Sparring session on Olaf's ship

[AbacusWizard]

• Uncle Olaf’s ship returns to port

• Ivan & Aldona stop by to say hello (and feed the cat)

• Olaf needs help with sail/mast/rigging maintenance (most of the crew—Eric included—is out on shore leave); Ivan & Aldona offer to help because there’s not much else going on at the moment and they figure they could use some practice climbing in the rigging and buckling some swashes

• Aldona tries some archery target practice shooting at unused pilings along the docks, hops around from post to post, balances on the yardarms, swings on ropes, zipline from the crow’s nest, etc.

• Ivan assists Olaf with carrying supplies, hauling rope, maintenance carpentry, etc.

During a lull in activity, Aldona punches Ivan in the arm and says “I’ve noticed that you fight with your fists instead of a weapon; I was wondering why you do this?”

Ivan shoves back, accidentally knocks Aldona over, helps her back up, thinks for a bit, and says “Part practical—if fight with fist, weapon is never lost or dropped or stolen; is always with me and always at ready. Part showmanship—if unarmed holy man faces evil warrior with big fancy sword and WINS, people NOTICE. Is stuff of folktales.”

Aldona asks “Does success at wrestling come from the size of the combatant?”

Ivan laughs. “Well it doesn’t hurt! But no, is more about skill. Knowing own strengths and what to do with them.”

Aldona says “Are there any tricks you could show me that would work for someone my size?”

Ivan looks her up and down and strokes his chin. “You look small and not very muscle. People underestimate. Use their mistake to your advantage. You have variety of skill; use variety of skill. Be unpredictable and surprise opponent with every move. Punch, kick, jump around, taunt, threaten, keep opponent on toes. Never same thing twice; never be in place where opponent about to hit. You… often ‘know’ things others don‘t think you know; find ways to ‘know’ things about opponents and use that knowledge against them.”

Aldona punches Ivan in the arm again. “That’s all well and good, but I wanted to know about punching.”

Ivan laughs again, and holds out an open hand. “Very well. First, don’t hit my hand. Hit BEHIND my hand. Follow-through. Second, don’t punch with fist. Punch with whole body. Plant feet firm, lean in, turn torso, extend arm, step forward, roar if it helps. Fist is just convenient point of contact; force comes from everything else.”

“You mean,” Aldona suggests, “the fist is the arrowhead and the rest of the body is the bow?” and launches a mighty blow at Ivan’s hand.

Ivan steps back from the impact and shakes out his stinging hand. “There you go! Now keep practice on sack of flour or sand or something. I have had enough punch for now.”