"Lord Helix, is there a reason why you haven't picked participants yet for the Potato Wars this year?" A pale and skinny girl with brunette pigtails asked the domineering presence before her.
The man in question wore a frown on his normally stoic face. Too many people have confronted him in one day, so he didn't have the patience to deal with his followers like he normally would. However, the one asking was one of his top followers, so he did not benefit from hiding the truth from her regarding the Potato Wars.
Helix let out a loud and long sigh before he spat out, "There are 3 different reasons, Homina. The first being that I've been nominated as a judge by a large majority of the other Deities."
"They deliberately don't want us as competition," Homina deduced while she held her head in disgust.
"We haven't lost any Potato Wars we've participated in, to be fair," Helix mentioned while he sheepishly rubbed his spiky brown hair. "There are only 2 other high class Deities worthy of being my opponent: those are Lancaster and Kakadoo. Lancaster rarely participates since he usually just manipulates others to get what he wants, and Kakadoo... there's a reason why I don't participate anytime he joins. His followers kill anybody who loses to them."
"Yeah, we would have lost a lot of people during your earlier days as a Deity. It would have been an irrecoverable situation," Homina agreed while she slitted her eyes.
"Don't strain your pretty face like that. How will you get a man looking like that," Helix groaned.
"I am married to my work," Homina quickly replied, which caused Helix to sigh again. "Back to the subject at hand. I get the first reason. What are the other 2?" Helix extended his hand into the air for a moment before he slammed it back on his desk. The sound startled Homina, who regained her posture immediately after Helix spoke again.
"Reason 2 is that they are apparently setting a trap for catching a rogue Clockwork Child. They believe the thief will find some way to sneak into the Potato Wars to steal one of the offered hidden rewards for participants. To show good faith and keep our own Clockwork Children safe from suspicion, we should avoid participating."
"That's blatant discrimination against our kind. They still don't trust you?" Homina muttered under her breath, but Helix heard it.
"It'll be hard to trust me since I'm the only Clockwork Child who became a Deity. Not to mention I have the most Clockwork Children in my universe. They aren't wrong. I am biding time to make a move... but it's not per se directly against the Deities," Helix reassured her. "There will be somebody who will put an end to this game of truth and dare that all of the other Deities are playing. That person is prophesied to enter this year's Potaro Wars."
"Is that reason 3, then?" Homina inquired. Helix laughed heartily before he smiled.
"Nope," he confirmed. "Reason 3 is because I don't want you guys to die. Draden Denn is participating, which mean he completed his illegal projects with his Slash family. Additionally, he's not even the Deity I'm feeling the most wary about. That goes to 2 others."
"Are you going to keep me in suspense? You know I'm not a mind reader," Homina growled.
"I honestly don't have enough to go off of for this, since I wasn't able to get a full vision regarding the individuals involved. This means either the beings in question are too powerful for my Clairvoyance of Clarity Ordinance to work on, or they have an Ordinance that can somehow block me from seeing their future in full. Hooligan's participants have somebody dangerous amongst them..."
"So why did you randomly toss a spear out the window earlier?" Segato asked Sparrow. Sparrow's ahoge begun to wave back and forth like a dog's tail.
"I hate perverts," Sparrow casually spoke before he closed his eyes again.
Note to self: don't talk about women with this guy, Segato thought.
"... and the other one is from a recently 'promoted' Deity named Sundance."
"Isn't that--"
"Yes, he's Duanoshiki's protégé, and realistically speaking, he should have been the rightful inheritor to his belongings. Rules are rules, unfortunately. If this was a medium or lower class Deity dying, there'd have been no issues with that," Helix noted and Homina nodded in agreement. "At least his followers are something else. The one blocking my Clairvoyance of Clarity over there didn't hide his identity, unlike with Hooligan's group. Ylvonde. Be wary of anybody who has that name."
"I'll explain the details to the others, then. If anything requires our military forces, just give the signal or word," Homina briefly bowed before she walked out the room.
"... She's gone now. You can come out from hiding," Helix said. A darkness-clad being walked out from the shadows in the corner of the office. "So... you killed Duanoshiki. Why?"
"Pretty simple. He discovered something kept hidden that he wasn't supposed to and hid it himself on Origin Pointe," the being spoke.
"... I see. No wonder I'm not allowed to participate. How do we stop the other Deities from getting it, especially if it is what I think it is?" Helix asked with a worried glance.
"You mentioned a Clockwork Child infiltrating the Potato Wars, as well as the name Ylvonde," the being mumbled in thought and ignored Helix's question.
"Have they caught your interest, TEOAT?" Helix questioned out of curiosity.
"I recommend you don't try to fight or recruit either. They're both from my timeline, and they're both people who I wouldn't even fight at my current power level," TEOAT responded.
"They're that strong? Really?" Helix exclaimed with clear shock.
"It's not their strength. It's their knowledge, conviction, and versatility in power I fear. Sparrow is known as 'The Stampeding Spear' for a reason. As for Ylvonde... he has an even scarier title... 'The Undead Umbra.'"
"I did recall you saying every single one of your old friends was a force to be reckoned with, but it sounds like these 2 are a bit special amongst them," Helix commented.
TEOAT slowly disappeared into the shadows before he whispered one last thing via telepathy to Helix: "The answer to your other question has to do with why I was curious about those 2 suddenly resurfacing. They are both very loyal to Flipside, unlike me. The other Deities will fail to obtain what they desire, and a few of them may even lose their heads trying. It should be quite fun to watch somebody else do my job for me, hehehe..."
"I am gonna have a headache if anybody else drops in and visits me at this rate," Helix groaned. "As much as I may dread or fear it, I can only continue to push forward to get the outcome I seek--"
"Is this a bad time to intrude, then?" a woman with long, wavy raven-black hair and glimmering ruby eyes loudly yelled.
Helix jumped out of his chair while he shouted back, "Seriously, Kate? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" Kate softly chuckled before her face became very serious.
"Helix. How is my daughter and husband doing? You promised one check up per month, and I want it early. I want it NOW."
Helix stared at Kate before he slyly said, "You know, you could always just go home--"
"As if! I have to keep 'stealing information' from you!" she jeered while she motioned air quotation marks.
Kikai, I sure hope you'll grow up one day thinking your mother is an irresponsible jerk and not that I'm holding her hostage, Helix thought to himself as he pulled out a helmet and put it on his head. Video footage of Kikai laying her head on Ezrah's shoulder was streaming on Helix's desk.
"What the hell is this," Kate deadpanned at the sight. "How dare this young man get close to my daughter!" she thought to herself. Helix just stared at her and then rolled his eyes.
"Do you really have to participate, Ezrah? I don't want you to go," Kikai quietly moaned just loud enough for Ezrah to hear.
Ezrah rubbed her head before he said, "It needs to be me alongside Segato. Somebody needs to keep him safe."
I might also need to keep others safe from him, depending on how things go, Ezrah thought to himself, but Clairvoyance of Clarity caught these thoughts.
"... I am glad you had me check early, Kate," Helix praised. "Segato Evelnoke... I've been hearing that name lately a lot. He is probably the spark for this powder keg."
"That Ezrah kid is 'that guy's' son, huh," Kate muttered.
"I know it's not my place to speak, but aren't you being too overprotective of your daughter?" Helix commented.
"Hmph! If you know you are being a busy body, then why even speak?" Kate shouted before she left the room.
"Why don't I have any normal people visiting me these days?" Helix groaned in his thoughts. "In any case, the next Potato Wars is going to be dangerous, even for those not participating. I don't even need further clairvoyance to tell."