All That Glitters!

On their way to Olivine City, for Ashlyn's next Gym Badge and right they were taking a nice break near a stream. Brock was making them all lunch; stew, with salads on the side and bread. Misty decided to give him a hand.

Ashlyn was polishing her four Gym Badges.

"You certainly look happy when you're polishing your badges, Ashlyn." Volkner said, who had been watching her.

"Rai~" Tesla said, as she sat on the log were all the badges were placed.

"Of course I am Volkner," Ashlyn she petted her partner's head, "We need just four more Gym Badges to enter the Johto League." She told her.

Tesla beamed, "Rairai!" She said.

Volkner couldn't argue with Ashlyn there.

"Okay." Brock nodded, satisfied at the table arrangements, "Lunch is done!" He called out.

"Coming!" Ashlyn said, as she placed away her polished Badges.

Volkner followed behind her.

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After having lunch the gang were helping Brock clean up.

Just then Misty and Togepi saw something sticking out from a bush, it was black feathers. Togepi, being the innocent and curious Pokémon the he is, pulled the black feathers.

"Murkrow!" It said.

"Hey, what's that?" Misty asked Ashlyn.

Before Misty's question could be answered, a black bird Pokémon with a yellow beak popped out from the bush.

"That's a Murkrow." Brock replied.

Ashlyn took out her phone:

[Murkrow, the Darkness Pokémon. Murkrow confuse would-be attackers by luring them into dark mountain trails, where they are sure to get lost.

Note: Murkrow has a fondness for anything sparkly, and it will go as far as fighting with other Pokémon, such as Meowth or Gabite, in order to gain their stashes.]

Misty made sure that her pendant was hidden underneath her shirt.

"Brock," Ashlyn said, "Your things."

Brock nodded and packed up all his equipment, expect one shiny clean spoon, they were lying on the ground.

"Murkrow...." The darkness Pokémon eyes glinted and they immediately picked, snatched each of them up and flew off with it, "Murkrow!!"

"Hey give that back!" Brock shouted and ran after it.

Ashlyn, Misty and Volkner packed up all the rest of the stuff, before any more of them got lost.

"Brock sure is upset over a loss of a spoon." Misty commented.

"Well don't forget Misty, Brock hates it when someone or something takes his things." Ashlyn pointed out.

"Besides you don't like it either when your stuff is taken like your pendant for example." Volkner added.

"You're actually right you two, I don't." Misty agreed.

After picking up all the stuff, Ashlyn, Volkner and Misty caught up with Brock. Brock was now by a cliff and the Murkrow was standing at the top of it, with a big nest beside it. The gang noticed a lot of sparkles coming from the top of the cliff.

"That Murkrow must have taken things from other people as well." Volkner stated.

"Well my phone did say that Murkrow were the thieving type of flying Pokémon." Ashlyn informed.

"Stand aside!"

The gang looked over their shoulders and saw James from Team Rocket with a bazooka gun coming towards them. The gang quickly moved to the sides and let James go in front of them.

"You good for thing bottle cap snatching pile of feathers! You're going to pay!" He declared angrily.

"Bottle cap snatching?" Volkner blinked.

"They stole his bottle caps?" Ashlyn asked.

"He's lost what little mind he has left." Jessie complained as she and Meowth were running towards him, looking exhausted.

"Okay, lock on target and fire!" James fired the bazooka and a net came out.

Murkrow flew out of the way. But James heard the Murkrow cry out in panic. No one could see what the net had caught.

"You can't steal from me!" James announced and turned to Jessie and Meowth, "Help me bring in this cap napper!"

Jessie and Meowth sighed, "Oh alright."

Then the three pulled on the rope.

"Heave ho!" James yelled.

When they pulled the rope, a giant boulder fell down.

James screamed in panic.

"What's that?!" Jessie exclaimed.

"It ain't a Murkrow!" Meowth yelped.

The boulder went flying and sent Team Rocket further into the forest.

"That Murkrow is smarter than we thought." Ashlyn commented.

Brock took out a Pokéball from his pocket. "I'm getting my spoon back." he said, and sent out Crobat to retrieve the spoon from Murkrow.

Once Crobat flew to where Murkrow's nest was, Murkrow saw Crobat and started to pick a fight with him.

"Use Air Cutter Crobat." Brock ordered.

Crobat flapped his wings and released blue energy disc towards the darkness Pokémon. Murkrow flew up to dodge the attack and then flapped its wings, and a cold wind blew out of them.

"Icy Wind." Ashlyn said.

The Icy Wind attack hit Crobat; being an ice type move, Crobat couldn't stand the attack.

"Crobat!" The bat Pokémon cried out in pain.

Then Murkrow's beak turned white and began to spin.

"It knows Drill Peck as well." Ashlyn said, surprised.

Murkrow charged into Crobat, Crobat got really hurt and then Crobat fell to ground over the cliff, unconscious.

"Crobat return." Brock returned Crobat to his Pokéball.

"What should we do now?" Misty asked, "that Murkrow seems pretty tricky and with that icy wind move, it will be tough to defeat with a flying Pokémon."

"I know just the Pokémon." Ashlyn took out a Pokéball, "Go Nariko!"

"Raichu!" Nariko the Alolan Raichu appeared.

"Wow! That's an Alolan Raichu?" Misty asked.

"Yup." Ashlyn replied.

Brock had a worried expression on his face, "Will she be fine? She's a Electric and Psychic-Type while the Murkrow's are Dark and Flying-Type." He said.

"I know that Nariko can handle Murkrow." Ashlyn said with confidence and looked at her Alolan Raichu, "Nariko, there's a Murkrow on that cliff and it took Brock's spoon. Can you get it back?" She asked.

"Raichu." Nariko nodded.

"Be careful, its really smart and its at an advantage of type." Ashlyn warned.

"Rai!" Nariko nodded, she flew up and saw the Murkrow, "Raichu Rai!" She called out.

"Murkrow? (Another one?)" The darkness Pokémon's blinked.

"Rai Raichuuuuu!" Nariko fired a Thunderbolt attack.

"Murkrow!" The Murkrow dodged the Thunderbolt attack and it used Double Team, surrounding her and then they all charged with Drill Peck.

"Raichu!" Nariko used Double Team, avoiding the Drill Peck attack. "Raichuuuu!" She used Electroweb and tossed it towards one of the Murkrow that hits another copy.

"Murkrow? Murkrow!" Murkrow cried out as an Electroweb hits it, forcing it to the ground with a electricity web around itself and the Electroweb shocked it, "Murrrkroowww!" It collapsed with swirling eyes.

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"Yes!" The gang cheered.

"Great job, Nariko!" Ashlyn cheered.

"Raichu~" Nariko rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Nariko, could you bring Murkrow and the shiny objects as well?" Ashlyn asked.

"Raichu. (No problem.)" Nariko nodded. She turned to the unconscious Murkrow and the objects and her eyes glowed blue and all the shiny items and Murkrow glowed and floated, she flew down the cliff with them.

Ashlyn quickly took out her Fast Ball and captured Murkrow with it. "Now this Murkrow won't be stealing items from people anymore." She said.

Nariko gently placed them on the ground in front of the gang. They were surprised by the amount of shiny objects that Murkrow had; metal bells, safety knives, spoons, forks, pennies, bottle caps, bracelets, pins, earrings, necklaces and rings.

"This Murkrow sure was busy, huh?" Ashlyn asked, sweat-dropped.

"Raichu." Tesla and Nariko nodded.

"Definitely." Volkner agreed.

Brock looked through the pile and found his shiny spoon, "Found it!"

"Good for you, Brock." Ashlyn said.

"But what are we going to do with all of this stuff?" Misty asked.

"We should take them to Officer Jenny maybe she can place a picture up, I'm pretty sure that some people are missing these." Brock replied, he saw many shiny items and some looked expensive.

Ashlyn took out a plastic bag and started putting the objects in it. Everyone helped out as well. Then she placed the bag into her backpack.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew at them. Then they heard a familiar laughter. The gang looked up and saw a Murkrow shaped robot flying above them.

"Team Rocket!" The gang exclaimed.

"Prepare for trouble, this is one of our traps." Jessie said.

"Make it double I still want my caps!" James demanded.

"Yeah, yeah, they know the rest!" Meowth interrupted.

"Tesla, Nariko, use Swift on the wings!" Ashlyn ordered.

Both electric types summoned a bunch of stars and they shot towards the Murkrow robot's wings which caused a few sparks and smoke.

"Oh no!" The Team Rocket trio gasped.

"Now Thunderbolt!" Ashlyn commanded.

The two electric Pokémon fired their attack at the robot which electrified the trio inside and then it exploded, sending Team Rocket higher into the air.

"Another plan ruined." Jessie sighed.

"I didn't get my bottle caps back!" James whined.

"No one cares about your stupid bottle cap collection!" Meowth snapped.

"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" Team Rocket screamed as they disappeared into the sky.

"WOBBAA!" Wobbuffet added.

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And so the gang took the rest of the shiny items to Officer Jenny and told her what happened.

Officer Jenny was glad that the Murkrow was caught, apparently many people has lost their items to it and was difficult to battle with because of its agilities and attacks.

The gang gave the items to Officer Jenny who told them that she'll place pictures of the items, so people who lost them will have it returned to them.

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After dealing with a Murkrow that stole Brock's spoon and Team Rocket, they continued on their journey.

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Pokémon on hand: Raichu (Tesla)(F), Type: Null (Talos)(Genderless), Zeraora (Raiden)(M), Shiny Charizard (Natsu)(M), Lucario (M), Marshadow (M), Shiny Articuno (Yukina)(F), Alolan Raichu (Nariko)(F), Bayleef (F), Croconaw (M), Quilava (M), Flaffy (F), Sliggoo (F), Heracross (M), Murkrow (M)

Pokémon Caught: Heracross (M), Furret (F), Stantler (F), Bayleef (F), Quilava (M), Togetic (F), Croconaw (M), Steelix (M), Flaffy (F), Girafarig (F), Misdreavus (F), Drizzile (M), Thwackey (M), Shiny Greninja (Genji)(M), Shiny Chestnaught (Cybele)(F), Hakamo-o (M), Sliggoo (F), Meowstic (Orin)(M), Meowstic (Bella)(F), Thievul (F), Gothorita (F), Rapidash (F), Houndour (M), Shiny Noctowl (M), Zeraora (Raiden)(M), Alolan Raichu (Nariko)(F), Marshadow (M), Murkrow (M)