Hacking Emulation TwlightMenu++ ROM Save

[Bonk_pdf]

I wanted to know how I could make my pokemon saves from TwilightMenu++ on my 3DS playable on vba on my PC, and I think I might have erased my Emerald save instead
To preface this entire post, I'm not very in touch with how 3DS hacking works, and hacked my 3DS years ago and haven't really had the opportunity to mess with emulation on it until recently.

First, I tried just copying the .gba and .sav file themselves from the SD card onto my PC and running VBA, but then it said the battery dried out and wouldn't load.​

After, I put the SD card back in my 3DS and it still booted up the save fine, so I assumed it was something wrong with the emulator on my PC. I set the emulator options to Real Time so the battery message would go away, and even loaded the .sav manually through File > Import > Battery File..., but it wouldn't recognize any save.
After messing around with it some more, I made a 2nd copy that I would leave untouched (which I attached), in hopes that worst case my PC would preserve the .sav file, even if it couldn't read it I thought my 3DS would make it work.

However, After I tried messing around with renaming the .gba and .sav files themselves and other gimmicks like that to get VBA to recognize the save, I ended up erasing the entire file, and for some reason the 3DS did not detect it after all.​

So I guess what I'm asking for is any advice in being able to recover my Emerald save, and for any guidance on how to properly transfer saves in the future? I just got to victory road and had begun grinding for the elite four... I really don't wanna lose this save