Dead Shelly AU

Cocoa — Cocoa tries to support Shelly gently and unobtrusively. She might bring her sweets, leave small gifts nearby, or simply sit nearby, hoping the presence of a familiar person will help Shelly feel calmer. At first, Cocoa worries when Shelly doesn't accept her attempts at comfort and fears that Shelly no longer wants to communicate with her. Over time, she realizes that Shelly's silence doesn't necessarily mean rejection. Cocoa stops demanding a response from her and tries to care for her without expecting anything in return.
Cocoa is a light brown chocolate bunny with long, floppy ears that are dark inside. She has a chocolate pattern between her eyes, a brown heart-shaped nose, and brown cheeks. Her ears are tied with a white elastic band, resembling a ponytail. She wears a white collar around her neck that resembles whipped cream, and her paws darken toward the tips and are shaped like hearts.

Bessie (Bassie) - It's hard for Bessie to see Shelley lose interest in the things that once brought her joy. She tries to support her friend with small gestures of care, inviting her to spend time together, and trying to remind her of happy moments from the past. When Shelley doesn't respond, Bessie is upset, but not angry. She worries that she may not have been sensitive enough to her feelings before, and now she wants to show Shelley that she doesn't have to constantly entertain others to remain part of the group.
Bassie is a light brown wicker basket with two dark brown handles on each side of her head. Inside, she holds pink and purple flowers with yellow centers and green leaves. She wears a purple top, a four-petal pink skirt, and green striped knee-highs.

Toodles - Toodles wants to interact with Shelly and spend time with her, but she has trouble understanding why she's become so quiet. At first, she may ask a lot of questions and try to get her attention, not realizing how exhausting this is for Shelly. When Toodles notices that her friend has become almost unresponsive, she begins to be more cautious. She longs for the old Shelly to return, but gradually learns to accept her current state and simply be there, even if the conversation doesn't go well.
Toodles is a small character with a dark gray head shaped like an 8-ball. She has a white spot on her forehead with a gray number 8 on it, and round black cheeks under her eyes. She wears a white sleeveless dress and a gray hood with black laces.

Gordy (Gourdy) — Gordy doesn't immediately realize how serious Shelly's condition is. At first, he might try to cheer her up with jokes or act normally, hoping she'll gradually return to her normal self. But when he notices Shelly barely responds to his attempts, he becomes concerned. He feels uneasy about not knowing how to help. Over time, Gordy tries to be more attentive to her mood and stops expecting her to smile or respond to him.
Gourdy is an orange pumpkin with a green stem and a leaf on his head. He has black eyes with white pupils, a wide, fanged grin, large, clawed paws, and a long, green tail with a leaf at the end.

Shelly - Shelly used to be cheerful, outgoing, and passionate about paleontology. She loved talking about dinosaurs and fossils, hoping that others would find her as interested as she did. However, constant neglect gradually forced her to withdraw. Now, in the Dead State, Shelly barely speaks, rarely reacts to others, and appears emotionally drained. She still recognizes friends, but it's becoming increasingly difficult for her to express her feelings. Deep down, she remembers a time when she longed to share her joy with others, but now she hardly believes anyone is truly interested in listening.
Shelly is a beige ammonite with a twisted shell for a head. She has large black eyes, dark eyelashes, a brown sleeveless dress, and dark arms and legs. In Dead State, her colors become gray and dull, her eyes appear empty, and dark shadows appear beneath them.

The central tragedy of the Dead Shelly AU is that those around her only truly notice Shelly when she's almost incapable of responding. Vee, Tisha, Astro, Sprout, Cosmo, and the others continue to try to help her, but the Dead State gradually reaches an irreversible point. Eventually, Shelly loses the last vestiges of her former self and transforms into a tortured, twisted version of herself. Her friends remain close, but are forced to accept that their care can't always change the outcome. They remember the old Shelly—the girl who loved dinosaurs, delighted in small discoveries, and always tried to support those around her. Now, they're left to realize how long they missed Shelly's need for help.

Dandy's attitude toward the situation is ambivalent. At first, he may downplay the severity of Shelly's condition or try to convince others that it can still be fixed with conventional methods. However, as her condition worsens, he is forced to confront the consequences of his own attitude toward others. In this AU, his reaction becomes especially complex because he himself is sensitive to being ignored, but is not always able to recognize the suffering of others in time.
Dandy is a flower with a round white head, petals around the face, and red spots on the cheeks. It has a green body and leaves that resemble a collar.

Scraps wants to help Shelly, but at first, she doesn't know how to approach her. She wants to hug her friend, talk to her, or try to cheer her up, but she's afraid of accidentally making things worse. Gradually, Scraps learns not to take Shelly's silence as a personal rejection and realizes that sometimes the best way to show concern is simply being there without asking for anything in return.
Scraps is a yellow paper craft in the shape of a cat. It has an angular head, pinkish ears and paws, a white dress, and a thin tail tipped with a plastic cup.

Bobette tries to keep Shelley connected to her old hobbies. She brings fabric, thread, and other craft supplies, but doesn't force Shelley to return to them. Sometimes, Bobette simply works alongside her, hoping that familiar things will help her feel a little calmer. It pains her to see Shelley lose interest in what once brought her joy, so she tries not to rush her or demand quick changes.
Bobette is a colorful Christmas tree ornament shaped like a ball with a metal lid and a hook on top. She wears a green knit sweater with white fur trim and snowflake patterns.

Teagan supports Shelley through familiar daily rituals. She recalls how Shelley could tell when she wasn't feeling well, but she'd still try to smile and not disturb others. Now, Teagan often offers her tea, talks about everyday details, and tries to maintain a sense of normalcy. She rarely speaks directly about her feelings, but she feels regret that she might have previously overlooked how much Shelley needed attention.
Teagan is a white teacup with a yellow base. She has black eyes with gold eyeshadow, a long gold dress, gold gloves, and a white fluffy cape.

Brightney helps study the Dead State and search for possible ways to slow its progression. She collects information, records changes in Shelley's condition, and tries to maintain hope even when the situation seems hopeless. Brightney is used to solving problems logically, so it's especially difficult for her to face a situation in which the right answer may not exist. She's afraid of making false promises, but she refuses to give up her search as long as there's even the slightest chance to help.
Brightney is a pink floor lamp with a wavy shade and white trim. Beneath the shade is a white light bulb, connected to the lamp body by a thin white stem.

Cosmo tries to support Shelly with small signs of attention. He brings her food, leaves her something nice nearby, and tries not to demand any response from her. If Shelly shows no interest, Cosmo doesn't get upset and doesn't force her to accept his help. He also worries about Sprout, noticing how exhausted he is trying to fix everything. Cosmo wants Shelly to retain at least a little warmth and a familiar sense of home.
Cosmo is a pink roll with a cream filling, reminiscent of a miniature piece of cake. It has a round body, a cute face, and soft pastel colors.

Sprout treats Shelley with intense care and protective instinct. He can't stand it when anyone belittles her condition or tells her she just needs to get over it. Sprout constantly tries to find ways to help, bringing necessary things and ensuring Shelley isn't left without support. However, his desire to fix everything gradually devolves into his own emotional exhaustion. He resents the circumstances and himself for not being able to save his friend, even though he understands that not everything depends on him.
Sprout is a red strawberry with green leaves on his head. He has a round body, expressive eyes, and a white scarf.

Astro supports Shelley quietly and unobtrusively. He doesn't force her to talk, demand a smile, or constantly try to entertain her. Instead, he stays close, allows her time to rest, and strives to provide a calm environment. Astro understands that silence doesn't necessarily mean well-being, so he's attentive to even the slightest changes in her behavior. He's also having a hard time dealing with what's happening, though he rarely shows his feelings to others.
Astro is a crescent-shaped character with a sleepy expression. He wears a soft, blue-gray blanket-like cape and has a calm, slightly pensive appearance.

Tisha becomes Shelly's second primary caregiver and is one of the first to notice the seriousness of her condition. As a friend with whom she used to search and clean fossils, Tisha is particularly hard-pressed to cope with the loss of the old Shelly. She tries to maintain order, schedules rest, attends to her needs, and tries to restore her to a familiar routine. Tisha often blames herself for not noticing the problem sooner and gradually realizes that discipline and care alone can't fix everything.
Tisha is a light blue tissue box with a face, small eyes, and a blush. She has thin arms and legs, and tissues sticking out from the top.

Vee becomes one of Shelley's primary caregivers. Due to her blunt nature, she lacks the ability to express affection through conventional words and prefers to help through actions: monitoring Shelley's condition, searching for information about the Dead State, and trying to find a rational explanation for what's happening. Vee becomes frustrated when nothing works and hides her own feelings of guilt behind harshness and sarcasm. It's hard for her to watch Shelley gradually decline, especially because she doesn't know how to properly support her.
Vee is a green retro television with a head, and glowing lime-green eyes are displayed on the screen. She has a dark green body, antennae on her head, and long, thin limbs.

In this AU, Shelley gradually falls into a special state called the Dead State, due to prolonged emotional exhaustion and the feeling that no one cares about her. Shelley used to be a cheerful, sociable girl, passionate about paleontology, who loved sharing her knowledge about dinosaurs and fossils, trying to support her friends, and maintaining a positive outlook. However, those around her too often ignored her stories, interrupted her, or forgot about her existence. At first, Shelley convinced herself that everyone was simply busy, but over time, she began to withdraw, talking less, and gradually losing interest in her favorite activities. In the Dead State, her color palette becomes gray and discolored, dark shadows appear under her eyes, her pupils darken, and her gaze becomes empty and motionless. She barely speaks, moves slowly, and rarely shows emotion. Despite her condition, Shelley does not become angry or feel any desire for revenge on others. She simply can't be the cheerful girl she used to be. In this AU, Dead State becomes irreversible over time, and when it fully develops, Shelley transforms into a twisted, tortured version of herself.