Nauti and Rauti – The Seas Worthiest Friends You’ll Ever See!

Every evening follows the same routine in Gizario’s house.

Giz finishes up on his computer, stretches, and wanders past the aquarium sitting beside his desk. Inside the tank are two perfectly ordinary nautiluses. One is a distinguished looking fellow with a tiny lab coat. The other looks… slightly off. One eye drifts a little. A tentacle occasionally detaches.

Giz taps the glass.

“Alright you two,” he says. “Goodnight, don’t get into any trouble.”

He tosses a pinch of food into the tank and walks away.

The moment his footsteps fade upstairs, Nauti slowly rises from behind the coral castle like a tiny spiral-shelled mastermind.

Routi bumps into the castle trying to follow him.

⸻

Routi:
So what are we doing tonight, Nauti?

Nauti adjusts his lab coat and looks out across the living room dramatically.

Nauti:
The same thing we do every night, Routi.

Pause.

Nauti:
We are going to take over the world.

Routi blinks slowly.

Routi:
Big world.

Nauti:
The biggest. People are saying it’s Neverending.

Routi:
Uh, how we goin to do that Professor?

Nauti:
First we become the HPM and then the world!

⸻

Nauti pulls down a tiny chalkboard wedged behind the coral castle.

Written on it:

Operation: Totally Legitimate Victory

Below it are several bullet points.

• Be extremely charismatic
• Promise incredible things
• Never explain details
• Wave tentacles confidently
• Blame failures on Gizario

⸻

Routi:
But Nauti… what about Giz?

Nauti scoffs.

Nauti:
Please. Giz is not a problem.

He gestures toward the ceiling.

Nauti:
He is merely my man servant.

Routi nods thoughtfully.

Routi:
He does bring snacks.

Nauti:
Exactly. Very loyal. Excellent worker.

⸻

Footsteps suddenly approach.

Giz walks by the aquarium holding a cup of coffee.

Inside the tank, Nauti casually pretends to examine a rock while Routi slowly spins in a circle like a very confused sea noodle.

Giz watches them for a second.

Giz:
Is that a chalkboard… yeah I’m tired.

He shrugs and keeps walking.

The moment he leaves the room, Nauti springs back into action.

⸻

Nauti:
Now, step two of the plan: campaign promises.

He writes more items on the chalkboard.

• Free conduits for everyone
• Get rid of the Drown
• Three-tier tax plan
• Toll roads
• Possibly a moon base

⸻

Routi:
Moon base?

Nauti:
You start small, Routi. Then you scale up to total planetary domination.

Routi nods very seriously.

Then one of his tentacles slowly detaches and drifts downward.

Routi watches it float.

He reaches down… picks it up… and immediately tries to eat it.

Nauti:
No Rauti, don’t eat that!

Routi pauses.

Routi:
But it’s mine.

Nauti:
That’s exactly why you shouldn’t eat it!

Routi sadly drops the tentacle.

⸻

Nauti resumes pacing.

Nauti:
Once we win the election, everything changes. We control the resources. The infrastructure. The messaging.

He gestures dramatically at the chalkboard.

Nauti:
From there it’s a short jump to global domination.

Routi raises a tentacle.

Routi:
What about all the work?

Nauti waves dismissively.

Nauti:
That’s Future Giz’s problem.

Routi thinks about this.

Routi:
Future Giz sounds busy.

⸻

Just then the tank filter suddenly kicks on with a loud GLURRRRP.

A powerful current blasts across the tank.

The chalkboard flips over.

The coral castle collapses.

Routi tumbles head over shell across the gravel.

⸻

Nauti stares at the destruction.

Nauti:
Routi…

Routi:
Yes Nauti?

Nauti:
You just destroyed campaign headquarters.

Routi proudly lifts the chalkboard.

The message now reads:

“Vote 4 Zanjo.”

⸻

Nauti sighs.

Straightens his coat.

And chunks a coral block at Routi

⸻

Giz walks by again and looks into the aquarium.

The coral castle is in ruins.

Routi is gently nibbling on a piece of gravel.

Nauti floats calmly like the most innocent sea creature in existence.

Giz:
Huh.

He scratches his head.

Giz:
Man… these decorations really don’t last long.

He walks away.

⸻

Inside the tank, Nauti slowly turns to Routi.

Nauti (smiling):
Perfect.

Routi:
Why perfect?

Nauti:
Because tomorrow my man servant will rebuild the castle.

He gestures proudly at the tank.

Nauti:
And this time… we upgrade to a fortress.

Routi gasps.

Routi:
With snacks?

Nauti looks toward the ceiling where Giz disappeared.

Nauti:
Of course.

Nauti:
After all… that’s what man servants are for.

⸻

And somewhere upstairs, Gizario sleeps peacefully…

completely unaware that inside the aquarium beneath him…

two very ambitious sea creatures are already planning their next move.