A few days might as well be the blink of an eye when you're over one-thousand years old, but those few days can easily feel like an eternity when spent on your back, without the use of your legs, without food, and with only your own voice and the profoundly unhelpful presence of other monsters to keep you company.
It wasn't the loneliness that Tamatoa minded. No - "lonely" was a concept he was well-acquainted with and had even come to like. It was the uselessness of his body that was driving him even madder than he already was. He couldn't walk, and being wrong side-up meant that nothing and no one could be dazzled by the shimmering brilliance of his shell.
Prior to his besting by the demigod Maui and that irksome little human named Moana, he already spent much of his time in idleness, caring only to eat and to admire his jewels, venturing outside of his cave only when food was scarce, and it rarely was. In his current predicament, however, Tamatoa was forced to face hunger and shame and discomfort, belly-up, with the least graceful posture possible.
But today another human had come - a foolish and unusually pale warrior looking to prove herself against the dark and dangerous residents of Lalotai. When he saw her running from the eight-eyed bats, Tamatoa knew she'd be dead shortly and was glad to soon be rid of yet another intruder, but much like Moana, she had surprised him. Indeed, she was so strong and skillful in battle that he suspected she wasn't human at all. But he'd be lying if he said her bravery and martial talent were what he'd first noticed about her. She carried no gold-encrusted shell, so she was undeniably plain in comparison to him, of course. But here she was, wearing a gold helmet, carrying a golden shield and a golden spear. Even the chain holding up her bright mantle was made of gold. She was also undeniably the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
For one fleeting moment, Tamatoa lusted after her. Then he desired only to have her adornments for himself. Then he remembered his situation, and his face settled into a deep frown. He was in no position to make demands of her, let alone attack her for his own gain. To add insult to injury, it also dawned on him that he had been sitting in plain view this entire time, and she hadn't yet noticed him. The corners of his mouth dropped further. But no, he needed her help, and he knew from watching her that he'd have to play nice to get it. Besides, he was curious about her origins, as well as her status, how she came to be so laden with treasure. He could lure her in long enough to get what he needed. Maybe even long enough to get what he wanted. Time to turn that frown upside down.
"Braaaavooooo!" Tamatoa bellowed into the cavernous recesses of Lalotai, his deep voice echoing throughout. "It's about time someone taught those mewling menaces to pipe down."