Sometimes, when Avery was half naked, lying underneath a freshly dead body in the back of some dingy bar (or if she was short for time the back of an alley), she found herself wondering what the fuck was she even doing with her life. She was almost positive that whomever it was to birth her did not have this in plan for her. God, she at least hoped not anyway.

She laid there for a few moments, enjoying the silence. It wasn't often that she got time to herself to think. She stayed still, straining her ears for any type of sound, any breathing, any drum of a heart beat. Nothing. She smiled, it always made things simpler when she got the job done right the first time, she liked to keep things clean as possible. She shuddered at the memory of #4. She totally underestimated the amount of poison he would need in his drink by a long shot, it was stupid of her. She didn't even take into consideration his body mass, but anyway after a few chesty coughs he passed out and Avery thought that was it but just as she prepared to dispose of the body, he woke up, coughing his shit up- but still awake. She had to take things into her own hands. She didn't really like thinking about what she did, but there was more blood then she intended and Madame was so not happy about the mess

Avery shuffled herself away from underneath the body and then continued to throw her shirt on over her camisole, she hated that part the most. The thought of those men touching her made her skin crawl, she learned pretty quickly to wrap up in as many layers as possible because boy were they fast to reach for her clothes. She looked back at the now lifeless heavy weight and frowned.

'Asshole.' She commented before stepping over him and reaching for the phone. 'Hello?' She called.

'Oh, hey Avery!' Lucinda replied, her voice as chirpy as ever.

'Yeah, hey Lucinda. Can you let Madame know that it's done? Also tell Oliver to hurry the fuck up this time, he knows that i'm just stuck here until he shows up.' She griped, 'Besides, being stuck in a room with a dead body is unsettling by yourself.'

Avery could hear a snort at the other end of the line, 'That's ironic.'

'Just tell Oliver to fucking hurry up.' She snapped before hanging up.

Avery checked the doors again, more so to kill time rather than to actually make sure that they were locked. She slumped against the wall and rested her eyes on the body, still frowning. He was one of her youngest targets but surprisingly one of the creepiest. Although if Madame hadn't have given Avery his file she would've been easily fooled if you based his character off his looks but all you had to do was have a conversation with him to realize he was a total scumbag. She was surprised by how hard it was to get him here, usually it only took the bat of her eyelashes, a couple of drinks and a few suggestive remarks for them to follow her to any deserted area and start ripping at her clothes but him? No, #11 was stubborn. He didn't flirt back, he didn't smirk at her suggestive remarks, he just continued to stare at her blankly and take sips of his drink (which contained half a vile of poison, courtesy of Avery). Yet he still followed Avery to the back of this pub nonetheless, hoping to get his leg over. She shuddered at the thought, as if. All these creeps aim way too high.

'Avey baby-' A voice cooed from the other side of the door causing her face to drop almost immediately, she then went to open the door and pushed her hand through the entrance, causing the palm of her hand to smack Oliver right in the center of his face.

'Fuck!' He cursed clutching his face, 'I think you broke my nose again! You Bitch!'

'Well stop calling me stupid names and I wouldn't have to constantly break your face!' She retorted back. She watched Oliver glare at her for a moment before he rolled his eyes and focused his attention back to the situation at hand but he didn't do so before sighing at her first. She chose to be the mature person out of the both of them and ignore it.

'Right, same as always. Keep an eye out whilst I do what I usually do with the body.' He said, Avery nodded and left the room leaving Oliver to do what he usually does with the body, whatever the fuck it was.

Avery led across Oliver's bed, she was tired and her body ached. Just like how she usually felt every time she off'd someone. She glanced over at Oliver who was currently hunched over his desk, she could only really see the back of his head. His messy black hair sticking in every direction, she could also see that he had his glasses on which meant that he must be reading.

'I don't know why you bother with that.' She remarked as she fiddled with the a piece of string in her outstretched hands. Oliver took his glasses of and turned around to face her.

'Do you not think an education is important?' He queried.

'I just don't really see the point, like where can we go from here.'

'Speak for yourself.'

'Maybe I am speaking for myself.' She mumbled grumpily.

'You think too negatively, there's a lot more for Amestris to offer. A lot more for the world to offer.' Oliver commended, narrowing his eyes at her.

'That's easy for you to say, you weren't found at the age of 12 with no recollection as to who you are or where you came from.' She replied as she sat up glowering.

'God,' Oliver rolled his eyes, 'You're such a self- pity act. That tune is getting really old you know.' Avery's response was to mimic his words in a stupid voice with a sulky look plastered across her face.

'-That tune is getting really old you kno- hey! Ow!' She cried painfully as Oliver yanked at a strand of her matted curls.

'You're so immature, you know that right?' He sneered as he pulled her face to his.

Avery clicked her tongue and glowered at him, 'You're only 17. You do realize that right?'

'Yeah and that one year age gap really shows.' Avery really wanted to punch that shit eating grin right off his face but she had to restrain herself knowing what would wind him up more. She smirked slightly as she breathed in.

She spat on him.

She watched in great amusement as he jolted back dramatically with a horrified look on his face. 'Ew! Gross! What the fuck Avery?!' She started howling in laughter, a few snorts escaping her lips in the process. He scrubbed the back of his sleeve against his face dramatically. 'You're so gross.'

'You know Oliver I really don't get you, you fight the worst of the worst and dispose bodies for a living but you can't handle a bit of saliva.' She noticed him clench his jaw and a slight growl leaving his lips. Now for the cherry on top, 'God, I really do feel sorry for whoever you end up with. They aren't going to have a very fun time.' She mocked. This was cue for his face to go bright red from a mix of embarrassment and anger.

'Get out!' He yelled as he chucked a book at her, it was evident that he was aiming for her head but she managed to catch it just in time. She got up to leave, she could take a hint. Especially when it was being hurled at her at great velocity and speed. She made sure to laugh with every step she took until the door was being slammed behind her.

That kid really had to get his temper looked at. She glanced back at his door and grinned before she continued walking. She clutched at the book, still in her hands. She really did struggle to see the point in what he was doing, she still stands by what she said. Why bother? That boy dreamed way too big. This wasn't the type of job that you could just drop out of whenever you felt like it, if he didn't realise that now then it was only going to hurt him more in the long run. What they signed up for when they agreed to this, was like them signing their souls to the devil.

Madame Christmas had her girls. They were her eyes on the streets, they were her spies. They were the military's spies. They saw all and knew all, hidden in plain sight. They knew anything and everything and would report it back to Madame and Madame would report anything that had any relevance back to central. And because of them, damaged could be stopped before it even happened. They were the prevention.

Then there were them, people like Avery and Oliver. People like Lucinda. Plucked and found from the worst conditions, desperate enough to agree to just about anything just for a chance at survival. Their job wasn't quite as clean as the girls. Their job was to clear the streets of worst, whenever military couldn't or wouldn't that's when they came in. By worst she meant worst of the worst; murderers, serial rapists, homicidal maniacs etc. All the ones that thought they were slick enough to slip under the radar, they were wrong. Originally Avery didn't kill them. She resisted, refused. She would just fight them, help lure them into capture but somewhere along the lines the plans were changed and there was nothing Avery could do, it stopped being about what was right and started just being about surviving.

It wasn't always like this, or so she heard, to begin with it really was just Madame and her girls working independently for their own gain but then Military got quick wind of this and started using it to their advantage, it became a legitimate service that was being funded by military, a service that would be helping both ends out but then military started to take things into their own hands forming their own plans for them. They offered extra funding for extra service. Thus came The A.O.S, the Amestris Outlaw Services. The name made Avery sound a lot more official then she actually was. It was fucked, yes, Avery was very aware of that but so were so many other things in the world.

Avery didn't know as much as she would like, her knowledge still lacked in a lot of areas, trying to start an entire new life from the age of 12 when you know literally nothing else does that, but she soon became quickly aware of how bitter this world was. She knew not to trust anything or anyone, the military and the government being the first things on that list. 4 years later and she still stuck by that.

She wasn't proud of what she did but she wasn't exactly ashamed either, it might be because that was pretty much all she knew, or because the people she was killing were people that didn't deserve to live, or maybe it was just in her personality- she'll never know. It was just something she felt oddly nothing about. She was sure she wasn't the only one though. She's worked with Oliver for years and he's yet to say outright anything about what he does and then there was Lucinda- she was a whole other ballpark. To her this was all a game to her, i've seen the light in her eyes when she's assigned a new target specifically for her. She's like a kid at Christmas, it was oddly cute.

'Avery!' She heard her name being called out, she groaned trying to ignore it. She recognized it instantly, Suzo. Madame's runner girl. Avery only got back like an hour ago, she was fucking exhausted, she definitely was not going to complete another job today.

'Avery!' Suzo yelled again but this time she also yanked at Avery's shoulder to go with it. Avery ripped away from her grip.

'Who said you could touch me? Oh wait no one, so piss off.' She spat.

'Madame wants to see you.'

Avery grumbled and shoved past Suzo, 'She always wants to see me.'

'If you don't come i'll just tell her you ignored me, you always seem to forget she's the one that clothes and feeds you.' Suzo sung annoyingly. Avery paused in her tracks, counting to ten first to refrain herself from beating the shit out of Suzo before she turned around.

'Where is she?'

'Her office.' Avery nodded and took a step in the opposite direction of where she was heading previously, being sure to shove into Suzo again in the process.

'You wanted to see me?' Avery asked as she knocked on the already opened door when she arrived at the office.

Madame turned around, 'Your presence has been requested at central.'

Avery audibly groaned as she took a seat on her desk, her hand reaching for the sweet bowl on her desk and popped it into her mouth. 'For what reason this time?'

'Apparently it's time for you to have another assessment and psych analysis, it will most likely be like the one you had when you were first found. Before you were handed down to me.' Avery scratched her head and furrowed her eyebrows.

'I'm not going to lie, I don't really remember much of that. Most things from those times are kind of blurry.'

'You will be given a run through on to what to expect on the way there, don't worry. They should be here soon.' Avery nodded but still, Madame narrowed her eyes at Avery. 'Avery?'

'Yes?'

'Get off my desk!' She declared whacking her on the back of the head.

'Ow!' Avery cried in response, 'Was the violence really necessary?' She grumbled as she hopped off, picking her words carefully. She was pretty sure she still had a bruise from the last time she talked back to Madame.

'When it concerns you, yes.'

Avery was about to respond when she heard a knock on the door, she turned around to see Roy Mustang stood by the doorway, 'Oh, it's you.' She sighed disappointedly.

'And what's that supposed to mean?' Roy exclaimed aggressively.

'I was hoping it was going to be someone fun, like Hughes, but you'll have to do I suppose.' She said, crossing her arms. Immediately after the words left her lips she could feel Madame's eye bore into the back of her head. 'I mean, yay! Roy Mustang!' She declared sarcastically as she walked toward him. Making sure she was well out of Madame's reach. 'My favorite person!'

Roy shook his head, 'Do you really think it's sensible to patronize the person driving you to central?'

'Do you really think it's sensible to threaten me with a witness present?' She shot back referring to Madame.

Roy just growled and grabbed her collar, 'C'mon.' He said dragging her with him.

'Please refrain from doing anything stupid whilst you're here.' Roy commanded as they entered the building, walking through it.

'You say that every time I come here and I find it just as offensive each time.' Avery retorted as she walked beside him, nodding at whatever familiar faces she saw.

'That's because every time you do something stupid.' He barked.

'I do not!' She shot back, trying to sound outraged at his allegations. Just because she had managed to get herself in a few problematic circumstances a few times doesn't mean that it was because she did anything stupid. Roy stopped to turn around and face Avery causing her to stop.

He stared at her deadpanned, she stared back pretending not to know what he was on about.

'You set fire to my office!' He exclaimed.

'I did not set fire to it! That's such an exaggeration, it caught a small flame and I put it out before it got out of hand remember!' She fired at him.

'We seem to be remembering to completely different version of events.' He declared, glaring at her. Avery just waved him off and continued walking.

'This conversation is boring, can we just get this over and done with please.'

'Next time i'm sending Hawkeye to collect you.' He bit under his breath.

When they arrived at the reception Roy had told Avery to wait by the chairs after signing her in because he had to go do something, to begin with she did genuinely do what he told her, for once. She sat and waited. And waited, and waited, and waited. After about 20 minutes of her just sat there, in the same chair, she started to become really irritable. And when she got irritable; she got fidgety. Whoever she was meant to be having this assessment with was taking their sweet time. She could just go for a 5 minute walk and say she needed to pee or something.

Surely no one could tell her off for needing to pee?

She glanced up at the desk lady, she seemed too engrossed in whatever she was doing to pay attention to Avery. Then it was settled. She got up and took a left, just taking steps to wherever was available. She didn't like walking through this part though. It was filled with people, walking all directions. She started to take note of all the glances that were being target towards her direction, some were even as blunt to stare. She hated this, she forgot how many unwarranted looks she would receive whenever she was in unfamiliar territory, her long snow-white hair and dark red eyes resulted in her sticking out wherever she went- if it wasn't for her pale white skin she could have easily have been mistaken for an Isvhalan. It was that combined with her her overall scruffy appearance that resulted in these looks as if she didn't belong.

After about the 10th one she decided she couldn't take anymore, if she stayed there any longer she was going to do exactly what Roy ordered her not to do, something stupid. She took a turn for an empty corridor which incidentally lead her to an empty looking room, she might as well enter it. It couldn't get any worse then out there.

The first thing she saw were books, lots and lots of books. It looked like a library but if it was a library then why was it so secluded away from everything? The only logical reason she could think of was because they had books here that wasn't meant for the public domain. God, Oliver would have a field of a day in here. It's a shame he's never been asked to come here otherwise she could've told him where it was.

Avery was in the middle of reading the spines of some of the books, which was proving to be difficult in such dim lighting when she heard a voice. She fell to her knees and made an attempt to hide behind the book shelf, from the sounds of it the voice wasn't too far from her.

'There's got to be something about that could help us in here somewhere Al.' Avery peered through the books, she couldn't see much but from what she could make out the voice belonged to either blond haired kid or the one dressed in a massive metal suit. Avery decided not to question the boys choice of clothing, she's seen a lot weirder things, she'd only be wasting her own energy if she did.

'What do you think we will find brother?' The voice replied, this voice was definitely younger but both voices sounded just as distressed each others. Avery would be lying if she said her interest wasn't piqued slightly.

'Honestly Al, I'm not entirely sure. At this moment in time, anything we find on the philosophers stone would be helpful.' The philosophers stone. Avery wasn't quite sure what it was but something about that word seemed really familiar but she couldn't pin point why because she knew for a fact that she hadn't heard it before. She recognized it though, she could feel it in her core. Something about the word screamed at her at tugged at the inside of her stomach. She racked her brain, trying to think. The familiarity of it was overwhelming. If she was only slightly interested before then now either boys had her undivided attention.

She rested her hands on the shelf to get a better view and hearing point. 'This is the closest we've gotten to getting our bodies back so far.' Avery could hear better but she still couldn't see much.

She just needed to get a tiny bit closer, 'Brother, do you think-' Suddenly Avery felt her hand slip as she lost balance of the bookshelf keeping her steady. Which meant that the bookshelf... Oh shit.

Next thing she knew she face planted the floor as the bookshelf followed suit, collapsing to the floor and bringing every book on it's shelf with it. The roomed filled with three collective screams as it smashes to the ground. 'WHAT THE-' Avery opened her eyes to see the blond haired boy staring down at her, looking confused and quite frankly pissed. At least she got a good look of his face though this time, rather than having to peer through some smelly old books.

'Who are you?!' He demanded pointing at her.

Avery raised to her feet immediately, 'Who are you?!' She shot back defensively, not liking the accusing tone in his voice.

He growled at her, 'I'm the one asking you questions here not you! You're the one that just collapsed half of the library!'

Avery scoffed, who did he think he was?! 'Oh those are big words coming from someone as small as you don't you think?' She got pleasure out of watching his face go bright red and contort to a mixture of emotions, most of them anger. Actually scratch that, he was just pure anger. A laugh slipped through her lips.

This only seemed to wind him up even more, 'Who are you calling small?!' He roared, his voice echoing throughout the room when suddenly his face fell, he unexpectedly started to swivel his head around manically as if he'd lost something, 'Al?! Where are you?!' He yelled desperately. Oh shit, she forgot about the other one.

'Brother!' A voice cried back. Avery did not appreciate all the books being hurled in her direction as the blond haired boy started searching hurriedly for his brother.

'Hey! Watch it!' She shouted as she stomped over to him but stopped mid in her track when she saw him pick up a metal head and hug it and then continued to pull out the metal body and attach it on. She was about to question it when she realized that them currently being distracted would actually be a perfect time to sneak away. Quickly, she jolted for the door and ran as fast as she could (which luckily was actually pretty fast), not stopping for breath until she was certain she was a great amount of distance away from them.

It wasn't until she finally slowed down her footsteps that she actually stopped to recall all of the events from the past 5 minutes. She lowered her head as she smirked, being sure that her hair was covering her face.

She was pretty sure that she had just witnessed something she hadn't meant to.