Chapter 16
The Way Things Work
Astro wasn't entirely sure how long she had been resting for when she heard the door open. Sleep had never been achieved, but even the simple restful state had been wonderful. Not wanting to look lazy she quickly jumped up throwing the covers off of her and stood straight with her eyes directed attentively to the door. Sail walked in to find her in this position. "You look ready." Sail commented smiling slightly.
"Yes, I am ma'am." she promised.
"I'm sorry that it is so late. I did get some shut eye after I had finished, but unfortunately overslept it seems. I haven't slept that well in quite a while." she apologized.
"It's fine ma'am." she replied uncertainly. She had never been in a situation where somepony above her position had apologized to her.
"I have already finished everything for today so that I can take the time to show you around. I assume you have some paper with your school things?" she said with the last phrase being a question.
"Of course ma'am." she answered with a nod.
"Could you get me some paper and a quill and ink? One of your books as well, hardcover." she requested sitting down on the bed. Astro was confused by what she had asked for, but went to retrieve it anyways. While she grabbed what Sail wanted she checked on the state of her drawing. Discovering that it had dried she made a mental note to hang it up later that day. Leaving that for her original objective she brought back the requested objects to Sail.
Sail gestured for Astro to sit next to her and the filly did so. Sail laid the book on her lap portrait and placed the paper on top of the book. She then dipped the quill in the ink and drew a large rectangle towards the bottom of the page. On the outside of the bottom edge of the rectangle and in the middle she drew a small square. On the outside edge of both the left and right of the rectangle she drew long and thin rectangles. Then, connected to the top edge of the central rectangle, she drew a much longer one that was only slightly thinner. Around that rectangle she drew a sort of blocky U expanding out the same thickness as the thin rectangles. Another much wider blocky U was placed outside of that. Astro looked on as she drew the object. It wasn't a detailed or very professional drawing, but she assumed that it wasn't meant to be, it was only meant to get a point across.
"This is a rough representation of what the base looks like. This square here is the manual entrance that you and Bold used to get in since you had never been here before. The first rectangle here is the room that you entered into. It's where everypony goes to and from the base. The two thin ones to either side are the teleportation stalls. They all have little astral stone spheres inside of them to help ponies get to and from where they need to go. The ones on the right are for leaving and on the left for returning. Then this inner U here is the hallway and the outer one is where all the rooms are. The back hallway is always reserved exclusively for the managers and their personal offices. The largest rectangle here surrounded by the Us is where I work. It is divided into multiple sections. The largest of these is where all the files are kept. We need to know who all lives in the town and where to reach them as well as some other simple things. That is where those files are kept. The smaller portion is divided into several different rooms. The ponies receive their assignments for the day there. There are also offices there." she explained looking over at Astro periodically to make sure she was still following, "That is how the base is divided up, do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am." Astro replied immediately glad to have been given something that she could easily understand.
Sail set the book and the paper with the diagram on it off to the side, "Now, we have three different types of workers here, four if you want to count the managers. There are runners, stars, and sorters. Runners are the ponies who take the wishes that are made and go out to see what all they can do about it for the pony who made the wish. We obviously need the most runners. Stars, while very important, are the least in demand. They are the ponies that go to the Astral Plain every night and act as the shooting stars. Using a small telepathic field they are able to collect the wishes that are made by surface ponies on said shooting star. They normally double as runners during the day. Then, finally, there are the sorters. That is where I work. It is my job to look through the wishes that are made and divide them up among the ponies in my division based on personality, ability to complete the task, and such. All wishes that we have no control over or ones that involve situations that are best left alone are of course discarded. Essentially anypony can be a runner, but for a position as a star or sorter you have to prove that you can be proficient at the task before taking it on. You are still in school however so you will not be expected to do anything during your school day, and due to the reaction of star ponies' coats to the moon's magical aura you have to stay inside the base during the night. Any job that you have currently will take place for the most part inside, but your first priority at this point is your education." she continued, "Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am." she affirmed just as before even though that information was slightly more confusing to her.
"Good." Sail finished.
"You have already started school, and have learned a good amount of how to work in this society, but there is a lot that you will need to learn. You may ask me any questions that you need to about what goes on." Sail said turning to look Astro in the eyes.
"C-course," she stuttered unsure of where to begin with all of the questions she had. In the end she began with the first thing she remembered, "Um… what's a week?" she queried. A small smile cracked Sail's lips.
-/|\-
It had been hours since her questioning had started, but Astro was finally feeling like she really understood the way that some things worked. Sail had been patient in answering each question in a way that Astro could understand. It wasn't the easiest thing in the world to do since the filly had grown up somewhere almost completely unlike where she now resided. But with a similar background Sail was able to work out ways to explain using concepts that she understood. It had taken longer than she had thought it would, but the filly was very inquisitive and wanted to know all that she could. She didn't just want concepts she wanted details. She wanted to know why things where the way that they were. Who decided that things should work the way that they did? Unfortunately Sail couldn't provide answers for all of these things, but did her best to offer whatever explanation she could. The sheer volume of questions that the filly had surprised her. It was exhausting trying to answer all of them.
When the onslaught of inquiries was over Sail voiced her thoughts. "You certainly do have a great deal of questions." she commented giving the filly a pointed look.
"I just want to understand." she replied simply and looking bashfully at her hooves while a slight blush came to her cheeks.
"That is perfectly alright, but you seem to want to do much more than 'just understand'." she responded.
"I just like to know how things work and on the Astral Plain I always knew what happened, how it happened, and why it happened. That was my job as the successor to the North Star. I needed to know and so I did. I enjoyed it as well. I enjoy understanding things." she answered.
"That is a good quality to have, but you must understand that you can never understand everything." Sail cautioned.
"I know." Astro agreed looking over at the drawing that was already on the mirror. It was a quick glance, but Sail noticed the motion.
She turned her gaze to where Astro's had gone and saw the drawing that lay on the mirror. She stood and walked over so she could see it better. "Did you make that?" she asked looking it over carefully.
"Yes," she admitted, "but it isn't very good."
"But that was the first time you had ever attempted to draw something yes?" she inquired looking at Astro over her shoulder.
"Yes, it was." Astro confirmed.
"If you take that into consideration it is fairly good. At least that is what I would say." she answered looking it over. She then noticed the one that was sitting on the dresser.
"I made that one this morning." Astro informed her as she walked up to stand next to her.
"And this was your second attempt?" she queried looking at the filly next to her. She just nodded in response. "That's quite a good start." she said looking it over. She then picked up the drawing and just as Astro had done used the space between the frame and the mirror to post it.
"North did give you a good amount of money to provide for yourself correct?" Sail asked. Astro again gave a nod. "Seeing as The Wish Division will now be providing for you that money is for you to use at your own convenience. I wouldn't discount paints as an option." she informed her. As she finished the comment however her coat along with Astro's began to glow. "The moon has risen, come now, you should rest. School begins again tomorrow and you will want to be rested." she told her nudging her towards the bed. As the filly climbed under the covers she moved the things she had used over to the top of the dresser. "I will be back tomorrow morning to accompany you to school. Now get some sleep." Sail finished giving her a kind smile as she left the room and shut the door behind her.