Cinderella: A Pokémon Fairytale

Chapter 1

"Cinderella? Cinderella!"

Cinderella was awakened from her sleep by a bouncing, fluffy thing on her bed. She opened her eyes to find Rose, her beloved Eevee, jumping on her right. She bounced on the bed with a big smile on her face.

"Wake up, wake up!" Rose sang in a cheerful voice. "Rise and shine! It's bright and early this morning and it's going to be a sunny day!"

Cinderella sighed and sat up in bed. Valiant was standing at the head of Cinderella's bed, holding her work clothes in his arms. They had been washed.

"Ella, it's almost dawn," said Valiant, "You should get up and start doing your chores before your stepmother gets up. Then we'll continue your lessons after your stepfamily leaves for town."

Cinderella stretched herself awake and got out of bed, giving Rose a good morning hug. It wasn't unusual for Cinderella's Pokémon to talk to her. She always had the ability to talk to Pokémon when she was a little girl, just as Valiant knew how to talk human language from his master.

Cinderella stood up and stretched herself again. She went to an old vanity mirror as she undid her braids from last night. She looked every bit like her mother. She had the same long golden wavy hair, flawless apple blossom skin, a diamond-shaped face, and blue almond-shaped eyes. Her Gardevoir, Ariel, and her Ampharos, Bella, were both just getting up from their nests in the corner of the attic.

Cinderella walked behind the folding screen. Her friends Mimi the Marill and Flo the Vulpix were back there, having already set up a small tub full of warm water for Cinderella. As she bathed and washed up, six pink Vivillon made her bed and fluffed her pillow. A Buneary named Patch helped Ariel and Bella mend Cinderella's work clothes. They then helped dress Cinderella and brush her hair.

With Cinderella ready for the morning, Valiant then served everyone a breakfast of bread, apples, and scraps leftover from last night's dinner. It was some of the few foods Sabrina could save for Cinderella and her Pokémon, as her mother and Patricia ate large meals and many second helpings.

As they ate, Mimi asked, "Cinderella, how can you stand that mean old lady and rude girl?"

"'Be kind, be brave, keep a smile on your face, and in the end, happiness will come to you!'" piped Rose, "That's her mommy's motto."

Cinderella smiled. Rose had the same personality as her: kind, serene, clever, industrious, and lovable. She would always smile for everyone.

"But it's been six months and Cinderella's father hasn't returned," said Flo.

"Her stepmother may be ambitious and grim, but she can't keep this up forever." said Valiant, "Everyone in the royal court knows who Ella is, and not even they cannot be easily fooled."

Cinderella sighed. "I was having such a wonderful dream, too."

"What was it about?" asked Bella.

"I can't tell you," said Cinderella.

"Why not?" asked the Pokémon.

Cinderella smiled. "Because if you tell a wish, it won't come true."

After finishing breakfast, Cinderella walked from her room with her Pokémon and started with her chores. On the second floor, Ariel and Bella opened the curtains while Cinderella, Valiant, and Rose quietly made their way towards the stairs leading down to the main floor. Along the way, they saw her stepmother's Purugly, Lester, was already awake and sitting near the banister.

Lester admired Cinderella and despised his mistress, and for very good reason. He was beloved by his mistress as a Glameow, but once he evolved, he was turned away by her for no longer being cute. Patricia and her mother had very specific opinions about Pokémon, preferring beauty over everything and seeing anything else as ugly. Cinderella, however, still saw the same fun, witty Lester he was before, cute or not cute. So he grew further away from his mistress and closer to Cinderella.