First Test

It had been eight days since my first meeting with Gika. A week since we’d had our first painting session. Despite my best efforts, it was also our last painting session. My father had placed me under strict house-arrest as he bombarded me with an onslaught of practice-tests and flashcards, all building towards today. I was pretty confident I’d pass the test, I’d been training for it for as long as I could read after all, but I was still a little concerned about my past-life memories interfering and confusing me in the moment. As if it heard my thoughts calling to it a memory flashed through my mind. It was a situation similar to this one. I was a university student, perhaps a little older than I am in this world, faced with the fact that if I failed my art-history test I’d have to repeat the year, which would mean losing my parent’s financial support. That test felt like the paper-thin line between the rose-colored life I’d always dreamed about and a swirling vortex that would pull me in and permanently color my life in dark shades. I giggled to myself. Why did I feel so much pressure for such an inane test, while being almost completely calm for the test I was about to take, which was several orders of magnitude more important.

The morning sky was a clear blue today, nice weather for a walk towards the Municipio, located at the center of Magranpoli. A quiet excitement infected the city streets. Left and right bets were being placed on various candidates. Those who wanted to play it safe put money on the great families, who could afford the best education in the city-state and already had one or more Uomo Universale in their midsts. Those who were more daring there put their money on the upcoming talent: a handful of naturally gifted commoners as well as rich merchants that had spent most of their wealth preparing their offspring. The idea that some people would be gaining or losing vast amounts of money based on my performance certainly added some weight to my earlier care-free attitude. Despite this, however, I maintained my composure while making my way through the city. My destination was easy enough to find: the intricately designed peak of the Municipio, a delicately interwoven symphony of gold, silver, copper, lead, iron and tin, was visible from anywhere in the city, not to mention that its reflective nature caused it to shine as a beacon in the harsh sunlight. It wasn’t long before I stood before the central entrance, which had two guards posted outside who somewhat dispassionately welcomed me in. The inside was just as impressive as the outside. Hallways so high looking up made me dizzy were connected in a labyrinthine manner, extensively decorated with golden arches and intricately painted murals on every wall. At every junction guards were stationed to lead us participants to a comparatively small and plain room of rectangular shape. It held three entrances, one through which we had entered, one which was closed on the opposite side of the room and one smaller, slightly elevated one above a semi-circle shaped platform. A minor crowd had already gathered inside the chamber, all participating in a number of hushed conversations. I scanned the room, looking for any familiar faces, but I saw none. None I liked, anyway. For what I could only describe as an eternity I just awkwardly stood in the middle of the room, staring at my shoes. I was released from my shoe-staring prison by two gentle taps on my back. I turned around and stared straight at the face that I’d been trying to see again for the past week: Gika. She smiled and put up her hand to wave at me.

“Romoto tipaki ku!” She said.

“Wh- what are you doing here?” I asked, “are you going to take the test?”

“Soni ku!”

“But how? You don’t even speak Magranpolian, right? Do you think you’ll even be able to answer even a single question?”

“Soni ku!”

I already inhaled in preparation for my follow-up question when the room fell silent. Fourteen individuals, each one clad in clothes that most would not be able to afford with a year’s salary, entered the stage. Among them was my mother, a slim and tall lady with perfectly trimmed black hair. She slowly turned her head from left to right to take note of every individual in the crowd, stopping for a split-second when she reached Gika and me but quickly regaining her composure and continuing. A short, stubby man stepped forward from the bunch and began to speak:

“Greetings, participants!” He said, “We welcome you to our grand Municipio. In a few moments, you will be allowed into the examination chamber. There, you will take your first step in possibly joining us as an Uomo Universale. Before we can do that, however, I am legally obligated to inform all who are present of the rules and conditions attached to participating in this series of tests, the first of which you will take today. Firstly, as should be obvious, cheating, talking or in any way distracting the other participants is not allowed. Secondly, to pass, one must score ninety-five percent or higher on this and any subsequent tests. Lastly, when entering the examination room, you will be handed a piece of parchment with a name on it. This is the pseudonym with which you will sign all your tests. Marking your tests in any way that might reveal your true identity is strictly forbidden. You are personally responsible for keeping your pseudonym secret as well as carefully holding on to the piece parchment. Breaking any rules can, in a worst case scenario, lead to up to ten years in prison. Any questions?”

The room was silent.

“If anyone here does not agree with these conditions they may leave now.”

No one left.

“Then you may enter.”

The entrance on the other side of the room opened up into a chamber filled with neatly arranged rows of desks and chairs. The entire crowd began to funnel inside, with guards handing out strips of parchment to all who passed by. I discreetly opened mine and read the name.

‘Leonardo’

I sat down at one of the desks and glanced around. Gika was seated four tables away from me, studying her own pseudonym extensively before putting it away and looking around as well. Our eyes met. Despite having studied for this test for most of my life, I couldn’t help but look a little unsure. Gika’s eyes, on the other hand, were filled with confidence.

A deep voice echoed throughout the room:

“Get ready!”

I already was.

“3!”

I was going to do this.

“2!”

I would finally get my parent’s respect.

“1!”

I would become perfect.

“Begin!”