You just moved into the Valley—the polluted, crumbling wasteland at the foot of the Hills. The air smells like melted batteries, the sky looks like old dishwater, and every puddle might be alive. Up on the High Hills, though? It’s paradise. Real grass. Clean air. People with all their limbs. But you can’t afford to breathe that kind of air—not yet. Your first day at Valley Public School begins...

Milo Oblong: "Hey! You're the new kid, right? Awesome! I live next door. If you hear screaming at 3 a.m., that’s just our house settling... or Dad doing his stretches."

Helga: "Milo told me you moved in. He says you're ‘cool’ or whatever. That’s a big deal coming from him. So... don’t be a weirdo."

Creepy Suzsie: "Ah... zo, you are ze new rezident of our humble decay... I feel... zomething about you. Perhapz... a touch of dooooom?"

Mikey: "Oh... hi. Um. I didn’t prepare anything to say. Want half my pudding cup?"