Author's note and disclaimer: I don't know if I've ever done an actual origin story for Ayame/Himeno. If I have I'll delete those later. I watched Endless Waltz the other night and I've been watching it at least twice a day now.
I do not own Gundam Wing.
Chapter One
The boys arrived at the base camp a few nights ago. They were surrounded by mountains, lush trees and a valley full of flowers and tall grass. A waterfall feed the lake and river below. Supplying them clean water and a place to bathe. The high humidity kept everyone parched and sweaty. Luckily, they were surrounded by men that stunk as much as they did.
They've heard talks about the rebellion's leader. How fierce he was. How the men were too afraid to disobey his orders because he could (and would) hurt them worse than OZ ever could.
Since then they've been helping out the freedom fighters with repairs and upgrades to the few mobile suits that they had. Duo and Quatre couldn't help but notice how thin the ranks were. Amir, a young man with tan skin, dark black hair and honey brown eyes, informed them that their leader took a few men out for a mission. That was four days ago.
On the fifth day Amir received a distress call from a fighter jet flying towards them. He rushed towards one of his friends who was chatting it up with the guys.
"Boss is coming in fast on an emergency landing. Put Doc on stand-by." Amir ordered and then ran towards valley where the others were rushing towards. The boys weren't far behind them, but they stayed on the hill and watched as the plane made a belly landing—making a deep trench and ruining the pastel rainbow of flowers. The wing had snapped off and several metal parts had flown off.
"That's gonna hurt in the morning." Duo winced.
"Is the pilot okay?" Quatre questioned his concerned out loud, his blue eyes watery with worry.
The fighters had gathered around the giant metal mass and those who were piloting mobile suits soon joined them. Trowa swiped a pair of binoculars when one of the men sprinted by and focused on the few men that had climbed on top of the broken bird.
"It looks like the pilot is okay." Trowa stated, his voice sounded a little bit surprised. He passed the binoculars to Heero and he watched as the pilot stood from her cockpit.
"The leader is…" Heero's voice trailed off as the pilot took off the helmet, flipping long brown hair out—loosening the length until it rested neatly against her back.
"A girl?!"
Duo whistled, "Did not see that one coming. I had big, muscle bound, war loving idiot."
And then the girl started shouting and punched one of her men in the face—making him fall off the destroyed machine.
"Why do I get the feeling that we're not prepared to work with someone like her?" Quatre asked, laughing nervously.
Wufei watched the girl as she jumped from her machine and gracefully landed on her feet. She was still shouting as she stormed away from the wreck. The others left to go to the debriefing tent, leaving him there.
"Such a loud woman."
The flaps of the tent briskly opened and closed. The girl entered and didn't immediately meet the eyes of the Gundam pilots. Amir wasn't far behind her; a sour expression itched across his face. She rummaged around the table that had a giant map of the region hanging above it.
"So you guys are the pilots that have been causing OZ so much trouble?" The girl suddenly spoke, catching them off guard. They weren't expecting her voice to sound so light and young. When she turned around they could clearly see her dark blue eyes on display by her bangs curving around them. Her skin was kissed by the sun, giving her a creamy tan complexion.
"Well, aren't you?" She questioned again, but her voice was toned with irritation.
"Yes we are." Quatre answered with a bright smile. "I'm Quatre. This is Heero, Trowa, Duo and Wu—"
Quatre was interrupted by a much larger man storming into the tent. "Ayame, I want a word!"
"So her name is Ayame?" Duo whispered with a cheeky grin.
Ayame sighed, rolling her eyes and turning towards the larger man with a stoic face, but deadly narrowed eyes. "What the fuck do you want now Roy?"
The boys, especially, Quatre winced at her rough language. Amir and Roy didn't seem to mind it much.
"About the mission—"
Ayame interrupted him, "Nope."
"Ayame, please here me out." Roy begged.
"How about I don't and get back to my job. Or do you want to talk about how you gave me false information?"
Roy twitched and backed away.
"Which lead to me taking more than a handful of our men to a base that was heavily guarded by OZ. Do you know how many good men we lost? How many of our machines that were destroyed?" Ayame's voice steadily rose with anger. She slowly closed the gap between her and Roy, her fierce eyes digging into his contorted face of fear and anxiety.
"Do you have any fucking clue how screwed we'll be if OZ finds us?" Ayame shouted, punching Roy square in the face, sending him flying out of the tent. "Lock him and his buddies up, Amir. No food or water for three days."
"Are you sure Ayame?" Amir asked gently.
"Give their food rations to the families that lost someone today. Your mother will need all the strength she can get." Ayame turned her back to him.
Amir didn't say anything more. He left the tent with a solemn face and everyone who remained the room heard several men scream out in pain.
"Sorry you had to see all that." Ayame apologized and took a seat at the head of the table, "I don't have much patience. Not when it comes to traitors."
"It was nice of you to give their food to the families though." Quatre smiled, it wasn't cheerful, but more encouraging. "From one leader to another that was a smart move."
"You mind telling that to the assholes outside?" Ayame joked, laying her head sideways on the table. "They're a bunch of pricks."
"You're not popular amongst your men?" Trowa asked.
"A female teenager leading a rebellion full of pissed off men who are even more pissed off that their countries and homes have been destroyed and controlled by OZ and the Romerfeller Foundation? What's not to love?"
"I noticed the diversity around here. Is everyone from a different country?" Duo asked, taking a seat next to her.
Ayame turned her head to face him, "Most of the guys here are from this country, but there are few who are from different countries. Take that giant idiot for example, Roy, he's from Germany. I'm from Japan. There's actually a group of brothers—"
"Wait, you're from Japan?" Duo practically shouted.
The others had all gathered around the table and now were staring between Ayame and Heero. Noting the difference between them, but also the similarities.
Ayame laughed, "I know I'm kind of dark, but once you spend a few months out here you start to look like a different person."
"A few months?"
"We're a traveling band." Ayame sung, "We go where we're needed or if OZ kicks us out. Now that I think about it this is the longest we've stayed in one place. We better pack it up before our luck runs out."
Ayame glanced up at the map, "You guys have any intel about what's going on up North?"
"Not much actually." Quatre replied. "It's pretty peaceful up there."
"If you ignore the OZ bases that still need to be destroyed." Heero commented.
"So lots of toys for the taking." Ayame scrunched her nose at the idea. "I like it. I'll send them there."
"You're not going with them?" Wufei asked, finally speaking up.
"I'm not a fan of cold weather. Besides, the repairs to my Gundam aren't finished."
Duo chocked on his beverage while Quatre gasped audibly and the others remained quiet, but wore shocked expressions.
"They didn't tell you that I'm also a Gundam pilot?" Ayame questioned.
"Obviously." Wufei mumbled.
"Why do you guys think you were sent here?" Ayame asked as she stood and headed towards the entrance of the tent.
"To help with the…fighting?" Duo answered her question with his own.
"Well yes and no. I'm staying here with you guys to hold off whatever forces come this way. While I send my guys to wherever I want." Ayame explained and then exited the room.
The five pilots soon followed after her. They were quiet as they headed towards the mountain. A few of the men eyed the lot suspiciously, but one hard glare from their female leader and they quickly returned back to their post.
They were half way up to the mountain when Duo began to whine. Ayame smacked him upside the head and told him to chill out—winning a slight grin from Wufei and Heero.
"Why are we coming all the way up here?" Duo questioned as he rubbed the back of his head.
"You don't want to see my baby?" Ayame turned towards the braided pilot with a pouty lower lip.
"I seriously hope you mean your Gundam and not an actual baby." Wufei stated dryly.
"What kind of person would I be if I left an actual small person up here?" Ayame asked glaring at Wufei as he walked by. "Wrong way."
The Chinese pilot stopped in his tracks and turned towards the path that Ayame pointed to. It was covered in trees and brush, but there was a path. No one would see it unless they knew the location.
He fell behind as they made a line to fit along the narrow path. Duo stopped before Wufei and winked at him.
"I think she likes you." The braided pilot smiled widely.
"How on earth have you come to that conclusion?" Wufei asked.
"I just have this feeling."
"Well your feelings are wrong." Wufei snubbed off Duo's remark and concentrated on not sliding down the mountain they just climbed.
"Who knows man you may end up marrying her." Duo joked, chuckling at his own prediction.
"You're a fool."
Author's note: No Wufei, you're the fool.