Me: From the brillant mind that brought you "Secret Exorcist", and "Darkness and Light" comes a new fanfic that just so happens to be my very first cross-over fanfic!

Allen: Speaking of "Secret Exorcist", why aren't you working on that one again?

Me: Because, my dear Moyashi-chan, my damn flash-drive is still infected with the f-bomb virus, phoney spyware protection virus, and probably others I'm unaware of. So I can't work on it.

Edward: Not sure what that crap is.

Winry: Me neither...but that won't stop me from figuring it out!

Me: Stay. Away. From. My. Flash. Drive. You are not allowed to touch it! Crazy gear head.

Road: Don't you think these...readers want to read the story?

Me: Right...-ahem- Hey, who wants to do the disclaimer? Allen! Alphonse! Why don't you?

Allen: You're still lazy. Hanashi isn't Katsura Hoshino

Alphonse: And she's not Hiromu Arakawa either.

Me: meaning?

Allen: and Alphonse: She doesn't own either D. Gray-man nor Fullmetal Alchemist.

Me: In other words, I only own the story line for this fanfic you're about to read! So, enjoy!

Day One: Calling all bands!

A flier was posted on the notice bored of a local electronics store in New York city. Four different groups saw it, and all had one common goal in mind: I want to win this. They all saw this flier at different times of this particular day, though they're paths didn't cross then, but they would in a few days time.

\m/ B*A*N*D*S /\ O*F /\ W*A*R \m/

"Okay, so I think for our audition, we should do this song." A blonde-haired girl was telling her three best guy friends. "It is the first song we wrote together, and I figured it'll knock the judges socks off! What do you three think?"

"I still think we should fix a few things in the song." A short blonde-haired boy said. "If we want to knock their socks, I think we should at least fix the way the guitar in this one sounds. It needs to be more hard-core...it's too soft, Winry."

"I agree with Ed." A taller boy said with black hair, tied at the nape of his neck, "The lyrics are fine, but the music doesn't quite fit...even the bass is a little off. The drums and keyboard are fine as are, but everything else? It doesn't seem to fit."

"Drums are fine, and the keyboard is fine." Another boy said. This one a year younger than his brother and friends. "Ling is right about it...and so is brother...which is weird though."

"Hey, Al, you saying me being right about something is wrong?" The long-haired blonde asked his little (though about an inch taller give or take...) brother.

"Of course not! I'm just saying...when you are right about these things it's usually rare."

"That put off, we should get back to our practicing. I've sent the application yesterday, and I was called this morning that our auditions are set for Monday, June 2. We're third to go." Ling said, picking up his bass, plugging it in. He looked to his friends, before continuing. "So I think we should practice as much as we're able to, that way we can make sure we get in. Fu was more than willing to be our chaperone, by the way." Nodding in agreement, Ed pick up his blazing red electric, plugging it in, and turned the amp on. Winry readied her keyboard, and Al sat behind his drums, ready to start the group's rehearsal. Yes, these four believed that Equivalent Exchange would defiantly win!

"We better do better than our best," Edward said, just before they started their song, after all, we're the very first act to get on that stage on Saturday. He thought to himself.

\m/ B*A*N*D*S /\ O*F /\ W*A*R \m/

"Allen! What took you so long?" An energetic red-head asked, when his remaining friend finally made it to their own rehearsal. "We've only got four days to practice, and you go missing on us? Not cool, short stack! Not cool!"

"It's Allen!" Allen fumed, hating the nickname he was so often called. "Lavi, are you sure about this? We're already well-known in our neighborhood...and the chances of—"

"Che. If you're only going to worry, then why the fuck would you bother coming, short stack?" The only voice alive to annoy Allen asked. "You're pathetic."

"It's Allen! Not short stack! Really, we've known each other for how long and you still don't remember my name? Kanda, you're a real ass!"

"Not that it's nothing new." Lavi sighed. Kanda was always that way to Allen. But it's always Allen's pride that allows him to deal with Kanda. "Hey, Lenalee! Are we all ready and set to get our little band on the road?"

"Yup. I had Komui agree to be our manager for the paperwork and stuff...and I asked Reever if he would help keep my brother from slacking off. So, we're all set!"

"Awesome!" Lavi cheered, "Hey, which song should we do first? What do you think, Yu?"

"If you value you're life, you will stop calling me by that name." Kanda threatened. Then giving a sigh, he continued, "If we're going to do a song, we might as well do this one." He handed their band leader the song, and a grin spread across the red-head's face.

"You're a genius, Yu!" Lavi exclaimed approving the piece. "This was the first song we did that brought in one hell of a crowd! Lenalee, Allen, what do you think?" The said people looked at the music Kanda picked, and smiled.

"Kanda does have his moments." The white-haired boy said approvingly. "I'm rather proud."

"So it's settled!" Lenalee said, rushing to the electric bass her brother bought for her on her sixteenth birthday, "All in favor of practicing this one, get your instruments ready, and let's get Accommodators of Innocence to be the best of the best!"

"Let's go!" Lavi cheered, grabbing his trusty flaming guitar. Allen chuckled, and positioned himself at his keyboard. Kanda merely gave a low grunt, and readied his drumsticks. They're own auditions were set for the third day of all this. They would be performing first.

\m/ B*A*N*D*S /\ O*F /\ W*A*R \m/

It wasn't surprising that word of Bands of War had also reached the ears of two other groups as well. The members of Military Dogs were feeling rather cocky at their rehearsal. They were all in their final years of college. They had different classes, but they'd known each other since childhood. It was in junior high where they all found they had a love for music, thus their band was formed.

"Well, Roy, I believe everything is in order then, right?" A band mate with glasses said, putting away the drumsticks he held.

"Of course. We've been a band since middle school, I'd be damned if we didn't work well together by now, Maes." The leader said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His short black hair starting to plaster on his face. "After all, we all wish to reach the top of the music world."

"Affirmative." One of the two women said. She had long blondish-brown hair, to which she normally kept tied back in a lose ponytail. There was a more mousy woman beside her, who wore thick rimmed glasses, and had short brown hair.

"Riza, you've always been so strict and formal." The mousy woman sighed, adjusting her glasses. "We've known each other from childhood, but you're often like a stick in the mud...is there a reason for that?"

"Scieska, someone has to be the stern one here, and it might as well be me. Besides we all know we wouldn't have made it so far if I didn't badger Roy as I often do." Riza simply replied. "And you know it's how I was brought up to begin with."

"Didn't you get into music to rebel from your father, Riza?" Maes asked with pure curiosity.

"I did. I know he means well, but even I need to be free. Music gave me that option."

"And then Roy comes up with the idea to start a band with the four of us...but no offense to you Scieska, but why did you pick her?"

"Her memory of the things she reads is important. And there's also the fact Scieska can play the bass better than what I've heard in my life."

"And that's saying from our lady's man, Roy Mustang." Maes snickered. "Well, we still have an hour to go for practicing. How about we get to it?"

"Yes, let's." Riza agreed wholeheartedly, testing the strings of her guitar. Roy let his fingers scan across the keys of his beloved keyboard, while Maes started to signal the rest of the band by gently tapping the symbol with his drumsticks. They were set to be the fourth and final act on the third day. Not that they had plans to slack off.

\m/ B*A*N*D*S /\ O*F /\ W*A*R \m/

"I believe that's enough practicing for the day." The Portuguese man said, combing his fingers through his curly locks. "Lulu Bell, what do you think?"

The said woman, replaced the oak wood sticks on the chair she previously sat on, and looked up to the bassist who questioned her. "Yes, I believe that we've done more than enough."

"Hiii! We did awesome!" A blonde-haired boy said. He seemed to have stitches crossing his mouth.

"I'd say so too. Didn't I say two guitarists were better than one?" The blonde's black-haired twin said, replacing the guitar he held onto the stand in the back of the garage. "Well, Jasdero?"

"We rock! Hiiii!" Jasdero happily agreed.

"I honestly don't understand how I got dragged into this." The Portuguese sighed.

"Aw, don't be so mean, Tyki!" A little girl pouted. "You know you're having fun doing this with us."

"Road." Tyki sighed. "Remind me why is it I'm doing this."

"Because we want to be the best band this world has to offer! And face it, you're like a god playing that keyboard! With you, we're sure to win!"

"Devit's right, y'know." Road smirked. "You're really good at what you do."

"You're just roping me into this more, aren't you?"

"Is it working?" An inhumane smirk on the sadistic girl's face. Tyki only sighed, not answering.

"I think so." Devit smirked. Jasdero happily agreed. "Besides Noah's Ark will kick ass! Right?"

"Right!"

"I should hope. I will settle for nothing less than superior." Lulu Bell deadpanned.

"It'll be disappointing if we can't get win this." Road shrugged. "But all that aside, I think this will just be start of the fun. We're going to be the last act on the final day, so let's give them a performance they will never soon forget, alright?"

\m/ B*A*N*D*S /\ O*F /\ W*A*R \m/

These four groups, Equivalent Exchange, Noah's Ark, Military Dogs, and Accommodators of Innocence, though they all have different reasons, their goals are all the same. To become the best of the best, and prove to the world they have what it takes to become well-known throughout the nation. With a competition like this, almost anything can happen!

Woot! How do you like me now? This is the first chapter of Bands of War, so let me know what you think! Reviews are very welcome! So R&R! Remember it's my first cross-over fanfic!