"You will return here three more times, for a total of four days, to complete the tests. You have until
After we were separated in groups, almost 20 students each, same as before, the commissioner continued.
"Unlike the previous Appraisal, this one will be a little more lenient on student freedom. You will each be receiving a notification on your screens with the details of your recommended path through the tests, based on your First Appraisal and on your performance for the last two years. You will only be receiving them once upstairs, so there's no use looking for them now. Ah, you should know that you're not forced to comply with the recommendation, so you can visit other tests as you would see fit. Though, the recommendations were made based on what you like the most, so I wouldn't advise deviating much."
My mother had also recommended following the schedule.
"Any more questions before we go up?"
"Ms. Commissioner, why did they advance the Second Appraisal for today?" A student asked.
His teacher glared at him, but the commissioner answered:
"I apologize on behalf of the Institution of Developed Education for the urgency. There were some problems due to the new data regarding number of students graduating Middle School this year, so we had to try to accomodate you at this time slot. You will notice there are more classmates than during your First Appraisal."
"I see. Thank you."
"No problem. Shall we go up?"
...
The second floor was just as astonishing as the first, and quite similar. The only differences were the distribution of the Sectors, the greater details on the walls, and some administrative offices spread throughout. It was also of a darker shade of gray, and had dimmer silver linings.
Once I had received my schedule, I went straight into it.
We had already received an introduction on the topics to be uncovered at the Appraisal, unlike the first time, so we had an idea of what they meant. There a sector just for the social sciences, a sector for history and applied history, a sector for applied arts, which included specific dances, instruments, and stuff like sculpting; and a lot of students walked around nonstop. The sector for STEM tests seemed to be relatively on high demand, as well.
The most popular sector was the Sports Sector, by far. They had stuff like Formula Racing, Spacecraft Racing, mobile suit fencing, scuba diving, soccer... I guess it's still the norm for people to like those careers. I was no exception. But I knew how hard it was to get into them, as my parents deeply engraved into my mind that I shouldn't depend on them. Regardless, I still had some recommended tests there, so I still had hopes for a good affinity.
I should explain that, despite there being no formal necessity for a good affinity (I could still choose to play basketball even if my affinity was low), it was much harder to get good opportunities. Getting good Second Appraisal affinities would unlock some specific classes that the majority of your classmates wouldn't have. No one got really that envious though, because the appraisal was accurate to predict what people liked or didn't like to do. And in the worst case scenario, you could still force your way through a career (moviemakers were particularly fond of that plot).
...
I just exited the 'Turing' test, where I handled sheets of paper here and there. I was in a happy mood, since it was one of those tests with right and wrong answers, and I passed it successfully.
On a whim, I entered a door nearby without even reading the title. Once inside, the scene changed into an open amphiteatre made of stone. Men wearing white and gray tunics stood all around, listening in to two central figures. The sun was high and pale, the smell of sweat entering my nose.
"Xenophanes, your claims are preposterous! You would have us believe that the gods are constantly intervening in our daily lives, directing every step we take, every decision we make. But where is the evidence? Are we not capable of determining our own destinies?" A bearded man exclaimed.
With confidence and a sly tone, the opposition answered. "Ah, Heraclitus, how lost are your arguments for naught but vanity, displays of empty flourish! But consider this—if we were to abandon the gods entirely, as you suggest, what would become of our laws, our morals? Without the gods, would we not descend into barbarism, where men do as they please, unchecked by any higher authority?"
The crowd murmurs in agreement, swayed by Xenophanes' words.
"That is not what I argued! I never called for the abandonment of the gods, only that we should not attribute every action, every event, to their will. We must recognize our own ability to reason and act independently-" Heraclitus got increasingly frustrated as the crowd yelled for his silence. "The laws and morals we follow are our creations, not merely handed down by the gods!"
"And what, Heraclitus, would you have us do? Worship ourselves as if we were gods? You see, my friends, Heraclitus would have us believe that we, mere mortals, can replace the divine wisdom of the gods with our own flawed reasoning. He would have us tear down our temples, cast aside our prayers, and rely solely on the whims of men. Is this not the epitome of hubris?"
The crowd erupts in agreement, cheering Xenophanes on, as Heraclitus' face purples with anger.
"That is not what I said, Xenophanes! You twist my words to suit your argument. I never spoke against the gods, nor did I suggest we abandon our traditions. I spoke of the balance between divine influence and human reason. You attack a position I do not hold!"
Xenophanes, smirking, responded: "Heraclitus, you may dress it up however you like, but the people see the truth. They see the danger in your words, the slippery slope you would have us descend. Without the gods to guide us, without their favor, we are lost. And that, my dear friend, is a path none of us are willing to take."
The crowd cheers louder, fully supporting Xenophanes. Heraclitus, now seething, tries to speak over the noise. To no avail.
I exited the room, still perplexed with what I'd seen. Weren't those Greek philosophers of the past? How come they aren't in the Philosophy Sector? And who would have known they could be so... manipulative?
...
On the third day, after finishing a test on the STEM Sector, I saw that my next test would be all the way back at the Philosophy Sector, the 28th and last sector of the long corridor. Looking through my PScreen, I saw that my next several tests would be there, and a brief calculation showed I had time to spare for the day. I decided to look around and see if I found something that looked fun.
A short and thin boy caught my attention. He seemed to have been looking for something at this sector called Variety Sector. Interestingly enough, I hadn't had any recommended tests there so far. It seemed that very few people had, actually, due to the lack of students there, so I decided to check it out.
"'Gender Roles Through History', 'The Story of Samuel Benjamin', 'Lisa's Garden Compendium', 'Under the Tree', 'Understanding Sexuality'... dude, what are these tests?" I mumbled.
Then, I noticed that boy had finally stopped at the end of the line of glass doors, and he stared wide-eyed at a door's title. He smiled happily and quickly entered the door. I shrugged and kept looking through those doors one by one.
Half an hour later, after I had just exited a crazy journey through the 'Ways of the Wind', which had absolutely nothing to do with any wind or breeze, I saw something curious. A tall brunette girl had stopped in front of a door, and as her eyes went wide, she looked to her left and then to her right, as if searching for people. She did a double take when she caught me staring at her, but she forced herself to ignore me and quickly went into the glass door.
Intrigued, I noticed that it was the same door that the skinny boy had happily smiled at, so I went over to catch its title.