Chapter 4: Past the Cascade Badge

With the Cascade Badge you can use Cut and the Route 5 raid is armed. Saffron City is on lockdown, so the only way on to Vermilion City is the Underground Path under Route 5 and Route 6.

Main quest in this chapter: go down the Underground Path (it needs the Cascade Badge) and come out on Route 6, the road to Vermilion City.

Do the Route 5 shelter raid before you go down: the raid is a one-time chance (it is also on a story deadline) and the Route 11 Swablu quest in Vermilion depends on it.

Hidden items along the way

Optional stops in this chapter’s locations. Some spots may need a return visit; check the location notes for access limitations.

Open a location for item names, directions and available screenshots.

• Mt. Moon Square — 1 spot
• Mt. Moon Square (Clefairy dance night) — 1 spot
• Route 10 — 1 spot
• Route 5 Underground Path — 2 spots

Browse all hidden items

Walkthrough

Mt. Moon Square again. The Square’s visitors are back and Asher’s gang blocks the spring (the shop stops selling Fresh Water meanwhile). Beat Asher and collect thank-you gifts: Destiny Knot, Everstone, and a Soothe Bell from the couple by the shop.

Opens up:

• Mt. Moon Square: Asher's gang and the spring (after the Cascade Badge)

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/02-pewter-to-vermilion.md q-0031; script files 9, 6, 758 @3895/@3899 (the Cascade Badge scene clears flags 1387 and 1994)

East of Cerulean: Routes 9 and 10. Route 9 has the Squirtle Squad trap (Pikachu starters), a girl deciding whether to release her Butterfree and a man with a Paras who wants a Repel. The Pokémon Center at the north end of Route 10 has Cynthia, who offers one battle between the Cape festival and the day you beat Archie on the S.S. Anne. The tunnel door beside it (Rock Tunnel) is guarded for now.

Opens up:

• Route 9: the Squirtle Squad steals your Pokédex (Pikachu starters only) Pikachu only Missable
• Route 9: the Butterfree girl (release it or keep it)
• Route 9: the Paras mushroom picker (Repel → Zinc)
• Optional strong Trainers (Route 9, Route 10, Route 11)

Technical source (script files and flags)

script files 190 (Route 9: scripts 4/5 Squirtle, 13/19 Butterfree girl), 192 (Route 10 Pokémon Center, Cynthia hide flag 1102 cleared at the festival 216 @11989, set again at the Archie fight 157 @1492). UNVERIFIED: the earliest moment Route 9 can be entered. The collision grid shows the corridor east of Cerulean ends in one-way ledges; walking it was not completed in the emulator. Placed here, after the festival, because Cynthia only stands in the Route 10 Pokémon Center from then on.

Route 5. Walk south down the middle of the path to the Pokémon shelter: a Team Rocket grunt is stealing the shelter girl’s Pokémon. Step in and help (the Pokémon at risk is Bulbasaur for Pikachu starters, Growlithe for everyone else). Refusing loses it for good. Winning gets you the Pokémon, a Cleanse Tag from the grandfather and the Magical Leaf tutor. Her Swablu escapes to Route 11.

Opens up:

• Route 5: the Pokémon shelter raid (after the Cascade Badge) Missable

Technical source (script files and flags)

script files 179 (script 3 trigger x1297-1302 z160, var 0x409E = 0; the Cascade Badge scene resets it), 183 (shelter house); file 17 @12165 closes an unfinished raid at the Sabrina laugh.

Saffron’s gates and the Underground Path. The guards at the gatehouse refuse to let you into Saffron City (“lockdown”). Take the Underground Path from the Route 5 gatehouse instead. In the middle, a street fighting event runs: Blue’s win streak, four challengers and then Green (Red for a girl). You don’t have to win the last fight. Afterwards the MC hides on Route 6 and hands over your “prize money” (Fast Ball and Love Ball). The Underground Path doorways close again when you rescue Prof. Hale in Rock Tunnel.

Opens up:

• Underground Path: the underground battle (story, Cascade Badge) Missable

Technical source (script files and flags)

script files 182 (Route 5 gatehouse script 2 triggers while var 0x409F = 0: ‘Saffron City’s gates are under lockdown’), 185, 187 (Route 6/7 gates); 181 (script 3 and the battle script check CheckBadge 1 = Cascade; script 8 L2293/L2389); 184 (MC, flag 1866). Doorway blockers: flag 1226 (set at the roadblock end 9 @5598, cleared by the Rock Tunnel rescue 129 @1141).

Quests in this chapter

Open the ones you want; tick Done to hide them. Filters at the top apply to this whole page.

Mt. Moon Square: Asher’s gang and the spring (after the Cascade Badge)

Mt. Moon Side quest

Opens with the Cascade Badge. The Fresh Water shop is closed while Asher's gang holds the spring. Do first: Mt. Moon: what opens the fake guards' roadblock.

Where: Mt. Moon Square. Asher and his two girlfriends block the spring, about 10 steps west and 3 steps south of the shop door.

Who gets it / when: once you’ve won the Cascade Badge from Misty. The Square’s visitors reappear and Asher’s gang moves in. The shop stops selling Fresh Water for now.

How it works:

1. Talk to any visitor who complains about the gang: the couple just southwest of Asher, the old woman or the old man (a couple of steps left of the shop door and a few steps down), or the clerk inside the shop. Before you do, Asher only asks you politely to wait.
2. Talk to Asher and battle him: Rich Boy Asher, Haunter/Skiploom/Spinda/Lopunny, all Lv. 25. Losing whites you out. Win and the gang leaves.
3. Collect the thank-you gifts.

Reward:

• Destiny Knot: from whichever of the couple southwest of Asher you talk to first. The other one only sings.
• Everstone: from the old woman (the upper one of the old pair near the shop door).
• The old man only reminisces.
• The shop sells Fresh Water again ($600).

Notes: the couple about 11 steps east and 5 steps south of the shop door (also there only after the Cascade Badge) gives a Soothe Bell after their little skit, whether or not you beat Asher. The Clefairy Moonblast tutor (costs 1 Moon Stone) is also hidden until the Cascade Badge, and only dances at night.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 9 (scripts 7, 10–14; L1647, L1863, L1905, L1958), file 6 (shop), file 758 L3895/L3899 (TM03 scene clears flags 1387 and 1994). Talking to a complaining visitor sets flag 1232; beating Asher sets flag 1994. Positions: Asher and girlfriends ≈17–19,46–47; couple ≈16,50–51; old woman ≈26,46, old man ≈26,47; Soothe Bell couple ≈39–40,48; shop door 28,43.

Route 9: the Squirtle Squad steals your Pokédex (Pikachu starters only)

Route 9 Side quest Pikachu only Missable

Pikachu starters only. Closes when Sabrina laughs in Pokémon Tower (the start of the Saffron takeover).

Where: Route 9. The trap is a Poké Ball on the ground at the far west end of the route. The gang waits further east, on the north side of the route.

Who gets it: Pikachu starters only. With other starters, the Poké Ball is a plain Lum Berry and none of the following happens.

How it works:

1. Pick up the Poké Ball. It explodes, and your Pokédex is stolen: it’s gone from your menu. The Squirtle gang appears.
2. Walk east to them; the scene starts as you come up below them. Your lead Pokémon says you have to win it back: battle Squirtle (Lv. 5). A win returns the Pokédex. A loss whites you out and the scene fires again. The Pokédex stays missing until you win.
3. Two Team Rocket grunts net the worn-out gang. Squirtle escapes, and a police officer appears who wants to arrest it.
4. Walk further east. The grunts beat the officer, then set their Electrike on Squirtle. “Things look bad. Step in and help Squirtle?”
   • Yes: Double Battle against the two grunts (Mightyena, Chingling, Spheal / Shuppet, Corphish, Flaaffy, Lv. 17–18). Win and the whole gang is freed. A loss whites you out and the scene fires again.
   • No: Squirtle and its friends are taken “to Master Ariana”. That branch isn’t followed up on Route 9.
5. If you saved them, talk to Squirtle: “Will you take Squirtle as a partner?” → Yes gives Squirtle, Lv. 5. The officer keeps the rest of the gang to train as a police squad.

Notes: missable. When Sabrina laughs in Pokémon Tower (the start of the Saffron takeover), the game closes this quest if you never picked up the Poké Ball, or if you’ve won the Pokédex back but haven’t reached the grunt scene yet. The same step also marks the ball as picked up for every starter, so other starters lose the Lum Berry in it if they haven’t taken it by then. If your party is full, Squirtle waits for you to make room.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 190 (scripts 3–6, L1483, L1634, L2781, L4060, L3254, L4686), file 17 L12442–12551. Pikachu starters: flag 1288. Stolen Pokédex: flag 107 cleared. Ball ≈1356,139; gang ≈1384–1386,134–135; first trigger ≈1383,138; second trigger ≈1389–1398,139–142. Line 333#12 is spoken by the species in party slot 0. Grunt Double Battle: trainers 972+973. Takeover fallback (file 17 L12442): closes the quest only if flag 1094 (ball picked up) is clear or var 0x40B0 == 0, jumping to L12539, and sets 1094 for everyone.

Route 9: the Butterfree girl (release it or keep it)

Route 9 Side quest

Where: the east half of Route 9, a girl with her Butterfree a few steps south of Veteran Dawn.

How it works: she can’t decide whether to release her Butterfree so it can breed. The talk can go up to five menus deep (Keep → Day Care → “oh well” → “keeping it is fine” → a last choice). What counts is your last answer:

• She releases it after “True. Wild Pokémon are prettier.”, “Yes, that would be selfish.” or “Breeding is sacred. Let it go.”.
• She keeps it after “…They just say that for money.” or “Look around. Shouldn’t be hard.”.
• “Just passing by” ends the talk at any menu, and you can ask again.

Reward: none on Route 9. Follow-up: once she has released it, Route 12 has Bug Catcher Harlan, who has caught “Butterfree flying in from the north” (two Butterfree, Lv. 32). That follow-up is on the Route 12 page.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 190 (scripts 13, 19; L3609–L6095; release sets flag 1103, keep sets 1882), file 199 script 21. Girl ≈1409,147.

Route 9: the Paras mushroom picker (Repel → Zinc)

Route 9 Side quest

Not for Pikachu starters.

Where: Route 9, a man with a Paras on the north edge of the route, about 17 steps east of the route sign in the west part. Not for Pikachu starters: they never meet him. Everyone else finds him there whenever they reach Route 9.

How it works: he needs a Repel to numb his Paras before picking its mushrooms. Answer Yes while you have a Repel and he gives you a Zinc (one time). Afterwards he sells Big Mushrooms ($3,000) and TinyMushrooms ($1,000).

Notes: he actually takes an Oak’s Parcel instead of the Repel (see Known issues), so in practice you keep your Repel.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 190 (script 17, L3875, L5310; Zinc flag 385). Position ≈1384,135. His hide flag 2274 is set by the Mt. Moon Rocket battles (file 7 @2056), cleared at the end of the roadblock (7 @2930), and set again for Pikachu starters only (file 9 @5969); nothing clears it after that.

Optional strong Trainers (Route 9, Route 10, Route 11)

Side quest

Cynthia's Route 10 battle is only here until you beat Archie on the S.S. Anne (Chapter 6). The Route 9 and Route 11 strong Trainers (Veteran Dawn, Ace Trainer Marisa) need the Marsh Badge, much later.

• Route 10 Pokémon Center: Cynthia offers one battle (Gabite Lv. 24, Lucario Lv. 19, Spiritomb Lv. 17, Scyther Lv. 18). She’s there from the festival on Route 25 until your fight with Archie in the S.S. Anne captain’s cabin. There’s no item. A loss whites you out and you can try again.
• Route 9, Veteran Dawn (east half of the route, a few steps north of the Butterfree girl): needs the Marsh Badge (Saffron Gym, Sabrina). Singles or doubles, repeatable, Lv. 81–82 team.
• Route 11, Ace Trainer Marisa (a few steps east of the Diglett’s Cave entrance, with her Jolteon): appears after the Radio Tower Observation Deck scene. She says you need seven Badges, but she only checks for the Marsh Badge (Saffron Gym, Sabrina). Singles or doubles, repeatable, Lv. 81–82.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 192 (script 8; Cynthia is trainer 180, object 9 at ≈7,13; the battle needs flag 1540 clear; her hide flag 1102 is set early by file 9 @5574, cleared by the Route 25 festival scene, file 216 @11989, and set again by the Archie confrontation, file 157 @1492), file 190 (script 20, L5356; Dawn ≈1407,141; CheckBadge 4 = Marsh Badge, which file 826, the Saffron Gym, gives (GiveBadge 4 @165); trainer 977), file 197 (script 13, L840/L3122; Marisa ≈1363,300; CheckBadge 4; trainer 978; she appears when file 34 clears flag 759).

Route 5: the Pokémon shelter raid (after the Cascade Badge)

Route 5 Side quest Missable

Closes when Sabrina laughs in Pokémon Tower. Choosing No loses the Pokémon, the Cleanse Tag, the Magical Leaf tutor and the Route 11 Swablu reward.

Where: outside the Pokémon shelter house on Route 5. The scene starts when you walk south down the middle of the path toward the house, about 11 steps north of its door. The side lanes to the west and east of the house skip it, so walk straight down the middle.

Who gets it / when: after the Cascade Badge. Deadline: if the raid hasn’t happened by the time Sabrina laughs in Pokémon Tower (Vermilion City to Celadon City), it’s lost: the Pokémon disappear and there’s no reward.

How it works: a Team Rocket grunt tries to steal the shelter girl’s Pokémon. Her Swablu escapes. The Pokémon at risk is Bulbasaur for Pikachu starters and Growlithe for everyone else. The game asks “This looks bad. Step in and help?”.

Warning: No loses the Pokémon for good, and with it the Cleanse Tag, the Magical Leaf tutor and the Swablu reward on Route 11.

• Yes: battle the grunt (Mightyena Lv. 20 with a Choice Band, Sudowoodo Lv. 20, Granbull Lv. 23). Win to save the Pokémon. Losing whites you out and the raid plays again.
• No: the grunt takes it away. It doesn’t come back.

Reward (if you saved it): inside the house:

• The saved Pokémon wants to travel with you. Talk to it and answer Yes to “Take Bulbasaur/Growlithe along on your journey?” to get Bulbasaur or Growlithe, Lv. 15 (needs a free party slot).
• The grandfather gives you a Cleanse Tag. After that he also teaches Magical Leaf for free, as often as you like.

Follow-up: the escaped Swablu turns up on Route 11 (Vermilion City to Celadon City). To return it you must have won the raid and taken the saved Pokémon along. Bring the Swablu home for 3 PP Max, or let the Route 11 girl keep it for 1 PP Max from the shelter girl plus 2 Chesto Berries from the Route 11 girl.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 179 (script 3, L1283, L2144; trainer 966; which Pokémon is decided by flag 1037/1038, set in file 9 L5646), file 183 (scripts 1–4; L669, L904 Cleanse Tag needs raid-won flag 305, L1037 Magical Leaf); file 758 L8040 clears flag 1043 and resets var 0x409e (Cascade Badge); file 17 @12165 closes an unfinished raid (Sabrina scene). Route 11 is file 197 (flags 1445/1451; it checks 1046 and 1047, which file 9 L5538/L5542 sets and the raid win clears for the saved Pokémon only, so taking that one Pokémon is enough). Step trigger x 1297–1302, z 160 (var 0x409e = 0); side lanes x≈1291–1293 and x≈1306–1308; house door 1297,171.

Underground Path: the underground battle (story, Cascade Badge)

Route 5 Route 6 Main quest Missable

Where: the Underground Path, entered from the Route 5 gatehouse. You need the Cascade Badge to take part (the people at the entrance talk about needing “two Badges”).

When: the Underground Path’s doorways are open only from the end of the Mt. Moon roadblock story until you rescue Prof. Hale in Rock Tunnel, and again from Team Rocket’s takeover of Saffron City; in between, an invisible barrier stops you at each doorway. Do the battle on your way to Vermilion City.

How it works: after Blue’s win streak you fight a string of opponents: Blue, then four challengers, then Green (Red for female players). Losing to Blue or any of the four challengers whites you out. You don’t have to win the last battle. If you lose to Green (or Red), she takes the “prize money”, and the police raid ends the event either way.

Reward: none at the time. Later, the MC is hiding on Route 6, at the north end, about 5 steps north and 2 steps east of the Underground Path entrance building’s door. Talk to him and he hands over your “prize money” as 1 Fast Ball and 1 Love Ball (one time only).

Technical source (script files and flags)

files 181 (script 3 and the battle script check CheckBadge 1 = Cascade Badge; script 8, L2293/L2389; earlier losses go to L2379 WhiteOut), 184 (script 1, L629; one-time flag 1866). MC ≈1311,260; Underground Path gatehouse door 1309,265. Doorway blockers are hidden by flag 1226 (Route 5 object 22, Route 6 objects 10/20, Route 7 object 22, Route 8 object 9); 1226 is set at the end of the Mt. Moon roadblock story (file 9 script 20 @5598) and the takeover (file 17 @12023) and cleared by the Rock Tunnel rescue (file 129 @1141); emulator (CN, Route 7): blocked with 1226 clear, open with it set (guide-review-20261006/known-issues/C/). The battle (coord script 8, var 0x40a2 = 0) sets 0x40a2 = 1 (L3420) and hides the crowd with flag 1050 (L3358).