⚠️Warnings: Somewhat implied cannibalism?? Maybe???? Does it count if it's a merman threatening to eat a human? The world may never know. Oh and also violence lol. Lots of violence.⚠️

The lights all turned on at once, temporarily blinding Yuu, whose eyes had adjusted to the darkness. Music was coming from an unknown source, setting up the perfect stage for a musical number.

"Well, Tangaroa hasn't always been this glam." The man— 'Tangaroa' was his name, apparently— struck a pose where all his accessories gleamed luxuriously in the light.

"I was a drab little crab once." He sighed with an almost comically sad expression. "Now I know I can be happy as a crab, because I'm beautiful, baby!" He flung out his arms dramatically.

Spinning around in some sort of dance, Tangaroa continued singing, "Did your teachers say, 'listen to your heart'? 'Be who you are on the inside'?" He barked a laugh.

"I got three words to tear their argument apart." He held up three fingers with a creepy smile. "Your teachers LIED!" He stomped his foot on Yuu's chest as they tried to stand up, causing them to yelp. Is his leg made of steel? They wondered hazily through the pain.

"I'd rather be shiny!" The lights turned even brighter as Tangaroa twirled around with his arms stretched out, showing off all his jewelry. "Like a treasure from a sunken pirate wreck!"

He did a little jiggle, "Scrub the deck, and make it look shiny!" He laughed. "I will sparkle like a wealthy person's neck!" The man slid one finger across his throat threateningly, staring directly at Yuu, who winced. "Just a sec, don'tcha know?"

Tangaroa pulled out his fancy-looking magic pen, and like a projector, it created an image of Crowley. "Crows are dumb, dumb, dumb, they chase anything that glitters!" He scoffed. "Beginners." Yuu stared, feeling very mixed between terror, amusement and wonder. Since when could magic pens do that?

"Oh, and here they come, come, come, to the brightest thing that glitters!" The Crowley in the projected image had heart eyes as it stared at a pile of treasure, before being grabbed by a giant crab claw. "Mm, bird dinner." Tangaroa chuckled at his own joke.

Wait. Yuu's eyes narrowed slightly. ...is he a crab merman?

As the magic pen turned off the image and returned back to his pocket, he turned his attention back onto Yuu and grabbed them by the hair. "I just love free food..." He licked his lips, making the magicless prefect feel a fresh new wave of terror. "And you look like seafood~"

Yuu cried out in fear, struggling against him. His grip was much stronger than they'd anticipated. "Wait! No! HELP—"

"HEY!"

Silver had finally decided to reveal himself, wielding his magic pen and pointing it at their attacker like a sword. "Unhand them!"

They stared at eachother for a paralyzing moment, before Tangaroa dropped Yuu onto the floor again. "Well well well." He smiled sinisterly. "Little hero's come to rescue his friend." He pulled out his own magic pen and shot a perfectly aimed water spell that knocked Silver's pen out of his hand. "You little wannabe human."

"Ouch!" The crab merman striked Silver in the stomach with his leg, much faster than he was expecting. "What a terrible performance! Get the hook." He grinned, grabbing his target by the wrist and throwing him into a nearby table against the wall. "You humans just don't swing it like you used to, man!"

Yuu stifled a gasp as Tangaroa approached Silver, still singing, "Yet I have to give you credit for my start." He mused, lifting the injured boy's head by the chin. "And your scars on the outside." His finger brushed against Silver's skin, where several faded scars were just barely visible if you held them in the right light. "For just like you, I trained to prove myself strong."

He stood up straight, lifting his arms in a shrug. "I'll never hide. I can't! I'm too shiny!" Laughing, he grabbed Silver by the neck and roughly threw him against the hard floor. "Watch me dazzle like a diamond in the rough!" He posed again. "Strut my stuff, my stuff is so shiny!" He slammed his foot against Silver's face. "Send your students but they'll never be enough. My shell's too tough~"

"Little man." He said condescendingly. "You can try, try, try, but you can't expect a human to beat a decapod! Look it up." The crab firmly grabbed Silver by the hair and raised him to eye level.

"You will die, die, die!" With each 'die', Tangaroa slammed his victim's head against a chair. "Now it's time for me to take apart your aching heart."

"You try to be tough." He taunted. "But your body's just not strong enough!" With terrifyingly casual strength, he flung Silver across the room, who slammed into the wall with an agonized yell. "Human! Now it's time to kick your heiney! Ever seen someone so shiny?" He strolled over, laughing. "Soak it in, 'cause it's the last you'll ever see."

"C'est la vie mon ami, I'm so SHINY!" He took a fist and smashed it into Silver's chest, possibly cracking a rib judging from his pained grimace. "Now I'll eat you, so prepare your final plea, just for me~"

The lights turned off again, and Tangaroa's appearance... changed. His body was pitch black like an empty void. His hair and eyes turned neon blue and purple, just like the lights around the room. "You'll never be quite as shiny, you wish you were nice and SHINY!~"

As he belted out the last line of his song, Yuu stomped on foot on the stage. "HEY!" They called. The lights turned back on as the boys turned their attention on the magicless human. "I've got something shiny for ya!" They held up the magestone that'd been stolen in the first place.

Tangaroa's jaw dropped, his colors going back to normal. "The magic stone..." He approached Yuu menacingly. "You can't run from me—" he said as they ran away. "..oh, you can. You keep surprising me." He chased after them, despite Silver reaching out and trying to pull him back by the leg.

"There's only so far you can get with those short little legs!" He declared as Yuu panicked and threw the magestone into one of the aquariums.

Tangaroa dove into the water-filled glass cage, shoving the fish aside and laughing.

Yuu took the opportunity to run back to Silver and help him up. They winced at his injuries; merfolk really were unfairly strong compared to humans, even in land form. "You okay?"

He nodded. "What about the magestone?" He asked.

Yuu smiled gently. "He can have it." They pulled out the real magic stone from their pocket. "I've got a better one."

Tangaroa emerged from the water, cackling. "Yes! I have the— wait a minute." He froze, squinting at the rock. "Ugh, I see. They've taken a pebble, and they've covered it in paint. As a diversion!" He groaned in frustration, crushing the rock between his hands and looking around for the two NRC students, only to watch them run out the exit.

"Hey! HEY!" He called, but quickly gave up. "..did you like the song?