Prologue: Girl Plus Weird Watch Equals Alien?!

Ringo Ando is a girl that lives in the city of Suzuran. She's a pretty smart girl when it comes to math and science. Ringo also happens to have a lot of street smarts, thanks to one of her two best friends. Speaking of them… one of these friends is Maguro Sasaki. Roughly the same age as Ringo, Maguro was a childhood friend of hers… And both their families had a business of sorts in the Suzuran shopping district. Ringo's family sold high-quality fruits and vegetables… and Maguro's family sold fish. As fate would have it, the places representing these family businesses were close to each other. So inevitably, Ringo and Maguro met as young children… and they enjoyed each other's company since meeting for the first time. Also, Maguro grew up playing all sorts of games. These would include: Board games, card games, and specifically video games. Because of this, he had developed a love and passion for them. Though, he still puts Ringo above all else.

As for the other best friend… Ringo wouldn't meet him until she became a student at Suzuran Junior High School. This fellow is a squirrel bear named Risukuma, and he's an upperclassman to Ringo. So naturally, Risukuma is the oldest of the three friends. He's the smartest of the bunch, and likes the art of chemistry. He's also fascinated with the concept of love, constantly wanting to learn more about it. When Ringo met Risukuma, she liked how smart the bear was… even if she thought that his existence was a bit of an enigma. And as for Maguro, he enjoyed being around Risukuma as well. Together, they made up a dynamic trio that couldn't be easily separated. And at this point, they have all been great friends for a while. However… their friendship was soon going to be put to the test. See, summer vacation came around for Ringo, Maguro, and Risukuma… and they all wanted to do something fun together. Problem was… they didn't know what they could do. Thankfully, on the third day of summer vacation: Ringo was approached by her father back home, and he said…

Ringo's Father: "So, I've heard that you wanted to have fun with your two best friends this summer vacation… Is that right, Ringo?"

Ringo: "Y-yeah? Why do you ask, Dad?"

Ringo's Father: "Well… Thanks to our family business doing well during spring, we were able to scrape in enough money for something special."

Hearing that, Ringo got excited.

Ringo: "...! What is it?"

Ringo's Father: "Why, I'm glad you asked. Ringo, you and your friends are going on a road trip with me."

When Ringo got her answer… she couldn't help but feel a little underwhelmed.

Ringo: "A road trip? I was kinda expecting something a little more… exciting right out of the gate."

Ringo's Father: "Oh, don't let that bother you, Ringo… Trust me, it'll be fun. At the very least, you get to spend time with your friends every day for until summer vacation is over. Doesn't that sound great to you?"

Ringo: "Huh?! The road trip is gonna last for a month and a half?! Did we really rake in that much money within the last few months?"

Ringo's Father: "Yeah. It surprised me just how much money we got during spring. Nevertheless, it should cover us until we need to return home."

Ringo: "But… what are we gonna use to get us from place to place during the road trip?"

Ringo's Father: "Well, truth is: I have had an RV for years… whenever we could have the chance to go somewhere. Though, our family business apparently made your mother and I too busy in past years for us to do that."

Ringo: "An RV, huh? … Actually, speaking of Mom, Dad… What about her?"

Ringo's Father: "She'll be staying here to hold down the fort. And, someone else will be helping her while we're gone."

Ringo: "...? Who?"

Ringo's Father: "Ringo, I told your sister to come to town and stay with your mother for the duration of the road trip."

Ringo: "...! Big sis… She hasn't worked as part of the family business since moving out to another city."

Ringo's Father: "That's right. Citri may not be a resident of Suzuran anymore… but she's still a part of the Ando family. Anyway, are you now looking forward to this road trip?"

After her father said that, Ringo thought about it for a bit before saying…

Ringo: "Yeah, I am."

With that, Ringo made sure to let Maguro and Risukuma know about the road trip. When they heard about it from her, they wanted to join her and her father. The three got various sets of clothes and other things packed. And as for Ringo's father… he got the RV prepared. By the fifth day of summer vacation, everyone was ready to go. Maguro and Risukuma arrived at Ringo's place, and so did Citri. Ringo's mother and father were outside as well.

Maguro: "Man, this road trip's gonna be great; I just know it will!"

Ringo: "And I get to spend it with you two and Dad!"

Risukuma: "I've never been on a road trip before… but it should prove to be an interesting experience."

Unlike the trio of friends, Citri was not enthusiastic about the whole thing as she said…

Citri: "Ugh, why do they get to have fun? And why do I have to work here?"

Ringo's Father: "Citri, you may have moved away from us… but that doesn't mean you're no longer an Ando. Besides, Ringo and her friends are still kids. They should have fun while they're still young."

Hearing her father say that, Citra merely rolled her eyes.

Citri: "Whatever…"

And then, Ringo's father opened the door to the RV.

Ringo's Father: "Okay, you three: Let's get inside the RV."

Ringo, Maguro, and Risukuma nodded and carried their things inside the vehicle. Then, they closed the door behind them. Meanwhile, Ringo's father briefly hugged and kissed his wife before saying…

Ringo's Father: "Can I trust you and Citri to take care of the shop without me, Cheri?"

Cheri: "Yes, you can count on us. Come on, Citri… let's go inside the shop."

Citri: "*grumble*"

Cheri and Citri went inside the shop and Ringo's father locked the main door to the RV. Then, he opened the door to the driver's seat of the RV, got in, and closed the door behind him. Once Ringo and her two friends found a good place in the RV to secure their stuff and put seatbelts on, they were fully ready.

Maguro: "So, where are we heading to first on our road trip, Mr. Ando?"

Ringo's Father: "*chuckle* Please, just call me Rhubert, Maguro. Anyway, I decided that our first stop should be a little place called: Oakstown. It's well-known for the forest that surrounds it. Many of the trees there are strong oak trees, and they grow acorns of all shapes and sizes."

Risukuma: "Acorns? Why, I'm intrigued now…"

Rhubert: "I thought you'd say that, Risukuma. What about you two?"

Rhubert looked back at Ringo and Maguro, waiting for them to answer.

Ringo: "Um, sure… I don't think I've ever seen an actual acorn before, Dad…"

Maguro: "Me neither, but I'd sure like to see those acorns."

Rhubert: "Great! Let's start our road trip, then."

Rhubert put a key into the ignition and fired the RV up. From there, he began to drive the beast of a vehicle out of Suzuran. A little over two hours passed as Ringo got to talk with Maguro and Risukuma. And then… they arrived in Oakstown. This location was two hours and ten minutes west of Suzuran, and it showed.

Rhubert: "Here we are… Oakstown. This is the nuttiest town in the country."

Ringo: "The nuttiest town in the country?"

Rhubert: "You heard me, Ringo. This town is just known for its oak trees and acorns; it's also known for other types of nuts. There's a nut farm here and it's run by a family, much like our business, Ringo."

Ringo: "Oh, that's interesting…"

Rhubert: "Unlike us though, the family running the farm makes visitors pay for tickets before they can enter."

Maguro: "Why is that, Rhubert?"

Rhubert: "Well, it's not a traditional farm… The place is kind of more like half farm and half museum. It showcases the history of all different types of nuts, including acorns. And at the end of the showcase, there's supposedly a small shop that sells the nuts that are naturally grown here."

As Rhubert said that, he came to a stop at a small parking lot.

Ringo: "Huh… So does that mean we're going there?"

Rhubert: "Yeah. I'll buy tickets for us, so that we can take a look inside. Stay in the RV, kids; the process of buying tickets here is supposed to be lengthy."

Risukuma: "Lengthy?"

Rhubert: "I've heard they made it like that for legal reasons."

Ringo: "That's… kinda odd, but okay. We'll stay in the RV, Dad."

Rhubert: "Good. I'll see you kids later, then."

Rhubert turned off the RV's ignition and hopped out of the vehicle. Then, he closed the door behind him and walked away. The kids couldn't see him anymore and they became somewhat bored.

Maguro: "Man, is this what it feels like to be kinda out in the middle of nowhere?"

Ringo: "Pretty much…"

Risukuma: "Well, at least we have each other."

Ringo: "That's true, Ris… … Huh…?"

Ringo then saw something from out the window she was facing, and she didn't know what.

Maguro: "What is it, Ringo?"

Ringo: "Look outside from that window, guys."

Ringo pointed to what she was seeing; it was a mysterious object falling from the sky.

Maguro: "Woah… What the heck is that?"

Ringo: "I dunno, but it looks metallic."

Risukuma: "That's what I was about to say. And it looks like it's falling down to the forest just beyond this parking lot."

Maguro: "Hey, since we have nothing better to do… Why don't we take a closer look at it?"

Ringo: "*sigh* Maguro, Dad told us to stay here while he's buying those tickets."

Maguro: "Aw, c'mon Ringo. Aren't you curious about whatever fell to the ground there?"

Ringo: "I-I…"

At that moment, Ringo felt conflicted. She didn't want to disobey her father… but she was also curious about the object in question. And then, Risukuma spoke up.

Risukuma: "I'm rather curious about that little object, too. I wish to go and examine it."

Ringo: "B-but…"

Maguro stood up and walked over to where Ringo was sitting.

Maguro: "It'll be fine, Ringo. Your dad said that buying those tickets is supposed to be a lengthy process. So… we should have plenty of time to see what this thing is all about. We'll be back before he gets done with the purchase."

Ringo: "... … *sigh* Alright, but we won't be gone for more than five minutes. Let's quickly check it out and hurry back here when we're done."

Maguro: "Right."

Risukuma: "I'll open the door."

Ringo and Risukuma both got up, and the latter opened the door outside. After the trio exited the vehicle, Ringo closed the door without making much noise. From there, the three went off in the direction where they saw that object fall. Once they saw an out-of-place crater, they knew they had found the object in question.

Maguro: "Holy crap… That thing sure made a heck of a crater for being kinda small."

Ringo: "You said it…"

Risukuma: "Um, how will we approach it?"

Ringo: "I'll go up to it first. You two, follow behind me."

Maguro: "Alright."

Risukuma: "Sounds good to me."

Ringo slowly approached the object, not knowing what it really was. Once she was right in front of it… it was then she realized what it was. The thing was a capsule of sorts. Without even thinking or speaking, Ringo touched the capsule. As she did, the capsule opened up and reveal a weird-looking watch inside.

Ringo: "What the heck…?"

Maguro: "I've never seen a watch like that one before…"

Risukuma: "Fascinating… I can feel something coming from the watch."

Ringo: "Feel something? What the heck are you talking about, Ris?"

Risukuma: "I'm not entirely sure, Ringo…"

Ringo: "In any case, this watch has a really distinct green glow to it. It's kinda mesmerizing…"

As Ringo said this, she reached her hand out to the watch. Then suddenly… the watch automatically latched onto her left wrist. This surprised Ringo, to the point that it made her jump.

Ringo: "Ah-!"

Maguro: "The heck?! It just attached itself to your left arm!"

Risukuma: "Well, that was unexpected…"

Ringo: "Geez… What was that about? It made me think that it was haunted or something. Anyway, I'm taking this thing off. Hrgh-! Rrrrgh! Dang... This watch just won't come off…! Woah-!"

Ringo stumbled as she tried to take the watch off. When she did, she accidentally twisted this knob that was on it. And then she fell to the ground, which made her slam her right hand on the watch. From there, Maguro and Risukuma watched as Ringo's body began to transform. Before they knew it, Ringo had turned into a tall humanoid creature that was made of fire. The two were speechless as Ringo recovered from her fall.

Ringo: "Ugh… This watch is gonna be a pain, I know it. Huh? Why do I sound different? And, why do I feel taller?"

Ringo looked at herself, and her eyes widened.

Ringo: "…! Maguro, Ris! What happened to me?!"

Maguro: "H-how should we know, Ringo?! One second, you were you… And in the next, you turned into a strange creature!"

Risukuma: "Hmm… … Ringo, I feel intense heat coming from your body. Are you now some sort of fire creature?"

Ringo: "A fire creature…? This makes no sense… *gasp* Wait, am I stuck like this?!What the heck is going on hereee?!"

Ringo panicked and she accidentally shot out a fireball from her hand. This fireball smacked into a nearby rock and shattered it.

Maguro: "Woah, that was cool…"

Risukuma: "So I was correct… Ringo, you have turned into a creature made of fire."

Ringo: "That still doesn't explain what's going on here! I need to change back before Dad finds out that I have turned into THIS. As cool as whatever I am now is, I wanna return to normal. Ris, you're the smartest out of all of us: Can you figure out what that watch does in a few minutes?"

Risukuma: "I won't make any promises, but I'll try my best to find out how the watch functions. Foreign technology isn't exactly my strong suit, so bear with me; pun not intended."

Risukuma examined Ringo's body at the time and made a quick analysis. As he finished it up, though… a symbol that looked similar to the watch's knob flashed red a bit and made a noise. And then, with a green flash… Ringo returned to her old self.

Ringo: "Huh? … …! Oh, thank goodness! I'm back to my old self!"

Maguro: "Uh, what just happened?"

As Maguro asked that question, Risukuma was intrigued by this development. The squirrel bear also noticed that the watch glowed red now, rather than green.

Risukuma: "Hmm… Would you look at that… The watch is glowing red now. Also, there's the fact that Ringo turned back into her usual self after a few minutes passed. Perhaps Ringo can be that creature for just a few minutes… because now it looks like the watch needs to recharge itself before it can be used again."

Ringo: "Really? Then, that begs the question: Where did this freaky watch come from? Like, we saw it fall from the sky and… Hmm…"

Maguro: "... Oh-! Maybe it came from outer space and it's some bit of alien tech!"

Ringo: "Maguro, are you for real? Aliens don't exist."

Maguro: "As far as we know."

Ringo: "Just what are you getting at here?"

Maguro: "Well, how else do you explain this weirdness of that watch, Ringo? You transformed into a fiery creature. Like, could that be a type of alien?"

Ringo: "Th-that…"

Risukuma: "... This watch might be proof that aliens exist. I'll admit, I was skeptical of their existence… but now I think it's possible that aliens DO exist. I don't know for sure, but I have a feeling that they do."

Ringo: "A-anyway, let's hurry back to the RV before Dad sees that we're not in it."

Maguro and Risukuma nodded, then the three ran back to the RV. And so… they quickly went inside, closed the door behind them, and locked it. Thankfully for them, Rhubert had only just finished purchasing the tickets and he walked back to the RV. He unlocked the door and opened it. Quickly, Ringo placed her hands in her skirt pockets as she sat in a chair. Obviously, she didn't want her father to see that she suddenly had some weird watch on her arm, so that's why she did that.

Rhubert: "Alright, I got the tickets, kids. Let's go inside the nut farm building."

Maguro: "Great!"

So, the four exited the RV and Rhubert presented the tickets to a family employee just outside the building. The employee looked at them for a few seconds, then he allowed the four to enter. And with that, they went inside and the kids learned facts about acorns and a bunch of other nuts during the museum portion of the farm. They also saw how they were grown at the farm. By the end of the farm portion, Ringo still had her hands in her skirt pockets. Her father noticed this, but he didn't think much of it. Eventually, the four came to the shop and they began to look around.

Rhubert: "Kids, check this out; nut butter all kinds. They all look like peanut butter in some way, but they're all made of different nuts. There's acorn butter, almond butter…"

Risukuma: "I'm sure all of those are great, but let's look at everything else first."

Rhubert: "You're right, Risukuma."

Maguro: "... There's the actual nuts."

Ringo: "… Chocolate… made with the nuts from this farm."

In the end the four decided to get a plastic jar of salted cashews, and Rhubert paid for them. It was fairly expensive for what it was… but he expected that. The jar was then placed in a bag, and the group left the shop by going through an old fashioned door. This led them outside and they were out by the parking lot again. The four saw the sky as they exited and it was getting dusky.

Rhubert: "The sky is dusky already? Okay, kids, we're going to find a place to eat. Then, we're going to find somewhere to legally park the RV for the night."

The group got back into the RV and Rhubert drove it to a little restaurant in Oakstown. The four ate there, and the food was pretty good. Of course, Ringo was still hiding her left arm from her father. However, this meant that she could only rely on her right hand to eat. Thankfully, she ordered food that only required her to use one hand. Once everyone was finished with their meals, Rhubert put them on the tab for the waiter and the four got up to use the washroom. Ringo went into the women's washroom alone and she was the only person in there. Realizing this, she took her left arm out of her skirt pocket and looked at the watch. She noticed that it was now glowing green again.

Ringo: "The watch is green again… … Alien tech, huh? … Yeah right. That's just ridiculous. … But then… What did I turn into just a few hours ago? … … I should wash my hands. Hopefully, the watch itself is waterproof."

As she washed her hands, Ringo got some water on the watch. Though, it seemed like water didn't even affect it. So Ringo put the watch directly under the water and immediately pulled it out. And even after that, the watch was in pristine condition.

Ringo: "Well, what do you know… it IS waterproof. That's good, considering it's stuck to my arm for the foreseeable future."

Ringo finished washing her hands and dried them off without triggering the watch. After doing that, she placed her left arm in her skirt pocket again and exited the washroom. Then, she simply placed her right arm into the other skirt pocket as she met back up with Maguro, Risukuma, and her father. From there, they left the restaurant and got back in the RV. Rhubert drove the vehicle to a good spot just outside of Oakstown and parked it. As Rhubert got out of the driver's seat and went into the main part of the RV, he noticed that Ringo's hands were still in her skirt pockets. This was when he became suspicious of Ringo, and he walked up to her.

Rhubert: "Ringo."

Ringo: "Hm? Dad, what is it?"

Rhubert: "I noticed that you had your hands in your skirt pockets since I came back to the RV with those tickets. And I also noticed that you still had your left hand in a pocket as we all ate. Ringo, why is that? You don't usually keep either your hands in your pockets like that. So tell me: Why are you keeping your left hand pocketed specifically?"

Ringo: "I-it's nothing, Dad, I can assure you."

Maguro: "Y-yeah, Ringo's just been in the hand-pocketing mood today, Rhubert. That's nothing usual, right Ris?"

Risukuma: "Uh, yes, of course."

After hearing his daughter and her friends say those things, Rhubert narrowed his eyes.

Rhubert: "Ringo, take your left hand out of your pocket now."

Ringo shook nervously and so did her friends; they were pretty much busted. Ringo slowly took her left hand out of her pocket and Rhubert saw the watch.

Rhubert: "What in the…? Ringo, where did you get this strange watch from?"

Rhubert asked her in an interrogative tone and he sounded like he wanted answers then and there.

Ringo: "I-I…"

Rhubert: "Did you three go out when I was purchasing those tickets? I told you kids to stay in the RV!"

Risukuma: "W-we can explain, Rhubert."

Maguro: "Yeah!"

Rhubert: "Then I want to hear it from my own daughter. Ringo, tell me where you got that watch from."

Ringo: "Okay, okay; I'll talk! Just don't be mad at me, Dad! Please…"

Rhubert: "Then start."

Ringo: "So, to answer your question: The three of us saw something fall from the sky while you were gone. I gave into curiosity and we checked out the object's landing sight. I slowly approached it and it opened up, revealing this watch. I was mesmerized by the watch and reached my left hand out to it. And suddenly, the thing just latched onto my left arm and it seems like it won't come off no matter how hard I try. When I initially tried to get it off, I accidentally pressed down on the watch and something happened to me."

Rhubert: "What…? A-anyway, what happened to you, Ringo?"

Ringo: "I turned into this… creature made of fire. I-I'm not joking here, I'm being serious. Maguro and Ris saw my body change with their own eyes."

When Rhubert heard his daughter say that, his eyes narrowed again.

Rhubert: "... Show me."

Ringo: "Okay, but let's go outside first."

Ringo exited the RV which prompted the others to follow behind her. And then, Ringo messed with the watch a little. She noticed that she could turn the knob, and doing that… she saw a silhouette of not only the creature she turned into earlier that day, but also other ones. But for the sake of showing her father, Ringo decided on the creature she turned into. She pressed down on the watch… and her father witnessed his daughter transforming into the creature she spoke of. He was in shock in more ways than one as Ringo finished her transformation.

Rhubert: "Ringo… I think you're an alien now."

Ringo: "What? Why would you immediately think that I have turned into an alien, Dad?"

Rhubert: "You said the watch fell from the sky in some object, right?"

Ringo: "Basically."

Rhubert: "Then it has to be from outer space, I just know it."

Ringo: "Dad…? Why are you sure about that?"

Rhubert: "... Well… This may come as a shock to you, since you don't believe in this stuff… but aliens are real. I had encounters with them in my younger years, before you were even born."

Ringo: "What?! Dad, are you talking crazy?! You must have just been mistaken; there's no way that aliens-"

Rhubert: "You heard what I said! … Look, I understand your skepticism and all, Ringo. You think logically and realistically, and the existence of aliens obviously doesn't sound real. But trust me when I say that they ARE in fact real. I had to fight many of them that attempted to wreak havoc on a city your mother and I were in before we moved to Suzuran and had you."

Ringo: "Fight them off…? Wait a minute! If that's the case, then why hasn't Citri ever said anything about this stuff?!"

Rhubert: "She was too young to remember anything from the time."

Ringo: "Okay… then why didn't you or Mom ever tell me or Citri ANYTHING about these aliens you dealt with?"

Rhubert: "I simply didn't see a reason to, Ringo. Neither you nor your sister needed to know about that. Plus, you grew up to be a sciencey type of girl. I figured you would've scoffed at the idea of me meeting an alien in my younger years. Anyway, the aliens that I came across in those times had super powers of sorts. And I'm assuming the alien that you just turned into has fire powers..."

Ringo: "Well… I was freaking out when I realized I turned into this thing. And when I did, I accidentally shot a fireball from my hand."

Maguro: "Yeah, the fire smacked into a rock and it shattered it. I admit, it was cool to see."

Rhubert: "I see… … How do you turn back to normal, Ringo?"

Risukuma: "I'll answer that question, Rhubert. It looks like the transformation wears off after a few minutes. Then, the watch turns red and it seems as though it needs to be recharged before it can be used again."

Ringo: "A-also, it seems like I can transform into several other aliens; not just this thing.

Rhubert: "Hmm… … Ringo, after you turn back into yourself: I want you to NOT use the watch anymore until we know for sure that it isn't harmful to you. We can't get it off your arms, so we have to just wait and see if we can trust this watch. Do I make myself clear?"

Ringo: "Y-yes, Dad!"

Rhubert: "And you two… Don't make her experiment with the aliens that are in that watch. Understood?"

Maguro and Risukuma: "U-understood, Rhubert!"

Rhubert: "Good. Then let's wait for that transformation to wear off…"

A couple of minutes later, Ringo's transformation wore off.

Ringo: "Being something that I didn't think was real is REALLY weird to me."

Rhubert: "It's getting late, kids… let's get inside the RV and turn in for the night."

The kids nodded and they stepped inside. After everyone took a shower in the RV's tiny bathroom, they all went to sleep.

Author's Notes: So, Ringo now has the Omnitrix stuck to her and she has transformed into an alien twice during the first day of the road trip. Her father found out about the kids discovering the watch… and saw Ringo transform into an alien before telling her that he encountered many in his younger years. If you couldn't tell: Yes, this setup is very similar to the original Ben 10 series. But trust me, there's a reason why I decided to star Puyo Puyo characters in this *kind of* crossover story. And when I say kind of here… I mean that there's really only going to be one character from Ben 10 that will appear in this story, and we won't see them for quite a while.

So for the most part, this is a story about Ringo, her two best friends, and her father… as well as the Omnitrix. Now, I know what some of you are thinking: "Will you include other Puyo Puyo characters in this story?". And to that, I say… yes, but only a few. I want the friendship of Ringo, Maguro, and Risukuma to be fully fleshed out first, so that's a priority. However, I will include some of my favorite Puyo Puyo characters and have them appear as special guests of sorts for a chapter or two as this story goes along. And that means warping to other worlds by having Puyo Puyo battles is on the table for anyone outside the main trio.

Aside from that, I came up with names for Ringo's mother, father, and sister… and think they're all fitting. Ringo's mother has the name Cheri, because... cherries. Ringo's sister's name is Citri, to reflect citrus fruits… And Ringo's father's name is Rhubert, based on rhubarb. So yeah, you could tell that I was trying to stick to the fruit theme that Ringo's name brought in. Anyway, what will happen now that the Omnitrix is on Ringo's left arm? What kinds of places will Ringo, her friends, and her father go to during this crazy summer road trip? And why did the Omnitrix end up in Ringo's world? These questions and more will be explored in Ringo 10, starting with… Chapter 1: Under Attack?!