Pokemon: The Gameboy Effect

The deeper John and his Pokemon ventured into the underground cave, the fewer Onix they encountered, and the more Steelix appeared. The further they traveled, the larger the Steelix became, with their metallic bodies gleaming ominously in the dim light of the cave.

It wasn't long before they stumbled upon something strange. Ahead of them lay a small pond—no more than three meters across—filled with a thick, khaki-colored liquid. The surface of the water looked almost like coffee, but the viscosity was much greater. John stopped in his tracks, staring at the strange pool.

"This isn't the water from an underground river," he murmured, frowning. The water looked far too unusual.

Without warning, Onix—John's newest Rock-type—slithered over to the pond and lowered its head, drinking the thick liquid as if it were the most natural thing in the world. John's mind raced. Onix was usually very picky about its water. So why was it drinking this?

Before he could process this strange development, his Gameboy suddenly beeped, and the Pokeball on his waist popped open. Aron, John's small, feisty Pokemon, jumped out with a burst of excitement. The little Pokémon wobbled toward the pond, its short legs moving with surprising speed. It, too, seemed eager to drink the strange liquid.

John blinked in disbelief. "What is going on here?" he wondered. "Aron doesn't even like the water from the garden hose. How is it drinking this stuff?"

Onix and Aron had one thing in common—they were both Rock-types, known for their tough, defensive nature. And if Onix evolved into Steelix, both would share the Steel-type, known for its even greater defense.

Then, a sudden flash of white light interrupted John's thoughts. He looked down to see Aron glowing brightly, and before he could react, the light began to subside. In its place, Aron had evolved into Lairon, now standing taller and stronger than before.

John's mouth fell open. "Evolution after drinking some water?" He quickly checked his Gameboy to see Lairon's stats.

[Lairon (Steel, Rock-Type)-Shiny]

[Level: 32]

[Ability: Heavy Metal (self-weight doubles as normal)]

[IV's: HP (31), Attack (31), Special Attack (27), Defense (31), Special Defense (31), Speed ​​(26)]

[Skills: Tackle, Harden, Metal Claw, Rock Tomb, Roar, Headbutt, Protect, Rock Slide, Iron Head]

[Carrying item: Hard Stone]

John rubbed his eyes in confusion. "Level 32? Aron was only at level 30. How did it jump two levels so quickly?" He glanced at the pond again. "Could this be because of the water?"

Sure enough, as if to confirm his suspicions, Lairon continued to drink from the pond, and John could see its level rise even further, now reaching LV 33.

"It's true," John muttered. "This water... it's like Rare Candies, but in liquid form." He felt a rush of excitement. If this water could boost his Pokemon's levels so easily, it was practically a gold mine.

After a few more minutes, Lairon stopped drinking. It let out a roar and curled up on the cave floor, looking tired but satisfied. It wasn't long before Onix, who had been drinking the same water, also stopped, curling up beside Lairon. Both Pokemon seemed to be resting, though not in the usual Contest Condition way. It was as if they had exhausted all their energy from the rapid growth and needed to sleep it off.

John observed them for a moment. "So drinking the water boosts their level, but it also drains their energy. They need to rest to recover…" He thought for a moment longer, then nodded. "I get it now. This liquid is powerful, but it comes at a cost."

As evening approached and neither Onix nor Lairon showed any signs of waking, John decided to take them back to their Pokeballs. He wasn't sure how long they would sleep, and he didn't want to risk leaving them behind in the cave.

The next day, when John returned to the cave, Onix and Lairon were still fast asleep in their Pokeballs. They hadn't fully recovered, even after a night of rest. However, John had other plans. He wasn't about to leave the magic water he dubbed "Giga Sips" behind. If it could level up his Pokemon like this, who knew what it could do for others?

He'd come prepared, knowing exactly what he needed: a water pump. He had a sneaking suspicion that this liquid might be just what he needed to give his Pokemon team the edge they needed in their upcoming battles.

"I'm not leaving this stuff behind," John said with a grin. "This is some serious treasure."

He quickly set up the pump and began siphoning the thick liquid into large plastic containers. His Pokemon, including Gabite and Gardevoir, helped him with the task. Gardevoir's psychic abilities controlled the flow of water, ensuring not a drop was wasted. Gabite, being an Earth-type, moved quickly to help clear the area, while John oversaw the operation, making sure everything went smoothly.

As the water filled up the containers, John couldn't help but marvel at the small portable space he had created in his secret base. The buckets fit perfectly in the base's storage area, ready to be used for whatever future battles and training lay ahead.

With the liquid safely stored, John decided to explore the area further. If the pond was this valuable, there had to be more hidden treasures nearby. He and his Pokemon walked deeper into the cave, eventually coming across a glimmering stone half-buried in the dirt.

John bent down to pick it up. "A Hard Stone?" he muttered, inspecting it closely. The stone was a rare item, one that boosted the power of Rock-type moves. "This is a find!" He could already feel the weight of his luck.

His eyes brightened when he realized just how much more treasure the cave could hold. The more he explored, the more his treasure detector began beeping, signaling the presence of more items buried deep within the cave.

 He followed the signal and soon found himself standing before a massive Steelix skull embedded in the ground. Sitting atop the skull was a translucent marble, swirling with gray and blue threads.

John's breath caught in his throat. "This... this is it!" he whispered in awe. He had found the MEGA Evolution Stone, a rare and powerful artifact that could evolve his Pokemon to even greater heights.