The m after was a deep blow to Billy's values; iy was something he couldn't tolerate, and he had erred on both sides by foolishly succumbing to the temptation of a bloh princess plexes.

  -He was a fool, - thought the d as he walked to the shower; only a cold water bath would shake off the alcohol he had ed just a few ho. The pce was warm; st night, in a moment of lucidity, he had turned on the heating, and the pce maintained a fortable temperature. He closed his eyes as the cold water turned warm.

  He went out for a jog, not questioning what he should do in the ing months or what to say to Aliow he was a fool, and it roblem he had to rectify. For a long time, he uood that women always disrupted his life, as if he were ering himself to lose trol. Uable! Sihe business world entered his life, he had set a general rule for what he expected in his life, and how he should govern it, without allowing others to govern him.

  He jogged through the streets until he reached a park he often frequented. For a month now, he had been wandering the streets of Vienna, not fetting that many of these streets were drawn by him, refining the details and imagining the streets without defects, occupied by natural inations like herbs, pnts, vines, and avaible cracks. Spaces of life. These streets had many iiures, which had to be stored in his memory for a future animated series. The use of spad architectural didness would make the pce remarkable for its appropriations and teical developments.

  It was 10 in the m in Vienna and almost 3 in California. The phone was separate. He would eveate to call Raimon, known for his habit of pying video games without proper rest or watg movies, without paying attention to the work process.

  He jogged a bit more and did on activities like squats, push-ups, and some other muscle resistance exercises—nothing impressive. He wasn't muto exercise, and just staying fit was enough for him. He had to ehat hiring a personal trainer would be one of his priorities in the ing months.

  *************************************************************

  Fwyh, the day was different. She woke up with a radiant smile, zily stretg in bed, putting on one of Billy's shirts with plicity. She looked at herself in the mirror; her tousled hair and fresh skin gave her a fantastic appearance, feeling plete.

  She ordered room service while having breakfast. She heard Billy's entrance, returning to his taciturn state after the drinks, without gesturing words for a long time. It erhaps one of the things that intrigued her the most about the boy; he could spend hours lost in his thoughts without saying a word as if he didn't care, or perhaps he was just very lonely.

  Julie said you had to pull questions out of him or work with him to get him to gesture a long versation or share his thoughts. However, she disagreed since she came to uand that it was Jessi who responded sometimes. Billy's ag method was to embody the character, and occasionally she notiuances outstanding in his performance. She decided to take the lead in the versation.

  -Is everything okay with you? - Gwyh uood that it would be plicated to fumble through a versation when he only nodded, so she took a seat in front of him aended a neer to read; he was sweaty.

  Billy was trying to steer everything in the right dire. Two problems: Gwyh was Steven Spielberg's spoiled little girl. He didn't want to offend the industry; another enemy meant nothing good for Billy, who khat a wounded woman could cause greater disaster.

  He tinued his breakfast carefully, not b to say anything. But after almost an hour of silence, he couldn't help but bite his lip ao the shower for a bath. Billy didn't put down the neer; he only took out a rge notebook and began drawing calmly, trag outlines of the church that was in his mind, a warm-up while preparing to tinue his ics.

  Chapters 81 and 82 of Shaman King and Samurai X were starting to take shape. With delicate strokes, he began to form the designs quickly; stant practice helped him achieve the desired shape for his series. The tter was easier for him to draw; ihan thirty minutes, he had a quick pencil sketch that, with practice, could improve.

  Gwyh emerged from the bathroom wearing his shirt again. Billy looked her up and down; her youthful appearance was charming.

  -What are you going to do all day? - Gwyh asked.

  -I'll be in the room, s out some pending matters—meetings, itments, and some deals. I'll be on the phone all day until the rec. I think Julie would be freer. Maybe have coffee and lun the room. Tell her to take you shopping, -- Billy said, pulling out his wallet and handing her a bck card. Before the petite blonde could take it, he added, -- Be careful; they block it after 100,000 if they find suspicious purchases. -

  -Okay. I might e back ter. Perhaps we have dinner before your rehearsal, - Gwyh said, approag Billy and daringly sitting on his p.

  -Okay, - Billy replied.

  Without waiting fwyh's kiss, she lunged and demanded a deep kiss that Billy reciprocated. The smile the blonde gave him afterward was enough to tih his work. Only three days and Gwyh would be away from Billy.

  He tinued w and ordered a small lunch while fog on his work. Around two iernoon, he decided to call Raimon, who would be getting ready for work. Unfortunately, the iional signal only caused more problems than bes, and the modern times of online ferences were lost for future years. Now, it only remains to propose the right ideas to start highlighting ve applications. For the ing years, he could create panies here and there.

  -Raimon, - he said on the phone.

  -Yes, Billy. I 't believe you called me. I was thinking about you just now. I just talked to Jim Gini about ung the television el, and now we have a presen almost all English-speaking tries, - Raimon said, curiously from the first-flame room of the pany.

  -That sounds fantastic, - Billy said.

  -Oh, it is! By the way, it's not just the television issue. Retly, a producer, a man who says he has a tract with Lux Animation, something about the movie 'The English Patient,' and since we agreed to sponsor it, apparently you were aware along with Steve Parks, - Raimon ented.

  -I do, and we'll make an advance payment so he start signing producers. You talk to Jim to exteionships with people he siders talented; he be a producer as long as he doesn't interrupt Saul Zaents' creative process. I think it would be good for our new iional distribution pany, - Billy responded.

  -You don't say! It was horrible; we have a e with half of Europe—well, I would say Western Europe, some Baltic tries, and others nearby like India in the mix, - Raimon said.

  -Good job. I'll send the volumes I've drawn in these weeks by mail; there are fourteen chapters. Make sure the team is ready, - Billy said.

  Since Jim Lee's departure to create his own ipany, Billy had guided some artists to his drawing roster to facilitate his delivery and drawing time. Terry worked as a freencer and came from time to time to do the express work with the basiic team, along with inker Jimmy Branks, aerer Saul Moon, and sometimes they were joined by Todd to plement the team of four.

  -Of course, - Raimon said.

  -You read them, just make sure not to ent on them with people until their release, - Billy said.

  -I would never do anything trary! - Raimon replied, delighted, as he adjusted his phone; he ying Pa.

  -I have to go. Tell Ao call me iernoon, - Billy said, ending the versation.

  ...