Somewhere on an island located in the South Blue, two days after Valerie had bested Master Fushi
Out at the shores of a tropical island, a teenaged girl with dark green hair that was tied in a bun was looking out to the ocean with a solemn look on her face.
'Dad, I'm going to become a Marine today. Hopefully this will mark the beginning of my life as a true soldier that fights for justice. I just wish that you could be here.' the teen girl thought to herself as she continued to look out into the horizon.
After looking out to the seas in front of her, she stood up from the spot that she had been sitting at before she walked in the direction of the Marine base of the island was located.
Later on in the day, around the entrance to a local Marine base on the island that Valerie now called home
'I wish that the man that saved me from those pirates that day could see me now. Time to start my new journey in life.' Valerie thought to herself as she walked in the halls of the local Marine base.
Inside the spacious reception hall of the local Marine base, Valerie was making her way towards the receptionist of the hall with a nervous expression on her face. The teenaged girl was currently wearing a red shirt, a pair of orange, baggy trousers and a pair of brown combat boots.
'Alright, time for me to become a marine officer.' Valerie thought to herself as she took a deep breath in an effort to focus on accomplishing the goal of becoming a capable marine officer.
And when she reached the front desk of the Marine base, the receptionist looked up from her desk and gave the young girl in front of her a broad smile. The receptionist manning the desk was an elderly lady wearing a yellow summer dress and a pair of low heels. She had her silver hair tied into a neat bun.
"Well, if it isn't little Valerie. Are you finally ready to join the Marines?" the receptionist inquired of the teenaged girl as she continued to give her a warm smile.
"Yes Mrs. Truman. Today's the day that I become a Marine." Valerie answered the elderly woman's question as she approached the front desk of the reception hall.
"I'm just glad to hear that you are ready to accomplish your childhood dream." Mrs. Truman said as she looked at the teenaged girl with a fond expression on her face.
"Thank you so much Mrs. Truman, I'll be sure to become a champion of the people in the Marines." Valerie reassured the elderly woman as she began to smile bashfully.
"That's certainly reassuring. I hope that you'll be able to live out your dreams, little Valerie. Here's the form that you need to fill out before you go to the examination hall." Mrs. Truman told Valerie as she pulled out a piece of paper from underneath the desk that she was sitting at before putting it in front of the hopeful recruit.
"Oh yes I am Mrs. Truman!" Valerie enthusiastically called out to the elderly receptionist as she took the pieces of paper that were put in front of her.
"Glad to see that you still want to become a marine soldier young lady. Now go on, head towards the exam room before the instructor closes the door on you." Mrs. Truman told the young teen while she gave the teenaged girl a small smile.
"I'll be sure to do that Mrs. Truman!" Valerie shouted out before heading off towards the examination hall that Mrs. Truman had mentioned.
As the teenaged girl continued to make her way towards the examination room, the green-haired teen began to think back to the time when she visited this particular marine base alongside her master when she was a child.
Inside the Marine base of a certain island, ten years before the Great Pirate Era began
Within the reception hall of the Marine base of the island where Master Fushi's dojo was located, a large and bulky man was staring down at a certain elderly woman manning the desk of the reception hall with a look of fury on his face.
"What do mean this is all the reward money that I'm going to get you damn hag?! I had to risk my life in order to get his head in this condition!" the bulky man shouted as he showed the elderly receptionist the small pouch in his right hand as he pointed to the decapitated head that was placed on the table with his right hand.
"Sir, I'm afraid I can't give you the whole reward money for the bounty of the criminal known as 'The Sinker' when the state of the criminal's head is the way it is right now." Mrs. Truman told the large, burly man standing in front of her as she gestured to the somewhat battered head of the criminal in question.
"So what if his head is a bit roughed up? I'm pretty sure that I should have a better payout for bringing you 'The Sinker's' head at all right?" the bulky man complained to the elderly receptionist as he continued to look down in her direction.
"As I have said before sir, if a bounty hunter is to receive a payment for the body of any deceased criminal that they bring to a Marine base, the amount of reward money that they receive for the corpses of the criminals that they bring will depend on the condition of the dead body is in when it is being brought over to any Marine base. So the only way that you will get the full reward money for bringing the corpses of deceased criminals is to have the bounty will be to bring in the bodies of the dead criminals in perfect or near perfect condition, which unfortunately for you, 'The Sinker's' head is not in near perfect condition." Mrs. Truman explained to the bulky man standing before her once more as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"And I'm telling you that you're trying to cheat me of my hard earned money with this unfair policy! So just give me the money that I am owed or I'll make sure that you get fired from your cushy desk job!" the large bounty hunter yelled as he pointed his finger at the elderly lady sitting in front of him.
"I would advise that you refrain from doing such an action, young man before you regret talking in that way to the kind lady before you." a middle-aged man's voice could be heard a few steps behind the large bounty hunter looming over the elderly receptionist of the Marine base.
And as the man turned around to look at the person addressing him, he saw an anthropomorphic red panda wearing the robes of a martial artist that had red colours looking at him with unamused eyes. Standing next to the furry man was a wavy-haired girl who looked to have recently become a teenager also looking at him with a deadpan expression on her face. The teenaged girl was wearing an orange gi with a yellow belt tied to her waist and a pair of sandals.
"Huh? Who the hell are you supposed to be, you damn raccoon dog?" the bulky bounty hunter asked as he looked at the martial artist master with a look of disgust in his eyes.
"Oh me? I am just one of the locals of this island visiting the local base with my disciple here." Master Fushi answered, unbothered by the look of disgust the bounty hunter was giving him.
"You think that I'd believe that you're a resident of the island? Get lost you lying freak!" The bounty hunter stated as he turned back in Mrs. Truman's direction, ready to continue his rant against her.
"No, I do not think I will do that. Especially after you disrespected my dear friend. So I'll ask that you do not bother her with your presence like you are doing now." Master Fushi told the bulky man, his voice getting just a little deeper.
The martial artist's words made the bulky man stop what he was about to say and turn around in the direction of the middle-aged martial artist once again.
"Oh? So you think you can just say whatever you want to me now? Fine then, let's see if you'll be able to act smug towards me once I'm done with you." The bounty hunter said as he prepared to attack Master Fushi.
The large bounty hunter then lunged in his direction and was ready to beat up the elderly man with his fists clenched.
"On second thought, I think I will just say hello to Valerie, I will leave this ruffian to you." Master Fushi instructed his pupil as he walked to the elderly woman's direction.
"Yes Master." Valerie replied to her master's instructions as she stood in the place where her master was just moments ago.
"Huh? You think you can just ignore me-"
But before the bounty hunter could finish yelling at Master Fushi in the middle of his lunge, Valerie kicked the large man's chin. That single hit from her was able to send him in the ceiling of the Marine base that they were occupying, nearly touching it before he came falling down.
"Nicely done, little Valerie." Master Fushi complimented his disciple as he saw the unconscious bounty hunter's body lying face first on the floor.
"Thank you Master Fushi." the teenaged disciple said as she bowed her head before making her way towards her master.
"So this is the disciple that you have been telling me about Fushi?" Mrs. Turman said as she looked at the teenaged girl standing next to her old friend.
"Yes indeed. Valerie, this is one of my longtime friends, Truman Bethany. Bethany, this is the promising disciple that I have been telling you about, Valerie."
"It's nice to meet you Ms. Truman." Valerie said as she bowed her head before shaking the hand that was offered to her.
"Likewise, young lady. I've heard a lot of good things about you from your master. But I am a married woman, so please address me as such." Mrs. Truman said as she shook the teen's hands.
"Sorry about that Mrs. Truman."
"No worries, little one. I get that a lot from the new people that I meet." Mrs. Truman said with a smile on her face.
"Your master has also told me that you want to become a Marine in the future?" the elderly receptionist asked the teenaged girl.
"Yes ma'am. I've always wanted to help as many people as I can, and I feel that the best way to go about that would be to become a Marine." Valerie told the elderly receptionist.
"That is good to hear." Mrs. Truman said before she turned to Master Fushi and addressed him directly.
"So are you going to leave her here with me so that I can show her the place during my off time?" the elderly lady asked the red panda mink.
"Yes indeed. I have other matters to attend to, and I was hoping to leave her in your hands for the time being, seeing as she doesn't want to return to the orphanage just yet. I hope this won't ruin any plans that you may have." The martial arts master told his friend.
"No, no Fushi. This is but a simple task for me." the elderly receptionist told her friend.
"Good, then I shall return for her before the sun sets." Master Fushi said before he walked towards the exit of the Marine base.
A few minutes after the furry martial artist left the Marine base and the elderly woman did some paperwork, Mrs. Truman stood from her desk and proceeded to walk to her right while beckoning Valerie to follow her.
"So, would you like to take a look at the base's training area?" Mrs. Truman asked the teenaged girl.
"Yes please Mrs. Truman." Valerie answered as she followed the elderly woman beside her as the two started casually conversing amongst themselves during their walk.
Back in the present day
'I'm glad that Mrs. Truman is still around. It's nice that I get to see such a familiar face on the day I make a move to become a Marine.' Valerie thought to herself as she reached the doors leading to the examination room.
And after she took a deep breath, she reached the door that led to the examination room, she took a deep breath in order to calm her nerves before she pushed the doors open and entered the examination room.