PUP AF Hat And Genkai 5 Quests Conflict?

Hey everybody! I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to be posting this or not, but if it is the incorrect place, don't be too harsh on me, please.

Today I did several things on my own that had me psyched up for the Achieving True Power fight. I had my microphone recording commentary, FRAPS going, background programs closed, I was prepared to FINALLY bring PUP above 70 and see just how the job fares endgame with my own eyes on the Sylph server.

There's just one problem.

As you know, to get the other three artifact pieces, you have to have Puppetmaster Blues flagged and have spoken to Shamarhaan in Bastok Markets so you can trade the materials to the Mithra in Whitegate to obtain the Babouches, Tobe and Dastanas.

I come to Shamarhaan today with all of my potions, wing, au laits, specific macro set and so on in tow, and all he gives me is the PUP Taj quest dialogue. Needless to say, insult was added to injury.

I tried zoning back in, a few times, naked even(Don't ask.).

I've tried hammering Enter to see if the Genkai 5 cutscene would eventually proc, it didn't.

I've tried trading the PUP Testimony to force the cutscene, no go there.

And I cannot solo Valkeng in Puppetmaster Blues, I wanted to attempt it, but at this point I may not have a choice except to shout in Jeuno for a group to help me get my Taj.

Has anyone ever encountered this before? Is there a way around it so I can trade my PUP Testimony and do the quest? I haven't gotten the Toggle Switch yet, I'm gonna record the obtaining of said switch and speaking to Shamarhaan again--I expect no change, but at this point I'm desperate, hahaha.

Its a quest line, you can't skip it that I'm aware of. I did my first G5 on RDM and all other 19 jobs afterwards so for the ToAU jobs and WotG jobs I did the AF anyway assuming it was the only way for me to access the G5 since your opponent isn't Maat.

Yeah, I got the Toggle Switch and it's the same thing.

I'll just be looking for a group on the weekend, cause this thing's gotta happen!

Oh well, it's a defensive piece for the fight. Thanks for listening anyway!

Good luck on your fight!

Without beating Valkang 1st, you won't be able to do the G5. That fights a necessary requirement. I just completed that fight earlier on a different character.