A pollution cloud that causes mutations has sent most of humanity below ground—except for Elias, who can somehow breathe the air. Ever since his moms were mysteriously abducted three years ago, he’s been living on the surface among the mutants, getting around with the help of a giant pigeon named Paulino. One day he meets a girl named Ana, who lives underground but ventures above wearing a high-tech protective suit. Together, they elude a mob of mutant rats and fight a giant cilantro plant on the way to a showdown with the rat king. The influences of Elias’ and Ana’s parents both loom large. Before they disappeared, Elias’ moms, biologists Clara and Cecilia Alvarado, were working on genetically modifying a “nuevolypto” plant capable of purifying the air; Ana’s stern father, Carlos, casts doubt on her ambitions to become an above-ground explorer and find a way to use plant biology to save humanity. Flashbacks reveal that the cast are connected in more ways than they realize, leading to a climax packed with melodrama. Themes of interspecies empathy combine with dynamic artwork featuring shonen anime–inspired action, reflecting a unique mashup of influences. Spanish terms are interspersed in the English dialogue, often with an on-page translation. Elias and Ana both have tan skin.