Traverse Town was a peaceful place.
Once.
"Make way for the Gestahlian Empire!"
Denizens from several different worlds stood, mouths agape, as the Imperial Soldiers marched through the gate of the castle. Most of their homes had been destroyed by the Heartless, and no real remnant of their governments or armed forces remained. To see such an organized force march through the town was a shock to all of its people.
"How is this possible?" Yuffie asked, as she leaned over the side of the building to get a better look at them. "How did they so many of them survive their world being consumed?"
The army proceed to the town square. A man brandishing a flag set it down in the center of the city.
"We have destroyed the Heartless invading our world! Join us… and you too can protect yourselves from the Heartless!"
Yuffie felt her breath hitch in her throat. The people who had been watching the procession open mouthed began slowly moving towards them in a wide circle.
"Hail Gestahl! Hail the Empire!"
An army recruiter was already making his way through the crowd, speaking to each of the people in front.
"The Empire has discovered a method to destroy the Heartless." He said. "As long as our Secret Weapon is doing her duty…"
"What is this secret weapon?"
"That information is classified." He said shortly. "But rest assured… the worst of the Heartless will be soundly dealt with. What we need now… is soldiers. People who will travel between the Worlds and spread the good word of the benevolent Gesthalian Empire!"
"He lies."
Yuffie jumped. She turned around to see Merlin standing behind her, his hands folded in front of him. His eyes were narrowed in deep dislike.
"If the Empire is allowed to control Traverse Town, it will spell disaster for all of the Worlds."
"If they really did beat the Heartless though…"
Merlin shook his head.
"My dear girl." He said. "If they had beaten the Heartless they would not come here and start recruiting."
Yuffie turned her head back to the assembled group and frowned.
…
The town arranged for a group of representatives to approach the Imperial Emissaries. Squall Leonhart, Aeris Gainsborough, and Merlin approached the building that the Imperials had appropriated for themselves.
"Greetings." The blonde woman said formally, as they were led into her room. "I am General Celes Chere… I have been tasked with overseeing our presence in this city."
Her eyes flickered over all of them. Merlin was staring rather intently at her, and Squall's hand was drifting rather close to his gunblade. It was Aeris who spoke first.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." She said, stepping forward. "My name is Aeris… And these are my companions. The citizens of this town have some concerns about your presence here, and-"
"Yes, I am well aware." Celes said, her voice heavy. "But it is our intention to make the transition as smoothly as possible-"
"Transition?" Squall said sharply.
"To making this town a proper Imperial territory." She said primly. "When we are more well established here, we will be able to provide the townspeople with weapons and other methods of protecting themselves from the Heartless."
"We already have a town guard." Squall said.
"A guard that can't even guarantee public safety in two districts." Celes said. "Many civilians have come to me expressing their fears of being taken by the Heartless… there have been more than one instances of civilians having their hearts taken."
"Are you suggesting that we're incompetent?" Squall growled.
"Of course not." Celes said. "Everything I have seen indicates that you all have been doing everything you can to keep this world stable. I have no intention of removing you from your positions: I simply want to aid you in whatever way I can."
"And what will you expect in return?" Merlin asked.
Celes pursed her lips.
"The Empire wishes to expand itself further among the Worlds." She said. "To do that, the Emperor wishes to begin recruiting his soldiers from worlds whose homes have been lost to the Heartless. By using this town as a base for our operations, we hope to transcribe willing soldiers to fight the Heartless all over the Worlds."
"That would threaten the World Order." Merlin said gravely. "Does your Emperor understand the consequences of such a thing?"
"He believes it is necessary." Celes said. "We must destroy the Heartless, at any cost. And the way it looks now… only the Empire can hope to do that."
"Tell me." Squall said. "There are rumors of a girl… a girl who singlehandedly stopped the Heartless threat to your Empire."
"Ahhhh." Celes said. "That is meant to be a secret… but I suppose that as you are now a part of the Empire…"
She stood up and turned around to face the window.
"She is the only reason that any of us are here now." She said softly. "Her unique qualities… make her the perfect enemy for the Heartless."
"What do you mean?" Merlin said gravely.
"She does not speak, she does not feel emotion. She does not think." Celes said. "She is our slave… a creature with powers that none in our world could hope to match. I once watched her destroy fifty of our magitek knights in under three minutes…"
Merlin's eyes narrowed, but before he could speak Celes cut him off.
"Doubtless you think us cruel." She said. "But it was the only way. After all… how can the Heartless steal the heart of a woman who has no heart?"
She turned around to face them.
"I promise you, I will do everything in my power to protect this city by my own power." She said. "If you are lucky… you will never lay eyes upon her at all."
Somewhere, very far away, three armored magitek soldiers made their way through a cold and snowy wasteland.
…
"Ultimately, the Heartless remain the primary threat. Without an established base of military operations on any given world, we have no hope of stopping a heartless invasion once it begins."
"They spread like a plague." Gestahl spat, pounding his hand on the table. "Can nothing be done, General Leo?"
"We have been sending envoys to major players in Worldly affairs." Leo admitted. "General Celes has had great success in Traverse Town, while Kefka has reported that Disney Castle has already made attempts at subjugating other worlds under its thumb… by strictly forbidding Worlds to contact each other."
"Bah." Gestahl snarled. "I never even truly conquered this world, and yet I am now tasked with toppling another Empire?"
"It may not be necessary, my liege." Leo said. "Truthfully Celes and I would prefer it if we focused our attention on the Heartless…"
"If we do that we are leaving the door open for our enemies among the Returners and the other Worlds." Gestahl said dismissively, shaking his head. "No, we mustn't let our guard down… not for a moment."
The servants behind him cleared away his dinner things and the old man stood up.
"Do what must be done, Leo." He rasped. Leo bent his head and nodded.
He and his personal guard left the Emperor to his devices.
"I think I myself need to investigate this Disney castle." Leo murmured to his guard. "Kefka has a tendency to exaggerate about these things… best that we get a proper handle on the situation. Prepare my ship."
"Immediately, sir."
General Leo made his way towards Vector's Docking Bay. The brightly colored Gummi Ships, the machines designed to be capable of space travel, clashed very heavily with Vector's dark machine aesthetic.
"It'll be nice to get off of the World… right sir?"
Leo frowned. "We aren't going on vacation."
"S-sorry sir!"
Imperial soldiers stopped to salute as they boarded the gummi ship. Leo settled himself in his captain's chair, and gave the order for takeoff.
They shot off into the stars.
…
Sora had a little bit of a shock when they returned to Traverse Town.
"Who are all of these people?"
The Imperial Soldiers of the Gestahlian Empire were everywhere. At the little café in the first district, in Cid's shop… and even in a building that had previously been uninhabited.
"Ah, are you new arrivals?" The man standing at the gate asked briskly, as they stepped through the gate.
"Uh, no." Sora said. "We have a gummi ship and…"
"Ah, are you the Keyblade wielder Sora?" The man continued, as he flipped through his clipboard. "Yes… The General would like to speak with you."
"The General?"
"Follow me, please."
Sora shrugged his shoulders, and the three of them made their way up the stairs and to the building.
Squall was waiting outside.
"Hey." He said, when he saw them. "You're going to go see Celes, right?"
"Uh, yeah." Sora said, scratching his nose. 'Why?"
Squall shot a glance towards the soldier standing beside him.
"Be careful…. Not to be rude to her." He said. "Don't embarrass yourself."
"Excuse us." The soldier said primly, and pushed past him into the building. Sora apologized to Squall, who waved him off, and the three of them entered the building.
Sora, Donald, and Goofy were led up the stairs to the second floor of the building. They stopped at a large, ornate office door and the soldier knocked.
"Enter."
The soldier opened the door and led the three inside.
"The Keyblade wielder and his friends, General."
Celes set down her pen and looked up at him.
"Thank you." She said softly. "Leave us."
The man saluted, and then left them.
Celes did not speak, at first. She glanced down at her desk and began writing on some papers. Sora and the other two stood there awkwardly. Several seconds passed. Celes set down her pen and looked up at them.
'Do you know who I am?"
"No." Sora answered truthfully.
"I am General Celes Chere, of the Gestahlian Empire." She said. "I've heard a lot about you… and your Keyblade."
She gave Sora a pointed look. He raised his hand and the weapon appeared in his hand. She stared at in, taking it in with a professional interest.
"May I…?"
She reached out and tried to take it from him. Instantly it vanished from her fingers, and re-appeared in Sora's hand.
"It is as they say." She said softly. "It cannot be taken from you. So I suppose we have no choice."
She turned away from him and faced the window.
"My Emperor wishes to destroy the Heartless." She said. "We have had some success in this matter, but all of our investigations on how best to do that point to one solution. Your Keyblade."
She turned around and stared at him rather intently.
"I want you to fight with us." She said. "And put an end to the darkness plaguing the stars."
"I'd be happy to try." Sora responded. "But I'm looking for my friends now, and-"
"I understand that you're already purging the Heartless from the worlds you have visited." She said. "I have taken it upon myself to send imperial soldiers to Wonderland, the Deep Jungle, The Olympus Coliseum, and Alabasta. Because of your actions, the Heartless threat to those worlds has been minimized.
She gave him a small smile.
"You're already doing everything I want you to do." She said softly. "I just… want to know that your efforts are leaving a real impact."
She turned away from him again.
"I expect nothing but good work for you." She said. "That will be all."
Sora stared at her for a moment longer, and then smiled widely.
"Thanks!" He said brightly. "I hope we find what we're both after."
He turned and left himself out, his companions at his heels. Celes couldn't help herself. She was smiling somewhat.
"Perhaps things aren't so bleak after all…" She thought to herself, as she glanced at the window. The Empire had already made great strides in securing Traverse Town and other Worlds… It certainly would not be too much longer until the Heartless threat was eliminated entirely.