Dust rolled across the barren landscape of Amestris. Night had fallen, and many were asleep in the colony of Kurga. Those who were not had taken shelter inside the Broken Arm, a tavern that had been fashioned together with broken chunks of mortar and wood. On the outside, the place looked little more than a taller mound amongst the rubble, one that had a warm, yellow glow spilling from the cracks in the walls.

The inside wasn’t too much better, honestly. Iron beams protruded from the ground like teeth attempting to bite the place in two. Several dozen people were crammed into the place, whether at the creaky, wooden tables or at the stone barside. The smell of drink permeated the run down shack, and behind the noise and merriment could be heard a persistent drip of water, though from where could be anyone’s guess.
The company the place seemed to invite were lowlifes, thugs, and rather obnoxious drunks.

“Tch. Why’d he have to pick here to meet?”

That is, except for a young woman. A woman named Penelope “Penny” Draven. By outward appearance, the little lady might have been counted among the earlier list of vagabonds. Her cute face and peach colored skin had been long since obscured by an eyepatch and a countless number of scars across her body, which her red vest did little to hide. Penny pushed her eyeglasses back onto her brow and sighed, drumming her fingers against the stone bar. To think that the State Alchemists would be reduced to meeting here for their mission briefing. Penny had the file, why couldn’t SHE have been the one to pick the meeting spot?! The smell was really starting to get to her… 

Wait.

That smell was WAY too pungent to just be from the place alone.

Turning her head, Penny saw that a particularly large man had taken the seat next to her. He was just... staring at her. Penny squirmed a little in her seat, doing her best to ignore the man and his odors.

"So..." the man spoke, breaking the silence with what may as well have been a chainsaw.

"What's a pretty young thing like you doing all alone in a place like this?" he asked as he EW EW EW EW EW!!!

...Put his sweaty hand on her shoulder. Penny wanted to smack the guy, to blast him with some of her famous balloons. But she couldn't. She had to keep a low profile. Had to keep her ability a secret. That's what she was taught. But what was she supposed to do now?!