August 5.
The most extended recording session he had attended was utterly different from the usual. Scenes were repeated over and over, the director demanded twice the perfection, and the studio's conditions and replicas were in no way simple.
-You're sick, – Billy said, taking Kate's temperature. She was completely unwell, wrapped in layers of cloth, but it wasn't enough. Her refusal to get an injection was a bit stubborn.
-Give me three days. If I'm not better by then, I'll get the shot. Be a good guy and bring me some of that honey remedy you make, – Kate said, bundled under a thick layer of blankets. She was slightly on edge, worried someone might see her in this state.
Billy spent his days wrapping up the details of the Bleach saga. Chapter 100 had been completed the day before, fully colored, and ready to be picked up by the premium courier service for printing. If he could reach chapter 104, they could add another publication to the monthly release schedule. The current four chapters per month could become five—or he could stick to four and finish the Sparta volumes, which initially had six planned but had stretched to ten, with volume seven already in the works. The first five volumes had launched in June, and the remaining five were scheduled for November.
He could then focus on Hellsing and create a horror story inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula, envisioned as a comic set a thousand years before Dracula's time, when demons were mere whispers, and the vampire race was just beginning. The story would trace their evolution, culminating in Dracula's arrival and the fear he brought to the world—a terror that gripped society long before the story itself became known.
Billy finished preparing a glass of honey mixed with orange juice and ginger, a Spanish recipe passed down from his grandmother, which he always used for cases like this.
-Here you go, – Billy said.
-Thanks for the remedy—and the book. When my headache eases, I'll read it all in one go. For now, I just want to avoid wearing myself out, – she replied, her eyes watery.
-It's been selling well—12,000 copies on the first day and heading toward 50,000. Even though it's a love story, I think some of my fans are women. That could explain the sales, – Billy commented, noting he had only printed 100,000 copies for the first edition.
-Give yourself some credit. I still can't understand how you managed to convince the producers to license the rights to the novel, – the girl said sleepily as she adjusted her position for a nap. It was mid-afternoon, an unusual time for such a long rest, but her eyes closed, and Billy shook his head, turned off the entry light, and left quietly.
…
For the next nine hours, he focused entirely on perfecting the Bleach saga. He added many details to the world, incorporating perspectives from other characters who met their ends but were given more dignified deaths and calming backstories. He even introduced new factions—besides the Bounts and the Plus, there was now a clan that forged contracts with Hollows. He polished the story into a more cohesive and expansive narrative.
If this had been the original manga, it would have reached chapter 180 by now, partly because his comics were longer. Unlike manga's smaller pages, Billy's works were almost letter-sized, with about 15 extra pages per issue. His rule was always to make his series more substantial.
The more detailed, the more engaging the series became. Many shows expanded their stories only toward the end or in sequels, like Hunter x Hunter, where each chapter enriched the lore. Although some of that lore was sidelined over time, it eventually found its place. Billy could elevate the series in unpredictable ways since he knew the story inside out and kept adding layer upon layer. Everything he drew was documented in a notebook. A reviewer meticulously compiled notes on everything from main and secondary characters to plot points, building the world based on Billy's input while asking clarifying questions.
By nightfall, the black-and-white drawings for chapters 101, 102, and 103 were finished.
He rested his eyes, realizing that if he kept this up, he might lose his vision and need glasses due to the strain and constant focus.
A knock at the door drew his attention. When he opened it, there stood Monica, as stunning as ever, wearing her best dress that revealed her toned abdomen and long, tan legs.
-With these heels, I'm almost as tall as you, – Monica teased, standing nearly face-to-face with Billy, who was 184 cm tall—a height he had long accepted wouldn't grow any further.
y, you are, – Billy replied, kissing her.
She entered, as lively as always, but was stopped by her luggage. Two hotel staff carried her large, luxurious suitcases.
-I asked one of your bodyguards to do some shopping. You need to improve your eating habits if you're going to play sports or stay holed up here, – the Italian remarked as she rummaged through the room, looking for anything to throw away. Her love for cleanliness was well-known—everything had to be spotless.
-If you're going to clean, do it naked, – Billy joked, playfully slapping Monica's rear as he adjusted his jacket. He needed to do some exercise to relieve the day's workload. Monica frowned at the slap but said nothing, her bright eyes taking in the already pristine room, thanks to the hotel's cleaning service.
-I'll join you for your workout, – Monica offered.
-I'm just going to jog a bit and do some basic exercises. –
-Let's go. It doesn't matter, – she said, opening her suitcase to find something more athletic. Her slender frame was tempting to anyone, and she knew it. The way she undressed did nothing but draw his attention. She was, as always, a forbidden fruit.
-When do your movies premiere? – Billy asked.
-Liar, Liar hasn't finished filming yet. They only recorded my scenes first due to the set schedule. I think it wraps up next month. Life is Beautiful still has a few scenes left to shoot. I only played minor roles, – Monica explained, slipping into a tight white shirt. –Where's your co-star? –
-She's sick. We've been filming several scenes in the water, – Billy replied, helping her tie her shoelaces.
They both left the hotel and headed to a small park, where they did some basic exercises using a jump rope and a chair. They worked out together in the cold, desolate Rosarito night, which was unkind to anyone outdoors. Monica, on her honeymoon-like visit, was always eager, giving Billy kisses after every completed exercise.
...
I'm surprised by many things about this shoot, which is one of the longest, with 120 days of production. The maximum shooting time is usually 80 days, during which the actors work every day without a break. In this case, they worked late at night, in cold conditions, were constantly getting wet, and for reasons beyond their control, errors occurred in the 1:1 scale model (i.e., actual size). Many scenes were filmed backward to give the impression that they were filming from a different position.
Several takes were made on ga reen screen, in real life, and in controlled settings, which lengthened the process twice as much. Along with the 10 ship models in different scales, the film was indeed cinema in its purest form.