CHAPTER 3

The infamous Flame Alchemist wouldn't have wanted the world (and his fans) see him flop on the floor when his bedside phone rang. As he expected, it was his nosy bespectacled friend on the other end of the line with more taunts about Roy's single hood and "too-big-to-keep-to-himself" news.

"Don't you know what time it is?!" Roy practically screamed into the receiver. "It's two in the goddamn morning!!"

Hughes felt his ears bleed again. Boy, he could scream loud. "Sorry bud, but there's this news that's too big to keep to myself!" Roy rolled his eyes. He knew that was coming.

"Funny, see, you had the rest of the night to call...yet you didn't."

"Because I spent the rest of the night researching about this Reggie Marsden. Oh don't worry; you're very much involved in this thickening plot!" Hughes chirped. Even as kids, Hughes loved the thickening plot, especially if it involved Roy.

Still, the colonel couldn't believe his ears. Hughes spent the whole night researching? Not spreading the word to a soul? Man, he must be improving, Roy thought. "Whole night. Researching?"

"Oh of course I told a couple of people." Hughes replied. Nothing changes, Roy mumbled.

"By a 'couple of people', you mean the whole world, right?"

"Well..." Hughes drawled on. "Pretty much. Yep."

"All right, fill me in so I can get back to sleep...was dreaming about a girl, you see..." Roy yawned.

"Would that girl be Ms. Riza Hawkeye?" Hughes tightened his grip onto his phone. Giving out hints before dropping the bomb was one of his favourite parts of a discussion.

Roy perked up. Yes, in fact it was the first lieutenant he had been dreaming of. Was Riza heavily involved too, or was Hughes suddenly reading minds?

"Start talking, or I'll slam down the receiver."

-



Jean Havoc wanted a cigarette – a white minty cigarette to relive himself of his anxiety. Nothing, even the grand ballroom that surpassed last year's venue or terrace overlooking rose gardens, comforted him. Penelope had been in the washroom for less than a minute, yet Havoc couldn't wait for her to come back. He couldn't stand having her out of his sight, lest a young duke Marsden would spot her.

He had been told be Hughes to survey the area and watch out for the spitting image of Roy – Duke Reginald Marsden. Not that Reggie was dangerous. Hughes simply wanted Havoc (and the rest of Roy's merry men) to keep the colonel as far away as possible from his look-alike.

Roy hadn't believed Hughes when he claimed that there was another raven-haired version of him walking around with a slightly pointy nose. He did open himself to the possibility that Duke Marsden may be Riza's date. It didn't sit well with him for some reason. After which, he didn't want to hear more.

Where the HELL is Penny? Havoc's thoughts were running wild. Roy's 'double' was somewhere around here for sure. Who knows what traits the man possesses? For all he knew, Reggie could be more of a womanizer than Roy ever was! There are TWO of them running around. My poor Penny could fall prey to either one! Havoc's suspicions were silenced when Penny came to embrace him.

Colonel Mustang had taken refuge on the terrace. He shut the glass doors and drowned out the noise. He needed solitude for the moment. He needed silence. Vivienne was probably looking for him everywhere, but he rarely thought about her now. Riza actually landed a real date this year. Last time it had been Al; the year before that, it had been Havoc (awkward for both); the years before that, it had been various members of their group. Never had her date been Roy.

He couldn't understand why he never came through with asking her out seriously. He had always hinted, always covered his intention with jokes, but his efforts did nothing more than annoy her. He was a man, yes, a man and a hero. But he wasn't brave. Well, not brave enough to ask out one of his oldest friends in the world.

Riza would enjoy the ball with the duke. She would delight in his fine manners and exquisite taste. Perhaps they had a lot in common, the pair of them. They would fall in love, get married and have a bunch of spoiled little dukes and duchesses. Roy started to freak. I can't believe Hawkeye's getting married to that jerk! A jerk – whom he hadn't even met.

The Flame Alchemist decided it was time to turn his attention to the guests, the officers, and of course, his foxy Vivienne. He took one last breath of fresh sweet-smelling air and headed toward the glass 

doors. The majestic doors gleamed in the moonlight and seemed so fine and clean that he could see his reflection in them.

He gave his trademark smirk – the one the ladies swooned over. He ruffled his raven-coloured hair and straightened his expensive black suit. He was amused at the trick of the moonlight. Ahh, the moon seemed to cast a spell on his reflection, distorting it and making his suit seem blue and his face quite unattractive. A scowl crept its way on Roy's handsome features. Perhaps he wasn't as handsome as he thought he was?

Roy opened the glass windows. He growled ferociously as they refused to open. On the other side, Roy's 'reflection' tugged with the same force. The colonel gave up and turned away. Glancing back at his 'reflection', he noticed it was gone. Before he had ample time to think, Vivienne threw open the doors and dragged him back inside.

"Where have you been?" Vivienne demanded, her grip on Roy becoming tighter. "I just left to freshen up and you've gone missing already? Are you trying to hide from me?"

Roy barely listened. His eyes and everyone else's were focused on a beautiful young lady with pearls around her neck and light blonde hair that fell down to her shoulders. Fitting wonderfully on her body was a sleeveless gown of silky black that touched the floor and made soft rustling noises as she walked around the room. Leading her by the hand was, Roy presumed, Duke Reginald Marsden. Roy scoffed. He looked nothing like him. Fugly fellow.

Roy had to see Riza close-up. She had never looked so beautiful or so happy in all the years he has known her. There was something in her right now – this glow, this radiance that filled the room and overwhelmed Roy. He had to speak to her and get her away from this so-called Mustang doppelganger.

The colonel wriggled away from his date's death-grip, but before he could come closer to the golden beauty, he heard a hair-raising shout.

"ARMSTRONG! GRAB ROY BEFORE HE TOUCHES REGGIE!!"

This was the last thing Colonel Roy Mustang heard before Armstrong's massive form landed on top of him.