Aimée Duchemin

Aimée Françoise Duchemin
Kana	{{{kana}}}
Romaji	{{{romaji}}}
Company	Bravo
Ethnicity	Half-Viellonne, half-Iriniaise
Species	Human
Age	18
Height	5'6.5" (170cm)
Weight	58kg
Element	Water
Hometown	Lumine
Other residences	Bloomingwood (The Black Journal) Cressington (after LHD7)
Role	Player Character
Origin	The National Service Journal

"Bah, that's how it is. I bear the brunt of all the people's remarks and torture."

—Aimée Duchemin, Les Histoires Duchemin 7

Aimée Duchemin is the protagonist of the series Les Histoires Duchemin. She begins as a bumbling 18-year-old conscript, but embarks on several journeys with her friends Sybil, Térence, Sylvain, Llyr, Laura and Erroll, and grows to be one of the strongest and most renowned warriors in Sauveterre.

Throughout most of the events in The National Service Journal, she is known as Aimée Durand, due to the fact that her adoptive parents bear this surname.

Journal Entries

The National Service Journal

Strength: ★★★
Defence: ★★
Speed: ★
Intelligence: ★★★★
Empathy: ★★★★★★
Compliance: ★★★★
Leadership: ★★★★★

That's me! Influential figure in Bravo Company, emotional wreck, pillar of strength. I know these contradict each other, but yeah. That's who I am. I decided to chronicle everything that happens in National Service to keep my sanity. Sometimes I don't even know if I'm doing the right thing, but one thing's for sure: I wanna do it all in love, and all for the sake of my friends and my company, if that's what I'm here for.

The Black Journal

Name's Aimée. The journal that I'm writing this time documents all the efforts we have to endure to live our dreams. I, for one, have really big dreams. I do get uncertain about the things I wanna do sometimes, but at least Sybil and the rest are there to lift me up. Before I left for Irinie, I made a vow that whatever I do would be done in love.

Les Histoires Duchemin: Believe

Aimée's one of my best friends. Right now she and the rest are in Bloomingvale, whilst I'm all alone in Cressington. I first spoke to her as a friend would, during the end of National Service, when she and I beat the drum together. Believe it or not, opposites do attract.

It's because of the way she loves, the way she advises me, as well as the many unfortunate events that have happened in the past, that I have decided to embark on this journey to rediscover myself... to seek the truth.

Story

The Tale of Ani Suring

Eight-year-old Aimée is seen in what used to be a village in Lumine, which was razed down to the ground in a fire caused by Ankoù. Her parents and siblings were killed in the fire, as were the rest of the residents, save for Aimée herself. Aimée lived as a scavenger, searching for bits of food all around the village, and her only source of entertainment was a toy drum that she always carried with her.

When Ani Suring arrived at the area, Aimée beat her drum to attract Ani's attention. Ani found the girl, who was hiding behind a pile of rubble. Ani asked for her name, and asked her if she has a family. Aimée, in tears, said that she no longer has one. Ani embraced Aimée and asked her to let it all out, and subsequently takes Aimée's hand. Aimée asked where Ani is going; Ani replied by saying that she is giving Aimée a new family.

Aimée and Ani arrived at the doorstep of Jeannette Durand's house, and after a great deal of pleading on Ani's part, Jeannette decided to accept Aimée as a new member of their family. She and her husband, Thierry Durand, raised the girl as Aimée Durand for ten long years. Aimée was aware that she was adopted, but she was unaware of the many things around her that were connected to her descent.

The National Service Journal

Immediately at the start of semester break, Aimée receives a letter stating that she has to report to Camp Point-Neuf. With much hesitation and much persuasion from her adoptive father, she departs for the camp. Upon her arrival, she is greeted by several trainers and trainees, and attracts the attention of Senior Rafidah Lim, Kulukan and Monica, who rush to help her. She quickly makes friends, and when the Iriniais students arrive at the camp, she makes friends with them too. This fuels the jealousy of comrade Dolores Lestrange.

Aimée is admired by her peers for her leadership and strategic planning from the very beginning of the stint, as well as her artistic ability, but she displays one major flaw that could affect her entire National Service stint: she is the weakest trainee in the whole of Camp Point-Neuf. Dolores spurns her for not being able to run the average of six laps (Aimée only runs four), but the trainers, notably Senior Ref, see a leader in her and elect her as Bravo Company commander. This causes her company mates to admire her, but Dolores spurns her even more. Bravo net their first victory under Aimée - they win the flag design competition, where each company states its set of rules and things it vows to do. Aimée is particularly uncomfortable with Dolores at this point, but she makes friends with Sybil, Mira, Laura Seniors Bleddyn, Ref and Simon, and confides in them. However, after almost a month of outstanding performance, on the nineteenth day, Aimée is yelled at by Dolores for not being able to march properly, and the next day, Aimée is stripped off her title and Dyane Lalique takes her place as company commander. Aimée, in tears, asks the trainers where she even went wrong, but even they could not give her a complete answer.

She picks up her pieces and draws up plans in her journal to make Bravo Company win, much to the displeasure of Dolores and her gang members Alix, Kulukan and Monica, and she soon becomes their punching bag — literally.

Abilities

See also: Aimée Duchemin (Boss)

Despite not being adept at any physical activity at the start, Aimée quickly discovers a strong affinity for Water- and Ice-elemental magic, both of which counter the magic of Fire, of which she is debilitatingly afraid. Her magical power is second among the three playable characters, being visibly less than that of Erroll de Wardes, but stronger than that of Sylvain Dieudonné. Her only personal spell allows her to banish the summoned creatures brought forth by her enemies.

The strongest ability Aimée possesses, however, is the ability to summon more powerfully than most. When summoning, Aimée draws out the full power of whatever remaining sentiments she has contacted and will then take a supporting stance whilst the power of what she has drawn is unleashed. She possesses the largest number of summonable sentiments of any playable character, but, unlike the Cauchemer Sylvain or the Dragon Erroll, has no naturally-occurring alternate forms.

As she is a member of Bravo Company, Aimée names many of her summoned sentiments for terms related to bravery.

She uses a single axe at the beginning of the series, but from Les Histoires Duchemin 3 onwards, she is seen using twin axes in battle.

However, when possessed, Aimée no longer uses her axes. She makes use of all the attacks at the disposition of Daedalus Beaulieu, losing every trace of her consciousness.

Name Origin

Aimée is a traditional French name meaning "beloved". Her surname, Duchemin, literally du chemin is also of French origin, and may be taken to mean "of/from the road/path/way".

Aimée's assumed surname, Durand, originates from the French word durant, which means "lasting".