Warning: if you don’t watch LCS, or at least some form of professional League of Legends, this will not make any sense whatsoever. FADE IN EXT. LCS STUDIO, NIGHT The parking lot is silent. CHHOPSKY sits on the stairs, with an old hanwei sword still in its sheath draped over her lap, softly running a microfiber cloth across the black-stained wood. Across the lot, SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO step out of the shadows, and stand still. SPACEGHOST’s face is covered by a Lamb Kindred mask, a double-edged shortblade in each hand. DANNYGAVITO wears the mask of Wolf, a club in his left hand. CHHOPSKY looks up from the blade, and closes her eyes. CHHOPSKY So you finally found me. When she opens her eyes, the distance between them has halved. SPACEGHOST stands directly in front of her, while DANNYGAVITO has a 45 degree flank. SPACEGHOST You knew we were coming. Don’t pretend you didn’t. DANNYGAVITO emits a low growl. CHHOPSKY lowers her head, once again closing her eyes, and when she opens them, once again the pair have advanced closer but remain still. CHHOPSKY Of course I did. I wouldn’t have left a trail if I didn’t think you could follow it. DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST look at each other quizzically. CHHOPSKY opens his eyes, still looking down. CHHOPSKY After all, I need you both, if I’m to ascend. SPACEGHOST (shouting, tearing the mask from her face) WE’LL DIE BEFORE WE LET THAT HAPPEN! There’s a burst of light and energy, and in a blink, CHHOPSKY’s sword is drawn and she is behind DANNYGAVITO, blade to his throat, sheath in the other hand, pointed towards SPACEGHOST. DANNYGAVITO growls again, louder. CHHOPSKY (smiling) That’s the plan. CHHOPSKY tries to tear the blade across DANNYGAVITO’s throat, but it strikes metal. DANNYGAVITO has jammed his bat against his neck to protect it. Sparks fly as DANNYGAVITO spins out of the hold and swings his club in one rotating movement, catching CHHOPSKY across the side of the head. DANNYGAVITO begins circling CHHOPSKY, and as he does, emits a low, ominous, constant growl. CHHOPSKY cracks her neck to one side, then the other. CHHOPSKY You’re learning. Good boy. CHHOPSKY winds up and throws the sheath at the ground towards SPACEGHOST, bouncing once on its tip before ricocheting up at her. SPACEGHOST’s left hand moves up reflexively to block it, but during the projectile’s travel time, CHHOPSKY has gap-closed onto her. CHHOPSKY attacks with a thrust of her sword, but SPACEGHOST deflects the blow with her right. CHHOPSKY catches the falling sheath, and they rotate past each other, each swinging as they spin, alternating strikes with the weapons in both hands. DANNYGAVITO runs towards them, but can’t get an angle as CHHOPSKY continuously rotates the fight to keep SPACEGHOST between them. DANNYGAVITO steps back and runs towards the pair, emitting almost a bark, and on cue, SPACEGHOST swings down with both blades onto CHHOPSKY’s sword and ducks into a crouch. The hit pulls CHHOPSKY’s shoulders down, and DANNYGAVITO steps up off her back, launching himself into the air, landing a knee into CHHOPSKY’s face, sending her backwards. DANNYGAVITO swings his club down from overhead as he lands, but CHHOPSKY rolls backwards into a crouch, sword hand in a fist on the ground, sheath hand behind her. She looks up, and smiles, a trickle of orange blood coming from her nose, breath heaving slightly. CHHOPSKY Even better. CHHOPSKY launches forward, thrusting the sheathe into DANNYGAVITO’s stomach, and then pushes her sword towards SPACEGHOST, which slices SPACEGHOST’S arm as she dodges. DANNYGAVITO dives in again from the side as CHHOPSKY rotates between attacking SPACEGHOST while defending from DANNYGAVITO’s blows. CHHOPSKY lobs the sheathe into the air, and with a two-handed down-strike, breaks SPACEGHOST’s guard. SPACEGHOST’s arms flail apart. CHHOPSKY delivers a brutal uppercut to the chin with her sword hand, then blind back-kicks the approaching DANNYGAVITO with her rear foot. SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO both fall backwards, landing flat on their backs. CHHOPSKY looks at one, then the other. CHHOPSKY All that training, and this is the best you have? How long did I waste on you two? What makes you think you can win? DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST look at each other and nod, then each wipe the blood from them with their right palm in an arc in front of them. We see the tattoos on back of their hands – the mark of the Kindred. Simultaneously, SPACEGHOST slides an arrowhead from her belt, DANNYGAVITO a fang, and they jam it into their tattoos. Light traces the lines of the tattoos, and spreads through the now-glowing blood arcs. SPACEGHOST & DANNYGAVITO (in unison, with arpeggiated echos) The pact is made. They throw their heads back, and light erupts from both eyes and mouths, DANNYGAVITO howling, SPACEGHOST screaming. When the light subsides, DANNYGAVITO is crouched on all fours, one hand holding a scythe in reverse grip extending behind him. SPACEGHOST holds the same pose, her swords longer and more ornate than before. Their eyes glow with a blue and white aura. They launch towards CHHOPSKY, faster than before, their movements leaving arcing trails. CHHOPSKY’s movements are now entirely defensive, blocking, ducking, weaving, but many of the blows and slices are landing now. SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO move in perfect tandem, breaking CHHOPSKY’s guard and landing strikes in the openings. After the third guard break, SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO simultaneously side-kick into CHHOPSKY’s chest, and she flies backwards across the lot, bouncing, skidding, and sliding to a stop. Her sword and sheathe skitter away in different directions, and the blade breaks in two. DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST take heaving breaths, and a slight relief falls over them. CHHOPSKY groans in pain, flat on her back. She rolls to her front, drags herself up to one knee, then just like they did, wipes her hand into the blood and draws an arc on the ground, but this time draws cross-stroke through it. She pulls a large saber-tooth from her pocket, and jams it through her hand. Like before, the light spreads, but this time red. Her eyes roll back in her head, and the light explodes from them, and her mouth. She floats to her feet, enveloped in the red aura, and then lands gently on the ground, with a new focus and bloodlust in her eyes as the light dissipates. DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST look at each other, and in a flash CHHOPSKY is upon them. She fights without a weapon, using the same two-handed style as before, but less flourished, faster, more direct and on the offensive. DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST fight back, landing glancing hits that seem ineffective, barely scratching. CHHOPSKY’s movements are no longer arc-like. They are all straight lines, direct attacks. The fight rages, until DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST both close in at once. CHHOPSKY gets inside SPACEGHOST’s guard, grabs SPACEGHOST’s hand, and stabs DANNYGAVITO with SPACEGHOST’s sword, driving it into DANNYGAVITO’s chest. They all stop. Pan down. SPACEGHOST’s other sword has pierced CHHOPSKY through the sternum, and DANNYGAVITO’s scythe blade protrudes SPAGECHOST’s mid-section. All three gasp and bite for air. CHHOPSKY (coughing, beginning to smile) Perfect.. SPACEGHOST looks confused and scared, her breathing is labored. DANNYGAVITO growls a pained whine. EXT. A FIELD, DAY (FLASHBACK TINT) The three fight with wooden swords, smiling, laughing as each tumbles after being hit. There are no tattoos yet. The three of them collapse on the grass, sore, but laughing. CHHOPSKY’s face drops slowly, like she’s gradually remembering something, and rubs her palm. INT. A BAR, NIGHT (FLASHBACK TINT) The three sit at a bar on Sawtelle, obviously drunk. SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO are heavily engaged in a ridiculous conversation, while CHHOPSKY, lost in thought and pensive, traces out the mark of the kindred on her palm. INT. A DOJO, NIGHT (FLASHBACK TINT) CHHOPSKY walks behind the two as they hit striking dummies, correcting their technique. She is focused, cold, eyes unwavering, slapping them with reeds as they drill and repeat with their weapons against the wood. She barks orders as they train, although we can’t hear them, just the strikes. They finish, and she nods, in slight but unwilling congratulations; conflicted. She opens her palm as they leave, revealing the bloodied outline of the mark, carved with the back of the reed. EXT. LCS PARKING LOT, NIGHT SPACEGHOST chokes on her words, slightly weeping. SPACEGHOST Not .. like .. this.. SPACEGHOST’s eyes close, and she releases one hand from a sword, still stuck in CHHOPSKY, thrusting it into the air. SPACEGHOST’s eyes once again explode with light, and the circle of Lamb’s Respite glows on the ground around them. They’re all in shock, barely able to move, but in the circle, unable to die. In the instant before it expires, CHHOPSKY grabs DANNYGAVITO’s scythe and the sword stuck in DANNYGAVITO’s chest by the blades, and yanks them both out. An explosion of healing shoots across them as Lamb’s Respite fires, and she plunges both weapons into her own torso, red energy coursing out of her through the blades, up the arms of the other two. All three lift off the ground, enveloped in the aura, as their wounds close and eyes now swirl with light like before, but this time in combinations of black, red, white and blue. When the transfer is complete, CHHOPSKY smiles. CHHOPSKY (gasping, choking) I’m so proud of you both.. SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO step back, puzzled, as CHHOPSKY drops to her knees. She pulls the blades out of her torso; they land on the ground one at a time, each with a clank. Blood begins to seep from the wounds where the blades were, spreading outwards and down across her torso. CHHOPSKY (wheezing) The pact .. is made. The red energy re-appears from within them, surging like electricity, and seals the wounds on SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO. The spilt blood from all three mixes into an emissive maroon and begins to recede, climbing back up SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO and eventually disappearing as their wounds close. DANNYGAVITO’s scythe returns to its original club form, and SPACEGHOST’s swords re-take their original shape. They run their hands over their bodies, incredulous they’re not only uninjured, but stronger than ever. SPACEGHOST What the fuck.. DANNYGAVITO tears his mask off for the first time, dropping it onto the ground, revealing a confused, terrified face. CHHOPSKY (coughing and choking) It .. was always going .. to end this way. SPACEGHOST No no NO WHAT THE FUCK? CHHOPSKY coughs blood onto the ground in front of her. DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST rush down to her, both dropping to their knees. CHHOPSKY It’s okay .. *struggling to breathe* It’s yours now. CHHOPSKY weakly slaps a hand onto DANNYGAVITO’s chest, and another onto SPACEGHOST’s leg, and the familiar red energy ripples through them at the point of impact, like a stone thrown in a pond. DANNYGAVITO whimpers. SPACEGHOST gasps. CHHOPSKY Do .. you understand? You .. must save NA. I’m washed up, old friend… too old.. too Australian… SPACEGHOST BUT THE IMPORT RULES SAY OCE IS PART OF NA!! CHHOPSKY It was… beyond my power. But you two, together… *coughing* you can do it. *more coughing* You.. can do anything. CHHOPSKY goes limp, and falls backwards out of their grasp. SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO look down at their hands – CHHOPSKY has slid SPACEGHOST a Riot Media Pass, and DANNYGAVITO a foldy sheet. CHHOPSKY hits the ground with a thud, and after a couple of seconds, begins evaporating like a Thanos Snap. SPACEGHOST (shouting) No no NO you can’t leave us like this!! DANNYGAVITO I don’t even know how to update a foldy sheet!! CHHOPSKY (fading away) It’s .. self .. updating … CHHOPSKY finishes evaporating, leaving nothing but a Season 8 Master tier badge. SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO’s chests both glow with a faint red SEASON 12 CHALLENGER icon for an instant, before fading away. DANNYGAVITO reaches down, picks up the Season 8 Master tier badge, walks back to where CHHOPSKY’s sword lies, and picks up the broken blade by the handle. In one motion, he cleaves the Master tier badge in two, and hands the other half to SPACEGHOST. They breathe out, look at each other, and nod in agreement. DANNYGAVITO For NA. SPACEGHOST For NA. They channel their recall, and are enveloped by a familiar blue light, and at once, disappear. FADE TO BLACK SPACEGHOST recall-lands behind the broadcast desk. DANNYGAVITO recall-lands into the control room. SLICE CUT to SPACEGHOST’s closeup, which slides in across the left side of the frame with a sound effect and the caption HOST. SLICE CUT to DANNYGAVITO’S closeup which slides in from the right side of frame with the same sound effect and the caption STATS. CUT TO TITLE CARD: LCS SUMMER 2022, DAY 1, WEEK 1
