11/23/17 Update: I've updated the writing and grammar thanks to Grammarly, and I hope this pleases everyone. I'm having a little difficulty with writing due to more work hours and other novels I'm working on. I'm sorry for delays and any inconvenience, but I promise to finish this sorry. Thank you for your patience.
4/2/19 Update: Sorry for the long delay. I'm trying to write to make up for a year's time, but I found myself working on secret multi-novel project and had to put the story on hold. As I said before, I promise you that will finish this story for all of you. Thank you again for your continued patience.
Prologue
Long, long ago, in a faraway land of Pokémon, there was a small kingdom. It was the ideal place for people and Pokémon, both peaceful and harmonious. In a chateau in the countryside, there lived honorary friend of the king, Duke Richard Livingston. He lived there with his loyal Lucario, Duke Valiant of the Order of the Aurum, his wife, and their beautiful little daughter, Ella. They were kind and devoted parents and gave Ella everything she wanted, including four Pokémon of her own; a Charmander named Rex, a Ralts named Ariel, a Flaffy named Bella, and a baby Absol named Mikey.
Ella loved her mother. She told her many stories about magic and legendary Pokémon, including Jirachi the Wish Maker. The little girl loved her mother's stories and grew up believing in magic. When Ella was around ten years old, her mother grew sick. Very sick. The doctors and the duke tried everything, but it was to no avail. As Ella stood by her mother's deathbed, she made the little girl promise her to be brave and kind, no matter what happened. The little girl promised and, sadly, her mother died the next day.
After a time of morning, the family went on with their lives. Ella and her Pokémon trained under the talent and expertise of Valiant and soon Ella became a strong Pokémon trainer. She even kept her promise to her mother and, due to that promise, she was beloved by everyone who met her. She even made a friend with a young man named Philip, who was charmed by her kindness.
The Duke loved and cared for his daughter, but after a few years, he felt like she needed a mother's care. So he married again. His second wife was a beautiful widow from a good family with two daughters of her own. There was Patricia, who was about Ella's age, and Sabrina, the youngest. Patricia was lazy, disdain, and had no interest in Ella, but Sabrina was nicer and welcomed Ella as her own sister. Remembering her mother's words, Ella made Sabrina make the same promise about being kind and brave and the two became beloved sisters.
After Ella and Patricia completed finishing school, Ella's father said he was going on a long trip. He gave Ella Valiant as her guardian and left for his journey. The minute the duke left the chateau, the stepmother's true nature was revealed—a vain, cruel, and selfish woman. She only married Cinderella's father for his status title and money and was bitterly jealous of Ella's popularity and beauty.
Things changed quickly. The poor girl was forced from her room and banished to the attic with her Pokémon. Mikey and Rex, now a Charizard, were kicked out of the house, being deemed by the stepmother as "too ugly". Worse yet, Ella, Ariel, Bella, and Valiant were forced to become servants in their own house. They swept, dusted, washed, cooked, and cleaned. Patricia stole Ella's room, clothes, and possessions for herself while Sabrina was forbidden to help her stepsister. All Ella wore were worn-out rags which got covered in dirt and cinders, and so she was called Cinderella.
Yet throughout it all, Cinderella and Sabrina kept their promise and remained kind and gentle. They never took any offense towards Patricia or the stepmother and Cinderella completed many tasks and chores without complaint. She also made friends with all the Pokémon of the chateau, who loved her for her kindness. They helped her with her chores while Valiant took over her lessons. Even with all of their hardships and daily struggles, Cinderella and her friends remained hopeful, that one day her father would return and Cinderella would regain the life so wrongfully taken from her.