It's at this point that a Team Plasma Ghetsis member runs past you, heading South at a pretty good clip.  Sharp-eyed, Hugh takes notice of this and makes ready to pursue- but Colress calls for him to stop.

As the odd-haired man exits the World Tournament building, he says there's no reason for you and Hugh to get involved in anything so dangerous.  Hugh protests that his sister's Purrloin may be with them, and charges off.  Cheren follows suit quickly, leaving Colress to talk to you.  The scientist is confused, and calls their behavior reckless, rather than courageous.  According to Colress, Hugh is acting as though he thinks he can do literally anything just because there are pokemon with him.

The blond muses for a moment, over the bond between a trainer and pokemon via the poke ball, and wonders if this is what allows trainers to do the impossible with the help of pokemon they trust.  You're freed from the story restrictions now, and Colress will respond if you talk to him- He calls trust an 'unknown factor', but says that if you think your belief in your pokemon gives you enough courage to stand against Team Plasma, then you should follow Hugh and Cheren South to the docks.

Head South onto the dock and then board the ship to the East.  Here, you'll find Hugh and Cheren on board, and Hugh notices that the entire ship is very cold.  The Gym Leader points out that the ship, while modern, is also disguised as a sailing ship- which seems strange.

A Team Plasma member clad in black approaches from the North, asking why you should care about this- after all, if they can beat you it won't matter anyhow.... as five more Team Plasma members come along to back him up.

Hugh, startled, asks if the boat is Team Plasma's base, and is answered by yet another Plasma member approaching from the South.  Five more come along to back him up as he says that that is why there are so many Team Plasma people here.

Hugh is confident, though, and tells Plasma G that they need more people if they expect to win.  The Plasma member from the North laughs at this and mocks Hugh, then calls for an attack.