So this is the beginning of my story Im writing for punkoween. Obviously Ive settled on woodpunk with some steampunk mixed in for fun. Tell me what you think!

"Shift the Balance boards forward and drop the aft weights!" the Captain cried out, sending the deckhands about their buissness. "Bring the down the sails! Rook, prepare the Redwood!

"Aye aye Captain" Rook cried as the deckhands continued their preparations for punching through the low pressure pocket. It was hard working up hill for the black haird youth but he somehow managed to make it to the door in the deck, flinging it open to use the stairs that were there like a ladder.

Rook manged his way up the stairs to the corner before zipping around. Airships were designed for easy access to the Engine Deck for such emergencies, this the rest of his travels would be down hill. Rook flew down the rest of the floors till he arrived at his destination. He scanned the chamber in haste, his green eyes glowing in the dark as all those with the Sight did and sighted his prey in the corner. He went to the bundles of Redwood and took one of the longer boards to put into the ignition chamber. He then went to the barrel of Redwood ash and tried to move it over, but for all his efforts he couldnt slide it an inch due to the incline.

Luckily, or unluckily depending on where you were at the time, the ship hit the pocket and evened out. Rook knew he only had few precious seconds before they were in total freefall to tip the barrel into the ash distributor. With that thought in mind he threw himself at the barrel and was rewarded with the sight of it falling where it needed to. He popped the lid off just as they hit freefall but that was soon abated as the ash was distributed. Once the barrel was light enough, Rook was able to lift it back up and put the lid on before moving on to the second part of his task.

He went over to the Ignition Chanber's housing and took a piece of Sparkwood out of one of the pockets of his flight suit and opened the window over the Redwood. He struck the Sparkwood against the Redwood, shooting sparks along its side, until the Redwood was alight. Rook then closed the window and latched it tight, to then open the water valve that let a torrent of water in, that then let a faster torrent of steam out. The Redwood properties allowed it to burn violently when water was added, allowing for the invention of such steam engines to power through these low pressure pockets. There was only one drawback and that was the speed tried to pull you to the ship or crush you against any surface in your way.The boy was thrown against the wall as the ship took off faster then he had cause to want. It was at this point that he remembered that he had forgotton the most important part of the step, to get his mask on.

Flying at such high speeds in such low pressures took away what air there was to breathe. Thats why flight suits had originally been created, so as to create an entraped air to breathe your own air for the short while that you were in the bubble flying so fast. Later motifications were added but the original intent was for this one purpose that Rook had forgotten.

Black spots danced at the edge of his vision has he struggled to put the mask on against the inertial forces pinning his body to the wall. The deckhands along with the Captain would have strapped themselves in as soon as the freefall was abated, and they would have also remembered their masks. Finally, against all hope the boy slipped the mask on and took a deep breath of whatever air was in there to start with and soon the blackspots went away.

What seemed like hours was only minutes as the Redwood finished burning through itself and the water and the ship came to a halt. Next time they hit a bubble they would have to wait just like they were now for the bubble to disappear. Except next time putting up sails wouldnt get them moving again.

Rook got up from the floor that he had slipped down to when they had stopped and began his ascent to the main deck and his waiting captain. When he appeared he was greeted with a round of applause. He blushed as he walked to the captains perch, for he knew what this meant. He had earned a place amungst the crew, he had proved his worth.

"Rook Fulcroth, you came to us with no family and no home to go back to. We took you on as a charity service, but now we keep you as a member of this crew. You have learned the basics well, but now it is time to further that. You pulled us from freefall and sent us out of there quicker then all on my crew, and that has shown me you can control your gift. We could have skirted that pocket but I had to see if you were ready. Now that I know, when next we pull into port I shall have you apprenticed to a Master Engineer. He will come on board and show you not only how to keep the ship's engine and other machines in prime condition, but also how to fabricate the various parts we need. When you are finished you will stay aboard for a year and a day to pay the fees. God willing, after that time you will decide to stay. What do you say to that?" Rook merely stared at the captain before busting out in a large grin.

"Aye aye Captain!" He shouted out and the crew shouted their merriment.

"Well then, lower the sails and lets set off for Tierwell Port!" The Captain order.

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Night had arrived and all but the unlucky few choosen to stay up were asleep. They were a days sail away from port and they could see their objective, but no one sailed at night. Not if you could help it. This had never bothered Rook before, but now that he was to be an apprentice to a Master Engineer the old ways were irking him.