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 his 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 his eyes. CHHOPSKY So you finally found me. When he opens his eyes, the distance between them has halved. SPACEGHOST stands directly in front of him, 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 his head, once again closing his eyes, and when he 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 he 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 the bat into his neck to protect it. Sparks fly as he 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, his low, ominous growl constant like a tiger. CHHOPSKY cracks his neck to one side, then the other. CHHOPSKY You’re learning. Good boy. He winds up, and throws the sheath at the ground towards SPACEGHOST, bouncing once on its tip before ricocheting up towards her. Her left hand moves up reflexively to block it, and in the opening, he has gap-closed onto her, attacking with a thrust. She deflects the blow with her right as he 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 him backwards. DANNYGAVITO swings his club down from overhead as he lands, but CHHOPSKY rolls backwards into a crouch, sword hand on the ground, sheath hand behind him. He looks up, and smiles, a trickle of orange blood coming from his nose, breath heaving slightly. CHHOPSKY Even better. CHHOPSKY launches forward, thrusting the sheathe into DANNYGAVITO’s stomach, and then pushes his sword towards SPACEGHOST, which slices her 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 downstrike, breaks SPACEGHOST’s guard, her arms flail apart and she receives a brutal uppercut to the chin with his sword hand, then blind backkicks the approaching DANNYGAVITO with his rear foot. They 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. His movements are now entirely defensive, blocking, ducking, weaving, but taking many blows and slices. They move as one in perfect tandem, breaking guard and landing strikes in the openings. Both side-kick into his chest, and he flies backwards across the lot, sliding to a stop, sword and sheathe skittering away in different directions. The blade breaks in two. DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST take heaving breaths, and a slight relief falls over them. CHHOPSKY groans in pain, flat on his back. Then, just like they did, he wipes his hand into the blood and draws an arc on the ground, but this time draws cross-stroke through it. He pulls a large tooth from his pocket, and jams it through his hand. Like before, the light spreads, but this time red. His eyes roll back in his head, and the light explodes from them, and his mouth. He floats to his feet, enveloped in the red aura, and then lands gently on the ground, with a new focus and bloodlust in his eyes as the light dissipates. DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST look at each other, and in a flash CHHOPSKY is upon them. He fights without a weapon, using the same two-handed style as before, but less flourished, faster, more direct and on the offensive. They land glancing hits that seem ineffective, barely scratching. Whereas before his movements were arcs, now they’re straight lines. The fight rages, until they both close in at once. CHHOPSKY gets inside SPACEGHOST’s guard and grabbing her hand, stabs DANNYGAVITO with the sword, driving it into his chest. They all stop. Pan down. Her other sword has pierced CHHOPSKY through the sternum, and DANNYGAVITO’s scythe blade protrudes through SPAGECHOST’s mid-section. All three gasp and bite for air. CHHOPSKY (coughing, beginning to smile) Perfect.. SPACEGHOST looks confused and scared. DANNYGAVITO growls a pained growl. 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 he’s gradually remembering something, and rubs his 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 his palm. INT. A DOJO, NIGHT (FLASHBACK TINT) CHHOPSKY walks behind the two as they hit striking dummies, correcting their technique. He is focused, cold, eyes unwavering, slapping them with reeds as they drill and repeat with their weapons against the wood. He barks orders as they train, although we can’t hear them, just the strikes. They finish, and he nods, in slight but unwilling congratulations; conflicted. He opens his palm as they leave, revealing the bloodied outline of the mark, carved by the back of the reed. EXT. LCS PARKING LOT, NIGHT SPACEGHOST chokes on her words, slightly weeping. SPACEGHOST Not .. like .. this.. Her eyes close, and she releases one hand from a sword, thrusting it into the air. Her 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 he plunges both weapons into his torso, red energy coursing out of him through the blades, up the arms of the other two. They 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, he smiles. CHHOPSKY (gasping, choking) I’m so proud of you both.. SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITO step back, puzzled, as CHHOPSKY drops to his knees. He pulls the blades out of his torso; they land on the ground with a clank. 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 creeps back up them, and disappears from whence it came. The scythe returns to its original club form, and the swords re-take their original shape. DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST 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 him. DANNYGAVITO and SPACEGHOST rush down to him on 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 .. too old.. too Australian … SPACEGHOST BUT THE IMPORT RULES SAY OCE IS PART OF NA!! CHHOPSKY It was .. beyond my power. But you.. together.. *coughing* .. can do it. *more coughing* You .. can .. do anything. CHHOPSKY goes limp, and falls backwards to the ground, escaping their grasp, pulling his hands back. He’s left SPACEGHOST a Riot Media Pass, and DANNYGAVITO a foldy sheet. He 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 7 Platinum badge. SPACEGHOST and DANNYGAVITOs’ chests both glow with a faint red SEASON 12 CHALLENGER icon for an instant, before fading away. DANNYGAVITO reaches down, picks up the SEASON 7 PLATINUM BADGE, walks back to where CHHOPSKY’s sword lies, broken, picks it up. In one motion, he cleaves the badge in two, and hands the other half to SPACEGHOST. They both 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 CUT TO BROADCAST: DAY 1, WEEK 1, LCS SUMMER 2022
