"Why was that...?" Could the thief actually be riding pretty slowly? Without a point of reference at first, I hadn't noticed, but now that I looked, the little red dot representing him was moving much more slowly across the screen than mine. It even seemed to be slowing down further. That was why I was closing the distance so quickly.
There were three possible explanations. First, the thief had limited mobility or very poor stamina. Second, something had happened to him along the way. Third, he wasn't watching for pursuers at all and had completely let his guard down.
Maybe I was just wishing for the outcome I wanted most, but I thought the third possibility was the likeliest. For one thing, someone with poor stamina or a physical disability probably wouldn't choose to steal a bicycle so readily. Someone who wasn't confident in their ability to escape wouldn't choose this approach. They would probably do something cleverer and stealthier.
Hmm... whatever the case, it works in my favor. Still, I'd be happier if he's an idiot who's already letting his guard down.
Let's assume he's an idiot for now. He's probably pedaling along leisurely, without checking whether anyone's catching up behind him. If I pretend to be an ordinary passerby, I should be able to approach him from behind easily and strike first.
"Huff... huff..." As I struggled to pedal, I thought through my plan for when I caught up. All I had on hand were a Mimikyu and a Froakie who had only just become my partner. Honestly, my options were limited.
Still, I'll just have to go for it! I gave myself a mental pep talk.
Suddenly, as I watched the navigation map, I noticed something. The possibility that came to mind made me break out in