Factory Reset: Divine Corruption

Chapter Sixty-One

Chapter Sixty-One: The Underground of the Underground

"It's nice to see you once again."

The effeminate protogen announced, leaning all his weight onto a single paw as he glanced over Mason and his crew. His gleaming claws sparkled as he rattled them against his thighs, an organic tail swishing behind him, a golden spiral of halos levitating just above it. Mason was surprised just how much Render changes between his videos.

Render was incredibly slim without seeming malnourished. He had a vest-like chestplate, contorting tightly to his body. His stomach was toned and flat, and his mechanical thighs were painted over, not a single chip or dent in them despite fighting constantly every day. His paws were a lighter shade of light blue, and his eyes were a semi-circle, appearing very welcoming.

"It's nice to see you too." Mason replied, eyeing the smaller protogen that clung onto Render, "I'm sorry for not contacting you sooner, but it's of universal importance." Mason continued, stepping closer to Render as his boyfriend and the rest of the crew entered with him.

Render sighed, latching his claws together, "It's... It's fine. I mean, I don't have much to do, so-" He shrugged, turning around with a swish of his tail. He curled his claw in a gesture that told them to follow him, the scrappy protogen quickly rushing to his side as he approached the end of the building.

Mason quickly followed him, arriving at his side before they reached an elevator. Render pressed a glowing claw against the down button, sighing, "Things haven't been the best here, I can guarantee you that. People have been in a tizzy around someone new. I'm guessing y'all are here for that person?" Render asked, and Mason nodded.

"Thought so. Fine then. Come one." Render replied, the elevator door opening, "Scrap, go to tell Epitome that he's going to have to cancel my next few sessions. Alert Wither that he has to go to the safe-house. Okay?" He asked the degraded protogen, and after a hasty nod, the protogen departed out of the building and out onto the streets.

"Aren't you worried that they'll... you know..." Cardinal asked, pressing her claws to her throat and, using her hard-light, miming a cut throat. While Ja'Kle appeared disturbed by the action, Render shook his head, entering the elevator and gesturing for them to get in with him.

"No, I'm one of three kingpins 'round here. The Porn biz is all mine. Weapons is with Hyde, and his assistant in the bio-weapons department, Rust-Dak." Render replied, pressing his claws against the weird-looking buttons on the floor level beneath the numbers once everyone entered the elevator, "And the export business is completely controlled by Jenson & Jenson. We're good."

As Render and Mason talked more about the economy of Airies, Ja'Kle glanced around the space inside the elevator. It was relatively big, like that of a small office's closet. The corners and the edges of the elevator were gold-plated, and the actual walls were red with a dark gray heart pattern. The ceiling was a lighter shade, with a heart shaped gold-plated red-glass light affixed to it. Quite the mouthful.

In a sudden, violent tug downward, both Ja'Kle and Mason's crew were thrust backwards as the elevator descended at a rapid pace. Obscenities and curses ran through Ja'Kles mind as he held onto Mason's sleeve with dear life, and Mason himself clung onto the side of the elevator for support. Render simply chuckled.

"I take it when you thought 'underground' it was like, a basement circle, or an above-ground convention. No, the underground of the underground of the universe is deep inside the planet." Render noted, clicking his claws together as he observed the number on the screen of the elevator plummet to the negatives.

Render smirked as the elevator slowed down considerably, going just a floor every three seconds, "Below my building, I have a pathway directly linked to the biggest underground hub, for the time-being, anyways. Makes transporting and distributing films easier, anyway." Render continued, chuckling.