Scorched Earth (fanfic)
Scorched Earth is an Avatar: The Last Airbender fanfic on fanfiction.net, written by J.Idanian. The story is centered around four original characters as they travel the war-torn Earth Kingdom. The author has put the story on hold for over a year while he rewrites it, having acquired a new editor and apparently decided that whatever they said, the story needed serious reworking. So far[when?], only the first three chapters have been rewritten, though the pace is much faster than normal. The four main characters are listed below.
Jomei: The most important character, if anyone can be said to be that, Jomei is an earthbender and iron miner from a small mountain village in the southern Earth Kingdom. His village was conquered by the Fire Nation and now, above all else, he seeks to free it.
Reki: A swordswoman from the Si Wong Desert, Reki is an alcoholic and chronically depressed over her past. She only fights to stay alive.
Siensao: A merchant and martial artist from Ba Sing Se, Siensao uses her formidable wits against the Fire Nation, and takes an interest in Jomei as part of her mysterious plans.
Kyuzo: A firebender and explosives expert. He slipped through the cracks of the Fire Nation propoganda and is an all-around nice guy, having no real interest in fighting a war, but was conscripted anyway.
The rewrite has added a new character, Siensao's bodyguard, the mute former soldier Zoukani.
- The Alcoholic: Reki. It nearly kills her at one point.
- Badass Bookworm: Siensao is a qualified martial artist, but still the most cultured member of the group.
- Badass Normal: Although Reki claims she isn't considered a master of her style yet, one must wonder what a master would be capable of, since she becomes one of these from her first fight scene onwards. To a lesser degree, Siensao also is an example.
- Beta Couple: Although they only had a few chapters together and their relationship is currently in doubt, Kyuzo and Jura fit this trope quite well.
- The Big Guy: Although Jomei isn't often called on to use his physical strength, he fits the description.
- Break the Haughty: After the destruction of Shan Ling Fortress, Siensao realizes what her attitude is costing her and what she is becoming. She doesn't take it very well.
- Character Development: Subtle, but present. Jomei goes from a headstrong and stupidly stubborn man that lets his temper control him to someone that tries to think before they act and acknowledges that he doesn't know everything-sometimes. At the beginning of the story, Reki was a despairing, apathetic person that only combat got a rise out of. Now she appears to be not so despairing as realistically worried and fearful and searching for a purpose in life. Siensao was introduced as a critical, secret-keeping woman that didn't quite accept she couldn't always be right. Recently, she's resolved to try and learn better. Kyuzo has changed the least, but more recent chapters have him realizing the gravity of his situation a little more.
- Cultured Warrior: Siensao again. Her love of philosophy is a dead giveaway.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Reki, and it shows up frequently enough to make her life difficult.
- Deadpan Snarker: Reki, very much so. She does not enjoy the company of stupid people.
- Determinator: There are many characters that could qualify as this, but the most obvious are Jomei and Siensao.
- Distinguishing Mark: Jomei has the biggest such mark, a line of writing that has been branded onto his back, but it is usually hidden. Reki, with her missing fingers, notched ear, and burn scar, is much more visibly marked, though given her nature, she likely has other scars we haven't seen.
- Hesitation Equals Dishonesty: Played straight with Jomei, when facing Jura. Although Jomei probably would have taken just about any reaction as dishonesty at that point.
- I Have No Son: Or in this case, Jomei has no sister.
- Kill It with Fire: Kyuzo and just about every other firebender, of course, who react to pretty much any threat this way.
- Killed Off for Real: Many, many minor characters and redshirts. Although having a name does increase your chances, it is by no means a sure ward against death.
- Licking the Blade: Reki, in her persona as the Blood Drinker, which, naturally, was how she came by the name in the first place.
- Limited Wardrobe: Played somewhat straight. New outfits are purchased, but as Siensao is a merchant, that at least explains where the money comes from.
- Made of Iron: Whenever earthbending is involved, Jomei and other earthbenders usually showcase this ability. Otherwise it is largely averted, Jomei is grazed by an arrow and it pains him for a while afterwards, Reki is hit by a large rock and needs days for the bruising to go away, and so on.
- Mysterious Past: Pretty much everyone except Jomei.
- The Napoleon: General Xing, who has been nicknamed the Iron Hand and though not as senstivive about his height than some examples of this, he is very aggressive.
- Nice Hat: Jomei's pointy straw hat. And it's furry Mongolian-like replacement. He was quite distressed when the original one was burned up.
- Old Master: Quite a few.
- Plucky Comic Relief: Kyuzo, who has no competition in this regard, stands out as this a mile away.
- Proud Warrior Race Girl: Reki is a semi-reformed example.
- Scars Are Forever: And how.
- Secret Keeper: Siensao lives for the idea that knowledge is power.
- Slasher Smile: Reki as the Blood Drinker. She hardly ever smiles normally, which only makes it more creepy.
- Simple Staff: Siensao favors this weapon, though we have yet to see her Spin to Deflect Stuff.
- Talking in Your Dreams: Reki has been known to mumble in her sleep, but as nobody can understand the language she mumbles in, it is not a plot point.
- The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Averted, rather brutally, in the first chapter.
- Too Clever by Half: Although Kyuzo is quite creative, he doesn't always think his ideas through.
- Weapon of Choice: Jomei favors a warhammer, Siensao stick with her staff and later, a possibly cursed katana, Reki seems to like sabers, while Kyuzo likes the fire knives. Just about everybody has some kind of weapon they prefer above all others.
- Whip It Good: Only with fire.
Examples of Tropes in the rewrite include, so far:
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Kanetsu's rank actually is Master Sergeant and he manages to combine this trope with Sergeant Rock by being the former to the prisoners and the latter to his own men.
- Heroic BSOD: Jomei went through one prior to the beginning of the story but claims to have recovered. Reki remains dubious. He does at least manage to throw off a second one.
- The Voiceless: Zoukani had his tongue cut out, so voicelessness is enforced upon him and has limited his character development.