Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (Male Ruby x OC!)

Chapter 7

"Hey, Tadpole. What's up?" Arthurs says as Reuben stomps inside the house.

"How would I know? No one tells me anything," Reuben huffs.

"Reuben went into the ocean, Arthur," Agatha explains and Arthur shoots up from his position.

"Oh, no!" Arthur says worriedly.

"And you didn't die?" Sam asks.

"Die? Why would he die?" Brill asks as he enters the house.

"Oh, no," Arthur says as he deflates.

"Who's this guy?"

"Who's this kid?"

"Uh, that's our son, Sam," Arthur says.

"Son? As in, I'm an uncle? Again?" Brill says as he holds Sam upside down by his leg and Sam laughs.

"I've never had an uncle before," Sam says happily.

"And I've never had two nephews before," Brill says as he tickles Sam a bit.

Agatha then closes all the windows and curtains and turns the open sign on the door to closed.

"Reuben, take a deep breath," Agatha said as she pushed Reuben gently onto the nearby chair, as he gave her a weird look.

"Let me explain. You see, when you went in the ocean, it triggered... Uh, it released...," she tries to say.

"The kraken!" Brill says throwing confetti and blowing a party favour in Reuben's face.

Agatha pulls Brill and Arthur takes him away as Agatha rubs her hands on her head and sighs.

"What Brill means is you turn into a giant kraken.," Agatha explains. 

Reuben looks down at his hands, the right one still being bigger than his other. His mother takes his hands slowly as they light up too in the same manner. 

"I know this is a lot to process, Reuben, but you're not alone. I turn into a giant kraken, too," Agatha says sadly.

"What? What?" Reuben says ripping his hands away from his mum as he quickly stood up and moved away from her. 

"You knew? So, I'm this?" Reuben says picking up a bottle with a ship and a kraken sinking the ship inside.

"The horrible stereotype of krakens that you said humans made up," he says angrily.

"I'm offended," Brill says.

"It sells," Arthur explains.

So what else is true about me, Mom? Do I sink ships now? Do I terrorise sailors?" he asks as his mum takes away the bottle from him.

"No. No, honey. Not at all," she says.

"All this time, you told me we were hiding from monsters, and it turns out I'm the monster. You lied to me!" Reuben angrily yells.

"Think of it more as a tiny omission," Agatha says calmly as Reuben gives her a look of disbelief.

"Come on. Turn giant. I'm recording," Sam says as Reuben rubs his face in anger.

"Sam, put it away," Agatha says.

"But this is the coolest thing ever," Sam points out.

"It is not cool. I was already a little weird, but this? I can't hide this," Reuben says looking at his hand.

"Yes, you can," Agatha says.

"You don't get it, Mom. Every single day, I make sure no one notices all the ways that I am different. I wear large jackets to hide my gills, and I stand like I have a spine. It's hard, but this is impossible," Reuben points to his hand.

"No, because you can control it, Reuben. Just like I have for all these years," Agatha explains.

"Yeah, but you didn't have to go to high school with tentacles," Reuben yells.

"Do I get tentacles, too?" Sam asks.

"Sorry, son. Only the women in our family turn giant. But Reuben is a special case," Arthur says.

"The men just become older, rounder versions of ourselves. It's not great," Brill says.

Reuben pulls out his phone and sees many people messaging about the recent kraken event at the library.

"Reuben, listen. The ocean triggers the transformation. But if you stay on dry land, you'll stay small and on two legs," Agatha smiles.

"Cool. Everyone at school is talking about the monster that destroyed the library," Reuben says getting more angry by the second, causing the lights to start flickering.

"As long as no one figures out it was you, we're safe," Agatha says.

"Your body is going through changes. Think of it as blossoming," Arthur says.

"Ugh, Dad," Reuben groans as he crouches on the floor.

"Do your tentacles ooze poison?" Sam asks

"Sam!" Agatha scolds.

"How is this even happening right now?" Reuben says as everyone keeps talking.

"As long as you stay out of the ocean..."

"Your body is a flower."

"Do you grow any extra arms?"

"Blossoming."

"Reuben is so lucky."

"Things will go back to normal."

"Can everyone just stop?!" Reuben yells as the lights shine brighter and eventually go back to normal. 

"Dad, this isn't a good thing. Sam, I'm going to strangle you with my tentacles. And, Mom, I can't. I just can't right now," Reuben says as he goes to his room.

"Ah, she forgot to do me," Brill says.

"I don't even know you!" Reuben yells.

Reuben slams his door and drop his head on his beanbag and screams loudly before deflating and curling in a little ball.