clan is most unfortunate," Daisuke said before his tone hardened, "However, he is not the only person in this world who lost his family through a tragic event, so don't cry me a river on his behalf. His problems should by no means be used as a pardon for turning against what you and Konohamaru seek to stand for since both your dreams is to become Hokage. Hokages who look for excuses to pardon treason and betrayal do this village and people a great dishonor to those who remained loyal and were willing to give their lives to protect those precious to them. If this were be the case, then the integrity of the Hokage would be questioned."

Naruto visibly cringed but he retorted, "I made a promise to Sakura-chan after she asked and begged me to get Sasuke back and return him to Konoha the first time the others and I went after him! Though we failed, I made Sakura-chan a promise of a lifetime to get Sasuke back and I intend to keep it! Dattebayo!"

"And you honestly think that by doing that you'll win Sakura's eternal affections and the favor of a maybe some in the village," Daisuke said incredulously before looking at Naruto with a hidden look of pity, "You're hell-bent on bringing back a traitor just to fulfill some promise to a girl who doesn't have any romantic interest in you. You're more of a fool than I thought."

"If that makes me a fool then I rather not be smart," Naruto replied defiantly.

"Neither Tsunade nor the Hokages before her attained their achievements in life by being fools I'm sure," Daisuke stated flatly, "Likewise, you'll never get far in life by being and staying a fool. You'll just be trapped in an endless cycles of foolishness while everyone and everything else pass you by. You'll have caused yourself to miss out on what could have been a better and happier future all because you were too stubborn to let go of the past based on a promise that lacked forethought."

"Sasuke was my best and closest friend and we shared a bond that you couldn't possibly begin to understand," Naruto replied, "He was like a brother to me and he understood what life had to be like with no family! He's an orphan who lost a great deal like me and he was manipulated by Orochimaru! I won't give up on Sasuke! One way or another, I will keep my promise in bringing Sasuke back to Konoha!"

"If it ultimately came down to it," Daisuke asked, "Would you choose Sasuke or Konoha?"

Naruto, pointing his finger at Daisuke, answered, "I would find a way to save both the village and Sasuke! Make no mistake about that! Dattebayo!"

There was a moment of silence that passed amongst them. Konohamaru looked to see the look that was still present in Naruto's face. Daisuke though looked calm and composed as he closed his eyes and evaluated everything that took place up to now. No one said anything as the silence continued. The older teen opened his eyes and when Naruto saw this, he felt he was ready for whatever Daisuke had to say next. That belief though was shot to hell by Daisuke's next words…

"You're a senseless child and you speak nothing but pipe dreams," Daisuke remarked with a tone that was completely devoid of emotions. Konohamaru and even Naruto shuddered at the coldness that came from out of Daisuke's voice. Daisuke continued in the same demeanor, "What's favored more in the web, the spider or the fly? You can't realistically save both as one must be sacrificed to save the other. Tell me Naruto, what costly and personal sacrifices has Yondaime made to save Konoha?"

Konohamaru saw from Naruto's reaction and facial expression that Daisuke hit a very sensitive subject when he mentioned Yondaime. The young boy couldn't understand why the topic of Yondaime affected Naruto that much. Naruto didn't know what to say as Daisuke's words conflicted with the ideals and beliefs he believed in, despite how truthful they sounded.

When it came down to it, Yondaime chose to sacrifice both me and his life for Konoha, Naruto realized, He knew there was no other option. He chose Konoha over me.

"Boss," Konohamaru asked worriedly.

"K-Konohamaru," Naruto said with a quivering tone, "I-I'll see you later. You can take…Daisuke to the library without me…I-I gotta go."

With that Naruto left the group in a different direction, leaving the duo behind as his tears poured down his face with low sobbing escaping his mouth. He placed his right hand over his face trying to keep himself from breaking down.

"Nii-chan wait," Konohamaru called out but Naruto didn't reply as the teen continued walking away from them until he turned the corner and disappeared from their sight. Konohamaru was about to go after the orange-clad Genin until…

"Let him be," Daisuke advised.

"Let him be," Konohamaru asked angrily as he turned and faced Daisuke, "Don't you think you were harsh and cruel to Naruto-nii-chan, Dai-kun?! Did you have to say all those mean things to him?!"

Daisuke saw how concerned Konohamaru was for Naruto. However, Daisuke maintained his demeanor.

"Reality is harsh and cruel to everyone who refuses to accept truths for what they are Konohamaru," Daisuke replied unapologetically, "Reality wasn't any kinder to me either and there were many hard truths I had to accept, regardless of how much I didn't want to. The life I live forced me to grow and mature faster than many others my age. I made many sacrifices at personal cost to save those precious to me. And I'm afraid Naruto has yet to understand the nature of personal sacrifice for a greater good."

"But nii-chan really wants to save and protect everyone he cares for and I know he puts his life on the line to do so," Konohamaru argued in Naruto's defense, "That's one of the reasons why he wants to become Hokage!"

"Tell me please Konohamaru," Daisuke asked, "How do you save and protect someone who not only betrayed you and those precious to you but doesn't want to be saved or protected by you either, let alone be brought back to his village against his will?"

Konohamaru didn't know how to reply to that question. The boy lowered his head after seeing his point.

"In spite of how I see things, I can't force either you or Naruto to accept what I said. It's ultimately up to you both whether you choose to accept my sayings or not. But like it or not, Naruto has some deeply ingrained delusions he's going to have to work out. And for his sake, I hope they're dealt with soon."

Konohamaru sighed, not knowing what to say in behalf of his friend. He was upset and sad about the event that took place between Daisuke and Naruto. They both were like magnets that repelled each other. Everything Naruto said Dasuke inverted it in ways that Naruto couldn't refute.

With nothing else to say, Konohamaru continued with Daisuke to the library. Konohamaru wished there was something he could do to help Naruto but at the same time, he found logic in what Daisuke said earlier. Daisuke himself though didn't like how his first meeting with U. Naruto went one bit. It left him feeling bitter, disappointed and frustrated…

Uzumaki Naruto and Rurounin No Daisuke clearly don't see eye to eye. Everything Naruto said Daisuke turned inside out and Konohamaru is stuck not knowing how to fix things between the two. Will Daisuke and Naruto find a way to come to terms with each other or will their conspicuous differences lead to more tension and strife between them? Find out next time.

Daisuke: "Big Help."

Rurounin: "Wanderer" or "Traveler"

Rurounin No Daisuke: Daisuke The Wanderer (or "Traveling Big Help")