Chapter 5: Vermilion City and the Thunder Badge

Vermilion City is on the edge of a fight: Granny Kin wants to build over the Diglett tunnels and Lt. Surge is meant to be blocking her. You arrive just as the argument boils over.

Main quest in this chapter: hear out the six townspeople, choose a side with Blue or with Green/Red (this choice locks one partner out of the romance route and changes two gifts), fight the clash the next morning, then beat Lt. Surge for the Thunder Badge (Strength).

Arriving in Vermilion also lifts the fake police on Route 2 near Viridian City. That opens a warehouse and a gatehouse there that were out of reach until now. Several side quests start here: the Good Rod, the Fan Club, Horsea and Wingull, the seaside cook, and Route 11.

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.

• Vermilion City — 5 spots
• Diglett’s Cave — 1 spot
• Route 11 — 1 spot

Browse all hidden items

Walkthrough

Arriving in Vermilion. The first time you step into town, a street scene plays: Lt. Surge, Granny Kin and the townspeople argue over the construction site. Afterwards you can walk around town. Blue and Green (Red for a girl) wait in the Pokémon Center.

Because you have now been to Vermilion, the fake police on Route 2 leave. The Team Rocket warehouse on the eastern road north of Viridian City and the gatehouse with the Magcargo fan are open now (see the two quests; the warehouse ball is a starter-dependent gift and is lost when the Celadon hideout falls).

Opens up:

• Route 2: the Rocket warehouse Poké Ball (starter-dependent gift) Missable
• Route 2: the Magcargo fan (show a Pokémon)

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 774 (script 14: coord trigger at 1305,289 with var 0x40A3 = 0; end of the scene @1227-@1263 sets flag 1873, which is the hide flag of the Route 2 ‘road closed’ police: zone 10 objects 1050-1051,193, zone 414 object 1034,139; and the Route 2 man says ‘Now that the guards are gone…’ when 1873 is set, file 169 script 10 L1496). Collision check (MapGrid zone 414, flood fill from the Viridian Forest north gatehouse): with the police at 1034,139 the Diglett’s Cave door and the warehouse door are unreachable; without them both are reachable. Tester suspicion ‘after Diglett’s Cave’: REFUTED, the gate is the first arrival in Vermilion (the Cave itself plays no part). Ariana’s level: trainer 443 = Tyranitar Lv. 55, Nidoqueen Lv. 50 (tester guessed 64: REFUTED); grunt = trainer 274 (Lv. 25 team).

Things to do in town (all open as soon as you can walk around): feed the Wingull and the Horsea by the water (Oran and Yache Berries), show the fisherman Ryochi a Horsea for the Good Rod, win over three Fan Club members for the Bike Voucher (you need a Poké Doll for one of them), and bring the seaside cook a Shoal Salt and a Big Mushroom. East of town, Route 11 has a Swablu girl and an argument over cutting the grass.

Opens up:

• Vermilion City: feed the Wingull and the Horsea
• Vermilion City: the Good Rod (show Ryochi a Horsea)
• Vermilion City: the Pokémon Fan Club (three members → Bike Voucher)
• Vermilion City: the seaside cook (Shoal Salt + Big Mushroom)
• Route 11: the Swablu from the shelter Missable
• Route 11: cut the grass or save it (choose a side)

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/02-pewter-to-vermilion.md q-0044; guide/03 q-0047, q-0048, q-0049, q-0054, q-0055 (script files 774, 779, 780, 781, 197). The Swablu return needs the Route 5 raid (q-0033). The Good Rod angler needs the clash to be over and the townsfolk side.

The dispute. Talk to Blue or Green/Red, then listen to all six townspeople: Lt. Surge and Granny Kin at the fenced site, a resident near the Poké Mart, a sailor near the port, a man in the south-east corner and a woman west of the site. Go back and say Yes to the partner whose side you want. Warning: the next Yes locks out one romance partner (Green/Red if you back Blue, Blue if you back Green/Red) until the Six Island wish.

Opens up:

• Vermilion City: the construction-site dispute (choose a side)

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/03-vermilion-to-celadon.md q-0046 (script files 777 scripts 2/11, 774 scripts 1, 12, 13, 21, 23, 24; law side sets 2141, townsfolk side sets 2153)

The clash. The night passes and the clash starts the next morning (Lorelei announces the League’s construction ban). The law side fights two Multi Battles, the townsfolk side one against Lt. Surge and Blue. Afterwards the town hands out thank-you gifts: Cheri Berries, a Magnet, and (townsfolk side only) a King’s Rock from the sailor and Big Mushrooms from the woman.

Opens up:

• Vermilion City: after the construction-site clash
• Cerulean City: King's Rock for TM04

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/02-pewter-to-vermilion.md q-0045 (file 774 scripts 1, 21, 23, 24, 31); King’s Rock needs flag 1065 = townsfolk side (the Cerulean TM04 trade, q-0036, then works with it)

Lt. Surge’s Gym. Battle Lt. Surge for the Thunder Badge. He gives you a Light Ball (a Thunder Stone if your starter is Pikachu), the Radio Card and his number. With the badge you can use Strength, the Vermilion sparring partner trains Speed, and the S.S. Anne is open to you.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 776 (GiveBadge 2 @428; Light Ball/Thunder Stone per starter flag 1288); guide/13 ‘Field moves’ (Strength = Thunder Badge); S.S. Anne boarding checks CheckBadge 2 and the S.S. Ticket (154 L890-L946)

The Bike Voucher. Once the Fan Club chairman gives you the Bike Voucher, the Cerulean Bike Shop trades it for a Bicycle. You can then lend the Bicycle to the kid in south Cerulean for an Amulet Coin later (the reward waits for the Rainbow Badge).

Opens up:

• Cerulean City: lend the kid your Bicycle (→ Amulet Coin) Missable

Technical source (script files and flags)

script files 780 (voucher), 764 (Bike Shop), 756 (script 22 kid: returns the bike and gives the Amulet Coin only with the Rainbow Badge; the offer closes with the Route 7 scene, 186 @1807, Chapter 8)

Quests in this chapter

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

Vermilion City: the construction-site dispute (choose a side)

Vermilion City Main quest

Continues in Vermilion City: after the construction-site clash.

Where: the Vermilion Pokémon Center. From the street scene when you first arrive in Vermilion until the clash, Blue stands with his Wartortle in the middle of the room, about six steps up from the door. Green (male player) or Red (female player) stands with Ivysaur on the left (west) side.

Who gets it / when: everyone. It’s story, but the answer changes gifts and your romance options.

How it works:

1. Talk to either partner. Blue was turned away at the Gym because the Leader has no time; both ask whether you know what’s going on in town. Answering Yes before you’ve gathered the facts gets “Go ask around town some more”.

2. Hear out all six people in town (talking to them is enough):

   Who	Where
   Lt. Surge	at the fenced construction site east of the Pokémon Center
   Granny Kin	right next to Surge, on his east side
   Resident (Surge applied for a ban 30 days ago)	a few steps south-west of the Poké Mart door
   Sailor (the city was built by sailors)	south, near the port: about eight steps north of the Harbor door
   Man (Professor Birch warned about a Diglett disaster)	the south-east corner of town
   Woman (grew up in Vermilion)	just west of the construction site

   Warning: the next Yes picks your side and locks one partner out of the romance route (see the table below). It can only be undone by the Six Island wish.

3. Go back and answer Yes again. The partner you talk to decides your side:

   • Blue: “Are you coming with me?” to help Lt. Surge hold the site entrance against the townsfolk. Yes = law side.
   • Green / Red: “Will you help me?” to help the townsfolk stop the construction. Yes = townsfolk side.
   • Answering No sets nothing; that partner goes it alone (“Tch. I can handle it without you.” from Blue, “Looks like it’s up to me” from Green/Red). You can ask again.

4. Saying Yes heals your party, ends the day and starts the clash next morning (Lorelei then announces the League’s ban). The law side fights two Multi Battles in a row; the townsfolk side fights one, against Lt. Surge and Blue.

What the choice changes:

	Law side (Blue)	Townsfolk side (Green/Red)
Romance	Green/Red is locked out as your partner	Blue is locked out as your partner
Thank-you gifts	no King’s Rock, no Big Mushrooms	King’s Rock (the sailor near the port) and 2 Big Mushrooms (the woman west of the site)

Gifts both sides get (Vermilion City: after the construction-site clash): 2 Cheri Berries, a Magnet, and Lt. Surge’s Light Ball (a Thunder Stone for Pikachu starters).

Notes: this is the earliest romance lock in the game. If you want Blue later, side with Blue here; if you want Green (male player) or Red (female player), side with them. The lock is not quite final: the one-time Amulet Coin wish in the Island Forest on Six Island (“I want to be more attractive”) lifts it again. Lt. Surge’s line after the badge does not change with your side: everyone hears the townsfolk version. The King’s Rock matters for Cerulean’s TM04 trade.

If you lose the clash: you white out and the side choice is reset, so you choose again and can switch sides. The romance lock from your first choice stays, so switching locks out both partners (until the Six Island wish). Tested in an emulator up to the first battle: the clash clears your side choice before it starts, and siding with the other partner afterwards keeps the first lock and adds the second. The lost battle itself wasn’t played; the white-out is read from the script.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 777 (scripts 2, 11; L376–L677: law side sets flags 1064 and 2141 and clears 1065 at L614; townsfolk side sets 1065 and 2153 and clears 1064 at L651; both set 1058 and var 0x40A4 = 1), file 774 (scripts 1, 12, 13, 21, 23, 24; L2345, L4014, L4089, L4135, L4040, L7768). Partner positions in the Pokémon Center ≈9,13 (Blue) and ≈3,15 (Green/Red), shown until the arrival scene (file 774 script 14, step trigger ≈1297,295 outside the Pokémon Center; first run at L2623 clears hide flag 1058). Town positions: Surge ≈1312,297, Granny Kin ≈1314,297, resident ≈1308,312, sailor ≈1308,332, man ≈1325,333, woman ≈1304,298. The clash clears both 1064 and 1065 (774 L2664/L2668 and L4909/L4913); only the end of the townsfolk route sets 1065 again (774 @9403). Law side battles: 141+145+967, then 141+968+969 (boys) / 141+971+969 (girls); townsfolk side: 968+142+970 (boys) / 971+142+970 (girls). Every clash loss whites out (L6321). Surge’s post-badge line checks 1064 (file 776 @917), which is always clear by then, so the law line 478#18 is unreachable (hack finding). Six Island wish: file 55 (Island Forest) L3017–L3094 clears 2141–2145 and 2153–2157, once only (flag 2194), skipped if flag 2300 is set. Dialogue: Green/Red 479#23/24, Green/Red No 479#31/32, Blue No 479#7/#8. Emulator (emu_harness.py guide0107 --case clash): with the law side chosen (1064, 2141, 1058 set, 0x40A4 = 1) the trigger runs L2623 and at the first battle 1064 and 1065 are clear, 2141 set; from that state Green/Red’s Yes sets 1065 and 2153 with 2141 still set. Not played: losing the clash’s Multi Battle (an AI partner fights alongside).

Vermilion City: after the construction-site clash

Vermilion City Side quest

The choice (Vermilion City to Celadon City): the night before the clash, in the Vermilion Pokémon Center, you choose whether to back Green (or Red) and the townsfolk, or Blue and the law. That choice also closes a romance route: siding with the townsfolk closes Blue’s (female players), and siding with Blue closes Green’s (male players). See the central romance entry.

Thank-you gifts in town (after the clash):

• 2 Cheri Berries from the resident a few steps south-west of the Poké Mart door.
• King’s Rock from the sailor about 8 steps north of the Harbor entrance, only if you sided with the townsfolk. This is the King’s Rock for Cerulean’s TM04 trade.
• 2 Big Mushrooms from the woman about 7 steps east and 4 steps south of the Pokémon Center door, only if you sided with the townsfolk.
• Magnet from the man in the southeast of town, about 16 steps east and 7 steps north of the Harbor entrance.
• Lt. Surge gives a Light Ball (a Thunder Stone if your starter was Pikachu) after your Gym battle, together with the Radio Card and his phone number. His line is the same whichever side you took.

The empty lot: the builder on the empty lot east of the Pokémon Center (about 20 steps east of its door) asks you to ask Lt. Surge whether to make the lot a park. Ask Surge in the Gym, then come back for a Black Belt.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 774 (scripts 1, 21, 23, 24, 31; L2360, L4040, L4104, L7768, L4449), file 776 (L917, L1229, L1351: Pikachu-starter flag 1288 → item 83 at L1462, else item 236), file 777 (L614/L651; the choice). Townsfolk = flag 1065, law = flag 1064; romance exclusions: flag 2153 (Blue) and flag 2141 (Green’s scenes; Red’s own dates use 2154, which this choice doesn’t touch); the King’s Rock and Big Mushrooms need flag 1065. Surge’s line checks 1064 (L917), which the clash always clears, so everyone hears the townsfolk version. Positions: resident ≈1308,312 (Mart door 1310,309); sailor ≈1308,332 (Harbor door 1309,340); woman ≈1304,298; Magnet man ≈1325,333; builder ≈1317,296 (Pokémon Center door 1297,294).

See Known issues for suspected hack bugs in this area.

Vermilion City: feed the Wingull and the Horsea

Vermilion City Side quest

Where: by the water in south Vermilion, east of the Gym door. Two Wingull sit 8–10 steps east of the Gym door (the first one right next to a woman who tells you to go feed them), and the Horsea is about 10 steps east of the Gym door.

Wingull: “Feed Wingull an Oran Berry?” → Yes uses 5 Oran Berries. The first time, the Wingull next to the woman brings you a Big Pearl and leaves. The other Wingull can be fed again, with no further reward.

Horsea: “Feed Horsea a Yache Berry?” → Yes uses 5 Yache Berries. Then “Horsea wants to come with you. Try to catch it?” → Yes starts a wild battle against Horsea, Lv. 25. Winning, catching or running away removes it. Losing whites you out. Answering No still uses up the 5 berries.

Alternative: the fisherman about 7 steps east and 2 steps south of the Horsea, just south-east of a house door, is part of the Good Rod quest (Vermilion City to Celadon City). He fishes the Horsea up for you, or gives you one if it’s already gone: Horsea, Lv. 25, once. He only helps after the construction-site clash, if you took the townsfolk side, after Ryochi has asked you for a Horsea and before you get the Good Rod, and not while you’re carrying Oak’s Parcel.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 774 (scripts 35, 36, 44, 20; L4491, L4550, L7843, L7893 (loss L6321 WhiteOut), L3932, L7523; the fisherman needs flags 1056, 1065 and 1419, no item 484, and 1867 clear); Good Rod quest is file 779. Positions: Wingull ≈1303,315 (Big Pearl, flag 1406) and ≈1305,317; Horsea ≈1305,319; fisherman ≈1312,321; Gym door 1295,319.

Vermilion City: the Good Rod (show Ryochi a Horsea)

Vermilion City Side quest

Where: the Fishing Guru’s house, the westernmost door on Vermilion’s north row (five steps west of the Pokémon Center door). Ryochi, vice-president of the Kanto Fishing Association.

How it works:

1. Talk to Ryochi. He asks you to hook a Horsea and show it to him. Then “Do you have a Horsea with you?” → Yes → pick it from your party. He only looks; you keep it.
2. Ways to get a Horsea:
   • The wild Horsea in the water on the west side of town, five steps west of the central house’s south-east door: feed it 5 Yache Berries and catch it (Lv. 25, Vermilion City: feed the Wingull and the Horsea).
   • Easier (townsfolk side only, after the clash, before you get the Good Rod): after talking to Ryochi, talk to the angler on the south shore, a few steps south-east of the central house’s south-east door. He fishes the shore Horsea up for you, or, if it’s already gone, just gives you one: Horsea, Lv. 25 (needs a free party slot, one time). “Don’t tell Ryochi I fished up that Horsea for you.” He won’t help while you’re carrying Oak’s Parcel.
   • Fishing one up with the Old Rod doesn’t work: Horsea never appears on the Old Rod.
3. Show it to Ryochi.

Reward: Good Rod. After that he only talks about the Lake of Rage angler.

Notes: showing the wrong Pokémon gets “That’s not a Horsea…”; you can retry freely. The angler only helps after you’ve spoken to Ryochi.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 779 (script 1; Ryochi clears flag 1419 after the Good Rod, @222), file 774 (script 20; L3932, L7523, L7640). Fishing Guru door ≈1292,294; shore Horsea ≈1305,319; angler ≈1312,321. The angler (774 script 20) needs flag 1056 (clash over), 1065 (townsfolk side), 1419 (Ryochi’s request active), no item 484 (Oak’s Parcel) in the Bag, and 1867 clear (his one-time gift, set when he gives it). Horsea appears only in Surf, Good Rod and Super Rod slots across all encounter tables, never Old Rod.

Vermilion City: the Pokémon Fan Club (three members → Bike Voucher)

Vermilion City Side quest

Where: the Pokémon Fan Club, south-west of the Pokémon Center (the westernmost door on the middle row of houses).

How it works: the chairman won’t reward you until you’ve won over three members. Do them in any order:

1. Pokéfan Roxy (west side, next to her Bayleef): “Want to battle and see?” → Yes. Bayleef, Delcatty, Nidorina, all Lv. 21. Losing whites you out; you must win for it to count.

2. The Clefairy fan (south-west): wants a Clefairy Poké Doll. Buy a Poké Doll (Vermilion Mart, $1,000) and give it to him. He gives you Leftovers.

3. The quiz lady (north, beside the chairman): eight questions. One wrong answer ends the quiz (“Wrong! Think it over and come back.”) and you restart from question 1. Unlimited retries.

   #	Question	Answer	Position
   1	Which is the smallest?	Diglett	2nd
   2	Which is the lightest?	Chingling	4th
   3	First round of a Super Contest judges…	Condition and coat	3rd
   4	How many rounds in a Super Contest?	3	1st
   5	Which can’t learn Attract?	Staryu	2nd
   6	What does infatuation do?	Can’t attack 50%	4th
   7	Which does NOT raise friendship?	Winning battles	2nd
   8	What kind of Pokémon do you like best?	any answer

   Reward: Shed Shell.

4. Talk to the chairman (north-east). He makes you an Honorary Member and gives you the Bike Voucher. Take it to the Cerulean Bike Shop for a Bicycle.

5. Talk to him again and say Yes to his story for one more gift: Thunder Stone if you chose Charmander, Rare Candy otherwise. Needs Bag space.

Notes: this is the only Bike Voucher source found in this page. The Bike Shop checks only for the voucher, with no badge check.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 780 (scripts 1–4, 8; flags 1075 Roxy, 1077 Clefairy fan, 1076 quiz, 1078 voucher, 248 extra gift), file 764 (Bike Shop), trainer 521. Fan Club door ≈1293,309.

Vermilion City: the seaside cook (Shoal Salt + Big Mushroom)

Vermilion City Side quest

Where: the east half of the central house. Use the door directly south of the Poké Mart, across the street (the house’s south-east door), not the west door.

How it works: the cook wants seasonings for seafood. Bring 1 Shoal Salt and 1 Big Mushroom and talk to her; she takes both automatically. If you’re missing either, she just repeats the request.

• Shoal Salt: the old street merchant in Vermilion ($2,000; he stands about 16 steps east of the Poké Mart door and is always there; he also sells Deep Sea Tooth and Deep Sea Scale for $2,500 and Soft Sand for $3,000), S.S. Anne shops/gift.
• Big Mushroom: the townsfolk-side gift above (2), Route 9 shop ($3,000), hidden items elsewhere.

Reward: 3 Sacred Ash (“the soot from the bottom of my pot”). One time.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 781 (script 3; flag 1074). Door ≈1310,318. Street merchant: file 774 script 27, ≈1326,310.

Route 2: the Rocket warehouse Poké Ball (starter-dependent gift)

Route 2 Side quest Missable

Not available at the start: opens when you first arrive in Vermilion City. Take the live ball before the Celadon hideout falls (Chapter 8). Ariana's team is Tyranitar Lv. 55 and Nidoqueen Lv. 50. Losing to her doesn't white you out; losing to the grunt does.

Where: the small house on the eastern road of Route 2, north of Viridian City, that Team Rocket uses as a warehouse (the fake police block the road next to it).

When: not at the start. The fake police stand on the road, and the house is out of reach, until you first arrive in Vermilion City (the street scene before the construction-site dispute). After that the road is open again.

How it works: the room is full of Poké Balls. All but one only say “A Poké Ball with a Pokémon inside.” The live one is in the second row, just right of where the grunt first stands. Take it (Yes).

Reward: Charmander starters get Doduo, Lv. 20; everyone else gets Barboach, Lv. 20.

Notes: one-time. If your party is full it says so and you can come back. The ball can be taken before or after the battle. The battle starts only when you talk to the grunt: he asks who you are, and “I came to take down Team Rocket” starts it (the grunt, then Ariana). “I got lost and wandered in” avoids it; he just tells you to leave. Ariana is far stronger than you at this point (her Tyranitar is Lv. 55), but losing to her doesn’t white you out: the scene goes on the same way. Losing to the grunt does.

Missable: take the ball before the Celadon Rocket hideout finale, which empties the warehouse.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 171 (script 3, flag 1473; the live ball is at 6,4; it checks only the menu answer, party size and starter). The grunt (zone 417 object 17, hide flag 308) has object type 0 and sight 0, so he never spots you; script 2 menu @114/@122: battle 274 (a loss → L1645 WhiteOut) then Ariana TrainerBattle 443, 0, 1, 0 (a loss → L1651, which runs the same pack-up and ends at L2103), or “I got lost”. Ariana’s pack-up hides objects 0–16 except the ball (8). File 853 @3782/@3786 (Celadon hideout finale) sets 1473 and 308.

Route 2: the Magcargo fan (show a Pokémon)

Route 2 Side quest

Not available at the start: opens when you first arrive in Vermilion City.

Where: the gatehouse on Route 2’s eastern road, the one that joins the Viridian side to the Pewter side (not the Viridian Forest gatehouse next to it).

When: not at the start. The fake police block both ends of this road until you first arrive in Vermilion City (the street scene before the construction-site dispute).

How it works: a man wants to touch a Magcargo. Have Magcargo in your party and talk to him.

Reward: 2 Rawst Berries (one time). He gets burned.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 173 (script 6, flag 309; item 152 × 2). The man stands at 38,7 in zone 419, the room joining Route 2 (1050,192) and Route 2 East (1050,183).

Route 11: the Swablu from the shelter

Route 11 Side quest Missable

The Route 5 raid must be finished first (win it and take the saved Pokémon to return the Swablu). Closes when Sabrina laughs in Pokémon Tower. Do first: Route 5: the Pokémon shelter raid (after the Cascade Badge).

Continues Route 5: the Pokémon shelter raid.

Where: the west end of Route 11, just south of the Diglett’s Cave entrance. A little girl stands there with the Swablu right beside her.

Who gets it / when: anyone who has finished the Route 5 raid, either by winning it or by refusing to help. (Losing the raid battle only whites you out and the raid replays.) Walking up to the girl, from the west or from the north-east, starts the scene.

How it works:

1. A Shady Guy tries to catch the girl’s (wild) Swablu so he can sell it. You’re asked “Stop Swablu from being caught?”.
   • Yes: battle Shady Guy Wayne (Ariados, Swellow, Girafarig, Lv. 22). Win and the girl gives you 2 Leppa Berries. A loss whites you out and the scene replays.
   • No: he catches the Swablu and leaves. The girl cries, and the Swablu part of the quest is over.
2. Returning the Swablu needs two things: you won the Route 5 raid, and you took the Pokémon you saved (Bulbasaur for Pikachu starters, Growlithe for everyone else) from the shelter house. Until then, talking to the Swablu only gets its cry.
3. Talk to the Swablu: “Isn’t this the Swablu that belongs to the girl in the house on Route 5? Take Swablu with you?” → Yes. The girl asks whether she can keep looking after it, then “Take Swablu with you?” again:

Choice	What happens	Reward
Yes (take it home)	You’re taken straight to the Route 5 house. The owner thanks you and tells you to keep the Bulbasaur/Growlithe.	3 PP Max
No (let the girl keep it)	Go to the Route 5 house yourself and tell the owner. She agrees. Then go back to the girl on Route 11.	1 PP Max from the owner, then 2 Chesto Berries from the girl

Notes: if you refused to help in the Route 5 raid, the Route 11 scene still plays, but the Swablu can’t be returned. The stolen Pokémon doesn’t come back anywhere on Route 11. Missable: if the raid never happened by the time Sabrina laughs in Pokémon Tower (the start of the Saffron takeover), the game closes it as lost. The Route 11 girl then says her Swablu “got taken away”, although no scene played.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 197 (scripts 1, 7, 8; L899, L1627, L2739, L3493), file 183 (script 2, L669), file 179 (L2446/L2812 set flag 305 “raid won” and reset var 0x40BE to 0, which arms the Route 11 scene; refusing also resets it; a loss against trainer 966 only whites out at L2876), file 17 L12165 (takeover: sets 1043, clears 305). Return conditions: flag 305 set and flags 1046 and 1047 both set. Both are pre-set by file 9 L5538/L5542; the raid win clears only one (file 179 L2462 Bulbasaur or L2828 Growlithe), and taking that Pokémon sets it again (file 183 L232/L420). Girl ≈1359,311, Swablu ≈1358,311; trigger tiles ≈1356,312–314 and ≈1362–1363,310.

Route 11: cut the grass or save it (choose a side)

Route 11 Side quest

Where: the middle of Route 11, about halfway between Diglett’s Cave and the east gatehouse. A man with a Scyther wants to clear a path. A Guitarist with an Electabuzz defends the Pokémon’s habitat.

How it works: talking to either one plays their argument. Then talk to the one you want to help and answer Yes.

Warning: you only get one choice, and it decides which reward you get and who turns up again on Victory Road 3F. You fight the other one. Your helper says they’ll take three of the Pokémon, but the battle is an ordinary single battle.

Side with	You battle	Reward
The grass cutter (Scyther)	Guitarist Gideon: Electabuzz, Lunatone, Rotom (Lv. 22)	Metal Coat
The environmentalist (Electabuzz)	Ace Trainer Ulysses: Scyther, Seviper, Diglett (Lv. 22)	Electirizer

Notes: you only get one choice. The loser leaves. A loss whites you out and you can try again. Victory Road 3F checks which side lost, so the losing side comes back on Victory Road 3F in the final chapter.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 197 (scripts 5, 6; L1335, L2239, L2489, L3415, L3466; the argument sets flag 1894 at @1570; the loser’s hide flag is 1610 or 1895), file 110 (Victory Road 3F checks 1610/1895). Positions ≈1377–1380,305.

Cerulean City: King’s Rock for TM04

Cerulean City Side quest

Needs a King's Rock: the sailor's gift here if you took the townsfolk side.

Where: the Trainer with the dim Slowbro, about 12 steps west and 4 steps north of the Pokémon Center door.

How it works: show up with a King’s Rock and accept his offer. He takes it and gives you TM04 Calm Mind. He won’t offer the trade while you already have TM04.

Where to get the King’s Rock: the Vermilion sailor’s thank-you gift after the construction-site clash, townsfolk side only (Vermilion City: after the construction-site clash). It’s also a gift on Cinnabar Island and in Azalea Town.

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 756 (script 3, L1503, L3003). Position ≈1297,127.

Cerulean City: lend the kid your Bicycle (→ Amulet Coin)

Cerulean City Side quest Missable

Needs your Bicycle (Bike Voucher from the Fan Club). The reward waits for the Rainbow Badge, and the offer is lost at Misty's sparring match on Route 7 (Chapter 8). Do first: Vermilion City: the Pokémon Fan Club (three members → Bike Voucher).

Where: a kid in south Cerulean, just south-west of the Bike Maniac’s house door (west of the Poké Mart). The kid is there from the start, but is away during two stretches of the story: from your talk with Blue at the Viridian Gym (after he becomes its Gym Leader) until Misty wins her Cerulean Gym Leader assessment, and again during the League HQ investigation, from one of your League HQ reports until Misty leaves for the Seafoam Islands (League HQ: the Trainer Affairs Department’s investigations).

How it works: talk to the kid while you have the Bicycle. “Can I borrow your bike for a couple of days?” Answer Yes and the kid takes it. No just ends the talk; you can ask again.

Reward: once you have the Rainbow Badge, talk to the kid again. You get the Bicycle back plus an Amulet Coin.

Timing: you get the Bicycle from the Cerulean Bike Shop in exchange for the Bike Voucher from the Vermilion Pokémon Fan Club (Vermilion City to Celadon City), so you can lend it before the Rainbow Badge; the reward waits until you have that badge. The offer also disappears after Misty’s sparring-match scene on Route 7 (Vermilion City to Celadon City).

Technical source (script files and flags)

file 756 (script 22, L2667, L3560, L3506; the return checks CheckBadge 3 = Rainbow Badge; Amulet Coin = item 223). The offer closes on flag 1626 (Route 7 scene). He is hidden by flag 1003: not set at new game, set by Blue’s Viridian Gym scene (file 741 @2179) and the League HQ briefing (file 31 @4797), cleared when Misty wins her assessment (758 @2695) and when she leaves for Seafoam (758 @6360). Position ≈1295,146.