Out on the shores of the Utshani Kingdom
"Hey, how do you guys think the mediator is going to react to the welcoming gift that we've prepared for him?" a short and skinny meerkat mink with light brown hair that was combed back asked his fellow mink. He was wearing a stylish beige suit along with a pair of dark brown leather boots.
"I don't think we should be making these kinds of bets Yamahlaya. His Majesty would be disappointed in us for doing so." a warthog mink with long black hair and reddish brown fur covering the rest of his body added while carrying a bouquet of flowers under his arms. He was wearing a black robe, black sandals and a pair of sandals on his feet.
"Eh, it's probably going to be the legendary martial artist who once aided our king's late father during his time of need. Was there any doubt that it'd be anyone else?" a jackal mink with long silver hair that reached all the way to his back shared his thoughts on the matter. He was wearing a green collared shirt, red trousers and a pair of grey shoes.
"Come on guys! Can't you just make guesses on the matter before the great thing at the end of the year?"
"No/Nope." the warthog and the jackal mink said respectively as they raised their eyebrows at him.
"You know what, forget about it. You guys are no fun in these kinds of events anyways."
A bit further away from the three minks were another trio of minks who were also facing the shores which led to the seas outside.
"Why did the Grand Master refuse to come to our island and act as a mediator?" a cheetah mink with shoulder length orange hair asked those standing next to him as he looked out to the shore. He was wearing a reddish brown robe over his body.
"I believe that he refused because of his age." a young jackal mink with neatly trimmed short brown hair responded to the cheetah mink's question. He was wearing a brown tunic and a white sash that was wrapped around his waist.
"I think it is because he is sick with an illness that he is suffering from." a middle-aged honey badger mink with spiky black and silver hair shared his view on the matter. His outfit consisted of a dark green tunic that reached his knees, brown fingerless gloves as well as a pair of black leather boots.
"Come now, Kryger, why would wish ill of the Grand Master?" the young cheetah mink asked the badger mink as he looked at the honey badger mink with a raised eyebrow.
"What made you think that I'm thinking ill of the Grand Master, Madoa? I'm just guessing why he didn't show up to act as a mediator."
"Why wouldn't I? I'm well aware that you don't like Grand Master Fushi based on how the two of you interacted with each other in the past."
"Huh? Just because I don't agree with some of the stuff that the old man says doesn't mean that I would wish bad things on him! How stupid could you be?"
"You would dare to call-"
"Gentlemen, please stop your quarrel before you draw unnecessary attention towards yourselves." the jackal mink interrupted the two bickering minks, before gesturing in the direction of the other members of the welcoming party who were looking at them with raised eyebrows.
"Fine/Alright Shujaa." Madoa and Kryger said in unison as they stopped and continued to look towards the sea.
"Oi! The princess has arrived with the mediator! Get ready to greet them." the silver haired jackal mink shouted out as he spotted the boat that they were waiting for.
As soon as Shujaa said those words, the minks gathered at the sea began to get closer to the beach, excited to receive the princess and the mediator with a warm welcome. But once they saw the ones on board the small boat, their mood changed pretty quickly.
'So this is the one who'll be acting as the mediator on behalf of the Grand Master? I'm disappointed in the old man." Madoa thought the moment he was able to see Valerie's face.
'Why would you bring in a human to our beloved kingdom princess? Have you no shame?' Kryger seethed at the sight of Valerie.
'I never thought there would be a day when I see a human with my own two eyes. I figured that the princess would staunchly disagree to bringing a human into our shores. Now I am curious to learn more about the human who was chosen to act as a mediator.' Shujaa mused as he looked at the boat coming their way.
The other three minks gathered at the shore were also thinking the same things as Kryger and Madoa as they saw Valerie and Hughes.
Back on the boat, Valerie and Hughes could only smile wryly as they saw the doubtful looks that the welcoming party were giving them.
"We've definitely got our work cut out for us, huh Hughes?"
"You said it boss, it looks like we'll have to deal with a tough crowd this time around."
"Worry not, Lady Tirujaga. We will be sure to convince my fellow citizens that you are trustworthy candidates for the job."
"Thanks for the words of assurance, Mdomo. But we're not bothered by the negative attention that these guys throw at us."
"Think nothing of it, Lady Tirujaga." Mdomo said before flying off of the princess' shoulders and heading towards the six minks gathered before them.
"Greetings, my fellow Utshanians! The princess and I have finally arrived with a-"
"Give me one good reason as to why we should welcome this human-" Madoa yelled at the royal messenger before being interrupted by Shujaa correcting him on the number of humans that were aboard the boat.
"-these humans into our borders, Mdomo!"
"I agree with Madoa! Why didn't you guys keep searching the other islands to find a mediator that was not a human?" Kryger shouted out as he glared at the talking hornbill.
"The human with the dark green hair will be acting as a mediator was once the disciple of the Grand Master."
"Whaaaaat? You're telling me that she was once the disciple of the world renowned marine that responsible for resolving the Frigid Peak Incident?" Madoa shouted out!
"That is correct."
"There's no way that can be true. I don't believe that this girl was a student of the legendary Grand Master Fushi!"
"I agree with Kryger. The Grand Master is well known for rejecting humans as disciples, even if he lives among them." Shujaa added to Kryger's words as he looked down at Mdomo.
And as the six minks crowded around Mdomo, the boat had made landfall at the shore as the three passengers got off and made their way to the
"I think I'll go and help Mdomo out."
"Wait, if you- oh never mind." Princess Kathelo began before she saw the green haired woman head in the direction of the royal messenger and the minks before them.
"You don't need to worry princess, she'll be fine." Hughes told the princess while carrying the supplies that he and Valerie had brought with them.
The moment that Valerie was close enough to the gathered minks, she cleared her throat in order to get their attention. Once they turned their attention towards her, she began to speak to them.
"Hello. My name's Valerie, and I am here to act as a mediator on behalf of my former mentor, Grand Master Fushi. It's a pleasure to meet you all." Valerie said as she bowed before the group of minks.
"You can't fool us human. We are well aware that the Grand Master doesn't accept humans as his disciples." Kryger stated as he continued to warily look at Valerie.
"What?"
"You heard me, human girl. One of his former disciples has told us that he never once accepted humans as disciples, even if he acted friendly towards them."
"And who exactly is this disciple that you speak of?"
"Well he's none other than the renowned Iron Palm of the South!"
Valerie frowned the moment Kryger finished his sentence before she continued what she was about to say to him.
"Well, you would know that he was not telling you the truth if you gave it some thought. The Grand Master's had human disciples from the moment he started training others in the ways of the martial arts. I'm not the first human disciple that he's taken under his wing, and I'm pretty sure that I won't be the last one to learn under him."
"But then-"
"I'd also like to add that the Iron Palm of the South is an infamous criminal who had a bounty on his head for all the things that he did while traveling the seas of the South Blue and the Grand Line."
"Based on the information that I was able to obtain on him during our search for a mediator, I am afraid that the lady is correct, my fellow Utshanians. He was so dangerous to the islanders at large that the Grand Master himself had to step in and deal with the threat that he posed out in sea. I can verify that he is known as a criminal in the eyes of many of the members of the World Government."
After hearing what the royal messenger had said, the six members of the welcoming party looked away from the talking hornbill before looking in Valerie's direction and talked to her.
"You are lucky that this little one is good at his job, or we would have kicked you out by force." Kryger told Valerie while the remaining members of the welcoming party continued to look at her with doubt in their eyes.