Dr. Kagerosa

Staring down at the grass, Muki leaned down and dug up two soil samples, one from the grass of the town, and the other of the bordering grass native to this new world. "And did you notice anything out of the ordinary last night?" Muki asked.

The old man thought for a bit. "Cows were mooing, chickens were clucking... pretty loud." 

"Notice any mysterious creatures?"

"Chupacabras? No." 

"I never said chupacabra. Did you mean goblin or elf?" 

"Nope. No pointy-ear freaks around my property."

"How about the other farmers?" 

"I don't talk with them like you girls do on your sns phones. We only sit down after the day's done and drink. Today's been long already, and with then sun still up, there's more shit to do. So you get your dirt already?" 

"Hey, this is for everyone's benefit. We gotta see how the soil quality is now that we're in a new world."

"Are we? Bet the government just did some late-night terraforming. I saw a program that they're hiding chupacabras, keeping em at bay to unleash on unsuspecting farmers to try and steal their land. I ain't falling for it, and if I ever get my hands on a shotgun, I'll use it to defend my place to my dying breath!" 

"Lovely. Just don't let your stupidity contaminate our crops and dairy." 

...

"Why didn't you tell him who you were, or even bother showing up formally dressed?" Jenna asked as she and Muki drove towards the university. 

"Are you stupid too? That guy's a conspiracy nut! So what do you think would happen if I told him I was the girl rumored to be trying to microchip everyone in town instead of just some average uni student? I'd be run through with a damn pitchfork, that's what!" 

"Your bad reputation is your own fault. Though your mood seemed to worsen midway through the survey. What happened?" 

"The bag got seduced by the elf," Muki grumbled as she flashed her tablet. 

Jenna sat in silence as she saw the footage of Machiko and Ikebukuro being shaved and subsequently kissing. 

"That idiot thinks the elf is falling for her, but we both know she's got bad intentions. It didn't dawn on me earlier, but since the bag's the mayor, she's the highest authority here, elevating her to monarch or presidential status. She looks to have realized it too as she went to city hall, but the problem is she's probably going to marry the elf! And with her now being the highest authority in the land, the marriage will stand, and all the elf will need to do is kill her to get control of the town."

"That seems a bit overreactive. Doesn't the city council still exist?"

"She could invoke emergency powers and appoint the elf to vice-mayor, or a newly created position as a means of "improving relations" with the denizens of this world. Shit! Why didn't this dawn on me sooner!? I could've chipped the bag and avoided it all!"

"Madam, with all due respect, that is out of line. It's one thing to subject a servant like me to your microchipping hobby, but forcing it upon your own mother, the head of the household, is a reality I must not entertain."

"What makes her different from the people we've already chipped?" 

"Do you not trust your own mother?" 

"Of course not."

"What if Yamane was the one engaged to the elf? Would you chip her too?" 

Muki scowled and clenched her fist. 

"Well?"

"Just shut up!" Muki fumed as she forced Jenna to shut up via her chip implant. 

...

Arriving at the town's university, Muki returned free will to Jenna as they made their way inside. 

"We'll deal with the bag later. Right now, we gotta cover our bases with the food. We don't have a healthy food supply, doesn't matter if it's bag or elf ruling us, we'll starve to death or die of poisoned produce. Learning the time difference is also a priority given how much perishable food we got lining the shelves. You heard what that farmer said, right? The day feels longer to him. Could mean the time cycle is longer or we're in an Antarctic summer. Too many unknowns, but we gotta learn them early if we want our town to survive here." 

"As you wish."

"And did someone already deliver that elf carcass for examination?" 

"Records indicate it was successfully delivered a half hour ago," Jenna stated as she looked at her phone. 

"Then there better be some results." 

Making their way to a lab at the end of the hall, the two entered and were greeted by a young woman with strawberry blonde hair clad in a grey t-shirt, capri jeans, white sneakers, and a white lab coat.  This was Sana Kagerosa, the university's head research as well as Rosa's mother. 

"Oh? Are you here to hound me about strengthening your terra chips? Denied. I don't believe in microchipping those against their will," Sana snarled. 

"Most of them consent when prompted, don't they, Jenna?" Muki glared. 

"That is correct, but you also order me to chip certain individuals at all costs, regardless of their will." 

Muki clicked her tongue and smacked Jenna across the face. 

"Any other reason you have to bother me?" Sana snarled as she sat down and stroked her hair. 

Muki glared and shoved the bags of soil samples in her face. "We need to see if the soil's sustainable. If our farmland goes, we're all fucked. That and I need you to document the day cycle."

"Demands, demands. And do you think so little of us here to assume we've been sitting on our asses, focusing on other projects unrelated to the new environment we're in? We've got teams monitoring the water quality, and other teams documenting the day cycle. I believe soil samples were also procured as well."

"From the farm?"

"No, you didn't mention they were from the farm. We'll have them analyzed posthaste."

"How about my elf carcass I sent in?" 

"In the state it's in, you won't be getting a 1:1 scale of elf physiology. Now if you're fine with a primitive overview, some findings have come in. Nearly everything looks the same as the inside of a human, though there are some small unknown organs we're unsure of the purpose of."

"Do they seem windy?"

"'Windy'?" 

"That elf used wind magic, so if those organs are related to magic production..."

"I see. We have yet to pursue that hypothesis." 

"Then what about the water you said you had teams studying. Don't tell me our groundwater reserve has merged with this world's groundwater and is getting corrupted by it." 

"It has, but the water appears safe. I imagine this will likely remain true for the soil, but I'm well aware different soil quality can have detrimental effects on crops. And that is all I have to share at the moment. Now may you be off?"

"One more thing; I need to talk with your daughter about a ton of shit, so bring her out."

Sana's gaze narrowed. "I fail to follow. What on earth do you want to speak to my daughter about?" 

"The elf attack, stupid." 

"I've heard nothing of it," Sana snarled, a slight tinge of angst in her voice. 

"Really? She didn't come straight here after getting discharged?"

The line appeared to bring great discomfort to Sana as she shot up out of her chair and began storming towards the door. 

"Oi, where are you going?"

"There's a matter I need to attend."

Yet said matter was closer than she thought as she opened the door to find Rosa standing before it, just about to knock. 

"M- Mother?" Rosa trembled. 

Sana's eyes widened as she took note of Rosa's bald state and the bandages covering her exposed skin. 

"Mother... Sorry, I didn't have enough money, so I had to walk-" 

Sana didn't bother to let her complete her words as she embraced her in a hug. "Pinky... What happened to you?" she trembled. 

"A lot actually," Rosa tearfully smiled.