SO WHAT?


The building doors swung open automatically as Sora walked up to them. The whole floor was just one giant room, elevators on both sides. The multi-colored carpeting led Sora all the way to the front desk, where the man sitting there just said, "Fifty-seventh floor."

Sora looked at him for a moment, and then, still glaring at the man, walked to the closest elevator.

It was already on the lobby floor, so the door just opened up as soon as the pressed the button with the up arrow.

Inside, she peered at all the buttons, and then found the one labeled '57' and pressed it. The door shut, and then the elevator immediately began zooming its way upwards.

When it stopped about a minute later, the doors opened to reveal a large office room. Sora was just barely taller than the plaster wall infront of her, and she looked over to see that the room was devided into at least thirty cubicals, all of which held a computer, desk and file cabinets.

She walked around them all, and then found one glass door. She was able to tell that nobody was inside.

She continued until she found a nice, polished wooden door that read 'Private'.

She knocked, and then a disguised voice asked, "Who is it?"

"Sora."

"Sora who?"

"Sora Kamikachi?"

The door swung open, and one of Sora's best guards Zora appeared. He smiled as he saw her, and then let her enter.

Sonya, Matt and Manik were there, as well as her three top spies; Velda, Rei and Johannsson. Also, there was a woman who Sora had never met.

"Who's this?" Sora asked.

"She's a bounty hunter," Matt answered. He put his fingers through his blonde hair. "She claims that she can help us."

Sora made a curious expression, and then walked up to the woman. "So, who are you?"

"The name's Kimberly Wa-"

"No!" Sora interrupted. "If I ask you 'who you are', Ms. Kimberly, you're supposed to tell me why you're here, what do you want, and why should I give a damn!"

"S-sorry."

"You'd better be," Sora said.

"So what can she do for us, exactly?" Sonya asked Matt.

"She says she can take care of our problem in the east." Matt asnwered.

"Really?" Sora eyed Kimberly.

"Yes, ma'am," Kimberly nodded. "I've been hired many times to kill those God forsaken beasts, and I've never failed!"

"Interesting," Sora commented. "Go on."

"I have many weapon sources," Kimberly continued. "And my... helpers, let's say... can do much help, too."

"How much do you want in return?" Manik asked.

"It depends an what you make me do," Kimberly answered. "At least Ten thousand for each beast I kill. Four thousand for each tamer."

"Deal." Sora said immediately.

"Whoa," Manik said. "You sure about that? We could just do it ourselves-"

"You know we can't do that!" Sonya exclaimed. "We'd be caught instantly, and then-"

"If I may say so, ma'am," Kimberly interrupted. "I've never once been seen after an assasination. Hell, the King doesn't even know I exist."

"Are you sure?" Velda cut in.

"Velda!" Matt exclaimed. "Don't speak!"

She hushed.

Kimberly continued, "Yes, I am positive. They know that thier beasts were assasinated, but, they still don't know if the culprit is even human."

"You see, Manik?" Sora said. "That's the advantage we need!" She turned to Kimberly. "You're hired! Report to us when you complete your objective, which Johannsson will brief you on momentarily. Right now, I have other things to deal with."

"On that matter, My Lady," Rei bowed. The Earthbound was listening now. "They're here."

"What?" Manik exclaimed.

"He's here? In Chicoga?" Sora asked.

Rei looked up, darkly. "Yes, ma'am."