[to the Firelight leader] You shy? Or just ugly?
[the leader stands and removes his mask, revealing himself to be Ekko]
EkkoYou look good for a dead girl.
Ekko
[glaring at her] What do you know about this? [holds up the Hextech gemstone and machine Jinx had]
Nothing. What the hell is this all about?
Ekko
What were you doing with Jinx?
[standing] Her name is Powder! And I just found her when you and your goons showed up. [huffs] It's me. Vi. Same person who used to take you down to the junk heap and hose you down when you got covered in grease.
Ekko
...that was a long time ago. [cold] People change.
Ekko
Are you working for Silco?
Ekko
I-I I thought you were dead! Now you show up with a Piltie and give her a tour of the Lanes?
You were following us? Why didn't you say something?
Ekko
I didn't know if I could trust you.
So- so you just come out swinging?
Ekko
Gee, I wonder who I learned that from.
Ah, well, you shoulda learned more. You still punch like a little boy.
Ekko
And you still block with your face. [they glare at each other a moment]
I remember when you wouldn't stand up to me. [she walks forward, unhandcuffed, and hugs him] I missed you, little man.
Ekko
How long have you had those off?
How long have you been whining? [Ekko tears up and hugs her back]
[viewing the Firelights' home] It's beautiful.
Ekko
If your people had your way, it'd be rubble and ash.
It's a misunderstanding. They think you work for Silco.
Ekko
Your people hunt us like animals. Silco pays them to do it.
That's not possible. You're wrong.
Ekko
[threateningly] Say that one more time.
[shoving them apart] Ekko, she believes what she's saying, okay? She's not your enemy.
Ekko
[scoffs] Oh yeah? Then what's this? [pulls out the Hextech gem]
You got it. You have to let me take that back.[Ekko pockets it again, staring at her suspiciously]
It's a Gemstone. It was stolen during the attack. By your sister.
You just forgot to mention that?
With this, someone with the right knowledge could build... any Hextech device. If enforcers are becoming more... aggressive, that's why.
Ekko
We can beat Silco with this.
Ekko
Easy for you to say. Your people aren't dying all around you.
Ekko, it's wrong what's been done to you. You'd be well within your rights to keep it. I couldn't blame you. But if you do, this cycle of violence will never stop. This is our best shot at setting the record straight. This city needs healing. More than I ever realized. Please, let me help you.
Ekko
You got a plan?
I have a friend on the council. Let me take the Gemstone to him. [Ekko looks hesitant] He'll listen to me. Your people wouldn't have to hide anymore.
Ekko
One condition. I'm the one who gives it to them.
One can't go shouting from the rooftops about being thrust into parallel dimensions, without... awkward consequences. [passes Ekko his notebook] It seems, the anomaly which dislodged us from our proverbial reality, also scattered us across time.
Ekko
[sighs] Man, I thought I was going crazy. How long have you been here?
One thousand, one hundred twenty-eight days, six hours, and... twenty minutes! Give or take
Ekko
So- so you've just been waiting for me all this time?
Precisely! Or rather, imprecisely. I grew skeptical you'd arrive, even during my unusually long lifetime.
Ekko
What about Jayce? Is he here?
[sighs, tunes his guitar] I fear he may have wound up elsewhere. The anomaly behaved differently, around him.
Ekko
Please, tell me you've figured out a way to get us home.
That is a... veritable conundrum. I'm afraid Hextech, was never invented here. And, without a creation so prodigious as the Hexgates...
Ekko
No anomaly.
Oh, it isn't all bad. I've been able to accomplish wonderful things in this world! Give it time to settle. This place will grow on you, you'll see!
Ekko
"Grow on me?" [stands] I have people back home who need me. We don't belong here!
And yet... we can't leave.
[talking to her shrine of Vi] Sorry, sis. Someone's wigging out over his project and having an identity crisis again. [lights the sticks] No names. I got the "not living up to my potential" speech from Vander again. Reminds me of you. Hmm? [holds one out to Ekko]
Ekko
[in disbelief] She's... dead? [sits] How?
Ekko
It was a mistake to come here.
[scoffs] What's that supposed to mean? Just cause you're having a bad day, don't take it out on me.
Ekko
Was it you?
[looking furious] You gave us the tip. We went on that job because of you.
Ekko
[gasps] The job. That's why there's no Hextech here.
You should leave. Go! Before I do something I regret.
Ekko
[standing to leave] Believe me, I'm working on it.
Ekko
[covering Powder's eyes] Watch your step; we're almost there.
Ekko, I don't know what all this is about, but if you're trying to apologize, dragging me through the- [she breaks off as Ekko uncovers her eyes, revealing a mural of Vi-from his reality- beneath the Firelight Tree] You... painted this?
Ekko
I had this dream... where things went another way.
[softly] She looks so... badass.
Ekko
You don't know the half of it. [sits under the mural, Powder joins him] She was the toughest person in all of Zaun. Nothing scared her.
[examines the mural] No, not my sister. Vi was strong, because she was afraid. Her fear of losing us, is what made her fight so hard.
Ekko
...You were different in my dream, too.
Oh, yeah, buster? Is that what this is about? You want me to change?
Ekko
No! No, no, I just... You aren't the kind of person, who helps other people with their projects. Your ideas, change the world. I can't shake the feeling... that that's who you're supposed to be.
[shakes her head, softly] Things are good, Ekko. I- I like my life. I don't wanna lose, what makes me "me", chasing some wild dream.
Ekko
Sometimes, taking a leap forward means... leaving a few things behind.
...You're a real mystery, aren't you, mister? [they both chuckle] Alright, out with it. What do you want from me?
Ekko
It's so small.
Ekko
Halfway there. [He activates the machine, and a flash of Arcane energy sparks next to Heimerdinger, startling him]
Ekko
Uh... [He activates the machine, and the arcane energy sparks exactly the same, with Heimerdinger giving the exact same reaction]
Ekko
You just asked me that.
Ekko
[sighs] I'm too tired for games! [he activates the machine as Heimerdinger reaches for a wrench]
No I didn't. [Heimerdinger reaches for the wrench again as Ekko turns around, shocked]
Ekko
[staring at the anomaly device] It's a time-loop!
Huh? Oh! [bonks his head] A time-loop? [Ekko activates the machine again] Huh? Oh![bonks his head] A time-loop?
Ekko
A time-loop.
You're going back in time!
Gadzooks! How did you stumble upon that?
Ekko
I was playing with inversions on Jayce's acceleration rune.
Ekko
I don't know. A second?
Take it slow, lad- we wouldn't want to push a new invention too far, too quickly.
Ekko
One. Two. Three.
Ekko
Four-
Ohhh! [his body starts to rupture into a bloody mess; Ekko immediately lets go of the device handle, reversing the process]
Ekko
[wide-eyed] The limit is four seconds.
Are you certain, my boy? What were the indicators?
Ekko
[marking the four-second mark on the machine and sits down] Trust me... it's four seconds.
Amazing. We could show it off, at the party!
Ekko
We... aren't done. [Powder approaches, crouches in front of him and brushes debris off his cheek]
Please, go change before the party. [leaves]
I think I might know, how to give it a boost.
Ekko
A boost?
A momentary upgrade, if you will.
Ekko
That's great. Where do we start?
[gently] You can start, by attending your party. [Examines the device] One's thoughts are more easily gathered in isolation. And what's the point of a device like this... if you don't enjoy the time you have?
Ekko
It's beautiful.
[teasingly] Where'd you learn those moves?
Ekko
Oh, I was just following your lead
[chuckles] Mmm, he's got lines!
Ekko
[chuckles] Hey. Uh... I just want to thank you. You know, for everything. I used to dream the undercity could be like this. But somewhere, I... got consumed by all the ways that it wasn't. I gave up on it. Gave up on you.
[lays her head on his shoulder] I've... never seen you give up on anyone, Ekko. [Ekko rests his head on hers]
Ekko
You ever wish you could just... stay, in one moment?
Sometimes... taking a leap forward, means... leaving a few things behind.
Ekko
I promise I'll never forget this.
[sits up, smirking] You better not. [she leans forward, but Ekko moves back]
Ekko
Sorry, I-
No, it's- it's fine, I- [they both break off]
Ekko
Can we... just pretend, like it's the first time?
Ekko
Wait! [Jinx glances back as he approaches] I just, wanna talk-
Ekko
I just- [she detonates the bomb again, but Ekko uses his Z-Drive to re-do the moment] I just wanna talk to you, Pow- Jinx.
Ekko
WAIT! [he uses the Z-Drive again as she detonates the bomb, chuckles ruefully] Always a dance with you. [Jinx stares at him] I- I think I'm just gonna sit here a minute. Y'know, catch my breath... see if I can talk an old friend out of blowing us up.
...I'm tired of talking. [she steps forward, plummeting into the abyss]
Ekko
NO! [he lunges forward, using the Z-Drive again] Y'know, I- I learned from someone... very special... that, no matter what happened in the past... it's never too late to build something new. [Jinx notices the monkey figurines inside his Z-Drive, shaped the same as her Monkey Bomb and doodles] Someone worth building it for.
Arcane · 65 quotes
