Concept Pitch: The Brothers Uzumaki

[Nasdaq]

This came up recently while reading A Mother's Love: Fire and Blood by lord of the land of fire, which is interesting and nice, for sure. But what I really found interesting was the concept of Jinchūriki brothers in the form of Gaara being raised alongside Naruto. It's a fun concept, but all the sudden after reading it my mind began to whirl about with possibilities, and eventually I came upon an interesting concept I think I'm gonna write, and was wondering if anyone else would brainstorm it a bit with me.

The concept is based off the idea that Minato sealed the Yin half of the Kyuubi chakra into Naruto, and the yang away. But what if Naruto was not a he, but a them. Twins, and Minato instead had devised a method of sealing the yin half in one brother, and the yang half in the other, thus creating the first ever twin Jinchūriki. I mean, I love this concept and how you could run with it, I think it has lots of potential. Thinking Naruto and Jiraiya for names, as well.

And it brings up a whole new storm of things when it comes to teams, pairings, and all. And the fun jutsu concepts, as well. Also brings up the ideas of what unique powers or bonds that could bring. Are they stronger near each other? How about some sort of mental bond because they both have half of the Kyuubi? Any number of things come up, though I'm staying away from the concept of original kekkei genkai cus I find that too much room for mary sue-dom.

But, I mean, come on. The idea of twin brothers using a Great Ball Rasengan is awesome.

[Tempest Kitsune]

Actually, that has a lot of potential. Although creating a twin for Naruto out of whole cloth seems like a pretty daunting task to me. As for special powers, maybe have Naruto be a lot better at destructive jutsu, while Jiraiya seems to have a knack for healing jutsu (and wouldn't Tsunade get a kick out of that)?

[Stormseed]

One important thing to consider is what effect being brothers will have on their development.

[Nasdaq]

Well, I was thinking one ends up more like current Naruto, the other is more a mix of Minato and Gaara: somewhat shy, reserved, sort of quiet type. I'd likely have one be a different elemental affinity then wind, for the fun I can have there too, but yeah, having them be slightly different in skill-sets. My real issue is how to work out teams, which would involve either having one student fail or not be there, or introduce new students to the mix, which seems like it may get too heavy on the OC.

Though, yes, I love the concept of 'Jiraiya' taking after Tsunade, particularly if he's rather embarrassed about the whole concept of his namesake's 'research.'

And yes, that would be a major thing. The concepts of dreams also plays in. Do both want to be hokage, does one want to be and the other not due to either dislike of the village or something? Do I do separate love interests or play up a love triangle. The concept of Hinata being trapped between two Naruto's does amuse me to no end.

[Stormseed]

You could have Hanabi fall for the other. One writer did make a crack about the 'Uzumaki charisma regarding Hyuuga women' one time.

[Nasdaq]

I'm not sure. Hilarious as it is, the concept of Hanabi, who would be just turning 10 and 11 during Part 2, falling for the 15-16 year old Naruto or Jiraiya somewhat worries me. But it is something to play with.

[Stormseed]

*rubs chin* Well, there could be a branch family member at about the right age.

Alternately, Sakura could fall for the brother, which is just as hilarious in it's own way.

[Nasdaq]

Or do the road less traveled and have one just not get a love interest. Particular if I run the Hinata liking both, and both end up liking her. Particularly harsh, yet perhaps interesting, is if Jiraiya spends more time with her at first, but eventually it's Naruto who falls for her too even more, and she eventually picks him, and Jiraiya ends up wandering around like his namesake due to a forever unrequited love.

[Tempest Kitsune]

Or perhaps pick a differant cast member. Maybe Ayame from Ichiruka? ... After double checking, no, that doesn't work out too well. Perhaps the priestess Shion from the Oni no Kuni filler arc? Or heck, maybe use one of the girls from the filler arcs, like Shion or Yakumo. Or you could use the tried and sometimes true method of having femHaku survive the Battle in Wave.

[Darkandus]

How about Tayuya? I always thought the sound four got a rough deal. They had crappy childhoods, got taken in by a psychotic monster, adapted to the mindset of their savior and then got killed for it. All when they were just kids. I'm pretty sure they were all around fourteen when they got killed anyway.

[Nasdaq]

Hmm, an option, but I'm not sure I see it. Though, it could be funny if she survives, shows up later and tries to help them find Sasuke in exchange for asylum, and go from there. I'll file that under possible.

I've never seen the movie with Shion, though I might watch in and use her as well.

However, the merits of a not-so-completely happy ending are nice. Sometimes, it's nice to remind that not everything wraps up nicely, and sometimes things end up a little broken at the end.

[Tempest Kitsune]

I like the Tayuya idea myself.

[Darkandus]

You could also play it for laughs. Double dating, one goes out with the quiet, shy wallflower. The other goes out with the loud, confident Foulmouth. Are they going to be identical twins? Personally I would prefer if they look different but identical twins could work too.

[Nasdaq]

Nearly so. I was thinking of giving one Naruto's normal looks, and the other similar styling but Kushina's dark red hair color instead. And, of course, they both have the whiskers. I was tempted to give them each only one cheek of it, but that seems like it might look a bit too odd.

As per the double dating, I do like that concept and will mull over it when I get to that point, because the humor of the loud excitable one going with Hinata and the quiet one ending up with Tayuya does amuse me. We'll have to see how it goes.

Now on to other points. How do I handle the lack of appropriate teams? And, of course, do I put them on the same time, which I was leaning against, or on different ones. However, that would tend to double the writing as I have to cover both, and I suppose it may negate the purpose of having brothers in a way if they're not interacting.

[Darkandus]

Simple, bring Sai into the picture early and have a side character sign on as a shinobi. Like Ayame, or perhaps that Genjutsu bloodline chick who was cursed with a demon in one of the filler arcs.

[Nasdaq]

Well, how about this. Say I did go with them on the same team, who would their teammate be? Sasuke? Tempted to do that, actually. Then have the last team be Sai, Sakura, and someone else. Maybe, like suggested, a new Hyuuga branch member, but not sure. But then again, explaining why Sai is not on Naruto and Jiraiya's team would be a pain. Could justify OC, though, as other class members who manage to push through. Or perhaps another massive change: Sakura fails the test and ends up being held back entirely.

Funny, hardest part about this seems to stem not from the fact that thinking of stuff about the kids is hard, but rather how to adjust the world to work with them.

The THIRD option is to make it a sort of unique special case: Due to who they are, and them being extra, they get shoved on the same team with two others still, and you end up with an odd four man team, plus Kakashi. Also plays up the fact that not everything is nice and neat and fitting. Things do get mixed up a bit.

[Tempest Kitsune]

Also, looking at the situation from a tactical viewpoint, splitting up two brothers who have basically had only each other to depend on their entire lives wouldn't be a smart move on Sarutobi's part. Especially if Jiraiya's access to the other half of the Kyuubi's chakra might be a viable way to snap Naruto out of a Kyuubi-mode rage without resorting to a seal or harming anyone else. Hmmm, maybe have Naruto be a tad more aggressive than he was in canon, and Jiraiya is the only one (at first) that can get him to calm down? I'm not talking berserker Naruto here though. Also, a note on the chakra element for Jiraiya. Have it be water. Because that makes their family name that much more ironic.

[Darkandus]

How about Sai, Sakura, Sasuke. Team 8 as normal. Team 10 as normal. Naruto, Jiraiya, ????.

[Tempest Kitsune]

You could always pick two of the kids that were shown in the first episode that didn't get their headbands and throw a quick background on them. Hell, for an added twist (and a way to cut down on OCs) have both of them as Kyuubi orphans.

[Nasdaq]

Again, question becomes why is Sai not with Naruto and Jiraiya (whom I am now questioning name wise).

Now, here is a concept: Jiraiya passes the Genin exam, but Naruto does not, and we end up having the Scroll Stealing Kage Bunshin event with him. But, this makes one extra person pass who had not before, and thus the situation where Naruto gets put on the same team both due to the connection and due to the situation.

Alternately, I may pull out some of the original kids and have them show up too, but I'm not sure.

And yes, I was planning to have Jiraiya be water, and be the more calm of the two. Particularly ironic as he might be more feminine (not quite Haku feminine), and have Kushina's looks, but acts more like Minato, while Naruto looks like Minato and is more guy-like, yet acts like Kushina. Naruto would be slightly more aggressive, though.

Main difference I see, power wise, is having Jiraiya be more skilled with chakra control on a fine level, as in strangely and almost EXTREMELY in control, but have only a fraction of the chakra that Naruto has, who lacks the control as he has so much. Hence why, when they begin to learn under Jiraiya, they eventually will create some fun combination jutsu, including my hope of making a combination Wind/Water Rasengan move at some point. At the very least, they WILL smite someone with a Great Ball Rasengan. A fight with Sakon and Ukon would be amusing too.

Anyway, bringing it back, other name ideas: Kakashi, Obito (he was Minato's student, after all), the double irony of Sasuke (after Sarutobi, of course), or something else entirely. One concept I rather like is calling him Shio, which is the term for both tides and can also be used as the term for salt. Salt Ramen is Kushina's favorite food, and it plays into Naruto's name being both a topping and a sort of whirlpool. Also ties into the fact that Naruto is more unpredictable and volatile, while Shio would be more even tempered and consistent, like the tides coming in and out.

[Tempest Kitsune]

How about Toru? It literally means "To catch fish". And since one of Naruto's name translations is "fishcake", and his brother is going to be "catching" him when trying to get him to calm down...

[Darkandus]

The third Hokages name is Sarutobi Hiruzen. The whole Sarutobi Sasuke thing is fanon.

[Phht]

Question: How would twin jinchuuriki (holding sections of the same biju) affect the timeline? I mean, Akatsuki's extraction method might not be feasible with needing to grab from two seals simultaneously when getting Kyuubi.

As to teams, you could have it where Sasuke is withdrawn from the Academy after the massacre for dedicated counseling, etc for his mental/emotional trauma. Then he'd be readmitted the start of the next term and repeats the year/term he left during. This would result in the numbers shifting to "normal". It could also result in a reduction in fangirlism, as the object of desire is not available for girls to being fangirling over until up to 6+ months later, and all the counseling, etc might've changed his outlook enough that he's not a brooding emo avenger (not saying he wouldn't be an avenger, just not a brooding emo one). Naturally, that would then make you have to consider if Orochimaru would crash Konoha's Chunin Exam since Sasuke would either a) still be an Academy student, or b) be a freshly graduated genin at the time the Exam starts.

As to the genin team set-up prior to Naruto's unorthodox passing, Sarutobi could've decided to pair a kunoichi with the twin that passed and had them serve as a two-man genin team with the intent to fill the last slot with Naruto once he passed. The time spent waiting for the last teammate could be used to make sure everyone's up to par in physical and mental aspects. And this also results in wondering about jounin-sensei. Pull Tenzo from ANBU early to serve as jounin-sensei over the two jinchuuriki? If you shift Sasuke to where he repeats a term/year, then Kakashi might be "held back" until Sasuke's graduation (or he is their jounin-sensei and intentionally fails them so he's available for Sasuke, depending how you want to characterize him, and Sarutobi overrules him for flunking a team that passed his test before assigning someone else as their teacher). Then again, Kakashi could serve as jounin-sensei to the team and just "miss out" on being Sasuke's team leader.

[Kirai]

You know, in regard to the love interest: If Hinata had a twin the solution would be obvious. Both would be with one Naruto.

Why can't it be the reverse? Hinata has a harem... well two boys don't make a harem but you get the point.

Gender equality!

[Darkandus]

Because Harems are ninty nine times out of a hundred horribly developed wish fulfillment that is best steered clear of?