Chapter 25-Deidara feeds the masses

AN: Glad everyone is looking foreward to the Akatsuki's fall of sort. This idea came from KingofSarutobi. Please enjoy this. Finally, I was wanting to bring Kurama in soon, so start being on the lookout through the next few chapters and let me know what you think!

Ps. Different chapters coming up will have the old Akatsuki members taking part- send me a private message if you have a mission idea/ preferred character you want and I'll see what I can do (just saying Hidan probably won't happen a lot because I never liked him in the first place.)

Flashback, with Zetsu and Pein…

As one under the tower five thousand clones awaken from their induced slumber.

"Hungry" was many of their first words and several sniffled. With a sweat drop black Zetsu spoke up, holding Naruto's picture.

"Quiet! Get your crying faces outside- your mission is to go outside and kill the ANBU in this picture but don't push yourselves!" White Zetsu finished. The clones salute and work their way outside, still saying how hungry they were as they were almost never fed.

"You can eat the humans outside" White Zetsu said helpfully, cheering them up.

Naruto rode on Deidara's bird, the other Akatsuki members preparing themselves for a fight against the horde of Zetsu. When Itachi had informed them of Pein's plan they had skidaddled outside- killing was so much easier in open spaces after all.

"Hold on your Priestness! I, Deidara, shall protect you!" Deidara boasted as he prepared a clay spider.

"Wow! Can you make them look like anything?" Naruto asked excitably. Deidara puffed his chest.

"Of course! Look- here is a fish bomb!" Deidara holds a perfect replication of a fish. Naruto claps his hands in delight.

The Zetsu clones pooled out of the tower.

"FOOD" They chattered. Seeing the Akatsuki delivered to them on a platter they started to charge. The Akatsuki retreated, creating a barrier of puppets, mud walls, black fire, paper birds and mist to keep the clones busy.

"Crap- I wasn't counting on so many! Oh, if I wasn't a new man I'd pray to Jashin!" Hidan wailed.

"Quiet, fools. How will we win against them and then Nagato?" Konan asked. At this point Naruto and Deidara land, Naruto still holding the fish bomb.

"Huh, they're hungry" Naruto pointed out. Deidara and the others gave a slight 'you think' look. "Could we feed them?" Everyone face faults, and the newly joined Itachi widens his eyes slightly.

"What? They can't comprehend the wonderful Will of Fire! How would feeding help besides making them more energized and harder to kill?!" Deidara said, palming his face.

"What if they ate these?" Naruto held up his 'fish.'

"…"

"…This could actually work, un." Cue most of the Akatsuki looking at him. "What? They aren't smart, and I can mold enough fish to feed five thousand! Priest Nanachi, help me pass out the rations!"

"I have some salt" Kisame adds, pulling out a salt shaker. "It will make them tastier- mother always said salt could bring out the flavor in bricks."

Ten minutes later…

The clones, fueled by promise of food, had demolished the distractions. They were about to barge through the mud wall when Naruto and Deidara flew over head with buckets.

"Greetings, white creatures!" Naruto called. "Before we fight, how about some lunch?"

"FOOD!" Was the deafening cheer as they looked up. Naruto tilts the baskets over, allowing the clay animals to go down. As one the clones open up and allowed the 'fish' to fall in.

"Three. Two. One. BOOM" With a single hand sign the white Zetsu were just flaps of white paste on the Ame land, the village below hearing the explosion but wisely choosing to ignore it.

"That was…easy" Kakuzu managed.

"Our Will of Fire burned bright!" Deidara cheered, and soon most joined him.

"NOOO! YOU WILL CEASE THIS CRAP! I AM GOD!" Pein screamed. "Zetsu- ATTACK!" He ordered. Unfortunately, Zetsu was pragmatic and went over to join the side of Akatsuki members. Both forces prepared to strike, when Naruto stepped foreward.

"Halt! Cease your fighting- aren't you comrades?" Naruto questioned. The combatants looked across, confused.

"Yeah but"

"But nothing! Konoha ninja don't fight one another! All of you have Konoha headbands…though the six guys named Pein don't, but they still look like they'd fit in with Konoha! Comrades protect the Great Tree together, not destroy eachother under it. Tell me: who are we?"

"KONOHA NINJA!" Everyone but Pein shouted.

"AND WHAT DO WE DO?!"

"TRIUMPH!"

"BECAUSE THAT'S"

"OUR WILL OF FIRE!"

Nagato didn't know whether to hate the ANBU or hug him. As the brat spoke his heart felt a pull, something that hadn't happened in years.

"AS KONOHA NINJA WE LIVE AND DIE TOGETHER!" Naruto called as Tobi put him on his shoulders. "I have to beat an S-class ninja and you look like an S-class. Will you surrender? Your friends are waiting." On cue the Akatsuki smile at their old leader, and beckon them over.

"My army is gone" Pein said. "My home is overrun by idiots who together could take even me down. Even the girl I consider a sister chose you over me." Pein looked at Naruto, still sitting on Tobi. "Sure, why not? I admit defeat to you, Konoha ANBU. Not like this day can get any worse can it?" He muttered and stood down. Just then Itachi spoke up.

"I was always loyal to Konoha- so I would have killed you eventually" He admitted. Pein blinked. He blinked again. And he turned the six bodies back towards his office.

"I don't care anymore- I need a drink. Toss me some head bands Itachi." Soon all six Pein wore the standard Konoha head bands. "If you can't beat them, join them."

"Again, way too easy" Kakuzu pointed out.

"Hn." Itachi replied. He turned towards the tiny kid on the shoulders of the other killer of his clan. "Kitsune, it's been a long time."

"Yep… are you still evil?" Naruto asked. He'd always liked Itachi and Itachi had said he was always loyal.

"No. It was…Orochimaru that did everything. I just took the blame to go undercover." Itachi said, telling the lie smoothly. He was counting down the days to go home.

"Hey! But Tobi remembers that Itachi-sempai and Tobi"

"Finish that sentence and I'll tell a certain cyclops you're still alive" Itachi warned, Sharingan blazing. Tobi nodded quickly.

"Anyway, what should we do now, un?"

"Hn. Kitsune, how would you like to learn how to make your shadow clones explode?" Itachi asked. Hearts appeared on Naruto's mask.

"YATTA! Yes! Then I can use them for the next wave of new sempais!" He yelled in victory.

Itachi suddenly felt very bad for the next wave of recruits.

In the end Nagato never fully embraced the 'Will of Fire' but did write a statement that he did in fact admit defeat to the ten year old. He also gave his former subordinates citizenship in Ame, on the condition they were allowed to keep the Konoha head bands and hold rallies for the 'Will of Fire'. At that point Nagato just waved his hand.

"Nagato-jiji! I have to go now- see you later!" Naruto said, giving the real Nagato a hug.

"My name is Pein- and please don't come back." He begged.

"Don't say that! Konan-nee says your birthday is near Christmas- I have to come bring you a present! Maybe I'll bring my two teammates too" Nagato banged his head into his hand- From reports, the brat's 'sempai' named Shin was worse than the Kitsune ANBU! Vowing to take a vacation somewhere far away the week of his birthday Nagato waved a feeble hand goodbye.

"Now I just have to draft trade treaties for Konoha, Kumo, and Suna. Gah! Being a leginament leader of a country is hard! I'd rather be a criminal mastermind!"

End Flashback- Sarutobi's office…

"And that's that! So Itachi-sempai will be back next week after he takes a break in some hot springs he said!" Naruto said. Most just blinked and assumed Itachi was lying until Sarutobi sighed.

"Thank goodness. I'll prepare to tell the village and Sasuke the truth now that his mission is over." He was relieved- killing off the Uchiha was one of his greatest mistakes. At least now he'd be able to fix some of it. Pinning the blame on his psycho student was just icing on the cake.

"So…exploding clones?" Shin asked, giddy. His eyes shinned. Everyone else gulped.

"Boys- classes will be starting soon. Naruto, I'm sure Sasuke has missed you." Sarutobi said quickly, and the three left. Coughing slightly he turned serious. "Now who can pull a somewhat believable reason for why Naruto shouldn't use the exploding clones?" Flamingo pulled out a drawing board.

"Kills a fox kit?" One recommends. "That always works."

"No, that bastard Shin will pull another shadow clone heist" another gripes.

"How just order him?" Catfish suggests between coughs. The others consider it but shudder.

"No-too risky." They chime.

"Okay people, viable answers!" Sarutobi orderd.

Meanwhile, Academy…

Sasuke couldn't deal with this- they were back. His stalkers, after being gone for almost two weeks, they were back. Worse, Kitsune landed in front of him on his desk.

"Hey Sasuke!" He said cheerfully. Sasuke's response was to bang his head on the desk repeatably.

"Maybe it's a dream. Gotta be a dream" He muttered.

End- next chapter- Itachi comes back lol. I have a vision of the comedic material I can add. And Nagato- should I do his birthday party later? I'm already going to have him visit Konoha to set up a peace treaty and be saddled with Naruto as a guard. I hope you like the exploding version the popular bible miracle. I'm a Christian so any humor from it I can derive is great.

Finally, have a great weekend and next update should be better as it's back to a bit more relaxed pace.