Welcome to the second chapter of Shredding Faults! Now with 30% more taco meat! If yah likes mah story, read and review!

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Ed woke up to a throbbing sensation on the side of his temple. The throbbing sensation quickly turned to pain as he gained more awareness of his senses. He sat up groggily and rubbed the back of his head slowly. He needed an ice pack and medicine for his headache. Where was he...

"Where am I?" asked Ed aloud to an empty house. He looked around, and cursed as more pain flooded his mind. He made to stand up, and his left hand pushed on something thick and liquid-like. Unbeknownst to Ed, this was part of the red bean stew Winry was going to serve him and Al. Twenty minutes before, Ed had smashed the table holding the stew, and it had since spread down to soak his red cloak and surrounding person with it's tasty contents.

"Ugh, what is this... is this... blood? WAH!"

Ed hurried to wipe off the "blood" on a conveniently placed towel. The ache in his temple was subsiding, but he still wanted medicine and an ice pack to calm it down even further. He wondered what had happened to the person who had brought him here... to Winry's house? Ah, he remembered. Winry knocked him out earlier with a pan or something. He was going to have to get her back. And what of the person who had marched him here? Was the blood the person's?

Ed made a sick face. He looked down at the floor and almost threw up. The blood... it was everywhere! It seemed to have seeped from under the smashed table to him! Then he felt it. His red robe was covered in sticky, warm blood. Ed almost threw up again, but managed to swallow it. Disgusting. He threw his red robe violently to the floor and shuddered. The trail of blood seemed to be coming from under the table. Did he dare look? Did he manage to get the guy? Ed decided to chance a look. He walked shakily to the table, trying to avoid stepping in the pools of blood, but it was inevitable. It got on his shoes. Ew.

Ed braced himself for whatever was under the table. He knew it couldn't be worse than... well... never mind, he told himself. And he certainly didn't mean to kill the person who attacked him! Sure, he wanted to wound the guy, but not kill him! Well, mistakes were mistakes. All that matters is if he learns from this experience, right? Yeah, right. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he found that what was leaking the blood was the guy who attacked him! Well, time to lift up the table and see the horrid truth...

Ed squeezed his eyes shut and lifted up the table. He forced one eye open. Then the other. He looked. There was no one there, just a bunch of broken glassware and a roasted duck, lettuce leaves, and a cracked crocker pot for cooking stew. Wait a second... crocker pot?

Ed took a second look at it. The crocker pot was leaking the bloody substance. Perhaps he squashed a mouse? No, too much blood for that. A bunch of mice? Well, let's see... Ed lifted up the crocker pot. He laughed with relief. It was full of dried red beans! The blood had been red bean stew! Hah hah! With his concussion, he must not have been thinking straight.

Ed sighed happily and let the pot back down. Now, where was Winry, Al and Pinako? Surely they defeated the person who had brought him here... Ed gasped. Footprints were on the floor. And the footprints were exactly that. Footprints. In the red bean stew, clearly marked. With all of the glass around, who would think to walk here barefoot? Ed bent down to examine the footprint closely. He frowned.

The print was smaller than his. It also looked a little skewed, as if the someone walking around here was walking quickly... so as not to step on the glass? Ed got up and studied where the prints were going. From where he was standing, it looked as if the feet walked around him several times before stepping behind the stove top counter... which was oddly charred and stained with water marks. Ed frowned again. Perhaps the person was behind the counter...?

A giggle sounded from the near the ceiling. Edward froze. He looked up... and gasped with horror as a shape fell towards him.

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It took Al and Winry some time to walk to the restaurant. Winry didn't seem to be in a talking mood, so Al kept quiet too. He didn't want to upset her again. And she could be so awful after a fight with someone that it was best to let her make the first move.

"Nice night tonight, isn't it?"

Al started and looked at Winry. She was keeping time with his stride, walking alongside him in the moonlight. Her long blonde ponytail swung behind her back with each step, and the wind ruffled her short skirt.

"Uh, yeah. It is."

Al hadn't been sure how to reply. However, what he said seemed to satisfy Winry. She nodded, looking straight ahead of herself.

There were millions of stars in the sky. In big, crowded cities, Al used to look up at the sky and wonder why there were no stars. Of course, his brother had explained why. Street light pollution, among other air pollutions, kept humans from enjoying the sky at night in the city. Eventually, Al had gotten used to it. In fact, he hardly ever looked up at the sky at night in the city anymore.

But here in Resembool, the stars stood out so much so that Al couldn't help but look up and want to gaze at them forever. A memory flashed across his mind. He smiled. (But you wouldn't be able to tell)

"Hey, Winry?"

Winry kept her eyes on the dirt road, but replied to his question. "Yes, Al?"

"Do you remember, when we were kids, we used to go up to this hill and make up stories about the stars?"

Al could see Winry grin in the dark. She turned her face to him, still walking.

"Yes, I remember. Those were good times. But, Al, you're still a kid."

"Huh? But, I'm, you know, thirteen now. I'm a teenager."

"Really? Oh! That's right. Your birthday was last month. I know."

Al sighed. He saw far off lights in the distance. That must be the restaurant, he thought. He wondered if Winry would ever see him more than just Ed's brother, or some younger kid who didn't fully understand anything, even when he was grown.

"Mmmm. Boo."

"What's that, Alphonse?"

"Hunh? Oh, I guess I was thinking out loud again. Sorry."

"That's alright. You know, I think you used to do that all the time when we were young. It made me laugh sometimes, the inner thoughts of your mind. Hah."

"Really Winry? What did I say that made you laugh?"

"I forget. There's the new restaurant! Isn't it pretty? I think when Sheska comes here in the summer she'll want to work there."

Al agreed the restaurant was pretty. He tried to ignore that Winry had forgotten what he had said to make her laugh. Perhaps she really had forgotten, or maybe she wanted to avoid the question because... because... why? He'd have to try to figure that out later. Maybe ask Edward? Yes. He'd ask.

Al and Winry stepped into the restaurant. It was empty, except for a family of four and a boy and a girl who seemed to be on a date. They were sharing an ice cream drink. Al tried not to look at them.

The eatery looked to be a nice place. There was a small bar section off to the left side of it, made out of wood and steel. Al could see a pair of double doors that led to the kitchen, and bathroom doors marked for men and women separately. Not that he would bother with that. The main part of the eatery was composed of booths and a couple of two seater tables. Interestingly enough, the young couple out on a date was seated at a booth.

"Where's your grandmother?" asked Al in a light-hearted tone. He wouldn't be able to eat, but he could at least enjoy his time here with Winry... and Pinako.

"She should be arguing with the owner. I'm sure she'll be out in a minute."

Al nodded to that. He could even hear Pinako shouting something loudly to the owner in the back kitchen.

"Should we sit down?"

"Hmmm? Oh. I guess so. We might be waiting awhile though. Grandmother will want to make sure he buys our stove tops."

Winry grinned and proceeded to walk to a booth two in front of the boy and girl and seven in front of the family of four. She sat down and motioned Al to sit across from her. Al did so. He was facing Winry and the girl who was sitting two booths in front of him. He tried not to notice the last detail.

Winry picked up a menu from a metal holder at the end of the table booth against the wall. Al did the same. Winry noticed.

"Al, you don't have to pretend to order something and eat it. I know about your condition."

"Right. I just thought it would give me something to do."

Winry blinked. "Then by all means, read the menu."

Al bowed his head. "Thank you. I'll do just that."

"Mmm. Fried fish sounds good to me." Winry said a moment later. "And for dessert I think the chocolate cake..."

Al glanced down at his menu. He hadn't been reading it, but he said, "I would have the exact same thing if I could..."

Winry clapped a hand to her mouth. "Oh, I'm sorry Al. I didn't mean to be so insensitive."

Al looked up. "Oh, no, it's okay. I was just thinking, er, out loud again. Don't apologize."

Winry put down her hand. "Oh. It's just that you sounded so longing and yet so frustrated at the same time."

"Ah...um..."

"HAH!" came a loud voice from the kitchen. Everyone in the restaurant looked at the kitchen door. The doors flew open, and out walked a short woman with pink hair, furling a parchment contract with a gold seal on it. Behind her, a tubby but tall tanned man strode, furrows on his brows.

Pinako Rockbell walked with confidence to her granddaughter and Al's booth. She climbed up next to Winry, and said, "I'll take the chicken, a glass of sherry, and your finest piece of apple pie. Winry, what will you have?"

"The fried fish, lemonade, and a slice of chocolate cake please."

"Don't be silly Winry." Pinako turned to the owner. "We'll take the whole chocolate cake, if you please."

Winry gasped with delight. Al stared at Pinako.

"Right. And for you, sir?" said the owner, writing somewhat angrily on his waiter's pad.

"Me? Uh..." Al was saved from a response by Pinako.

"The boy will have nothing. Hurry up with our food."

The owner grimaced, then bowed slightly before stomping off to the kitchen.

Winry turned to her grandmother.

"Did you make the sale?"

"What do you think, Winry?"

"...Yes?"

"Of course! I always make the sale. Now we'll have enough money to fix that stove you ruined..."

Winry's face fell. "You know about that already?"

Pinako cracked a smile. "So you ruined another stove you made?"

Winry slumped back against the cushy booth and pouted. "Darn."

"Now now. And where is Edward?"

Winry rolled her eyes. "Don't you know? He was being a pain so we left him at home."

"I see," said Pinako. "He smashed the table, wrecked the little feast you made, and now you're angry at him?"

Winry huffed. "Yes. How do you always know everything?"

Pinako smiled. "Ancient Japanese secret."

Their beverages arrived, including a water for Alphonse, which he hadn't ordered, and didn't need anyway, but the owner said it was free of charge. Al could have sworn he heard the owner mutter, "Like everything else, with what the stoves are costing me."

Just before finishing the last sip of her sherry, Pinako said, "Oh, and you do know if Ed doesn't clean the mess up, you'll have to?"

"Awww! But, grandmother!" Winry complained.

"Don't worry Winry. I'll help." Al said in a gesture of kindness.

"Thanks Al." Winry sipped her lemonade while she smiled at him.

Al's heart, (metaphorically of course) swelled. He then happened to at the booth where the couple was. They were kissing each other. Al looked away. He wouldn't want to intrude on them by staring at them. He thought.

Perhaps one day, that would be him and Winry.

He made sure to keep that thought to himself.

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Aw! Isn't Alphonse cute? Of course, it's purely one-sided, but still... aw! And sorry about making a short Ed and the mysterious attacker explanation. You'll find out soon enough, I just wanted to get the Al and Winry story out of the way.

And yes, Pinako knows all! Bow down to her, for she knows the ancient Japanese secrets! And always makes the sale!