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, 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:
 * 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:
 * The Big Guy: Although Jomei isn't often called on to use his physical strength, he fits the description.
 * Break the Haughty:
 * Character Development:
 * 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
 * I Have No Son:
 * 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:
 * Licking the Blade:
 * 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:
 * Nice Hat: Jomei's pointy straw hat.
 * 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:
 * 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,, 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.