Note that this was made to be a summary of a story I planned to write for NaNoWriMo 2020 called Parousia in Black. Given some other things link to this though and it's still a pretty accurate and thorough summary of the Risen Star Saga:tm: so what the hey, might as well plop it here
- Capricoris visits Scorpius and informs him that the High Star is back. She refuses to answer questions, shell-shocked, pleading with him to see for himself.
- Scorpius and Capricoris arrive in the Cosmos, where Scorpius sees Istra for the first time and is horrified, noting how different and withered they look compared to Frenzael. He demands an explanation, asking if this is all some kind of sick joke, but Capricoris – clearly distraught herself – urges him forward.
- The two arrive in the meeting room, where Humilia cheerfully greets them and asks them to seat themselves. Scorpius barely manages to hold himself back.
- Humilia explains that the High Star woke up again, everyone responds and talks, etc.
- Scorpius loses his shit basically and ends up storming out, disgusted that anyone is entertaining this desecration of the High Star’s corpse.
- Scorpius warps back home and holes up, shaking, really just not coping with the whole thing well.
- Flashback to one of Frenzael and Scorpius’ earliest interactions, long before Scorpius became a god. Scorpius happens upon a hidden spot of Frenzael’s and apologizes for the intrusion, awestruck by them. Frenzael is happy to see him and praises his curiosity, likening him to Asena. They talk for a bit, and Frenzael welcomes him back any time.
- Scorpius wakes up (though he debates whether he actually ever fell asleep or not) because Piscium broke into his house.
- Piscium explains that they wholeheartedly agree with Scorpius’ perspective on the subject and apologize for not standing up for him enough. They attempt to console him, and the two talk for a while before concluding it’s too early to come to conclusions. For the time being they’ll have to just watch and see what happens, see whether Istra truly becomes the High Star or they remain a weird zombie.
- Scorpius avoids the Cosmos and the other gods for as long as he can, but within a week or so Capricoris calls him back as Humilia is holding another meeting. Istra has fully awakened and has started speaking.
- Though reluctant, Scorpius ultimately decides to go back to the Cosmos to see what’s become of the High Star. Humilia welcomes everyone again, and has Istra introduce themself. She declares them the Risen Star and explains that while they may not be Frenzael, they are something new worth loving and respecting, symbolizing the desire within Frenzael to keep living.
- Istra speaks, but just barely. They don’t seem to recognize anyone nor understand what’s going on. They speak in choppy phrases and seem tired. Various gods express concern about this.
- Scorpius inquires whether or not the Great Fade knows anything about Istra or not. Humilia says that Asena’s unaware, but insists that she shouldn’t be bothered right now bc she’s [REDACTED] and it would be rude to interrupt. She insists that it’ll be just fine to let Asena find out on her own, which Scorpius vehemently disagrees with, knowing how close Frenzael and Asena were.
- Humilia, very clearly trying to avoid the subject, backs into the corner of instead insisting that it would be best to wait until Istra’s gotten their bearings and adjusts to being alive again, what with the malaise that comes with being an unmoving corpse for hundreds of years. Scorpius questions whether or not Istra will ever get said bearings. He starts to get heated again, but Leonis stands up and asks to speak to him privately.
- After pulling Scorpius aside, Leonis asks Scorpius to consider things from Humilia’s perspective. He stresses that Humilia is really going through it right now, and the gods all want to believe Istra’s existence of a good thing. He asks him to have some empathy and treat Humilia gently, slightly chiding Scorpius for his lack of respect. Scorpius doesn’t take it well, offended that Leonis is talking down to him, and even more offended that he’s willing to put his own feelings aside for the sake of blindly obeying Humilia. Scorpius calls Siderea twice-abandoned and goes on a tirade about how the creators don’t rule them and how Humilia’s willingness to parade around Frenzael’s corpse isn’t something to treat gently and dance around, upset that he’s apparently the only one willing to speak up and question the morality of any of this. Leonis, hurt by Scorpius’ words for a number of reasons, doesn’t manage to prevent Scorpius from bailing yet again.
- Probably another flashback or something idk, maybe to Frenzael hanging around in Istra (the city) in mortal guise. Maybe something from another god’s point of view? Will there be multiple points of view or just Scorpy?? Who knows. Not me.
- It becomes apparent that Istra is ravenously hungry, attempting to eat living beings if not provided with normal food frequently enough. This is the cause of much sweating among the gods, but Humilia insists that it’s simply a result of Istra no longer being truly God and thus needing to eat like some immortals do.
- Scorpius decides that the only way forward is to kill Istra, or, rather, Pluto them in the pancreas. Piscium, having once again comes to visit, discusses the concept with him, reasoning that Frenzael would have wanted their corpse put to rest and that their real soul is still out there somewhere, safe in comparison. They agree to help, putting to sleep everyone in Istra’s vicinity so that Scorpius can approach Istra unimpeded.
- The fateful day arrives, and with Piscium’s help Scorpius prepares to Pluto Istra in the pancreas. He struggles to bring himself to do so for reasons he struggles to define, dealing with his cocktail of emotions rearing its ugly head, and stops altogether when he notices Istra looking at him with little concern on their face.
- Istra inquires as to what Scorpius is doing, and Scorpius feels sick, likening the situation to having to explain to an unwanted child why they’re about to be taken out back. It finally clicks to Scorpius that they’ve all been dealing with Istra wrong, himself included. Humilia and the gods view them as the second coming of the High Star (a parousia), while Scorpius and some of the others have been viewing them as nothing more than a shambling corpse, a grim reminder of the High Star’s death (in black!). But the fact of the matter is that they are neither nor and are likely so listless because of that; they even picked out their own name and everything! Killing them wouldn’t be putting them out of their misery nor would it be reburying a corpse, it would just be murdering an innocent bystander caught up in something they have no way of understanding.
- Scorpius bluntly informs Istra of his now-former intentions and asks if they’re happy. Istra doesn’t seem to know, and Scorpius narrowing things down to asking whether or not they enjoy existing/want to die doesn’t help them come up with an answer either. Scorpius goes back and forth in his head whether or not he should still take the opportunity to kill them, simultaneously feeling as though Istra is miserable and a symbol of Frenzael’s sorrow but also that he does not have the right to decide whether Istra should live or die.
- Scorpius more or less confesses these feelings to Istra, and apologizes to them, both for hypocritically not seeing them for who they are and also trying to fucking kill them. Istra assures him to the extent the Risen Star really can, not finding it to be a big deal, and explains (again, as much as they really can) that they now understand that the same conflict exists within them. Scorpius decides he should leave, but is paused by Istra asking if he’ll come back, which he – somewhat in shock – agrees to.
- Scorpius and Piscium, both too stunned by the evening’s events to say much, go back to Scorpius’ place and they both lowkey have a mutual breakdown and maybe get a little smashed to cope both with their own actions, their freshly unearthed grief, their uncertain feature, and the stress of having to figure out how to explain themselves once everyone wakes up and Istra likely blabs about the night’s events.
- They come up with some lies but each refuses to let the other take the blame, and they eventually decide that whatever happens happens. Scorpius intends to get the blame put solely on him, planning to insist Piscium knew nothing of his true plans and only told them they wanted to speak with Istra alone, but he doesn’t voice this in case he gets the opportunity to play said card when Piscium isn’t around.
- They talk for a long time, discussing the Creators and reminiscing about their respective creations at their hands, wondering what it was like for those made by Frenzael and wondering what Asena is off creating. They discuss whether or not they’ve been abandoned or replaced, then wonder if Istra is wondering the very same thing. They end up falling asleep together pretty much mid-conversation.
- The next day, Cetia metaphorically knocks on Scorpius’ door and goes “Ummmmm I have been told some mildly concerning rumors about you?”, having initially passed off her falling asleep on duty as incompetence but being asked by Istra if Scorpius is coming back right away. She questioned the fact that Scorpius had showed up last night, and predictably Istra explained that Scorpius and Piscium showed up and that Scorpius was going to kill them but changed his mind. Scorpius, internally bemoaning that Cetia had to come around while Piscium was still there, preventing him from feigning their innocence. He confirms that Istra was right and Piscium bursts in to immediately and profusely apologizes for their involvement, but quickly rushing to Scorpius’ defense and fervently insisting that they changed their minds and will never attempt such a thing again.
- Cetia’s head naturally starts spinning, but she focuses enough to ask why they would have wanted to kill Istra in the first place, saddened and betrayed by the fact that they would attempt such a thing without so much as asking the others or just… doing anything even slightly less extreme first what the fuck!! Scorpius explains what drove him to do so and admits he wasn’t thinking straight, remorseful of his actions specifically less because he betrayed the other gods and more because he didn’t bother thinking of Istra as a person of their own. He further explains that’s how they’ve all been thinking of them, and while he still believes his anger toward the other gods is justified he admits he wasn’t in the right either: they were all dealing with the situation in completely opposite but similarly shitty ways.
- Cetia thinks on Scorpius’ explanation and apology and accepts them both, still hurt by Scorpius’ betrayal – as they’ve been friends since almost the dawn of time – but understanding of his feelings and ultimately just grateful that he had a change of heart. Though clearly still struggling with it, she acknowledges that she has been selfishly clinging to the idea of the High Star returning and has projected those feelings onto Istra, coming to terms with the fact that they’re a completely different person who should be treated as such. Cetia insists that Scorpius call a meeting, both to confess to his (and Piscium’s) crime but more importantly to use it as a segue into the fact that they have been treating Istra the wrong way for too long.
- Scorpius reluctantly agrees, only swayed by Piscium’s insistence that they confess and Cetia’s assurance that she’ll help support them. Scorpius calls a meeting and no one’s exactly surprised about it being true that he tried to kill God, but they’re still miffed about it (Serpentarius in particular insisting he be stripped of his godhood). Fortunately for him Cetia keeps her word and keeps the subject moving, and likewise Humilia – being Empathy and all – does not find any punishment necessary, understanding the pain in he and Piscium’s hearts. Humilia apologizes to the gods for forcing Frenzael’s legacy onto Istra, but it’s clear that she’s struggling to cope with it and really come to terms with it even more than Cetia.
- Everyone agrees that, instead of having Istra make the same rounds as Frenzael did and in general forcing them into their former role, they will instead ask Istra if they’d like to. Likewise, they’ll all try to get to know them better as a person rather than a replacement for Frenzael. The meeting dismisses and all seems as well as it can be, though Scorpius still has a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, namely about the fact that Humilia still won’t get Asena involved.
- Scorpius speaks with Istra again, relaying the events of the meeting and hoping their life will improve from here on out. He insists that they not allow anyone to force them into a box, and to speak against others if Istra feels like they’re looking at them too much like Frenzael or too much like a corpse. He explains that many of the gods are still mourning Frenzael, himself included, so to at the same time forgive them for their failings – including his own. He apologizes again and departs.
- Scorpius and Piscium meet up again, with Piscium saying that a good way to understand Istra would be to check their subconscious. Might be talking with some other gods as well or maybe this happens during the meeting but w/e. Point is that Scorpius says it’s a good idea, and Piscium stays over again (gay) to take a nappy and find Istra’s dream gate.
- The next day Piscium is awake entirely too early and seems ill at ease, informing Scorpius that they managed to find Istra’s dream gate but that it has a foreboding feeling to it. They haven’t yet told anyone and are keeping the area sealed off, but Piscium expresses a fear to enter it. They ask for Scorpius’ help in trying to approach the task, concerned that it may be risky to enter. Worried about Piscium’s dread, something unusual for them when approaching dreamwork given their divinity and Neptune, Scorpius agrees to watch over them as they sleep (gay) and to wake them up after however long to force them out of the Dream Sea. If it’s fine in there then it was just a one-time precaution, but if it’s really bad in there then it’d be well worthwhile.
- They probably chill for the rest of the day, maybe they have some of the convos I planned for their post-attempted murder here instead idk. Maybe they kiss? I just think they should kiss. Anyway bedtime happens and Piscium just gets absolutely turbodreamfucked and goes into complete hysterics once Scorpius wakes them up, completely inconsolable and going on about how they left them, how they were so empty and so lonely and how they could’ve completed them, so on and so forth. Scorpius is horrified and has no idea how to deal with the situation, desperately trying to console them. But. You know. Inconsolable.
- Scorpius ultimately has to settle for the wombo-combo of sedating Piscium while also forcefully keeping them awake to prevent them from going back to Istra’s subconscious, so… paralyzing I guess is the better word. ANYWAY he freaks out for a while, trying to figure out what to do or if he should tell anyone and, if so, who he should even turn to.
- For the first day Scorpius tries to just handle things on his own, but to no real avail. Piscium does calm down somewhat, able to roughly explain Istra’s subconscious and its unconscious attempt to subsume them, but remains distraught over the fact that Scorpius prevented them from succeeding in getting Mind Vored or whatever.
- Scorpius eventually decides to tell Cetia – hoping to mend their relationship by choosing to be open with her this time – asking if she thinks they should tell Humilia and see if she can help them. Cetia thinks that while they should let Humilia know, they should bring Piscium to Istra and see if Istra can convince Piscium that they haven’t failed them or whatever, given the nature of their mind break. Scorpius is hesitant, but ultimately chooses to trust in Cetia and agrees.
- Cetia and Scorpius bring Piscium to the Cosmos after clearing the meeting with Istra beforehand and explaining what happened. Piscium freezes up and Istra just goes like “hi”, obviously not much of an expert in dealing with people’s emotions. Everyone just kind of stands there in silence until Istra decides to give Piscium a pet pet, which makes them tremble and apologize for failing. Istra tells them that it’s okay and that they’re sorry that their head tried to eat them. Piscium just kinda stays there in shock and Cetia suggests to Scorpius that they let Piscium stay with Istra for a while. Scorpius is even More hesitant than before, unable to convince himself that Istra won’t just enjoy some free sushi, but ultimately agrees.
- Scorpius doesn’t stray far, though, and remains in the Cosmos, probably having a chat with someone else or something.
- The next day Piscium leaves Istra’s chambers, still seeming kind of fucky but at least calm enough to ask Scorpius to go home with him. Scorpius obliges and Piscium, on orders from Humilia to get some rest, discusses their experience in greater detail. Scorpius comforts them, but it dawns on him that between their subconscious trying to consume people and their apparent desire to eat living beings that’s only barely sated, Istra desires to eat souls whether they’re conscious of it or not.
- After thinking on this, debating if he’s right or if it’s worth causing further turmoil for since their appetite’s been sated so far, and waiting until Piscium’s recovered and gotten back to work, Scorpius decides he needs to share his suspicions. He decides to approach Humilia about it, and she quietly confirms it seems likely that they seek to consume souls, trying to reunite with as much of Entirety as possible and primarily seeking out their own soul. Scorpius asks what she intends to do about it, sand after some pause she agrees to hold a meeting about it.
- The meeting is held the next day, in which Scorpius explains the situation to everyone and Humilia confirms his beliefs. Reception is mixed. Some feel it’s nothing to worry about since normal food – while difficult to make enough of due to Istra’s immense size – has done the job so far. Some feel that while it might work now, it might only be temporary and their hunger will only grow. Some feel that it might be tied to their identity as Frenzael, and as they continue to grow away from just being a corpse in a grave their hunger will fade in time. Some think they should try feeding them a soul to see what happens, with some thinking one will be enough to fill them up indefinitely while others fear it’ll only make them crave more and they should continue making them get used to just normal food.
- A vote is held to determine whether or not they should feed Istra a soul and observe what happens, with the caveat that Istra approve and that said soul be that of a willing volunteer who is close to death, and that they be allowed to expire naturally. Though not unanimous, the vote passes.
- Istra approves and it doesn’t take long for the gods to find the right candidate what with all the devout worshipers out there who’d love an afterlife of getting vored by god, now only needing to bide their time until said volunteer dies. It takes at least a week if not longer, giving some time for stuff to happen.
- There’s probably some holiday or another that Orion shows up to in the Cosmos and Scorpius gets mad about it, further driving in the wedge between he and the other gods and also letting Orion do some foreshadowing or otherwise making some statement or another that’s hilarious in retrospect.
- Scorpius and Piscium hang out some more (gay) and talk about things, such as wondering what would happen to a soul that got eaten. Maybe they bone. Who knows. Probably not like, that direct of a transition though, soul-eating is not usually apt foreplay but Scorpio and Pisces are the designated horny signs so who knows…???
- The vorelunteer™ dies and Istra has a snacc, and it seems to sate them for much longer than normal food does. Thus comes the discussion of feeding them Just souls, which raises a number of ethical questions. They could certainly get more vorelunteer™s, but aside from the timing issues of having to wait for them to die they don’t want to create a culture of encouraging death to feed god, especially when they’re trying to distance Istra from being god. It’s suggested that they just feed every dead soul to Istra since most souls go into the Greater Soulstream anyway, leaving them effectively wasted. Others however argue that they should only give Istra the souls that Haumea doesn’t judge one way or another, given that at that point it’s Librae’s decision how to handle them and she’s not opposed to giving them to Istra, but Librae also mentions such souls are hardly a daily occurrence.
- Scorpius, shockingly, does not enjoy this conversation, becoming increasingly weighed down by the fact that every single thing he says or does ends up being a point of contention and that his life’s been a nonstop railroad of stress ever since Istra appeared. He is uncharacteristically silent throughout the discussion, then abruptly stands up and leaves. He later learns from Piscium that the conversation essentially ended afterward with no real conclusion, everyone deciding that for the time being they’ll just have to keep relying on normal food and maybe a vorelunteer™ here and there until they can come to a more solid conclusion.
- As implied, Piscium comes over again, flipping the script and being the one to console Scorpius this time. They most definitely have a long and winding conversation about the nature of existence again and probably bone or something.
- I want Istra to go to Istra at some point thanks.
- Scorpius becomes increasingly distant, and Istra requests an audience to ask why?? idk they hang out more or something, probably discuss Humilia and Asena and how Istra’s still too closely associated with Frenzael.
- Scorpius decides that he needs to contact the Great Fade for everyone’s sake, including Istra’s, because Humilia clearly won’t and none of the other gods will push her to do so. He has 0 fuckin idea how to do this, deciding that ultimately his only choice is to try summoning her.
- Scorpius does some rounds and speaks to each of the gods, making some apologies and discussing Istra and Humilia and basically just the mess that’s been the past couple months or however long it’s been all of this summarizing has made it sound like 4 fuckin days but it’s supposed to be more I swear. While he does mean some of it earnestly, in truth he’s just trying to snatch belongings slash flesh slash just anything with their essence all over it with the intent of using it all for a summoning circle.
- Scorpius gets all he can and sets up a summoning circle in his basement, hoping to offset the lack of soul energy he’s stuck with for some gods by having himself as a catalyst. Piscium might also be there. Maybe he’s buds with Geminorum by now?? Idk maybe he’s gotten a couple gods on his side, I could see Arietis being around as well since she’d support the effort. Istra might’ve also [REDACTED] or something, increasingly curious about this Great Fade person.
- Scorpius summons forth Asena and is like “please for the love of god tell the Vast Glow to get some therapy also the High Star got back up again and she won’t tell you”.
- Idk how Asena feels about anything yet but luckily this is all toward the end so I’ll never make it this far anyway :smug: but I feel like she’d talk to Humilia (offscreen bc at this point I’m pretty sure this story is just from Scorpius’ perspective) and talk to Istra (who’s like 😳 but also :pikoh: their reaction to her is a lot like when you see a cool bug or something really cool at the grocery store you have to touch). Also want her to talk to Scorpius prob before they go anywhere I have been thinking about a chat so they will Do That.
- Maybe Asena sticks around for a minute as Istra decides what they want to do, either way another meeting is eventually called in which it’s decided that Istra should basically get yeeted into space. It’s abundantly clear by now that while they like some things about Siderea and have come to like the gods, they’re still weighed down by the High Star’s legacy and want more out of life, to see what’s out there and become their own person. Despite their limited (but improving) mental capacity, even Istra can tell that their presence has been nothing but trouble for the gods, just adding to their desire to go elsewhere.
- The gods try to convince Istra otherwise, that they’re not a burden and that they can do better, but Scorpius cuts in and accuses everyone of projecting their grief again: it’s Istra’s opinion that matters, not any of theirs. Some insist that Istra’s still not fully recovered enough to be making such a big decision, that they’ll be miserable anywhere else, but Scorpius once more Scorpiuses the conversation. It all kinda goes poorly, but Istra asserts their will themself and asks Asena to help them leave.
- Asena obliges whether the gods like it or not, allowing for final farewells. With that they’re off, and that’s the last anyone sees of the Risen Star. Humilia listlessly apologizes to the gods for the trouble she’s caused and decides to go take a big fuckin nappy for a while, emotionally exhausted and coping poorly as usual. Everyone is kind of depressed and fucked up and Serpentarius snidely asks if Scorpius is happy before he leaves, which he doesn’t deign to answer but Scorpius hasn’t been happy with fuckin anything in this hell book, this time period blows except for the parts where he got to smooch Piscium I guess but he was already doing that before this so it doesn’t even count!!
- Scorpius becomes more of a hermit than ever, unable to bring himself to face the other gods after he fucked up the whole Risen Star thing for them, still believing he was firmly in the right to do so but guilty over how the whole thing has hurt everyone nonetheless. On top of it all he still has his own grief to deal with, now having to re-mourn Frenzael while also having to cope with the loss of Istra and his strained relationships with all the other gods.
- Scorpius only ends up bothering again when an emergency meeting is called because Cetia up and left alongside a good chunk of the Cetus population in search of the Risen Star, believing that allowing them to leave was the wrong thing to do no matter what anyone else said. Scorpius is further wounded by this and leaves in shock, realizing it’s his fault for both going back on his word to be open with her (trying to contact the Great Fade without even telling her) but even moreso for being so wrapped up in his own feelings and too afraid to face anyone again that he neglected to so much as check up on one of his closest friends, undoubtedly dredging back up her feelings of betrayal and leading her to believe that she too had to do what she felt was right without consulting anyone, even if no one else would be happy about it.
- Piscium probably comes over again to round things out. I bet those bitches cry on each other. Gay. It’s probably like the one time Scorpius has ever cried in his entire life. Okay maybe after the Orion incident and after Cetia comes back but w/e you get the point.
- Idk what the ending even is this shit’s depressing. Maybe closes out with another Frenzael flashback, something with an optimistic message to it, probably involving them praising Scorpius’ traits and encouraging him to not lose them to others.
- And/or a timeskip to some point in the future (still before the Orion incident) in which Scorpius ends up reflecting on things for whatever reason, talking with a god after some time (probably Cappy who’s the only one aside from Piscium who’d probably check in with him at any point, Geminorum and Aquari are also possible options but I dunno Cappy feels like the most apt choice) or happening upon something that reminds him of Istra or something.
- tfw orion happens shortly thereafter.
- sorry scorpy