Pokemon: The Gameboy Effect

Among seasoned trainers, the Enigma Berry was a legend. Known for its unparalleled restorative properties, this rare fruit could turn the tide of battle by replenishing stamina when a Pokemon suffered super-effective damage. Outside of combat, regular consumption was said to boost a Pokemon's natural recovery ability, granting them an endurance that rivaled the effects of the much-coveted Leftovers.

This miraculous berry was so rare that even whispers of its existence sent collectors and trainers into a frenzy. John had been chasing rumors for weeks, scouring every corner of trading platforms and forums. Not a single listing turned up—not even from dubious sellers who specialized in rare and illicit items.

So, when Anna casually mentioned the Enigma Berry while discussing rare botanical finds, John's focus sharpened like a honed blade.

"All I need is just one," John muttered as he walked out of the botanical garden where Anna had shared her lead. "Not a tree, not a grove—just one berry."

His plan was simple: track down the berry, test its rumored effects, and use it to bolster his team's resilience. But the task was easier said than done.

That evening, back in his dorm room, John settled into his familiar routine. Snacks were meticulously arranged on the table beside him, a nostalgic movie played softly in the background, and his Gameboy was powered on and ready. Tonight, though, he had a different goal. Before diving back into Pokemon Emerald, he wanted to test a theory about Sweet Scent, a move whose mechanics had intrigued him ever since he discovered its updated functionality in this enhanced version of the game.

In the original Emerald, Sweet Scent had been a simple utility move, drawing wild Pokemon for one-on-one battles. But here, the rumors claimed it could summon entire hordes, a mechanic unheard of in the game's earlier iterations. If true, it could revolutionize how John approached both training and rare Pokemon hunting.

His save file loaded, placing his in-game character near Meteor Falls. Navigating to the Pokemon menu, he selected Smeargle and activated Sweet Scent.

[Smeargle used Sweet Scent. Wild Pokemon appeared in droves!]

The screen flashed, and John leaned forward, eyes widening. Five Pokemon materialized: four Zubat and, to his astonishment, a Bagon.

"Bagon!" he exclaimed, his pulse quickening.

Bagon was a treasure in its own right—a dragon-type Pokemon with a notoriously low encounter rate. Normally, trainers could only find one deep in Meteor Falls after unlocking Waterfall, but Sweet Scent seemed to have bypassed that restriction entirely.

John's Frogadier took the field, ready for battle. The four Zubat fell one by one, but the process was grueling without an area-of-effect (AOE) move to clear the field. By the time the last Zubat fainted, Frogadier was battered, and John had burned through several healing items.

"Worth it," he muttered as he hurled an Ultra Ball. The Bagon was captured, and its stats popped up on the screen:

[Bagon (Dragon-Type)]

[LV: 25]

[Ability: Hard Head (negates recoil damage from moves)]

[IVs: HP (11), Attack (21), Special Attack (25), Defense (30), Special Defense (24), Speed ​​(31)]

[Moves: Ember, Leer, Bite, Dragon Breath, Headbutt, Scary Face, Crunch]

[Held Item: Dragon Fang]

John couldn't help but grin. This was a win.

Encouraged, he continued experimenting with Sweet Scent in Meteor Falls. Without it, wandering the caves produced nothing but the usual lineup: Solrock, Lunatone, and endless Zubat. But Sweet Scent brought a parade of possibilities. Over the next few hours, he tallied his findings:

Two Bagons,One Deino,Seven Druddigon

The results were promising, but the process was far from perfect. The hordes were dominated by Zubat, Solrock, and Lunatone—all either Flying or equipped with Levitate, rendering his Gabite's Bulldoze useless. Battles turned into slow, resource-draining grinds.

"It's like the developers wanted to punish anyone trying this," John muttered, half-amused, half-frustrated.

Despite the challenges, John couldn't deny the thrill of discovery. Encountering a Deino in Meteor Falls was unexpected. The dragon-type Pokemon was a rarity even in regions where it was supposed to be found, making its appearance here an exciting surprise. Unfortunately, this particular Deino had terrible stats, so John sent it off to Professor Birch's lab for research.

As the hours ticked by, John began to see the limitations of his current setup. Without strong AOE moves, grinding in Meteor Falls was inefficient. Worse, the low encounter rates for rare Pokemon like Bagon and Deino made Sweet Scent a gamble.

He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. "I'll need Surf," he decided. That move would allow him to clear hordes more efficiently and finally make Meteor Falls a viable training ground. Until then, it was better to focus his efforts elsewhere.

Still, as he powered down his Gameboy for the night, John felt a sense of accomplishment. The day's experiments had proven Sweet Scent's potential, and the Bagon he'd caught was a valuable addition to his team. With a little more patience and the right strategy, he was confident that his team would soon be stronger than ever.

And maybe—just maybe—he'd find that elusive Enigma Berry along the way.