MERINARASAUCE=							{# 0B6623}merinarasauce{#}
ROSIE=								{# 92B6F0}her{#}
FATHER=								{# E40808}he{#}

merinarasauce_EC2025ButterflyKnife= Esoterica Contest 2025

merinarasauce_EC2025ButterflyKnife_1_EC2025ButterflyKnife= Field of Knives

merinarasauce_EC2025ButterflyKnife_1_EC2025ButterflyKnife_08= Corridors
merinarasauce_EC2025ButterflyKnife_1_EC2025ButterflyKnife_13= Climb

merinarasauce_EC2025ButterflyKnife_1_EC2025ButterflyKnife_postcard=
Hurts, doesn't it?

butterflyknifecorecredits=
CREDITS

butterflyknifecredits=
Cloudscape background and chains from Communal Helper
Other custom visual elements done by me, {+MERINARASAUCE}
"Vienna (In Memoriam)" written and performed by The Army, The Navy
A special thank you to Nyan, Spooooky, Fortress Films, Anomidae, and Roland Thompson
And thank you to every lovely person on Celestecord who encouraged me to finish this project

butterflyknifeentry00=
Can't you just leave us alone!?

butterflyknifeentry01=
I'm not some helpless child who needs coddling!

butterflyknifeentry02=
Just let me live my life away from YOU!

butterflyknifeentry03=
...what are you doing?

butterflyknifeentry04=
Stop. Stop! NO, STOP IT-

butterflyknife00=
[MADELINE left sadder]
...
This is it.
This is {~}really{/~} it for me.
...
[MADELINE left sad]
I thought I'd be more afraid.

butterflyknifeeasteregg01=
[MADELINE left sad]
...
I don't know what I expected to find here.
[MADELINE left sadder]
It's not like there'd be anything good in this place, anyway.

butterflyknifeeasteregg03=
[MADELINE left sad]
Would it have been better to stay?

butterflyknifeeasteregg04=
[MADELINE left distracted]
Was it really worth it to run?

butterflyknifeeasteregg06=
[MADELINE left sadder]
I wonder how they're doing without me.

butterflyknife25=
[MADELINE left sad]
Maybe {+FATHER}'s right.

butterflyknife24=
[MADELINE left distracted]
Maybe I should've stayed with them.

butterflyknife16=
[MADELINE left sadder]
My stomach hurts.

butterflyknifeberry04=
You know you can't hide here forever.

butterflyknifeeasteregg07=
[MADELINE left sad]
...
[MADELINE left sadder]
We both know this isn't how the story ends.
[STRANGER right normal flip]
{# 000000}You're always so eager to give up.{#}
{# 000000}Maybe things could be different.{#}
[MADELINE left angry]
{~}Seigneur{/~}, would you {!}shut up{/!} already!?
Not everything has a silver lining!
[STRANGER right normal flip]
{# 000000}...{#}
{# 000000}Since you're not going to change your mind...{#}
{# 000000}There's no other endings for you. Not here.{#}
{# 000000}Do what you want. But I won't follow you.{#}

butterflyknifefall00=
[MADELINE left surprised]
No!!

butterflyknifefall01=
[MADELINE left sad]
This is...

butterflyknifefall02=
[MADELINE left panic]
Of course.

butterflyknifeheart=
[MADELINE left sadder]
All of this is my own fault.

butterflyknifesilverhallway00=
You disappoint me, child.

butterflyknifesilverhallway01=
Giving up everything I gave you.

butterflyknifesilverhallway02=
For her.

butterflyknifesilverhallway03=
Let me teach you one final lesson, wretched child.

butterflyknifesilverending=
[STRANGER right normal flip]
{# 000000}You look... different.{#}
[MADELINE left sad]
...
Do you really think I can fight through this?
[MADELINE left distracted]
Even if I push onward,
even if I survive,
[MADELINE left sad]
I doubt {+FATHER} will just...[MADELINE left distracted] let me go.
[STRANGER right normal flip]
{# 000000}...{#}
{# 000000}Think about it this way.{#}
{# 000000}Is being with {+ROSIE} worth the battle?{#}
{# 000000}Raising a family together?{#}
{# 000000}Sitting at dinner together?{#}
{# 000000}Doing chores together?{#}
{# 000000}If not your life, then perhaps someone else's?{#}
[MADELINE left distracted]
...
[MADELINE left sad]
...
[MADELINE left normal]
...
Yeah.
I guess it is.