On the other side.
"It's you?" Natasha looked at Takagi as he appeared before her, a surprised expression on her face.
"We meet again, Natasha." Takagi smiled and waved.
"Takagi, what are you doing here? It's not safe. Rivet Town is full of Fragmentum zones. You just fainted near one recently. For your safety, it's better to leave quickly," Natasha said solemnly.
"Thanks for the reminder, but I don't think I'll faint again." Takagi's face showed a confident smile.
"You're really confident. Whatever, just follow me for now. We'll leave together in a bit," Natasha said. Takagi could now completely control his Imaginary Energy, preventing any accidental leaks. This made him seem like an ordinary person in Natasha's eyes.
"You're really gentle, Natasha. Speaking of which, besides wanting me to leave, is there anything else you want to tell me?" Takagi asked.
Natasha: "Are you referring to supplies?"
Takagi: "Looks like you haven't forgotten."
Natasha: "Takagi, I have serious things to do right now, so please stop joking."
Natasha didn't believe Takagi's claim about having enough supplies for several months from the start. She preferred to think of it as a fantasy. Now, she just wanted to quickly find Hook, who had come to Rivet Town without permission.
"Is that so? It seems I can only give these things to other people then." Takagi shook his head, looking at a basket of fruit in his hand.
"Wait, those are fruits? Takagi, where did you get those?" Natasha asked in shock.
"Want to try one?" Takagi smiled and held a Teyvat-produced Sunsettia to Natasha's mouth.
"Maybe not. These should be given to those lacking nutrition." Natasha shook her head and placed her hand on Takagi's arm. However, Takagi did not lower his arm despite her pull.
"Don't worry, I have plenty of fresh fruit. Even if you eat this Sunsettia, others will still get some." Takagi opened his Imaginary Space and took out a box. From Natasha's perspective, a wooden box filled with sweet-smelling fruits suddenly appeared beside him.
"Takagi, how many fruits like this do you have?" After being stunned for a few seconds, Natasha gripped Takagi's arm with both hands and asked quickly.
Belobog was covered by cold ice and snow. Even in the slightly better Overworld, fresh fruit was a luxury, let alone in the Underworld. People there barely ate fruit year-round. Although Natasha didn't know the types, she could judge their high quality. Thinking of Takagi's previous promise, she couldn't help but pay attention.
"Don't rush; eat this Sunsettia first. After that, I will answer your questions." Takagi offered the fruit again. This time, Natasha didn't refuse. She opened her mouth and gently bit into it. As the sweet pulp entered her mouth, she showed a rare expression of enjoyment.
"It's not poisonous, and it's very nutritious," Natasha spoke after analyzing it with her abilities.
Takagi: "Worthy of being a doctor; even eating fruit requires a professional analysis."
Natasha: "Sorry, I've just never seen this fruit before, so I wanted to make sure it was safe before giving it to others."
Takagi nodded understandingly: "It's okay. This way, you won't give all the delicious food away; because you need to test it, you get to eat some yourself."
Natasha: "Do you want me to taste more?"
Takagi: "Yeah. You and Seele helped me, after all. Try this bottle of grape juice."
A bottle of high-quality grape juice from Dawn Winery appeared in his hand. Natasha looked at the juice, then at Takagi's serious gaze. Finally, she allowed him to pour some into her mouth. As the juice entered, her expression became increasingly intoxicated. She went to analyze it, but then noticed several more wooden boxes had appeared. They were filled with grain, disinfectant, and bandages.
"Takagi, did you find all of these?" In her excitement, Natasha accidentally spilled some juice on her chest, but she didn't bother to wipe it. She confirmed the supplies were real, her heart filled with delight.
"What you see is just a small part. In my Imaginary Space, I have enough for the Underworld to use for a long time. However, space here is limited, so I'll take the rest out once we find a warehouse," Takagi said.
Natasha: "Are these all for us?"
Takagi: "Of course!"
"Tha... thank you." Natasha stepped forward and happily held Takagi's hand, her eyes misting over.
Takagi: "Uh, you don't need to cry, right?"
"Sorry, I'm just too excited. You don't know how much the Underworld is lacking right now. Seele has been trying, but there hasn't been good news. I thought you were joking, but you were telling the truth. After I find Hook, let's go back to Boulder Town together."
Takagi: "No problem. Also, I know where Hook is. She's just on the next street over and is very safe." He pointed in the direction he had come from.
"These supplies..." Natasha looked at the crates on the ground.
"I'll put them away." With a thought, the supplies returned to his space. "Next, we'll finish this Sunsettia and grape juice, then head to Hook." He shoved the items into her hands. "Don't refuse. You've already taken a bite, and the juice is opened. You can't expect me to put them back."
Natasha nodded and began to eat. Although she wanted to be frugal, the quantity of supplies Takagi had shown gave her the confidence to be extravagant for once. When she had finished half the bottle, she stopped.
"I've never had such delicious juice. This would be a luxury even in the Overworld. Drinking it all feels too extravagant," Natasha murmured, handing the bottle back. "The rest is up to you."
Takagi: "I have plenty, just drink it."
Natasha: "I've had enough. Besides, juice tastes better when shared, doesn't it?"
Takagi: "If you insist." He finished the remaining juice and then fixed his gaze on the bottle opening. 'Does this count as an indirect kiss?' he wondered.
"Stop looking, Takagi, let's go." Seeing him staring at the bottle, Natasha seemed to realize something. With a slight blush, she took his hand and led him forward.
"Um, I'm not going to run away. I don't think you need to hold me so tightly," Takagi said.
"Sorry, please let me hold your hand like this. It makes me feel more at ease. After all, you did suddenly disappear before," Natasha smiled at him without letting go. Though she didn't know how he obtained the supplies, his importance to her had skyrocketed.
Takagi didn't mind; he wasn't at a disadvantage. Holding Natasha's hand felt like soft cotton candy. It wasn't long before they reached Jean and Lumine, personally witnessing Barbara using her new power to destroy an Outworld Blaze.
Natasha's brows furrowed at the traces of battle. "Hook has gotten involved in something she shouldn't have again. I'll have to have a talk with her when we get back. But first, we need to deal with the remaining monsters."
Holding Takagi's hand with one, Natasha picked up her grenade launcher with the other and aimed at the three remaining Incineration Shadows facing the group.