Chapter Two: Stolen

As night fell, everyone in Big Green relaxed for a good night's rest. Marie laid down in her bed after Jumpy had found her a spare room to stay in. Her pokemon were returned to their pokeballs except for one. Marie would always let one pokemon sleep with her and tonight was Frubble's turn. The frog like pokemon hopped into the bed. She smiled at him rubbing his head.

"Night pal…" she smiled.

"Froakie." Frubble smiled with a yawn and curled up beside his trainer. Marie fell asleep quickly. Big Green became quiet, and the Zebras were sneaking in.

"How do we find Marie's room?" Sparky White whispered.

"She's got to be close to either Apetruly or First Squad…" Sparky Black said.

"Let's check the rooms close to theirs then." Both brothers nodded and snuck through the halls. Sparky Black checked the rooms near Apetruly's and Sparky White looked near First Squad's. Sparky Black found Marie's room and smirked quietly walking in. He found the red and white balls and snatched them, including Frubble's empty one. Sparky Black snuck out again and found his brother. "I got them, let's get out of here before we're caught."

"Good idea." Sparky White whispered. They snuck out of the room. Frubble woke up and looked around. "

"Fro…?" he asked rather tiredly. Then he hopped out of bed and out the open door. He caught a glimpse of the brothers and hid behind the wall.

"Master Highroller will be so proud of me." Sparky Black boasted. Sparky White turned to him sharply.

"You?! You mean me!" he whispered-shouted.

"No way! You'd be lost without me! And there's no way you could've taken the pokemon without me!"

Frubble blinked at that. They took his teammates! Glaring, Frubble sent a bubblebeam flying their way. It hit them perfectly, sending them flying into the wall with a yelp of shock and pain.

"Froakie!" Frubble snapped. The zebras looked at him. "Ah! We've been spotted!"

"Let's get outta here before the rest of Big Green wakes us!"

"Good idea!" Taking the pokeballs, the zebras rolled away. Frubble tried to go after them, but was stopped by Apetruly's door opening.

"What in the name of great bananas is going on out here!?" he demanded. He looked down at the water type. "Frubble, what are you doing here in the halls? Marie would get worried about you if she saw you were gone." He said picking him up. But Frubble was panicked.

"Froakie! Kie! Fro!"

"Now what has gotten into you?" Apetruly asked, but that was when Marie yelled out.

"MY POKEMON! THEY'RE GONE!"

"Oh my heavens!" Apetruly cried, rushing to Marie's room with Frubble. Marie turned to them, she looked relieved to see her youngest pokemon.

"Frubble! Thank goodness you're alright!" she pulled the froakie out of her arms and hugged him tightly.

"Someone has stolen your pokemon?" Apetruly asked.

"Had to, my pokeballs are nowhere to be found. Frubble, did you see anything pal?" Marie asked him. He nodded quickly and messed with the white foamy bubbles on his neck making it look like a zebra's mane on his head.

"The zebra brothers?!" Apetruly cried. "Oh this is the worst news!"

"They couldn't have gone far. Please wake up first squad, I've got to rescue my pokemon!"

"Right away Marie!" Apetruly rushed to his intercom. "First squad, wake up!" The noise woke each member up with a start. "Report the entrance of Big Green, Marie's pokemon have been stolen by the zebra brothers!"

"You heard the commander! First Squad, deploy!" Mr. Nohands demanded. First Squad lept into action. They met by the docks of the entrance of Big Green. Marie was there with Frubble in her arms.

"We're here Marie, where's those zebras?!" Mighty Ray demanded. "I'll blast them!"

"I doubt that they're fall, but we need to hurry."

"Take my turtle Marie, I will call upon the cheetahs for help." Lin Chung told her. Marie nodded with a smile.

"Thank you Lin Chung." She said as the turtles were summoned for travel. The Cheetahs were woken up and formed to make Lin Chung's legs. First Squad and Marie rushed after the zebras, trying to find them.

Highroller met the brothers halfway. "Did you get them?" he asked.

"Yes master, but…first squad may be after us…" Sparky Black said nervously.

"You idiots! You weren't supposed to attract any attention! Give me those pokeballs!" he said snatching them from Sparky White. He pressed the middle button on one and released Twigs. The grovyle took one look at Highroller and growled at him.

"You will follow my orders now." Highroller said. Twigs crossed his arms and turned his back to him. "Gro. Vyle." Highroller turned to the twins. "What did he say?"

"Uh…we don't speak pokemon…" Sparky Black meekly told him. Highroller facepalmed and pulled another pokeball out, he released Clef. The chatot blinked and glared, readying an attack.

"Ah ah. If you want your friends and precious trainer to be unharmed, then you'll listen to what I tell you." Clef and Twigs blinked. They glared and bowed their heads.

"Good. Now when Marie and First Squad come, you'll hide with us and not make a single peep until they have long passed. Then you'll return to East Citadel with me. Got it?"

"You expect us to just blindly follow your orders?" Clef squawked, being the only one of Marie's pokemon able to speak human language.

"Oh no, I expect you to keep your trainer safe by listening to my orders."
"Gro, grovyle, gro!" Twigs growled. Highroller looked at Clef.

"He said 'You are a horrible man!'"

"Why thank you!" Highroller smirked. They heard Marie calling then

"I think they're this way!"

"Hide, now!" Highroller commanded jumping into the bushes as Twigs and Clef reluctantly followed. Marie rode by on the turtle. "Where are they…I could've sworn…" Lin Chung ran up beside her.

"We'll find them Marie…"

"We have to Lin Chung…they're my best friends…"

"No one in Big Green will stop until your pokemon are returned to you." Cheetah Queen told her. Marie nodded.

"Do you think they may be back at East Citadel?" she asked then

"If they are, we shouldn't just barge in…Highroller will expect that. Knowing him, he'll challenge us to get your pokemon back." Lin Chung analyzed. "For now, let's return to Big Green and plan. We'll rescue your pokemon by daybreak."

"Thank you Lin Chung."

"You are my friend, I will help you the best I can Marie." He told her. With that said, they turned and hurried back. Twigs and Clef watched with broken hearts…but they knew their trainer wouldn't stop until they were reunited.

"Now, let's return to East Citadel! Come on you pokemon!" Highroller snapped. Reluctantly, they followed again. Marie the only thing on their minds…