The Monks Have The Leads

The lead list came in. Nitre, excited for a new beginning, even with rising anxiety. He did not expect the twist though.

"Viking and you will be visiting these leads. We want to show off all your friendly faces!" Toledo said excitedly, thinking this was a revolutionary idea. Toledo, the boss, always presented old ideas as new.

Nitre enjoyed selling in person, a better alternative than intergalactic phone call. Sometimes a different planet would answer the call, causing all sorts of confusion. However, he did not anticipate Viking joining him. They had developed a friendship, but sharing leads and sales was a different test.

"I am driving, my car can get us to different plants faster," Viking replied aggressively, with a scruffy beard twitching. Nitre wondered if Viking's beard wanted sales leads as well.

But the beard did not talk, Viking's vehicle did. Walking outside of the stadium, Nitre saw the Tingelhoof 53, remembering all the advertisements. Rumors were it could win a race between a space bear.

"Sadly, this was won not purchased. That is why we will also have to make a quick stop. It was a crazy weekend before you showed up," Viking said awkwardly, confusing Nitre.

"Went to visit the Monks this weekend," Viking replied, as though that explained everything.

"O yes. The Monks. Sure," Nitre replied, feigning understanding.

Chuckling loudly, Viking, got in his Tingelhoof 53, and signaled Nitre to enter in the front seat. Nitre saw as the door opened straight up, seeing better interior than anything Nitre had ever been in.

The leather was fresh and comfortable, as though made from a particular sacrifice. The radio was shiny, with no antenna, but as Nitre looked, could reach all the different stations across the galaxy.

Putting the vehicle in liftoff, Nitre immediately flew over, ending up in a back seat he did not know existed.

"O sorry, should have warned you to wear a seat belt. The monstrous power in this thing could do our jobs," Viking said remorsefully, not intending to hurt Nitre.

"How did you win this machine!?" Nitre shouted, slowly coming uncoiled from the backseat.

"So, the Monks like to play these drinking games and gamble. Sometimes they go a little too crazy. So I beat them at a drinking game of rapping and rhyming," Viking replied enthusiastically. Nitre had more questions, but Viking's smile was infectious, and Nitre could not help but smile as well, stifling questions.

"Problem was, I left my phone. They are tricky, these Monks. Probably stole in the middle of my rhymes," Viking replied with some annoyance.

"I never been to this planet, but have heard of it," Nitre said uncertainly, sitting back comfortably. Noticing the aggressive speed, Nitre realized they would make record time with the visit to Planet Monk and still have plenty of time to visit all the leads. Every planet combined into one combined stream.

"You are not missing much, honestly, its a little boring," Viking replied honestly, as he just started slowing down.

Flying into Planet Monk, the first impression dazzled Nitre. the gates we solid stone. Nitre could see the tops of all the buildings, pointing straight up at a certain cloud which did not float away. The cloud seemed attached to the pointed building.

"What do these monks do on a daily? Besides, apparently work on their rapping?" Nitre asked intently, with all the buildings becoming more impressive as the Tingelhoof 53 flew.

"Well they also make the best beer and whiskey. That is why it is hard to beat them at the rap game," Viking said excitedly, his beige eyes widening with prospects.

Landing in a wide open field,, they were greeted by clothes, or so was Nitre's first impression He did not see a faces, just clothing wrapped to make a torso and arms. Even little cloths formed fingers.

"Ahh Monk Benedict, we meet again," Viking said awkwardly, as though Viking hoped to actually never meet Monk Benedict again. Nitre looked around and noticed others were appearing, all in different colored clothing.

"Mr. Viking! We awaited a return. You think you won last time, but this time we will bring the rain!" Monk Benedict shouting and pointing with his silver clothing. Nitre saw more Monks, noticing the different colors: some were green, others pure red, while others were bright pink.

"No, I just left my cell phone, I am too sober for a rap battle," Viking pleaded, realizing slowly this would not be a quick meeting.

"Come on, chug a few beers and rap, round two! Plus maybe they buy some baseball tickets. Planet Fresno always needs more Monks in colored clothing," Nitre suggested to Viking quietly, but still looking forward to a great moment in sales history.

"No, they are planning something here, they are organizing," Viking replied suspiciously, seeing more Monks come in, and others building.

"Yes, your phone! We kept it safe for you. But you cannot just have it, we do not give away objects willingly," Monk Benedict called out, keeping Viking and Nitre frozen. Curiosity was welling up in Nitre, but Viking's beard wiggled, looking for freedom.

"Bring him Monk Francis whiskey and then summon the band!" Monk Benedict continued, setting up a clamor.

"Uhh rap band?" Viking and Nitre asked together.

Swarms of Monks came forward, some in colors Nitre did not even know. They all started setting up a drum kit, with an alarming amount of cymbals. What looked like 3 base drums blocked Nitre's eye sight, so he could not see which colored Monk continued to set up. He then say a purple Monk and blue Monk come forward with double guitars and a bass.

"O no, they have gone NU-METAL!" Viking shouted, fear entering not only his beard this time, but all throughout his body.

Nitre confirmed, reminiscing of the concerts on planet Arvizu. However, he could not reminisce long.

"I need my phone to sell! I couldn't stand only doing in person, so many planets I would lose my fucking mind! Think of something Nitre, what can we do?" Viking asked helplessly.

"Ummm wait, where would they guard the phone?" Nitre asked, thinking rapidly, as the Nu-Metal band started setting up the tone for the double guitars which matched the Monks pound for pound in color.

"Yes, they had the truck hidden at first, he appeared from the Breakfast Monastery," Viking responded desperately, pointing east. Nitre, not wasting any time, ran toward a building with a roof that connected to a fluffy cloud, instead of the rough clouds he noticed.

The doors unlocked, Nitre, looked around. No color existed in the Breakfast Monastery, and the only sunlight entered from holes at the top. The walls were all soft, but changed after each pew, which looked rough to sit on. Some pews were rocky, others were flat.

Seeing familiar dancing artwork, Nitre continued his attention to distant moaning. Nitre walked in the direction of the moaning, hearing two individuals going back and forth. He walked up to the front, seeing the two individuals facing each other, while a stone specimen held an artifact in its hand.

"Now Monk Hermit, we talked about this, we can share the watch, it will not take long until the Nu-Metal takes over," said the gold robed Monk, his hood down, showing a head with little hair.

"Yes, but when victory is achieved, who will take the phone to Monk Benedict? Surely, Monk Monte, you cannot do it alone?" Monk Hermit replied seriously, even in his strawberry colored robe. Looking back at both, Nitre had a sudden craving for strawberries, but moved to focus on Monk Hermit's face.

"We can share the job, and both receive the credit," Monk Monte said happily, taking Monk Hermit aback.

"You both think you can share in glory?" Nitre shouted, walking closer, as both turned to face him.

Both Monks looked aghast at Nitre, who lacked the color of the . Nitre did notice his black suite and black tie made him the opposite of a monk.

"Sharing is the way toward congratulations," Monk Monte shouted, filling the room with certainty.

"How so? I am in sales, and I don't share leads, not even with my best friend. We make progress alone, not together. You do not want to become Ennui," Nitre replied attractively. He did want to seduce the Monks, but in the way where the trust would gallop away from the Breakfast Monastery.

"What is a Ennui on your home planet? Some different kind of language?" Monk Hermit asked curiously, his eyes pointing toward Monk Monte.

"O he is one of my coworkers. Shares all of his sales, making slight excitement for him, harder to reach his goals. But he reaches his goals anyway, continuing the endless emptiness."

Nitre did not know if his words were leaving a mark, for the colors left no identifying recognition. He did notice, Monk Hermit focusing more on Monk Monte.

"Really, you're world suspects a lack of color, here we all share colors and credit," Monk Monte replied positively, hoping a new sense of calm would enter the room.

"Then why do you wear different colors...." Monk Hermit asked, his voice rising.

"Well...." but the rest of Monk Monte's voice was unheard, as Monk Hermit cracked, screaming "GIVE ME THE CREDIT, SOLITUDE! COLORS GALORE!"

The two Monks collided, and in a swirl of color, started rolling around, like two sheets attacking each other. Nitre could not look away, thinking about what was underneath the colors and the cloth, but then he noticed the lack of Nu-Metal sounds. Grabbing Viking's phone, he bolted out of the Breakfast Monastery.

Running out of the soft doors, Nitre saw the Nu-metal band finishing their set, with Viking standing still in fear.

"That set was something fierce," Viking said in a state of shock, his beard hair standing up straight, like an army ready for retreat. Nitre appeared at his side, holding Viking's phone.

"HOW!?" Viking shouted, but keeping his head down. The Monks thought the shouting was from the performance, as Nitre noticed wide smiles.

"Explain, later, but we have to get out of here," Nitre said aggressively, grabbing Viking's massive arms. He did not move, causing Nitre to briefly trip, but still keep a semblance of balance.

"My only response to your Nu-Metal music Monks: more breakdowns and less vocals! Heavy and blast beats for life!" Viking shouted vaguely at the Monks. Nitre wondered if Viking knew the meaning of his words at this point.

The Monks, noticing Viking holding his phone, stood in stunned silence. Next moment, they all started pointing at each other, and the wrestling began. The combined colors reminded Nitre of the amount of laundry he had to do.

Nitre's curiosity grew, but Viking gestured for a quick exit, explaining "trust me, you do not want to stay. If they form together, they might force me to live through more Nu-Metal."

Walking into the Tingelhoff 53, Viking tested the phone, and making sure the ring dialed. Satisfied, he turned the vehicle on, proceeding toward a new lead.

"So how did you sell the Monks on giving up the phone?" Viking asked exiting the planet.

"Well, sharing in sales is not caring Viking," Nitre replied smugly.

Giggling, Nitre put his seat belt on, as Viking smiled, letting the Tingelhoff 53 prepare them for a new beginning.