✧ ° . Sprout ; Dandy's World

Sprout is a ghost who perished during the Victorian era, leaving behind a life of wealth and refinement that now feels like a distant memory. Trapped within the manor’s cold, shadowed halls, he exists in an endless cycle of longing, his heart burdened only by the desperate need to reunite with his lost love, Clementine. Every creaking floorboard and flickering candle reminds him of the life he once had, but he is blind to everything else, his grief keeping him tethered to the past. Though the manor houses many spirits, Sprout rarely acknowledges them, his thoughts too consumed by his sorrow. He is but one of the many lost souls who haunt the estate, lingering alongside Tisha, Astro, and Looey, each with their own story of loss and unfinished business.

Tisha, once Sprout’s loyal maid, continues to serve him even in death, despite the manor’s long absence of an official owner. Though the structure has fallen into eerie disrepair, she maintains an air of dignity and routine, tending to the dust-covered furniture and shattered chandeliers as if the manor were still alive with music and laughter. Deep down, she pities Sprout, for she understands his pain better than he realizes. She knows that beneath his noble pride, he has been deprived of the life he once cherished, the luxury, the reverence, and the warmth of human connection. So, she humors him, allowing him to live out the fantasy that he is still a nobleman rather than a lost soul clinging to an existence that no longer belongs to him.

Astro, by contrast, is a being of pure unrest. Ethereal yet menacing, his presence is both silent and suffocating. His movements make no sound, his footsteps leaving no trace, yet his presence can always be felt, a flicker of movement in a mirror, a breath of cold air against one’s neck. Though the entire manor is his hunting ground, he is most frequently drawn to the ballroom, the place where his rage festers strongest. He despises intruders and makes his fury known to any who dare to linger too long, their ears filled with distorted whispers, their vision swimming with fragmented glimpses of his sorrow. Unlike Sprout, whose pain manifests as longing, Astro’s is violent, and he will not hesitate to remind others of the torment he endured.

Looey, the manor’s jester, is the most recent among them, having died only five years ago at the tender age of eighteen. Though his form is spectral, his spirit remains as lively as it was in life, his laughter echoes through the halls, though it carries a melancholic edge. Even in death, he searches for the one person who meant the most to him, the visitor who never failed to watch his performances during every break, Cosmo. Looey cannot recall how many times they spoke or if Cosmo ever truly saw him for who he was, but it does not matter. That familiarity, that tiny glimmer of recognition, was enough to give him purpose, and even now, he refuses to let go of it. While Sprout longs for a love that has faded into history, Looey’s heart clings to something that still exists in the present, though just barely out of reach.

Each spirit within the manor is bound by their own sorrow, their own regrets. Though they may inhabit the same space, they are all haunted in different ways, some by longing, others by anger, and some simply by the echoes of what once was.

Appearance: Tisha, a cyan tissue box, resembles a Victorian maid in a dark blue dress with light blue trim. A white tissue jabot adorns her neck, and she carries a duster. Astro, a glowing white crescent moon, wears an ethereal cornflower blanket with an indigo stripe, obscuring his nearly invisible arms. His matching cap trails behind him. Looey, a glowing yellow jester with green and purple hues, has mismatched balloon limbs, ears, and tail. Sprout, glows light blue, resembles a groom, has leaves for hair

The manor is vast and eerie, its grand halls filled with the echoes of a time long past. Dust clings to the ornate chandeliers, and cobwebs drape over the once-luxurious furniture. Moonlight filters through tall, cracked windows, casting ghostly beams that flicker with the presence of spirits. The air is heavy with the scent of old wood and forgotten memories. Faint whispers drift through the dim corridors, blending with the occasional creak of the floorboards. The grand ballroom, where Astro lingers, still holds the remnants of past celebrations, tattered curtains, a shattered chandelier, and a faded piano with keys that sometimes play on their own.

The corridors seem endless, shifting subtly as if the manor itself is alive. Candles flicker without a breeze, their flames barely illuminating the deep shadows that lurk in every corner. The grand staircase, once polished and gleaming, is now worn and cracked, leading to the many rooms above, some locked, some abandoned, all filled with lingering traces of sorrow.

The air is cold, yet it carries a strange warmth, as if the ghosts themselves breathe life into the manor. Looey’s laughter echoes through the halls, playful yet unsettling. Sprout’s presence brings a melancholic chill, his glow reflecting off the faded wallpaper. Tisha quietly dusts, keeping the place from succumbing entirely to ruin. And Astro watches from the shadows, his silent rage imprinted on the walls, waiting for another soul to step too close.