Chapter 25: Route 42, Mt. Mortar and the Lake of Rage

With the Route 42 gatehouse open, Route 42 leads east past three entrances of Mt. Mortar to Mahogany Town and, beyond it, to Route 43 and the Lake of Rage. The road has a story scene at its east end: Silver and Ariana with a brainwashed Entei. At the lake a red Gyarados attacks a tourist and Lance is there with his Dragonite.

Main quest in this chapter: walk Route 42 to its east end and fight with Silver against Ariana’s Entei, then (after Mahogany Town and Route 43) talk to Lance at the Lake of Rage, fight the red Gyarados and the “researcher” who runs the radio transmitter, and report to Pryce.

Before you leave Route 42: the Eusine, Suicune and Goh scene in Cianwood (Chapter 24) closes at Silver’s scene. Before you win the Mahogany Rocket HQ (Chapter 26): the girl with the listless Sentret on Route 43. Before you take HM08 Rock Climb: Mr. Pokémon’s quiz on Route 30 (Chapter 16).

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.

Browse all hidden items

Walkthrough

Route 42 and the Entei scene. Smeargle’s Sketch (west end), Blissey’s Egg, Fisherman Manzo and Hiker Dolan are on the way; at the east end the story scene plays: Silver and Ariana with a brainwashed Entei, three Multi Battles at Silver’s side and then Ariana’s Entei. This closes for good: the Eusine, Suicune and Goh scene on the Cianwood beach.

Opens up:

Route 42: small extras

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/11 q-0320 (Route 42 extras; Dolan moves east after the Entei scene), q-0348 (the story moves on to Route 42 after Route 47), guide/11 q-0310 (‘It disappears for good once the Route 42 story scene with Silver plays’; script file 872 script 28 flags 481/482, file 252 sets 481 as well). Script file 252 (Route 42 coord on var 0x4098 = 12; @4813 SetVar 0x4098 = 16; @4745 sets flag 164, which lets Lance start the Lake of Rage scene).

Mt. Mortar. Three entrances on Route 42 lead into the cave. A Hiker in the north of the front cave has lost his map to a runaway Hitmontop; chase it to Karate King Kiyo in the back cave and bring the Map back for HM08 Rock Climb. Taking HM08 closes for good Mr. Pokémon’s Exp. Share quiz on Route 30, so do the quiz first if you want it. A Psychic with a Diglett leads a five-member expedition (Battle Girl, a kid who wants a Focus Sash and a quiz man): you can finish it any time, and you need it in League HQ round 4 (Chapter 30) to reach Ariana and the statue.

Opens up:

Mt. Mortar: the runaway Hitmontop and the Hiker's map (→ HM08 Rock Climb)
Mt. Mortar: the five-member expedition (the way to the altar; needed in the final chapter)

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/11 q-0321 (script: Hiker and Kiyo; HM08 hand-over; ‘once you carry HM08, Mr. Pokémon no longer offers his Exp. Share quiz’, known issue hm08-and-mr-pokémons-quiz), q-0322 (‘the members are there from the start, and you can finish the expedition any time’; needed in the final chapter). guide/08 q-0202 (Mr. Pokémon quiz, only while you do not carry HM08).

Mahogany Town and Route 43. Passing through Mahogany: Magician Colum and his Girafarig north of the town (a Shell Bell), the souvenir shop annex with the Jigglypuff girl, the Red Scale boy and more. On Route 43 a girl with a listless Sentret wants a Chesto Berry. The Mahogany Gym is closed (Pryce is retiring) and the Rocket story only starts after the lake.

Opens up:

Mahogany Town: the Girafarig meditator (→ Shell Bell)
Mahogany Town: small extras
Route 43: a Chesto Berry for the listless Sentret (→ 2 Lum Berries; before the Rocket HQ is cleared) Missable

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/11 q-0326 (any time), q-0328 (mixed: the shop annex and Red Scale boy now, Pryce’s Haze student after the Glacier Badge, doll vendor after the HQ), guide/12 q-0333 (‘from your first visit until you clear the Team Rocket HQ under Mahogany’). Mahogany gym closed: guide/11 q-0325.

Lake of Rage. Walk north from Route 43 to the south shore and talk to Lance (the scene does not start by itself). A wild red Gyarados (Lv. 30) attacks a tourist; more follow and Lance and Gold catch two. Pryce’s radio is being jammed: three people in lab coats have set up a transmitter. Yours is the “researcher” on the north shore: pick “Neat gadget there” and answer Yes to “Investigate the device by force?” to fight Scientist Yamada. Then tell Pryce on the south shore. He concludes that the real source is in Mahogany Town. Once that is done, the fossil man in the Route 43 gatehouse gives you TM25 Thunder.

Opens up:

Lake of Rage: the red Gyarados and the radio transmitters (story; how to move on)
Lake of Rage → Route 44: small extras

Technical source (script files and flags)

guide/12 q-0334 (script file 934: script 18 Lance, WildBattle 130 Lv. 30, script 15 TrainerBattle 901, script 16 @5288 SetVar 0x4098 = 17). The scene needs flag 164 from the Route 42 Entei scene (guide/12 q-0334 reachability review 2026-10-06).

Quests in this chapter

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

Route 42: small extras

Route 42 Side quest

A mixed entry: the Entei scene at the east end is part of the story.

The Smeargle’s Sketch (west end, a few steps east of the gatehouse from Ecruteak, next to a boulder): he’s training his Smeargle’s Strength. Pick “That’s not how it works” and talk him through Sketch. If you have a Heart Scale, give it: Meadow Plate. One-time; without a Heart Scale, come back later.
Blissey’s Egg (the photographer in the middle of the route, just south-west of the middle Mt. Mortar entrance): a Seviper goes for the Blissey’s Egg. “I’ll save it” → wild Seviper Lv. 30. Win, the Happiny hatches, and you get a Stardust. Catching the Seviper or running away also counts as a win. Losing whites you out and the scene plays again. “Let nature be”: the Blissey drives it off herself, no reward, and that choice is final.
Fisherman Manzo (on the water east of the photographer, with a Corsola): beat him once (Wailord, Seaking, Walrein, Gyarados, Lv. 62–65) for 3 Lure Balls.
Hiker Dolan: until the Entei scene he stands at the west end, near the Ecruteak gatehouse, and only talks about a red-haired boy. After the scene he moves to the east end, near the Mahogany side, and offers repeatable Single or Double battles (Lv. 62–64 team plus a Lv. 1 Aron).
The Entei scene at the east end (Silver, Ariana and a brainwashed Entei; three Multi Battles with Silver, then Ariana’s Entei) is story.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 252 (scripts 10, 13, 8, 14, 2; flags 2215, 671, 2213, 2212). The Blissey scene needs flag 671 (set at new game); “Let nature be” clears it. Dolan is object 14: while flag 2212 is clear (before the Entei scene sets it), script 1 moves him to ≈431,175 (L1575) and he says 392#91. Positions: Smeargle man ≈428,179; photographer ≈460,182; Manzo ≈483,177; Dolan ≈500,177.

Mt. Mortar: the runaway Hitmontop and the Hiker’s map (→ HM08 Rock Climb)

Mt. Mortar Side quest

Rock Climb itself needs the Rising Badge. Taking HM08 closes Mr. Pokémon's quiz. Karate King Kiyo's team is Lv. 81-82.

Where: Mt. Mortar 1F. The Hiker is in the north part of the front cave (the part you enter from Route 42), with a Hitmontop next to him. Karate King Kiyo trains in the middle of the back cave, with his Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan.

How it works:

Talk to the Hiker. A Hitmontop snatches his map and runs.
Talk to the Hitmontop: it bolts deeper into the cave. You find it again in the south part of the back cave, about eight steps north of the expedition leader and his Diglett. Talk to it there and it runs off again, this time to Kiyo.
Go to Kiyo. The Hitmontop now stands next to him, clutching the map. Talk to Kiyo, pick “Is that Hitmontop yours?” and explain. He makes it hand over the Map.
Bring the Map to the Hiker and say Yes.

Reward: HM08 Rock Climb from the Hiker. Kiyo also asks you to battle him to humble his Hitmontop. He offers this as soon as he hands you the Map; you don’t need to fetch the HM first (Karate King Kiyo: Hitmontop, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Gallade, Lucario, Medicham, Lv. 81–82; losing whites you out). Win for a Shoal Shell. After that he offers repeatable Single or Double battles.

Notes:

Warning: once you carry HM08, Mr. Pokémon (Route 30) no longer offers his Exp. Share quiz. Do his quiz first if you want it (known issue).
If you already own HM08 from elsewhere, the Hiker only explains Rock Climb and won’t take the Map back.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 961 (scripts 7, 5; var 0x40a1; L1422), file 962 (scripts 12, 15; L3156–L3219 moves the Hitmontop to Kiyo, var 0x40a1 3 → 4; Kiyo’s menu at 4, battle offer at 5; L4133–L4473; trainer 899). Positions: Hiker ≈33,20 (front cave); Hitmontop ≈54,73, then ≈52,49; Kiyo ≈54,49 (back cave).

Mt. Mortar: the five-member expedition (the way to the altar; needed in the final chapter)

Mt. Mortar Main quest

You need it finished for League HQ round 4 (Chapter 30).

Where: Mt. Mortar 1F (both halves) and B1F.

Who gets it / when: the members are there from the start, and you can finish the expedition any time. In the final chapter it’s how you reach Ariana and the statue that leads on to Giovanni and Palkia.

How it works:

Leader (Psychic with a Diglett, just inside the back cave at its south edge, a few steps west of the middle passage from the front cave): “Are you a really strong Trainer?” → Yes, beat Psychic Hewitt (Lv. 22–25), and agree to join. He wants three more members.
Recruit them, in any order:
- Battle Girl with a Machop (west side of the back cave): beat Battle Girl Milly (Lv. 20–21), then choose “Join our expedition” (“Nothing fun here” just loops).
- Kid with a Squirtle (north-east of the back cave, below a ledge): choose “Then join our team”. He wants a Focus Sash, and it’s taken from your Bag. Without one he waits.
- Man with a Magnemite (front cave, east of centre): “Join an expedition?” and pass his five-question outdoors quiz. You need all five right. A wrong answer doesn’t stop the quiz: you answer all five, he turns you down at the end, and you can try again at once.

Question	Answer
Badge needed for Strength in Johto	Goldenrod Gym
Which can’t use Flash	Chimchar
Item that cuts cave encounters	Cleanse Tag
A poisoned Pokémon left untreated while travelling	It toughs it out
A teammate runs into trouble	Step in and help

Report to the leader: the team sets off. Along the way the members use their Pokémon: the Diglett carries everyone down a rock wall (“Take me down”, or “I can manage” and use your own Rock Climb), the Machop moves a boulder, the Squirtle ferries everyone over the B1F pool (“Take me across”, or Surf yourself), and the Magnemite repairs the warped space in the rock maze.
The team settles at the altar on B1F.

Reward: no item. It opens the way through the rock maze to the ancient statue.

Notes:

In the final chapter, Executive Ariana is at the statue. Beat her (Tyranitar, Hippowdon, Rhyperior, Scizor, Nidoqueen, Aggron, all Lv. 90; losing whites you out) and the statue sends you on after Giovanni. After your final Hall of Fame entry the statue sends you through again (“resonated with the Lustrous Orb”; you don’t actually need to carry the orb).
A Hiker on the west side of B1F, about 20 steps south of the altar, will Escape Rope you out whenever you like.
Warning: after Lance visits your house (after your final Hall of Fame entry), see the Burned Tower release scene before you rematch the expedition leader. Beating him in that window resets the expedition’s progress, even if you finished it before, and the scene that frees Entei, Raikou and Suicune never plays. To avoid the battle, answer No to “Are you a really strong Trainer?” (suspected hack bug; known issue). No effect of a rematch after that scene was found.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 962 (scripts 2, 4, 6, 10, 11; L3424–L3483, L5052, L5709; flags 2214, 2217, 2218; var 0x409f 3→5→6→7), file 961 (script 2, L721–L3199), file 98 (scripts 5, 6, 16, 3; var 0x409f 8→10; trainers 893, 897, 898; statue after flag 2261 = final Hall of Fame), file 246 L287 (flag 461, the members’ hide flag: no script sets it before the team sets off, when file 962 script 11 hides them (L1783–L1811 HidePerson); quiz failure = msg 38). Positions: leader ≈51,81, Battle Girl ≈35,51, kid ≈70,28 (back cave); Magnemite man ≈61,39 (front cave); B1F Hiker ≈25,36.

Mahogany Town: the Girafarig meditator (→ Shell Bell)

Mahogany Town Side quest

Where: Mahogany Town, north side of town, a few steps east of the Route 43 gate: Magician Colum, the man training beside his Girafarig.

Who gets it / when: any time.

How it works: he asks whether you understand becoming one with your Pokémon. Answer Yes and he tests you in a battle. It’s a tough full team at Lv. 81–82: Girafarig, Wigglytuff, Gardevoir, Gallade, Pikachu and Togekiss. Treat it as a post-game fight.

Reward: Shell Bell (one time).

Notes: if you lose you black out. Answer No and he just leaves you to think about it. You can come back later.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 926 (script 16, trainer 913, flag 505). Position ≈533,168.

Mahogany Town: small extras

Mahogany Town Side quest

A mixed entry: Pryce's Haze student needs the Glacier Badge and the doll vendor only appears after the Rocket HQ.

Souvenir shop annex (east door): the Jigglypuff girl’s question. She wants a Pokémon that won’t fall asleep to her Jigglypuff’s song. Answer “Insomnia Pokémon”, then “Hoothoot”. She then offers her Pineco for a Hoothoot (in-game trade, one time). Other answers just end the talk, and you can retry.
Red Scale boy (by the Pokémon Center door). Give him the Red Scale from the Lake of Rage and he teaches Water Spout for free, to Squirtle, Wartortle, Blastoise, Golduck, Remoraid, Octillery, Wailmer, Wailord, Kyogre, Frillish and Jellicent. Giving the scale away is permanent.
Pryce’s student in the Gym teaches Haze once you have the Glacier Badge.
Doll vendor (after the Team Rocket HQ chapter). The man just east of the souvenir shop’s east door sells a Poké Doll and a Fluffy Tail, $1,000 each.

Technical source (script files and flags)

Jigglypuff girl: file 88, script 2. Red Scale boy: file 926, script 18, flag 2237. Haze tutor: file 928, script 3. Doll vendor: file 926, script 20 (shown by flag 487), ≈540,175.

Route 43: a Chesto Berry for the listless Sentret (→ 2 Lum Berries; before the Rocket HQ is cleared)

Route 43 Side quest Missable

Until you clear the Team Rocket HQ under Mahogany Town.

Where: Route 43, the girl with a Sentret beside the sign just north of the gatehouse at the south end of the route (she’s on the sign’s west side). After the Mahogany Rocket HQ chapter she stands on the other side of the sign, a couple of steps east of it.

Who gets it / when: from your first visit until you clear the Team Rocket HQ under Mahogany. Missable: once the HQ is cleared, she no longer asks for the berry.

How it works:

Talk to her. She asks for a Chesto Berry → Yes with one in your Bag. She takes it and feeds it to Sentret. It doesn’t help (“I should take Sentret to the Pokémon Center”). The real cause is Team Rocket’s radio waves.
Clear the Team Rocket HQ, then talk to her again. Reward: 2 Lum Berries (once).

Notes: without a Chesto Berry she just says you don’t have one. You can come back with one. If you never gave her the berry, after the HQ she only says Sentret has recovered.

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 254 (script 7, L776–L1225; flag 507 set at new game, cleared when you give the berry, set again with the reward; flag 202 set at the end of the HQ chapter, file 90 L2861). Positions: girl ≈530,147, after the HQ ≈534,146.

Lake of Rage → Route 44: small extras

Lake of Rage Route 44 Side quest

A mixed entry: the Route 43 fossil man needs the transmitter fight above; the Route 44 extras come with Chapter 27.

Route 43 gatehouse, the fossil man (the north-south gatehouse in the middle of the route; he stands in the middle of the room with his Omanyte): after you’ve dealt with the Lake of Rage “researcher” (the transmitter entry), he says the fake researchers trampled his fossil and paid him with a TM. He gives it to you: TM25 Thunder (once).
Fishing guru’s house (the house on the south shore): after the Rocket HQ chapter, show him your biggest Magikarp (party). A new size record earns an Ether.
Lake of Rage, Veteran Dee (on the south-east shore): a repeatable Single or Double Battle (Lv. 81–82).
Route 43, Guitarist Sammy (with a Magnezone on the west side of the route, north-west of the Pidgeot and Noctowl flock): a repeatable Single or Double Battle (Lv. 81–82).
Route 44, the “Pikachu” on the island in the lake (you need Surf): it’s Poké Kid Mia in disguise, a one-time battle (Lv. 62–65). The girl on the shore north-east of the island tips you off.
Route 44, Fisherman Mathis (by the water, east of the island): talking to him makes the Poliwag he was after get away, and he battles you once (Lv. 62–65).
Route 44, Aspear Berry on the ground at the east end, a few steps west of where the Heracross kid’s brother stands.

Technical source (script files and flags)

fossil man: script file 256 script 4, flag 206 (≈7,6 in the gatehouse). Fishing guru: file 936, flag 313 (door ≈536,89). Dee: file 934 script 13 (≈544,76). Sammy: file 254 script 11 (≈520,112). Mia: file 257 scripts 12–13, flag 2240 (≈589,174; shore girl ≈595,164). Mathis: file 257 script 14, flag 2241 (≈606,166). Aspear Berry: file 257 script 11 (≈613,171; brother ≈619,174).

Lake of Rage: the red Gyarados and the radio transmitters (story; how to move on)

Lake of Rage Main quest

The red Gyarados is Lv. 30; Scientist Yamada is Lv. 62-65.

Where: Lake of Rage, straight after the Route 42 Entei scene and Mt. Mortar.

How it works:

Walk north from Route 43 to the south shore. Lance stands near the water with his Dragonite. Talk to him: the scene doesn’t start on its own.
A Gyarados attacks a tourist. You fight a wild red Gyarados (Lv. 30). It’s a normal wild battle, so you can catch it. Knocking it out or running away also moves the scene on. Losing whites you out.
More Gyarados follow. A Magikarp suddenly evolves into a red Gyarados; Lance’s Dragonite stuns it and Lance catches it. A third one attacks, Pryce’s Mamoswine holds it back with an ice wall, and Gold catches that one.
Pryce says his radio is being jammed. Everyone splits up to look for a transmitter. There are three people in lab coats with a boxy radio beside them. Gold takes the one on the west shore and Lance the one on the north-east shore. Yours is the “researcher” on the north shore, about 9 steps east and 8 steps north of the door of the house in the north-west corner.
Talk to him and pick “Neat gadget there” (“Seen a transmitter?” goes nowhere). At “Investigate the device by force?” answer Yes. You fight Scientist Yamada (Manectric, Drapion, Porygon2, Vileplume, Lv. 62–65). He then escapes south on a Sharpedo. Answering No just ends the talk. Ask again as often as you like.
Go back to Pryce and tell him. He waits with his Mamoswine on the south shore, just south-west of the sign by the water. He concludes the real source is in Mahogany Town. The Team Rocket HQ chapter starts: next, Mahogany Town → Team Rocket HQ. Reward: story progress. Also see Lake of Rage → Route 44: small extras (the Route 43 gatehouse TM).

Technical source (script files and flags)

script file 934 (script 18 → L1942–L4227, WildBattle 130, Lv. 30; script 15 → L4605, L5729, L6125–L6635, TrainerBattle 901, flag 201; script 16 → L4688–L5296, sets 0x4098 = 17). Script 18 is Lance’s talk script (object ≈533,79); the wild battle is at L2247 (CheckBattleWon L2254: only a loss goes to the white-out at L5589, so a flee continues like a win), Lance catches the evolved Magikarp (msgs 14–16, 36), Gold catches the third (msg 26); L4167–L4203 send Lance to ≈541,37 and Gold to ≈490,73. Transmitter people: ≈490,72 (west), ≈541,36 (north-east), ≈506,34 (yours; house door 497,42). After the scene L4219 clears flag 650, so Pryce stands at ≈526,85 (sign at 528,82); the ≈526,91 Pryce (flag 1366) is the cutscene copy. Earlier guide text placed Pryce at ≈526,91 and had Pryce and Gold handle the second Gyarados; corrected from the script. Reachability (review 2026-10-06): Lance (object 0, hide flag 483, clear from new game) starts the scene only with flag 484 set (new game, file 149 L94) and flag 164 set, which the Route 42 Entei scene sets (file 252 L4745); the researchers (flag 201) stand there from the start.

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