*applause*

With that said, if he gets outta hand, I could always discipline him with a little…okay, a lot of…spanking.

…And now the rest of your minds went places you didn’t expect them to go.

Muahahahaha!

Also, Flipside rocks!

On a sidenote - If kivalians are freaky behind closed door, but cool outdoors, how freaky would Yatta-Ta then be behind closed doors ?
Considering how chaste and polite he is outdoors, I mean. It makes one wonder, it does!

Nonetheless, fighting the good fight, and doing all I can to bring you your update tonight. If not tonight, then tomorrow PM, promise!

Had a very wonderful time in CO Springs, thanks to my brother and his lovely family. Hope you all can say the same for your holidays! But, as you observe, have been a bit incommunicado as a result.

Still, as always many thanks to all of you who continue to show interest and contribute to making “Zona” a fun experience by posting. It really is very rewarding to me because of that, and no lie. No time to answer you all at the moment, but I did want to comment on a couple thingS:

Yes, they are both getting into it, but Yatta is still taking this much more seriously than the Erogenian princess. Yes, it is quite a long time since anyone has made Zona work for it in this way, and she’s unreeling her game a move at a time and finding he can absolutely take it. She is not taking it easy on Yatta at all, nor is he pulling any punches. The final denouemont will be on page 335 and yes, someone is going to lose and someone win.

Stormhawk - Puns are the lowest form of humor. You should be ashamed of yourself, and so should I for laughing at it. And I am not a fencer, alas, and so am just trying to make it all serve the story visually as best I can. You can trust me that this will never be used as a textbook for any swordsmanship class.

The Old Hack - I could pretty easily do it as a vote incentive.

All the scenes are inspired by music. No lie. This one is set variously to Korngold’s score for “The Adventures Of Robin Hood”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L10fR31jC1w&feature=PlayList&p=A97D75C3575272CF&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=5

And the Williams score for “Hook.” In this clip, starting about 2:25

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUFrOHRK7wI&feature=PlayList&p=F31C46CB3BB26B86&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=65

Naturally, like anything I do in the comic, it’s a hell of a lot better in my head - as has been commented on. But this is the kind of feel I was trying for.

The swords are very sturdy indeed, and would actually be a fine, potentially lethal, weapon in the hands of someone who knew her business.

Sheela - Mmmmmm…. not sure that’s EXACTLY how it’s going to happen. But full marks for keeping everyone thoroughly amused while Zona’s on holiday hiatus!

Kivalians - especially city-bred folks - are much much much less open about sex than Erogenians. Well, to be fair, just about anyone you encounter this side of “Flipside” or “Pronquest” is going to be. Yanora is the queen, and, not to give too much away, but it’s pretty obvious that he’s trying to make up for something she hasn’t got. And - she’s the queen. And so I mean - dayum!

Or they might indeed largely be a cool and passionless people. Though I cannot see why that priest would so vigorously denounce such passion if it were not there somewhere, even in himself and projected unto others…

Maybe Kivalian women are freaks behind closed doors like their queen, but I tend to doubt it.

“I’ll be Kivalian women are a good deal more conservative.”