-He's a real Square-

---

Weeks went by. Will and I continue our correspondence, he writes happily about small things he gets to build and I tell him about the books I need to copy. I haven't written down anything about the organization I've joined. Can't risk it if anyone else finds our letters.

Not much has happened so far. I was taught all sorts of secret code words to be used in various places for letting other agents know I was one of them. We have people in the library, hospital, delivery services...this was a lot bigger than I thought it was.

We were almost all Triangles with a few Squares here and there, mainly the children of the Irregular and Unnatural Triangles. I asked about why we didn't have more shapes but Slant just sneered and said they can't trust any shape with more than 5 sides.

The agents at the hospital taught me about medical supplies, how to treat wounds and how to tell the medicines apart. It is possible for this species to get sick. I've just been healthy so I've never had to deal with that. They taught me in case I get injured on a mission and had to treat myself or when I finally marry a circle and needed a way to...dispose of them.

Is that what happened to Mini's mate? I feel sick.

I continue to refuse setting up a matchmaker appointment. I may be willing to do some terrible things, but not that. I'm not going to marry someone to create a child and then kill them. Slant and the others wouldn't understand. They have this hatred for the System that blinds them to the fact that the shapes they dispose of are people. They only see their deaths as a means to an end and I felt dirty just listening to the way they dismiss it.

The thought of simply grabbing Will and leaving civilization altogether was getting more palatable. I should make it a point to find out what exists outside the city. I can totally live out in the wilderness right?

---

The world outside the city is a terrible savage land of chaos and violence. This is what the books say. I know what propaganda is so I take this description with a grain of salt. I have to see it with my own eyes.

I have never left the city. I don't even know what direction to go in to reach the outside. I asked Slant if HE knew and he was just confused why I would ever want to leave the safety of the city. I tried to explain how I just wanted to know what was out there but he told me not to do anything recklessly stupid. They needed me. I was important to their future plans.

I wouldn't be able to continue refusing to be Paired. They were building whole schemes around my future children. I wanted to punch them for being just as controlling about my life as the government was. I told them so, but they said it was for the sake of their goal. That sacrifices had to be made so that they would win this secret war.

I resolve to find out more about the outside world.

---

It was incredibly difficult to get a proper map of the city. Even then it was vague and just had areas marked for important buildings. I lived in the mid-to-outer edges of the city. Further inward were the more important areas. The administration buildings. The courtroom. The council hall. The map had no distances listed but from what I remember from just getting to that clothing store...this city was HUGE.

Even just trying to walk to the ends of the city would take hours even when I'm already living somewhat close to it. Never thought a day would come when I wished there were cars. I still had nightmares about the crash that got me sent here to begin with.

Cars. Wheels. An idea was forming. They may not have cars or anything else for transportation but I could probably build something. Slant is a construction worker. I can borrow tools and supplies from him. If they're going to try to use me for their own ends, no reason why I can't return the favor.

---

It's not as difficult as you'd think, to make a wheel. The hard part was making it an even circle. I test out my crudely built scooter. It was just a plank of wood with two wheels in the back and a long handle on the front with a third wheel that can turn left and right.

Slant was absolutely fascinated by it. He'd never seen such a thing before. When I tested it out I found a lot of shapes gathering to watch. I wasn't expecting so much attention. I'd built something they've never seen before but even they could clearly see the usefulness of this contraption that allowed me to move around faster than walking.

I wasn't expecting to be approached by some high class shapes and offered a new job by the council a few days later. They were amazed by this new thing I invented and they wanted me to make more. It would make delivery jobs much easier. It would make the city run more efficiently.

Somehow I've accidentally done something amazing? I swear I didn't mean to. I just wanted to make a scooter so I could get to the city limits faster...

I was brought before some important looking shapes who questioned me about my invention. How did I come up with the idea? Can I refine it? Can I make more for different uses? It was very stressful to sit through.

Slant was thrilled. My new position meant I could enter more high class restricted areas normally barred to them. I was ordered to memorize everything I can see while inside the Research center that the council was transferring me to. I don't want any of this. How did this happen? I have even more attention on me now!

None of my plans have worked out the way I expected. Living peacefully and quietly, nope. Finding a way to overthrow the government, not happening. Running away from civilization to live wild and free, they're forcing me to move further into the city. I'm almost afraid to see what happens if I make any other plans for the future.

I left a letter to inform Will I was being forcibly transferred far away and it might be a while before we can speak again.

---

The research center was huuuuge! A gigantic square monolith with no windows and heavily fortified locked doors. Researchers and scientists were generally pretty high on the hierarchy. Because more side equals more intelligence according to them. Once again I am the only triangle here.

What really upsets me is how they claim that the only reason I'm even half way intelligent is because I'm slightly circular on the inside and that's why a triangle like me is capable of forming intelligent thoughts. Ugh, seriously? They still talk down to me as if I wouldn't understand what they're saying. It was condescending as shit.

I'm given my own research room, still under observation by soldiers and a few other researchers. They made me draw out a proper diagram for building the 'scooter' I created. I had to explain each part of it to the researchers as they took notes and made little noises of understanding.

At one point I was talking about the concept of friction and realized they had no idea what I was saying. I know physics in this world probably doesn't work the same way (the ground is entirely flat and smooth, we SHOULDN'T be able to walk without sliding, and yet we can!) But there are still some things that apply right?

I'm amazed I haven't encountered more weird physics before, or rather, I simply didn't notice. I did a few experiments by running around and riding around on my scooter in the room and jotted down my observations.

The ground felt smooth and should therefore be frictionless but putting my hands or feet on it makes me...stick? For lack of a better word. It wasn't like my feet were stuck to the ground but more like...I was grounded, anchored until I lift my foot off. I can run and stop on a dime without sliding. I can fall over though, my legs stopped in place while my body pitches forward and I tumble. So there IS some sort of momentum.

The scooter glides very smoothly. A lot smoother than if the ground had any friction to slow it down over time. It means that once I put in some energy for a kick forwards the scooter could go on forever until I stopped it. That was amazing. It meant I really could get all the way through the city without much effort. The only limit being my balance and how fast I make myself go.

Not gonna lie. I actually enjoyed experimenting and discovering new things about this world. Now if only I could have better company during it. The Shapes around me found my experiments childish and unnecessary.

Why can't they understand how revolutionary this is? Our feet have a sticking effect to the ground but other things don't so long as they're not flat. A sled wouldn't slide as well, I tested with a thin sheet of wood that just stops moving when I stop pushing. This means we can make wagons that, with just a push, can travel long distances to arrive somewhere else without having to continuously feed force and energy into it. There's no acceleration, the wagon would move at the same speed of whatever force is first given to it. I could probably add more speed by just kicking off again...

The only problem I've found is making breaks. On the scooter I put my leg back on the ground and stop my movement, though the scooter still wants to move and is only stopped by the fact that I'm holding it.

I'm guessing it would be the same if I made a wagon. The possibilities of such an efficient method of transportation were amazing to me. But no one here seems to understand just how special that is. I was actually having fun! Why couldn't they understand that?!

They didn't care to know HOW it works. They just wanted me to build more of them. It was so FRUSTRATING!

I managed to distract them with some blueprints for a wagon and snuck out of the room, claiming I was hungry. I noticed a cafeteria-like area on my way in. The soldiers were distracted trying to figure out how to use the scooter and I was quick to take advantage of this time I had unsupervised.

I have to thank the organized nature of these people. There were signs and labels everywhere, marking areas, rooms and what they're for. I go quickly through the halls and try to get a sense of what rooms are where.

I need to make a map, a layout of this building. It would make it easier to sneak around in here if I needed to. I read through the signs I passed. What sorts of Research was even happening here?

Distribution of weight for constructional architecture

Melting points of various substances

Increasing crop yield

Waste disposal

Biological studies

Record of all shapes, sides, angles and other measurements.

And many more that I probably haven't seen yet.

They all looked interesting. I peeked into the Biological Studies room and saw shelves full of...Pieces? All different shaped pieces just lining the shelves. Arranged by both color and shape. There was a 15 sided shape in the room examining a strange lopsided Piece. I quietly shut the door before they could notice me.

The Records room looked interesting. I peeked in and found the place filled with shelves upon shelves of files. All neatly marked and labeled. There were shelves for Triangles, Squares and so on. Are these the measurements that they take when we get examined at the hospital? Are my files in here too?

It didn't look like anyone was in here so I quietly went in and started looking around. Thank god these people were so organized, the Triangle shelf was sectioned off by Color so I found the Yellow part and started searching. There weren't any names, just numbers. I looked at the pictures (no photos, just really detailed drawings) of various Yellow Triangles and wondered if I would even recognize myself if I found it.

Something caught my eye as I was flipping through the files.

-Processed-

Stamped in red across the the top of the file.

What the actual fuck? I read more closely.

Yellow Triangle #4292

2 Triangular Pieces - 0 Slots

Length of sides- 39cm, 36cm, 36cm

...a whole bunch of numbers and measurements, I scanned downward to try and find anything relevant...

Profession- Soldier

Cause of Death- Injured attempting to arrest a violent Square. Suffered severe bludgeoning damage to bricks. Bled out before medical assistance could arrive.

I looked around but I couldn't find anything else. Going back to the other files I flipped through to see if there were more -Processed- marked shapes.

There was a clear pattern here. All the files marked as -Processed- also had a Cause of Death listed. Meaning anyone who isn't marked as such is still alive.

Meaning anyone who dies is....processed. Whatever that means. I had a bad feeling about it though. Suddenly feeling paranoid, I quickly put the files back and snuck out of the room.

I should actually go to the cafeteria for some food. I was starting to get hungry again. I found the place easily enough and looked around to see what they had. There was a lot of food. Wow, how long has it been since I've actually eaten a cooked meal?

Since there wasn't much variation in flavor anyway, I just stopped bothering to make proper meals. Why go through the effort? Still. There was something nice about having warm food inside me for the first time in weeks.

I bit down on something that resembled carrots and sighed at the feeling of the food breaking down inside me. There were other shapes sitting around the room, some gave me strange looks. I heard one ask the shape next to them what a Triangle was doing here. "You didn't hear about it? That's the Unnatural one."

"The one who's circular on the inside?!"

"Yeah. Super freaky right?"

I wave cheerfully at them. "Hello!" Might as well TRY to be friendly.

They jump and quickly look away. Oh come on. At least wave back or something. Grumbling, I go back to my food. Jerks.

My guards eventually noticed I was missing and stumbled into the room in a panic, calming down once they spotted me stuffing myself with a 2nd helping.

"Please don't wander off without telling us." A tall isosceles I call 'Tripod' says with a sigh.

I simply shrug. "I DID say I was going to get food. Are you guys hungry?"

"Oh we're not supposed to eat on the job..."

"Not supposed to, or not allowed to?" I asked as I scooted over to make room if they wanted to sit down.

"I...don't actually know?" Tripod says in confusion. I pat the seat next to me.

"Then go get some food and sit down."

"B-but we can't..."

"Is there a rule specifically saying you can't?"

"Well...no..."

"Great! Go grab some food and keep me company."

How desperate was I for social interaction? Very.

My guards shuffled awkwardly before grabbing some simple dishes and eating quickly, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of sitting on the job. I roll my eye at them. "Is it really that hard to just...relax a bit? You're not gonna get in trouble for this right?"

"I've never eaten while working before..." My 2nd guard, I call him Stumpy 'cause he's a very wide and short triangle, says in a surprisingly high pitched voice. Then again, my own voice is pretty high as well.

"So when DO you guys get to eat? I feel like all you ever do is stand around staring at me. Doesn't that get boring?"

"Boring? We haven't dug any holes into you. You've been very well behaved." Tripod sounds confused.

"I mean bored like...ah...how do I say this? You want to do something else? Because you're not being mentally stimulated enough?"

They just looked confused. What? Do they not get bored? That sounds...kinda awful actually.

I'm interrupted from the conversation by two new guards coming in, I guess it was time to change shifts. The guards greet each other before Tripod and Stumpy leave to go do whatever it is they do when not following me around.

"Are you finished eating?" One of the new guards, I mentally name him Bled because his color was a hideous mix of blue and red that just...doesn't become purple. It made my eye sting just looking at him. I glance over to his partner guard, a nice forest green I name Forest, and make a distressed face while discreetly pointing at Bled. Forest winced and nodded. Ok, so its not JUST me, he also realizes his partner is painful to look at.

"Y-yeah I'm done with my food..." I say while averting my eye to avoid looking directly at Bled. I kinda lost my appetite.

"Remember, a square meal a day doesn't stop you from being a proud triangle." Bled says cheerfully. I freeze.

That was one of the code phrases for the rebellion. This means...

I turn to look at Bled directly and he winks at me. He's the agent the rebellion sent to keep me informed even when I'm so far from everyone else. This means...

I'm going to HAVE to spend more time with Bled.

Fuck.