Space
Vilgax's ship attacked the other ship.
"Hull damage: 20 percent, but the system's still operational." Robot Lieutenant said.
"I have come too far to be denied. The Omnitrix shall be mine, and there is not a being in the galaxy that dares stand in my way." Vilgax said.
Bellwood Airport
Kurisuta Hikawa Watanabe got of the airplane holding a big blue bag full off clothes and snacks.
Kuri was Japanese, with caramel colored skin and short black hair that framed her face in layers. She had blue eyes and was two inches shorter than Ben. She wore a white shirt edged in red embroidery and dark red capris, with socks and light brown flip flops.
"Hey there you are!" Max waved at her from the baggage claim.
Her bag was small enough that it had been a carry on.
"How is Skye doing these days?" Max asked.
"The island is great, but I like getting away from it. I'd really like to do some normal things like go to the mall or see a movie." Kuri said.
"Well don't you worry, this summer you'll be doing all those things and more!" Max said. "How's Kaori?"
"Grams is fine, still kicking butt and taking names." Kuri said. "I don't think she'll ever slow down."
"Well you can call me Grandpa Max. Let's go, we gotta pick up Ben."
Xxx
Ben got on the Rust Bucket.
"This is gonna be awe—who is that?" Ben stared at Kuri.
"My name's Kurisuta Hikawa," Kuri said. "My Grams and your grandpa were partners at his old job and best friends. My parents are gone now and my Grams raises me, but she thought it would be good for me to spend the summer with a family friend. Plus she wanted to get rid of me."
"Oh. So where are you from?" Ben said.
"I was born in Japan, but my mom gave me to Grams to raise on the Isle of Skye." Kuri said. "I've never seen most modern things. But I brought you a peace offering."
Kuri handed him a video game.
"Sumo Slammers Smackdown!" Ben said. "Wow! It's not even out yet! Thanks!"
"No problem. Hey I'm gonna go ahead and make dinner. Why don't you take a walk Ben. Me and Grandpa Max will have the food ready when you get back."
"Yes a chance to learn about foreign cuisine!" Max said. "Kaori never taught me about Skyian food!"
Kuri smiled, but Ben could swear her eyes were silver. It didn't matter. She was...so cool!
Xxx
A ball transporter went over head.
"Whoa! A shooting star!" Ben chased after it.
The transporter came down where he was; Ben screamed and jumped out of the way, then went over to the transporter.
"Looks like a satellite or something." Ben looked over next to it.
Ben fell into the crater next to the transport; the transporter opened and revealed the Omnitrix. "A watch. What's a watch doing in outer space?" Ben grinned and stretched out his hand; The Omnitrix jumped on his wrist.
"Get off me! Get off, get off!" Ben tried to remove the Omnitrix but failed and fell backwards.
Ben got out from the crater. "Grandpa!"
Ben touched the Omnitrix then realized. "Kuri knew. She sent me out here on purpose!"
A figure dropped from the tree.
The girl was about his age with long black hair tied up in high pigtails and a white Mardi Gras style mask panted with red accents. She wore the traditional dress of a Shinto priestess Ben had studied in school, albeit her hakama—red pants—were shorter than any priestess he had ever seen, coming to only her knees. She wore a white jacket with cords through the sleeves and open shoulders. Strings were attached to each lapel and tied in front to keep the garment closed. Her top had the sleeve fitting somewhat closely like a modern loose shirt and extending slightly past the wrist. She wore bright red puffed shorts, which included the small board on the lower back. She wore common socks and rice straw sandals. She sported a red belt, over all her other garments. Around her neck was a Golden Pentacle.
"You should try turning it clockwise, then slapping it down." The girl said.
"Who are you the user manual?" Ben asked.
"I'm here to help." The girl said. "Call me Miko."
Ben tried to remove the Omnitrix but failed.
Ben sulked, kneeled down then touched the Omnitrix. "Whoa! I'm not saying your right, but cool!"
Ben saw a figurine of Heatblast. "Cool!"
Ben pressed in the Omnitrix, turned into Heatblast, and screamed.
"AAAAAAH! I'm on fire! I'M ON FIRE!" Heatblast screamed.
"Hey, calm down." Miko walked over. "You aren't burning. Don't move."
"Are you kidding?" Ben shot a fireball at a tree.
"Ben stop! Wait!" Miko yelled.
But before they could stop it, the forest was on fire.
"Oh man." Ben said.
"This time when I say don't move, listen." Miko said, pointing the pendant at the fire.
"What are you doing?" Ben asked. "What will that do?"
"Rin, Pyou, Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen!" Miko said. "Akuryo Taisan!"
The pendant glowed silver and sucked the fire inside.
Ben looked at her. "Whoa!"
Miko put a finger to her lips, then shimmered out of view.
Xxx
Ben, as Heatblast, headed into the campground where Max and Kuri were.
"You guys, don't freak out, but, it's me!" Ben said.
Kuri recognized Ben by the way he talked. "Ben? Is that you? What happened?"
"Well, when I was walking, this meteor fell from the sky and almost munched me, except that wasn't a meteor or a satellite, but this cool watch thing that jumped up onto my wrist and when I tried to get it off, I suddenly was on fire, only it didn't hurt when I was accidentally starting this mega forest fire." Heatblast said. "Then a girl showed up and she sucked it up in a magic necklace!"
Max ran up. "Kuri, are you alri-" Max saw Heatblast. "What in blazes?"
"Hey, Grandpa, guess who." Kuri said.
"It's me, Grandpa." Ben said.
Max realized Heatblast was Ben. "Ben? What happened to you?"
"Well, when I was walking, this meteor…" Heatblast reiterated his explanation.
Space
Vilgax's ship was being repaired by drones.
Vilgax spoke to Robot Lieutenant. "What do you mean it's not there? This battle nearly costs me my life, and you say the Omnitrix is no longer aboard the transport?!"
"Sensors indicate a probe was jettisoned from the ship just before boarding. It landed on the planet below." Robot Lieutenant said.
Vilgax spoke to another nearby robot. "Go. Bring it to me."
Earth
"So what do you think we should do?" Heatblast said. "And the girl; who do you think she was? She was...cool."
Kuri rolled her eyes. "That's such a boy thing to say. She saved your bacon."
"She called herself Miko?" Max asked. "And the watch won't come off?"
Kuri pulled on it. "Nope."
Max looked from Kuri to Ben. "No more fooling around, both of you. This is dangerous."
"Both?!" Kuri complained.
Heatblast turned back into Ben. "Whoa finally."
"Good, you're back to normal. Now both of you behave, I'm going to the crash site." Max said.
Xxx
Ben played with the Omnitrix.
"You'll get in trouble." Kuri said. "I'm going to take a nap."
"What? You aren't even curious?" Ben said.
"Watch out for robots." Kuri said and went inside.
There it was again. Her eyes went from blue to silver! Ben wondered what it meant, but he didn't have time for that now. He was alone at last, and he was going to try out the Omnitrix!
Ben activated the Omnitrix and transformed to Wildmutt.
Wildmutt fumbled around for a while before figuring out that he saw by smell, then changed back.
Around that time, the drones arrived.
Ben destroyed the first drone.
"Yes!" Ben said. A second drone arrived. "Whoa. Not good."
Miko landed in front of Ben. She put a hand on her pendant, but it burned her, leaving an angry red welt on her hand.
The drone fired at Ben, and Miko cried out. "Ben! No!" Miko threw out her hand and a silver light hit the drone and saved him.
"Ugh! How'd I do that? Well, here goes! Back up Mr Roboto!" Miko hit the drone several more times with the silver light.
"Never thought I'd say this, but am I glad to see you." Ben said. "You have more powers?"
But Miko was gone.
A sleepy looking Kuri came out of the Rust Bucket just as Grandpa Max entered the clearing.
Xxx
"I was worried that you might get popular with that thing on your wrist. That's why I asked you not to fool around with it until we know what the heck it is." Max said.
"Sorry, Grandpa. But at least I figured out how to make it work. All you do is press this button. Then, when the ring pops up, just twist it until you see the guy you wanna be. Slam it down, and bammo! You're one of ten super-cool alien dudes!" Ben said.
"How do you stay an alien and not transform back?" Kuri said.
"I kinda haven't figured that part out yet." Ben said.
"With a device as powerful as that watch clamped on you, my guess is we better help you learn… fast." Max said.
"Alright!" Ben said.
The Ranger spoke on the radio "Mayday! Mayday! Somebody help us! We're under attack by some sort of - I know you're not going to believe me, but - …robot!"
"Sounds just like those things that attacked me. Must be looking for the watch. Those people are in trouble because of me! I think I can help them." Ben said.
"You mean we." Kuri followed after him.
Ben, Kuri, and Max went into the woods for Ben's transformation.
Ben activated the Omnitrix. "Yeah." He started turning the Omnitrix. "Eenie, meany, miney..." He choose Diamondhead. "Here goes."
Ben pressed in the Omnitrix and turned into Diamondhead.
"So what can this guy do?" Kuri said.
"I don't know, but I bet it's gonna be cool." Diamondhead said.
The giant robot attacked people.
Miko landed in the midst of them. She fired several flares of silver light at the robot.
"Looks like papa robot this time." Diamondhead turned to Grandpa Max. "I'll get gear-head's attention, you get the campers to safety."
The giant robot grabbed the park ranger.
"Leave him alone! You want someone to pick on, try me." Diamondhead was flown away by the giant robot and crashed with a nearby truck; got out from the pile by his sharpened arm and examined it "Cool." Diamondhead attacked the robot but ended up being trapped under its legs. "Uh-oh, think I'm in trouble."
Max saved the Ranger.
"What is going on here?" Ranger said.
"You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you. Now come on." Max said. "Where's Kuri?"
The ranger hesitated, but ran once the giant robot threw Diamondhead into his truck.
Diamondhead saved Miko from the tree.
"So, we even?" Diamondhead said. "Kuri."
Miko looked up at him in shock. "How did you..."
"Both Kuri's and Miko's hand is burnt from the necklace. Not to mention the whole disappearing and reappearing thing. You really weren't gonna tell me?" Diamondhead looked really hurt.
Miko sighed. "I'm so sorry. Grams told me I should never tell anyone. It's part of the Wiccan Rede...but, uh, later!"
The robot grabbed Diamondhead. "Uh-oh!" Diamondhead struggled and broke one of robot's arms.
Diamondhead got shot and was flown towards a storage.
"Ben!" Max said.
Diamondhead taunted the giant robot. "C'mon. Burn one in here."
"Get out of there. Run!" Max said.
Diamondhead reflected the blast as the giant robot blasted at Diamondhead. "What comes around goes around. Let's see how you like it, ya techno-freak!"
Diamondhead cut the giant robot in half with the reflected blast.
Miko hit the robot with a silver blast, destroying it."Alright!" Max said.
"Oh yeah! Who's bad?!" Diamondhead jumped up and down. "Yeah!" Kuri (already back to normal) and Max waved at him to make him notice and shook their heads in embarrassment "Well, I…think my work here is done." He ran away.
"Who was that guy?" Camper said.
People looked around and just shrugged.
Space
Vilgax knew the failure to retrieve the Omnitrix
"Failure?! Unbelievable! The puny Earth being that is keeping the Omnitrix from me will soon hang on my trophy wall!" Vilgax said.
Earth
"So explain." Ben said.
"Relax." Kuri said, holding her mask. "I was raised in Japan. In Japan there is a kekkai, a barrier. It bridges this world and a world filled with monsters called Yokai. Because the kekkai is there, many monsters come through and cause carnage. I became Miko because I had to."
"But where'd you get your cool powers?" Ben asked.
"A miko is a priestess Ben." Grandpa Max said. "Her Grams was a miko before her. But her mother didn't have powers."
Kuri laughed. "Mom had powers, she just chose to destroy them on her own. She wanted to be human. But she promised me to Grams, and every summer until I turn eighteen, I train on the Isle of Skye."
"We're just lucky to have you this summer." Ben said.
Kuri winked at him. "Thanks Ben. Now, don't you have something to do before summer can really get going?"
Her eyes flashed again.
"Oh? Yeah!" Ben turned into XLR8 and ran off.
"Ben!" Grandpa Max said.
In a few minutes, XLR8 arrived back at the RV.
"Ben?" Max said.
"Yup. Hey, check this out!" XLR8 used super-speed to break camp and packed the baggage in record time. "Pretty fast, huh?" The Omnitrix timed out; XLR8 turned back to Ben.
"I think this is gonna be the best summer ever." Ben said.
"Absolutely." Max said.
"It's definitely going to be interesting. So, where'd you go anyway?" Kuri said.
"Just had to take care of a couple of things before our vacation really got rolling." Ben said.
Cash and J.T were hung on a tree by their underwear.
"Dude, how'd we get up here?" Cash said.
"Uh, I'm not sure. It all happened so fast." J.T said.
"Hey, somebody? Anybody? Little help up here, please." Cash said.