Chapter 3: Allegiance, Part One
Ala Mhigo: 1557 6A.E. , Day of theInvasion
               Dioperched himself atop his favorite rock formation overlooking the Garlean camp just north of the city as he had done for months now, eyeing over the troops with his spyglass. In the year and a half since his mother and sister died, leaving him alone with his uncaring father, Dio had taken to living life much more independently. He served his father when told to, took his beatings the nights his father needed to let out his frustrations, but as far as other classes and responsibilities, he has taken to a free reign of living for himself in the back alleys, doing his best to avoid his bullies and the general populace.
Dio took out his notepad and jotteddown todays troop formations and activities. He found these foreigners behaviors and discipline very interesting and attempted to learn all he could about them.  Who was in charge of whom,what they ate, their shift rotations, what all the troops did for both work and play. Everything about the way they lived seemed much more ideal than what was at home. He talked to himself as he took his notes; acting out what he saw, “Ayes sir General Steelhelm. The Steel Chocobos are fed and lined up! Everyone has had yummy breakfast and is up and about! All hands are ready to… to?†He picked up his spyglass and peeked back at the camp…
“They’re coming.. b-by the Twelvethey are finally going to come!â€
Dio stuffed his bag in haste andslide down the rocks running as fast as he could back to the city. A few guards stood at the great bridge entrance to the city lazily. They were middle aged men, former monks, as evident by their massive size, and permanently scorned faces, clearly still angry of the destruction of the Fists of Rhalgar some years ago. Dio darted thru the city which laid pretty barren, for being mid-day. Many adults had been up in arms lately, protests and fighting amongst each other for some time now. He took amoment to slow to a jog and catch his breath as he approached home, and moved to where he left the window open to slip in; he stopped as he heard voices inside.
“ –rth gate. We have the riflemen we could gather and placedthem here, here, and here. After they make their way in we will funnel themthru Main Street, at the south end we have the cannons prepared. Once we take out the reapers, Wilrick you and the others will take the officers standing from the rear. We have engineers on standby if they deploy their vanguards, and replacement cores set so we can turn them to our side. Once all the—“
               Diobreathed in and backed away from the window. He thought about what he overheard and began to scout thru the city. He looked up at the tall spires, noting which windows were closed and opened, ran thru his alleyways, seeing were someone had set up makeshift barriers. Dio cursed and sprinted to his hideout in the industrial area to begin preparations of his own in the oncoming attack.
