Clean, crisp lines fill the papers in front of me. It was surely one of the most high tech and by far the best design I have ever laid eyes on; and it was my own. Surely, I feel some sense of pride. I actually sat here for days on end, brainstorming, sketching, measuring, and experimenting, and it's actually complete.
What an accomplishment.
The complicated part is now I have to construct it. Something as small and complex shouldn't be overlooked.
Of course, there were many prototypes.
The first prototype didn't last long enough for me to enter the phase where I have to inject a precise amount of ectoplasm into its shell –let's just call this the Ectoplasmic Method, EM for short. It just fell apart the moment I started the process. 'Very unstable' I scribbled down into my design folder.
The second prototype barely withstood the EM, as it bubbled up and melted shortly after. 'Highly reactive' I noted. I examined the melted contents. All that remained of the metal shell was the ectoplasm that I injected during the EM. 'Chemical reaction' I quickly scribbled. I drew an arrow pointing away from those words and continued to write, 'shell has melted'.
I found a way to enforce the shell so it could withstand the aftermath of the EM. Prototype three, four, and five all survived. Ectoplasm did manage to find an escape though, leading the shells of all three to be engulfed in the green substance.
I sighed heavily, opening my design folder slowly. My eyes skimmed the page, only to stop in the areas where I wrote my observations. I picked up my pen and wrote 'ECTOPLASM IS STANGELY ABSORBANT' in large, capital letters. This was surely frustrating.
I never had encountered something this problematic. No matter what I do to somehow chemically alter the metal contents, I get the same product. Failure. The Ectoplasm that I use during the EM is never altered, left untouched, as it is natural and I don't want to do anything to change it.
My eyes fixated on the green vial that sat on my edge of my desk. It was nearest to me, as all my paperwork and blueprints remain scattered around it. The glass felt cold as I picked it up. My original light green skin glowed as I held the vial. Ectoplasm is weird, I say to myself aloud. I let out another sigh and I sat back on my chair.
I look back at my open design folder. It was lying flat on my desk, accompanied by my pen. Switching the vial into my left hand, I picked up the pen with my right and began writing. 'Prototype 6' my scribbled handwriting said.
At that point I heard a crack and I fell backwards. I looked up to see that one of the legs of my chair has been dislocated. I shrugged at this, as the leg has been wobbling for some time, and it was bound to happen eventually.
But it was what I came to discover on my desk that shocked me the most. The vial lay on its side, half empty. The other half was spilt all over my documents. I gritted my teeth, and swung my head into my hands, letting out a groan. This was getting painfully old.
Exhausted. That I was. I spent the rest of the night patting down the spilt ectoplasm with a sponge, hoping to absorb all that I could. How could I be this careless? I shook my head. As angry as I was at myself, I couldn't help but to whimper at the sight of my blueprints which were now dyed a green colour.
Then it hit me. I quickly scrambled to find my design folder, which also got its share of green, and I began writing furiously. 'Ectoplasm' I drew an arrow, 'A small amount mixed into the contents'.
Of course this means that I will be playing with fire and screwing around with the original chemical form of some ectoplasm. But it's for the good of the project, I think aloud, nodding happily toward my scribbles.
I glanced at the clock and I realized how late it was. Not that I need sleep anyways. I just looked back at the half empty vial of ectoplasm on my desk, my mind wandering. Does he really want something like this?
The next few hours were dedicated to the construction and the testing of the new shell. As expected, the shell survived the EM, and I carefully monitored it over the next few hours, jotting down little things that I may notice. One thing I did notice for sure. It no longer gave off that eerie green glow. Instead, it now glows different shades of blue- which I can say is truly unexpected for this amount of ectoplasm. But then again, I did do some experimenting.
As if on cue, I jumped to the sound of my telephone ringing. "Sollertis office, Ryan speaking," I said too calmly. I listened to the voice on the other end of the line, fearing his every word. "But sir, it's still going through tests-," I say abruptly only to be cut off. I sat in silence, listening to every command that the man yelled at me, only responding with "Yes sir" after each pause in speech. I bit my lip at the last words in our conversation, "Very well," my voice cracked, "I will have it prepared for your visit". I was hung up on.
Nothing could have made me feel worse. My client was coming to pick up the project, only, it's not ready yet. I tapped my fingers against my desk, trying to think of something quickly. Nothing came to mind. I simply have to give what I have.
The next half hour was spent in silence as I tried to get things set up for my client's visit. There were little things, like making sure that the shell was still intact or noting its weight. A part of me fears what my client intends to do with it. Probably going to send it to advanced testing –tests that I cannot do in the walls of my office or laboratory.
There was an impatient knock on my door. I flinched, knowing that my time with the project was up. I walked to the door and opened it, trying to keep my cool. In front of me stood two tall ghosts –the ghost police to be more specific. They looked down on me all the time and I didn't like them.
Behind them stood a ghost wearing all white and a dark purple detective's hat. His eerie green eyes were staring down at me, meeting a gaze with my bright orange ones. I hesitated for a second but then I found myself speaking, "Good afternoon, Mr. Walker, Sir". I gestured for them to come in, opening my door wider than it already was.
The ghost police made way for Walker to walk in and then they stood –or floated rather, by the door after I closed it, keeping guard. I guided Walker to my, now seemingly organized, desk where the project was sitting on top of my design folder.
Walker slid the design folder out from under the project and opened it. I let my eyes wander around the room, hoping it would pass the time. My eyes found the glass vial on my bookshelf. It was no longer as full as it once was, counting the spill and all the times I had to perform the EM. The vial was nothing special; it was wider than a test tube, yet thinner than a beaker. It was just labeled 'ECTOPLASM'.
"I see there were some problems," Walker said. I flung my head back around to face him. He raised his head from the folder and began again, "But I imagine it's complete?" I opened my mouth only to realize no words were being said. Walker glared at me, "Is it complete, Sollertis?" "Sir, it's in stable condition as I managed to finish basic testing-" "Good," he said interrupting me. He handed the folder to one of the ghosts, and he signalled the remaining one to go pick up the project.
Walker stood at the door, watching as the project was brought to him. "Sollertis," he said loudly. I looked up, "I want you to accompany me during the advanced testing". I was speechless. "You're the inventor, so if this thing malfunctions, I'll need you to repair it." "Yes sir," I say in response. I made my way to the door, picking up my white lab coat, and duffle bag on the way out.
Advanced testing. I knew it would come to this. Walker wanted to use the project on prisoners, who were jailed for their entire afterlife. I stood behind phase-proof glass and watched the tests. Every now and then I would have to make adjustments, especially one large one after Prototype 6 managed to vaporize the prisoner wearing it. We were now undergoing tests for Prototype 7. So far so good.
It was unbreakable, unphaseable, and ghost powers did not work on them. Lucky number 7 was certainly the one Walker had wanted. So much so, he actually came to thank me for the overall product.
Surely, I was happy that I was able to do something productive for the Ghost Zone for once. Not only were my previous inventions somewhat failures, but nobody noticed me as someone with talent. Not until Walker approached me with this project that is.
I was told that I had to get ready for a meeting with Walker and some of his people. Whatever that means. All I know is that I have to do a presentation on our project since it will be established all over the Zone.
The mirror reflected my exhaustion. My bright orange hair stuck up, flowing left in direction. My orange eyes dimmed. My lab coat was no longer as white it used to be, as random splotches of green ectoplasm are found throughout the material. It's crazy for Walker to think that I could do all that testing, repairing and a presentation all in one day. Then again, he is crazy.
The meeting was scheduled for 7pm. I made sure to get there at least ten minutes early just so I wouldn't be late. Walker's obsession with rules led me to make this decision. The room was empty, which made sense. I walked toward the large table and set down my design folder. Walker was going to bring the project. I do have my own objections to that, since I am the inventor, but now it did belong to him.
The room was light grey with one huge window on my left side that brings in a lot of light and a decent view of the Zone. The smooth table was grey and shined with different colours, most likely to be marble or granite. The space itself wasn't decorated besides the bouquet of flowers which was sitting on a smaller table near the window.
I looked toward the door as ghosts began coming in. It was almost seven o'clock. I stood at my place at the table like an idiot, greeting everyone with a crooked smile and a "Good evening". Walker made his way through the door and everyone seemed to get silent. We all sat down and Walker began his little speech.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I'm sure you are all aware that Mr. Sollertis has been designing and constructing our little project for the past few months," Everyone seemed to turn their heads towards me and stare, as if they've never seen another ghost before in their afterlives. Their faces were unfamiliar to me as I've never really seen them around my area of the Zone. "And during this meeting, we'll all have the pleasure of hearing his presentation of the product that will be put to use after next Wednesday. So, Mr. Sollertis, if you may begin?" I nodded and stood up slowly, opening my design folder. I walked around handing everyone a copy of the basic blueprints and observations of the project. I cleared my throat.
"Good evening, my name is Ryan Sollertis and most of you know me as the ghost in charge of the design and development of this project. As you can see on the documents in front of you, a lot of trial and error played a part in the production of the product. Before the design process began, Mr. Walker came to me with the information that ghosts whom are in prison are finding an escape. We are all aware of that little... Danny Phantom incident, are we?" There were mumbles and nods of agreement among my audience, "Well, we must make sure that something like that never happens again. As a result, I have designed these," I signalled to the ghost policeman who was carrying a box. He floated over to the table and placed the box down. Again, there were whispers and mumbles among my audience.
"These handcuffs are designed to be the sole thing that ghosts in prison will fear. A ghost will not be able to phase through them, it is indestructible to the ghost who is wearing them, and it while a ghost is wearing them, they will not be able to use any form of ghostly power. They will be powerless. Those are the advantages of these handcuffs being used in prisons all across the Ghost Zone.
"After an accident in my office, I came to realize that the only way to avoid the side effects the ectoplasm has on the shell of the cuffs was to mix chemically altered ectoplasm with the metal contents of the shell. The same thing is used when producing a vaccine for diseases –a little bit of the disease is placed inside of the vaccine in order to make it immune to the actual disease. That is where I got the idea, and it was successful.
"To sum this all up, no ghost will be able to use their powers while wearing these handcuffs, meaning they will not be able to break out of prison". After all that talking, I just wish I could just sit down and not talk for a long while. The ghosts around me began discussing what I have just told them. I looked over at Walker and he gave me a slight nod of approval. I spoke up again, "If there are any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me".
Instantly, another ghost spoke up. I looked around the table to see whose voice it was and realized it was the young woman with light blue hair sitting directly across from me. I smiled and nodded, "Yes?"
"You say that no ghost will be able to use their powers with these handcuffs," she began. I felt a sudden wave of worry run throughout my body. "But what about half ghosts?" I should have seen this coming.
"What about Danny Phantom?"
So there you have it. The Inventor chapter 1 (:
This is my first story on here, so I hope its not too bad...