Lucian Starfall knew something was wrong when the stars began to fall.
It was not the first time he had witnessed a meteor shower.
In his previous life, he had watched recordings, documentaries, and even seen one from the backyard of his old home.
He knew the scientific explanation: fragments of rock entering the atmosphere and heating up until they became streaks of light.
This was different.
The lights crossed the sky in silence, far too slowly and brightly.
Some were blue, others white, and a select few possessed a violet hue that made the air above Celestia Island tremble.
Lucian stood beside his bedroom window with both hands resting against the frame.
His reflection showed a five-year-old boy with silver-white hair and eyes of such a pale lavender that they seemed to glow beneath the moonlight.
He did not remember looking like that in his previous life.
Nor did he remember the stars being able to whisper.
“Lucian.”
Elena’s voice came from behind him.
The boy did not answer.
Something was calling to him from the mountains.
It did not use words.
It was a faint sensation buried beneath countless layers of stone, trees, and darkness.
A cold and lonely presence that appeared and disappeared like a broken radio signal.
“Lucian,” Elena repeated as she approached him.
“Your grandfather said we aren’t supposed to open the windows during a storm.”
“It isn’t a storm.”
“Then why is the glass shaking?”
Lucian lowered his gaze.
The window was vibrating beneath his hands.
It was not because of the wind.
The air inside the room had grown heavy, and an invisible pressure seemed to spread from his body.
The curtains floated despite the window remaining closed.
The books on his desk trembled and slid several inches toward the edge.
Elena stopped.
She was the same age as him, although at moments like this, she seemed even younger.
Her brown hair had been tied into a messy braid, and she wore a yellow nightgown beneath an oversized robe.
She had probably left her bedroom after noticing the lights in the sky.
“Are you doing that?”
Lucian looked at one of the books.
The book slowly rose into the air.
For a moment, his mind went blank.
Then every object in the room began to float.
The books lifted from the desk.
The pillows separated from the bed.
A chair rose several inches off the floor, while the small Pokémon figures decorating one of the shelves slowly spun in place.
Elena’s eyes widened.
“Lucian!”
“I’m not doing it on purpose.”
His answer sounded calmer than he felt.
A sharp pain tore through his head.
Lucian closed his eyes and pressed both hands against his temples.
The world filled with sounds that did not enter through his ears: confused thoughts, nameless emotions, and fragments of images that did not belong to him.
Fear.
Surprise.
Concern.
Elena’s mind was the closest, a warm and trembling light.
Farther away, he sensed other presences inside the mansion.
Servants waking up, restless Pokémon, and guards running through the corridors.
Then he felt something far more powerful.
Alakazam.
The Psychic-type’s presence resembled a tower of golden light standing in the middle of a storm.
Lucian barely brushed against it before a barrier rose between them.
It was not an attack.
It was a firm but careful protection intended to prevent the child’s inexperienced mind from continuing to expand without control.
Lucian opened his eyes.
Every object fell at once.
The noise made Elena jump.
A Rapidash figure struck the floor and lost one of its legs.
The chair crashed onto its side, and several books landed open around the room.
“I think your grandfather is going to be angry,” she whispered.
Before Lucian could answer, the voice returned.
It did not come from inside the mansion.
It came from the mountains.
This time, it was stronger.
Lucian felt cold, hunger, and a loneliness so deep that, for a moment, he forgot where he was.
He saw black stones.
A cavern illuminated by blue minerals.
Several metallic silhouettes floated around an enormous figure.
Metagross.
Lucian recognized the Pokémon immediately, even though the image lasted for only a moment.
It was enormous, much larger than any specimen ever shown in the anime or games he remembered from his previous life.
The markings covering its body resembled ancient scars, and its presence dominated the entire mountain.
Dozens of Beldum and Metang floated around it.
All of them kept their distance from a small silver figure.
A Beldum.
Its body lacked the dark blue coloring characteristic of its species.
Instead, it was a brilliant silver, and its single red eye watched the colony from a crack between the rocks.
None of the others approached it.
The small Beldum did not attempt to return to them either.
Lucian felt its confusion.
It did not understand why it was different.
It did not know why the others avoided it or why the leader of the colony watched it with a mixture of severity and concern.
It only knew that it was alone.
The connection broke abruptly.
Lucian stumbled backward and struck the desk.
Cracks spread across the window from its center, forming a spiderweb pattern.
“What did you see?” Elena asked.
Lucian breathed heavily.
“There’s someone in the mountains.”
“There are always Pokémon in the mountains.”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
A violet light appeared around his body.
It was not intense, but it was enough to lift several tiny pieces of glass that had broken away from the window.
Elena took a step toward him.
“Your eyes are glowing.”
“I know.”
He had not known until she mentioned it, but he could feel it.
Something had opened inside him.
For five years, Lucian had lived a strange existence.
He retained the memories of another world and knew things no child his age should have known.
He remembered the anime, the games, the regions, the Pokémon, and numerous events that had not happened yet.
At first, he believed that knowledge would be his greatest advantage.
Then he was born as a Starfall.
His new surname belonged to an ancient family that had once wielded considerable influence throughout Kanto.
Researchers, breeders, explorers, and powerful specialists in Psychic- and Steel-type Pokémon had carried the Starfall name across the world.
However, the family’s glory had faded.
Recent generations had been small.
Some heirs died young, others left the island, and a few disappeared during expeditions.
The psychic abilities of the Starfall bloodline stopped manifesting until they became little more than a family legend.
Only Alaric Starfall and his grandson remained.
At least, they were the last ones who still carried the name.
Lucian had always suspected that his birth into this family was no coincidence.
The color of his eyes, his sensitivity to the emotions of certain Pokémon, and the ease with which he understood concepts related to psychic energy were signs that were far too obvious.
Even so, he had not expected his awakening to be so violent.
Another pulse swept through the room.
This time, the window did not survive.
The glass exploded outward.
Elena screamed and covered her head, but none of the shards touched her.
Every piece remained suspended in the air, trapped by a violet force.
Lucian watched them with his heart pounding.
He could feel every fragment.
The large ones, the small ones, and even the fine glass dust.
It was as if hundreds of invisible fingers were obeying his thoughts.
The door burst open.
An Alakazam appeared first, holding both spoons in front of its body.
Its eyes shone blue, and a transparent barrier immediately surrounded the two children.
Alaric Starfall entered behind him.
Even in his sixties, he remained an imposing man.
His silver hair was swept back, and he wore dark trousers with a white shirt, over which he had hastily thrown a sleeping robe.
He needed neither a uniform nor any badges to command respect.
He had once been a candidate for Kanto’s Elite Four, a master breeder, a researcher, and one of the most respected Psychic- and Steel-type specialists of his generation.
He was also the only man Lucian knew who could argue with Professor Oak for three hours and walk away convinced that he had won.
Alaric’s gaze swept across the room.
First, he saw the fallen furniture.
Then the suspended glass.
Finally, he looked at his grandson’s glowing eyes.
He did not appear surprised.
“Alakazam.”
The Pokémon raised one of its spoons.
The pressure filling the room disappeared.
The shards of glass carefully descended into a pile beside the wall.
The pain in Lucian’s head weakened.
Alaric approached without taking his eyes off him.
“Elena, are you hurt?”
The girl quickly shook her head.
“Lucian stopped the glass.”
The elderly man inspected their hands and faces before nodding.
“Return to your room. Mrs. Mara is in the hallway and will accompany you.”
Elena looked at Lucian.
“But…”
“Now, little one.”
There was no harshness in his voice, but there was no room for argument either.
Elena walked toward the door.
Before leaving, she turned around and pointed a finger at Lucian.
“Don’t make anything else explode without warning me first.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
She appeared satisfied with his answer and left the room.
Alaric waited until her footsteps faded.
“Tell me what happened.”
Lucian looked at Alakazam.
The Pokémon remained motionless, but its eyes were still glowing.
“I heard something.”
“A voice?”
“Not exactly. Emotions and images. They came from the Astral Mountains.”
Alaric’s expression changed.
It was barely noticeable—a slight tension in his jaw and a brief movement of his eyes toward the shattered window.
Anyone else would have missed it.
Lucian knew him too well.
“You know what’s up there.”
“I know many things about this island.”
“I saw a colony of Beldum.”
The silence that followed confirmed Lucian’s suspicions.
Alaric turned toward Alakazam.
“Examine his mind. Carefully.”
The Psychic-type approached.
A soft blue light surrounded its spoons before covering Lucian’s forehead.
He had to suppress the instinct to resist.
It did not feel like an invasion.
Alakazam did not examine his memories or attempt to cross the barriers Lucian had built around his previous life.
It merely studied the newly opened channels of his psychic energy.
The process lasted less than a minute.
When it ended, Alakazam lowered its spoons and communicated telepathically with Alaric.
Lucian could not hear the words, but he saw the concern in the elderly man’s expression deepen.
“What is it?” he asked.
“You have awakened our family’s gift.”
Lucian looked at his hands.
“I had already guessed that.”
“You don’t know what it means.”
“Then explain it to me.”
Alaric narrowed his eyes.
Most adults would have scolded a five-year-old for speaking that way.
His grandfather had long since accepted that Lucian did not behave like other children.
He did not know the truth about Lucian’s reincarnation, but he knew his grandson observed, learned, and understood far more than he should.
“The psychic abilities of the Starfall family were never limited to moving objects,” Alaric finally explained.
“Our ancestors could establish mental bonds with their Pokémon, sense emotions, perceive energy, and even communicate across great distances. Some of them developed unique abilities.”
“Why did those powers stop appearing?”
“No one knows for certain. Weakened blood, genetic changes, a hereditary blockage, or simple misfortune. Your father never displayed any abilities. Neither did I.”
Lucian raised his gaze.
“But you specialize in Psychic-type Pokémon.”
“Understanding them does not mean possessing their powers.”
Alaric walked to the broken window.
From there, most of Celestia Island could be seen.
The Starfall mansion stood atop a hill near the coast.
Farther below were the breeding center’s buildings, training fields, and vast Berry orchards that glimmered beneath the meteor shower.
Beyond them began the wild territory.
Forests, lakes, cliffs, and grasslands where different Pokémon tribes lived under the family’s protection.
Some accepted the presence of humans, while others merely tolerated the breeders who cared for the island.
At the center of the island rose the Astral Mountains.
Their peaks remained covered by clouds during most of the year.
Few safe paths existed, and the most important ones were protected by natural barriers, powerful Pokémon, and ancient security measures established by the first members of the Starfall family.
Lucian had grown up hearing a single rule about those mountains.
He was never to enter them without Alaric.
“The colony you saw exists,” the elderly man admitted, “but its presence is a secret our family has protected for generations.”
“Why?”
“Because humans are extraordinarily talented at destroying the things they consider valuable.”
Lucian could not argue with that.
An entire colony of Beldum, Metang, and Metagross would attract poachers, criminal organizations, unscrupulous researchers, and Trainers willing to do anything to acquire one.
“Is that Metagross their leader?”
Alaric glanced at him from the corner of his eye.
“Yes.”
“It’s enormous.”
“And much older than I am. My grandfather already knew it when he was young.”
That made Lucian think about the creature again.
The Metagross from his vision had not merely seemed powerful; its presence had weighed upon the entire mountain.
“There was a different Beldum,” Lucian said.
“It was silver.”
Alaric’s reaction was immediate.
He turned around completely.
“Are you certain?”
“Its body was silver and its eye was red. It was separated from the others.”
Alakazam made a low sound.
Alaric exchanged another look with it.
“You will not attempt to establish contact again.”
Lucian frowned.
“I wasn’t the one who initiated the connection.”
“Then if it calls you again, you will close your mind.”
“It’s alone.”
“That does not change my decision.”
“Grandfather…”
“No.”
The word fell with more force than a shout.
Lucian remained silent.
Alaric took a deep breath and softened his expression.
He knelt in front of him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Listen to me, Lucian. You have just awakened an ability that no Starfall has manifested in generations. You do not know how to control it, and only a few minutes ago, you nearly injured both yourself and Elena.”
“I stopped the glass.”
“After breaking the window.”
It was difficult to argue with that.
“A mental connection is not always safe,” Alaric continued.
“Another being’s emotions can become mixed with your own. A powerful mind could harm you without even intending to. If you tried to reach the mountains again and the colony’s leader interpreted your presence as a threat, not even Alakazam could protect you from this distance.”
Lucian looked at the Pokémon.
Alakazam showed no disagreement.
“Why can that Beldum reach me?”
“I don’t know.”
“You always say that ignoring something won’t make it disappear.”
“And I also say that a researcher who does not respect danger rarely lives long enough to publish his discoveries.”
That was certainly something Alaric would say.
Lucian looked toward the mountains.
The lights continued to cross the sky.
Whenever a meteor passed above the peaks, minerals hidden among the rocks responded with faint blue flashes.
“I want to see it.”
“No.”
“Just see it.”
“The answer remains no.”
“You could come with me.”
“Lucian.”
“We could take Alakazam and Metagross.”
“My Metagross will not enter that colony’s territory without an invitation. Even he understands the meaning of caution better than you do.”
Lucian pressed his lips together.
His grandfather correctly interpreted his silence.
“You will not attempt to go alone.”
“I’m five years old. I could hardly climb a mountain.”
“When you were three, you discovered a passage that had remained sealed for nearly half a century.”
“The wall sounded hollow.”
“When you were four, you followed a herd of Ponyta to the northern end of the island.”
“I was studying their migratory behavior.”
“They found you asleep on the back of a Rapidash.”
“That proved they trusted me.”
Alaric stared at him for several seconds.
“Sometimes I forget how exhausting it is to raise you.”
For the first time since entering the room, a small smile appeared on the elderly man’s face.
Lucian returned it.
“That means you don’t completely regret it.”
“Not yet.”
The peaceful moment ended when another sharp pain pierced Lucian’s head.
He staggered.
Alakazam caught him with psychic energy before he could fall.
Alaric immediately regained his seriousness and lifted him into his arms.
“That is enough for tonight.”
“I can walk.”
“And I can carry you.”
“That doesn’t answer—”
“It was not a discussion.”
Alaric placed him on the bed while Alakazam gathered the fallen objects.
The books returned to the desk, the chair stood upright, and the figures went back onto the shelf.
Even the broken Rapidash was placed beside its detached pieces.
“Tomorrow, we will begin meditation exercises,” the elderly man said.
“Until you learn how to protect your mind, Alakazam will remain close to you.”
“Are you going to tell me more about the family’s powers?”
“When you are ready.”
“That means I’ll have to search the library.”
“The important archives are protected.”
“That does not make them impossible to find.”
Alaric released a tired sigh.
“Sleep.”
He walked toward the door, but Lucian called out to him again.
“Grandfather.”
The elderly man stopped.
“Is the Beldum in danger?”
Alaric took several seconds to answer.
“Not tonight.”
It was not a reassuring answer.
He and Alakazam left the bedroom.
The door closed, and an almost imperceptible psychic barrier spread across the walls.
Lucian remained in bed, staring at the ceiling.
He had no intention of sleeping.
The connection with the Beldum had disappeared, but its emotions remained fresh in his memory.
Loneliness, confusion, and a desperate need to belong somewhere.
He understood them better than he wished to admit.
He had awakened in this world with memories of a life that no longer existed.
During his first few years, he had felt like a stranger even inside his own body.
Alaric had given him a family, and Elena had become his first friend, but part of him still feared losing all of it.
Perhaps that was why the Beldum’s call had managed to reach him.
Lucian closed his eyes and attempted to steady his breathing.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
He had read about meditation techniques, but knowing the theory was not the same as mastering it.
His energy moved irregularly, forming waves that collided with Alakazam’s barrier.
After several attempts, he began to distinguish his own mind from the noise outside.
The mansion grew silent.
The servants’ presences faded one after another.
Some Pokémon remained awake in the gardens, but their emotions were simple and distant.
Lucian focused on himself.
Then it happened.
A blue light appeared in the darkness.
It did not come from the room or from his psychic powers.
It was a transparent screen suspended before his eyes.
Lucian stopped breathing.
Letters slowly began to form.
[Conditions fulfilled.]
[Mental awakening confirmed.]
[Soul compatibility verified.]
[Initiating Starfall Development System…]
The screen flickered.
Lucian stared at it without daring to move.
For five years, he had waited for some kind of sign.
A special ability, an interface, or anything capable of explaining why he had reincarnated while retaining his memories.
He had begun to accept that he might never receive anything.
Now, the system was floating before him.
[Initial functions available.]
[Analysis.]
[Missions.]
[Storage.]
[Knowledge Archive.]
[Additional functions locked.]
Lucian tried to touch the screen, but his fingers passed through it.
He felt no psychic energy.
The interface appeared to be connected directly to his mind.
“Analysis,” he whispered.
The screen changed.
His gaze instinctively moved toward the door, where he could still sense Alakazam’s presence.
[Target protected by a superior force.]
[Obtained information will be limited.]
Even without directly activating it on the Pokémon, the system had recognized its barrier.
That confirmed two things.
The first was that the ability was not omnipotent.
The second was that it could provide him with information about real Pokémon.
Not simple statistics from a game, but details about living beings: Potential, strength, physical condition, moves, Abilities, and perhaps even possible development paths.
For a breeder and researcher, such an ability possessed incalculable value.
Lucian restrained his excitement.
He needed to understand the rules before relying on the system.
Every tool had its limitations, and blindly trusting incomplete information was an efficient way to cause a disaster.
The Missions section began to glow.
He opened it.
[First mission detected.]
[The Call of the Stars]
[A young life has asked for your help from the depths of the Astral Mountains.]
[Find the origin of the connection.]
[Establish a voluntary bond with the unknown Pokémon.]
[Rewards: Will be calculated according to your actions and the final outcome.]
[Warning: The target is located within a high-risk territory.]
Lucian read the message twice.
Unknown Pokémon.
The system could not identify the Beldum from such a great distance, or perhaps it refused to display information he had not obtained directly.
That also meant it would not solve every problem for him.
He would have to investigate, train, and make his own decisions.
The screen disappeared.
For a moment, Lucian believed it was over.
Then one final image appeared in his mind.
The cavern.
The blue minerals.
The silver Beldum hidden among the rocks.
This time, he did not see the rest of the colony.
There was only that single red eye staring into the darkness.
The voice was weak, frightened, and barely comprehensible.
But Lucian heard it with absolute clarity.
“Find me.”