(...)

.

.

.

"No… it can't be…" itcantbeitcantbeitcantbe, she kept repeating in her head. "You're not real. You're a dead man. You're wearing a dead man's face…" Rin started muttering to herself, excuses, explanations, whatever to keep herself from spiraling, but it wasn't working.

Sasuke didn't think that boded well for them.

"Yep! Tobi is a dead man. And Kakashi didn't go crazy. And you're not a jinchūriki." The man with Obito's face giggled.

Sakura cocked her head, feeling like she was missing something. "What's…a jinchūriki?"

"Ah! Great question pinkie! I can see you're the bright one of the team, just like Rin-Chan was," Tobi cheered.

"Though Rin isn't really showing that now," Kakashi giggled.

Sakura growled. "It's Sakura, not pinkie! And you didn't answer my question."

Naruto trembled. "A-ah Sakura-chan, maybe we shouldn't annoy them about stuff that doesn't matter-"

"Awww you're not annoying us. We would love to teach our successors," Tobi waved him off. "You guys are better than we were, so willing to learn. We were always too busy bickering to learn much from Sensei…" he sighed, but whether it was of exasperation or nostalgia, no one could tell.

"And besides, otouto, you need to know this stuff if you wanna be Hokage. How can anyone take you seriously if you don't even know what you are," Kakashi added in with a chirp.

Naruto did a double take. "What?"

At that moment, something flickered over Rin's face and she regained some of her composure. "Shut up," she hissed out. "We are not talking about that now. Not in front of him."

Naruto sputtered, Sakura let out a noncommittal sound, and Sasuke continued to maintain his outward stoicism.

But Obito simply sighed, while Kakashi started giggling like a mad man again.

"Oh dearest Rin-chan. Look at you trying, so hard to be a good perfect shinobi, with your perfect unkindness, perfect conspiracy and perfect treachery."

"Rin-sensei, what is he talking about? He- he doesn't know, right?" Naruto's eyes were watered with worry unlike what Sasuke had ever seen before.

"Naruto, you mustn't mention S class secrets in front of other genin, let alone in front of traitors," Rin said in a perfectly controlled tone.

"But-"

"But nothing. That is a direct order and if you question me anymore, I will report you for insubordination to Lord Third!" she clipped out.

Naruto opened his mouth and then closed it at that.

"What? Awww Rin you must know the old man wouldn't do that to Sensei's kid. From the day he was born, he was fated to be a weapon. Though I wonder if in fact they let him be a ninja, hoping he dies to get that thing they want. Or maybe Sarutobi even gave him the idea of being hokage to be loyal in the first place."

"KAKASHI," Rin screamed. "You are bordering are conspiracy. I- I'll have to take drastic measures if you reveal any more information."

Sakura's mind whirled likely trying to connect the dots, or at least save them for later to research. On the other hand, Sasuke wasn't even sure where one lie started and one ended. At least that's what was implied by Rin saying conspiracy, but then she said reveal, so really how much of it was real?

"What Rin," Tobi's demeanor changed to something colder, his voice deeper. "Do you really believe sensei's kid will become hokage," Rin opened her mouth to respond, but Tobi cut her off with harsh laughter. "Did you ever believe I could become hokage?"

Rin swallowed, "I…I was rooting for you. I would've been there to support you." She took a deep breath before continuing, "But, I'll be here to support Naruto now."

"Oh Rin, I wish you didn't adopt my foolishness. They would never have let an Uchiha be hokage. Why would they let a jinchūriki be one? You should already know how they feel about you."

'So Rin and Naruto are of this Jinchūriki category, and it holds them back, but why…' Sasuke made a note to ask his father some overdue questions.

"Why can't an Uchiha be hokage?" Sakura blurted out. She covered her mouth and blushed furiously as she glanced at Sasuke.

"Well…tell me this. Who founded Konoha?" Tobi responded back.

"Hashirama Senju, the first hokage," recited Sakura easily.

Sasuke hesitated, "But he had help from Madara Uchiha, according to the stories."

Rin hissed at him, but Sakura completely ignored that in favor of Sasuke's attention. "The first rogue of the leaf? But oh, that's why the Uchiha are so important and why they're in charge of the police force." She preened hoping for Sasuke's or really anyone's praise.

"You should wonder, why hide that fact in the first place; the reason for the Uchiha's prominence. It really makes you think, but-"

"But nothing- Naruto, come with me to find a fisherman to take us back to the land of Fire."

(...)

A/N: Wrote this randomly in a fit of inspo awhile back. Should I make a full fic of this AU? Leave any thoughts in reviews.