Eventually, you’re sure to get tired of the same tiny area and come back to face down that Plasma Grunt.

Plasma Battle: Grunt (560 Poke)
Opponent: Patrat Lv 14

The battle lost, the thugs panic, and shove you out of the way so they can hoof it.  Hugh grumbles about the creeps, and Roxie says to split up- directing you to head to Route 20.  She starts to dash off, then returns to tell you that had she lost, her pokemon would have been taken, so she’s going to give you something for helping: HM 01, which contains the Cut attack.  This will let you get past that tree in the Virbank Complex, among other things.  Hugh mentions this to you, but drops the topic in favor of chasing Team Plasma.

Before you follow him, head back to the Complex and pass the tree- hidden behind it is a useful Super Potion.

Head back to Route 20, and move along back towards Floccesy town.  Hugh is waiting on the bridge just past the Hiker, and tells you to help him look- you can find your first Plasma grunt to the South of him without crossing the bridge at all.  Aggravated by your persistence, the goon starts a fight.

Plasma Battle: Grunt (560 Poke)
Opponent: Purrloin Lv 14

Realizing that there’s no way out of the corner she’s backed herself into, the goon declares her intention to head for the ocean, and scarpers off right past you towards Virbank again.  Hugh approaches you afterwards and points out that whatever they may fail at, the Plasma grunts certainly seem to have perfected the finer points of running like terrified shrews.  He does point out that the decision to flee by ocean means that Team Plasma must have a boat of some sort.  Castelia City, he says, has a big port, so it’s possible they’re headed that direction.

Grabbing hold of this lead like a Lillipup with a chew toy, the brunet heads off to Virbank to look for ‘a place where you can get on boats’.  Sigh.