A/N: Another one-shot, this time TotA related! I think this is actually my second TotA story posted on here...I seem to mostly write for Vesperia...

Anyway, Cinderella themed! I see a lot of fanfics where they're based on fairytales like this, and I've wanted to do a Cinderella one for a while. It was originally going to be for KH, then I couldn't decide on a pairing, and a super cute, fluffy thing rose for TotA, so I did that instead.

Word of warning - It's so not like Cinderella, it's weird. The story is completely changed, just with a few Cinderella themes.

And also, I'm sorry about Van. Vanella. It's sounds like Vanilla, I know. It's not my fault, though! The character he plays has 'ella' as the end of their name, so I just added that to 'Van'...

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Abyss. Not even the game. But I will do when I get a 3DS.

A young girl with long, tan hair knelt on the floor, scrubbing away. Her clothes were ragged and dirty, yet her eyes shone with a deep gentleness.

The doorbell rang, and she glanced up before standing, crossing over to the door and opening it.

"Good morning, miss. I have a letter for the Fende family."

"I'll take it. Thank you," she replied, smiling gently and taking it. The messanger nodded then headed off, and she closed the door, looking the letter over. She turned it and blinked as she spotted the seal of the royal family.

'A letter from the royal family? Strange...' she thought to herself, then looked up as her step-mother came downstairs.

"Mystearella? Who came to the door?" she asked.

"Someone delivered a letter from the royal family," Tear explained, holding it out.

Her mother took it, opening it and quickly scanning the contents before smirking.

"Girls! Get your best dresses ready, we have an invitation to the royal ball on this evening!"

There came the sound of running feet, then her two step-sisters came from upstairs.

"Really mummy? Oh, I'm so excited!" her younger sister, Distasia, squealed.

"I wonder if we'll get to meet Prince Luke?" the older, Vanella, mused.

"Not if you two don't get ready. Hurry up," their mother, Lady Mohsaine, snapped.

"Yes Mother..." they replied together, running back upstairs.

Tear looked at her mother. "Am I allowed to go along as well?" she asked.

Mohsaine glanced at her, then closed her eyes. "If you can clean all the floors, clear the ash out of the hearths, wash the dishes and all the rest of your normal chores - also, make breakfast and lunch - then you may come."

Tear hesitated, wondering if she would be able to do all of that before the ball started...but she'd done more before.

"Right. I'll get started right away," Tear said, turning away.

"Oh, also, you'll need to help your sisters get ready," Mohsaine said.

Tear nodded, sighing. She was always treated like a servant...when, reaslly, it was only because of her father that her step-mother had all this money.

Well, there was no point complaining. Her father was dead, so maybe her step-mother was just trying to deal with the loss.

Shaking her head, she headed back into the kitchen to start making breakfast.

It was beginning to get dark. Tear sighed as she lay back on her bed in the attic. Her mother had kept her busy all day, so she hadn't had a chance to get ready. There was the fact that she didn't actually have a dress.

"Alright, we're heading out! Make sure the hallway is spotless before we return," her mother called, before there was the sound of the door shutting.

Tear lay there for a moment, then sat up, hugging her knees to her chest. Tears rose in her eyes and she held back a sob.

'I just wanted to go out...Just feel like myself again...I don't understand why that's so bad...'

She closed her eyes, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

"Why are you crying?" a gentle voice asked.

Tear looked up in surprise, gazing at the woman standing infront of her. Her beautiful golden-brown hair floated slightly behind her, and her blue eyes shone gently.

"Who...Who are you?" stammered Tear, captivated by her beauty.

"My name is Yulia, your Fairy Godmother," the woman replied, smiling.

"Fairy...Godmother?"

Yulia nodded, kneeling so that she was at the same height as Tear. She reached out, brushing the tear from her cheek.

"Why were you crying, my child?" she asked, tilting her head.

Tear gazed at the ground. "I...I wanted to go to the ball, but my step-mother keeps giving me jobs and I don't have a dress..."

Yulia considered, then smiled and lifted her hand. "Let's see if we can't remedy that," she murmured, before flicking her wrist. A glow appeared around Tear's dress and she stared, watching as it changed to a red dress with a pink top and white underskirt, flowers at her waist and chest.

The glow faded, and Tear gazed at the beautiful dress in shock.

"Give us a twirl," Yulia said with a smile, and Tear glanced at her before spinning, the sirt flowing out around her.

"It's beautiful! Thank you so much!" Tear smiled, brushing a hand down the skirt lightly.

"Now we just need to get you to the ball..." Yulia murmured, taking Tear's wrist and leading her downstairs. They stepped outside, Yulia looking around. She picked up a crystal, touching itt, and it glowed. Throwing it into the air, it changed into a large carriage.

"And now we need something to pull the carriage," she said, glancing around. She spotted a couple of monsters and waved her hand, changing them into a pair of white stallions. The horses snorted and trotted over, gently nudging Tear and snorting.

"They're gorgeous," Tear laughed, stroking their noses.

"Well, they'll change back into monsters eventually. Let's get them hooked up to the carriage. I'll drive it, so please, make yourself comfortable."

Prince Luke tugged at the collar of his shirt, frowning. "Do I have to wear this?" he asked, turning to his father plaintively.

"Yes Luke, you do. Your bother was fine with it; why are you being picky?" the King sighed.

"Because they're matching outfits. It looks stupid! If Asch didn't look like a cockatiel, you wouldn't be able to tell us apart!" Luke pouted, then winced as a hand hit his head.

"Shut up, you dork. I do not look like a cockatiel," his older brother, Asch, snapped.

Luke glared at him, rubbing his head, then turnd to the King. "Why are we even doing this? Asch is already engaged and had his party, and he's not getting married until next month."

"Because this isn't for Asch. It's for you," the King said with a smirk, then turned as a knock came at the door.

"Master Lorelei, the guests are arriving," the Grand Duke - otherwise known as Jade - informed them. He glanced at Luke and smirked. "There are quite a few lovely women among them," he added slyly.

Luke groaned. "Did everyone know about this except me?" he demanded.

"Pretty much. Knock 'em dead," Asch replied, pushing him forward.

They stepped into the large hall, Luke glancing around uncertainly. As everyone turned to gaze at him, he smiled, trying to appear relaxed.

"See anyone you like?" asked Lorelei, stepping up beside him and waving to the crowd.

"No. Leave me alone," Luke growled, keeping his smile in place.

"Grumpy. Well, go mingle a bit, dance with a few girls. Tell me if you spot anyone you like," Lorelei murmured before heading down the steps to join the crowd.

Luke sighed, watching Asch and his fiancée, Natalia, as they went down the steps and started dancing to the music.

Someone he liked, huh? He'd met pretty much everyone, and he already knew who he loved; he sincerely doubted he'd find anyone here tonight that would top her.

The carriage pulled up at the castle, and Yulia leapt down, opening the door and helping Tear down.

"Now remember - my magic will only last until midnight. I'll be waiting though, so you don't need to worry about getting home," Yulia said, doing a few last minute checks. Finally shhe stepped back, smiling. "You really do look beautiful, Tear. Go in there and enjoy yourself, alright?"

"I will. Thank you, Yulia," Tear said happily, hugging the older woman briefly before heading into the castle.

Yulia sighed, gazing up at the sky. "I hope the future I foresaw for that girl really does come true..." she murmured.

Tear walked through the crowd, gazing around in wonder. She vaguely remembered coming once before, when she was much younger, but the pure majesty of the place was overwhelming.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder and she turned, blinking as she caught sight of a blonde man.

"Would you grace me with a dance, m'lady?" he asked, bowing.

Tear hesitated. There was one thing she clearly remembered - 'I will wait for you forever. So will you wait for me?' The last time she was here, that was what he had promised...the illusive boy from her dreas.

She would not break that promise.

"I'm sorry, I already have a partner," she apologised, curtsying. The man sighed.

"Whoever he is, he's a lucky man. Very well - I shall not be a sore loser," the man said, heading into the crowd to find anothher partner.

As the night wore on, Tear haded outside. She found a quiet spot away from prying eyes and went still. Closing her eyes, she raised her hand then began to dance, imagining the boy from her dreams dancing with her.

After a while, she almost felt a hand gripping hers, another arm snaking around her waist. They flowed easily into the dance, and she allowed herself to be whisked away by the music.

The music finished, and she opened her eyes, hoping to find the boy from her dreams infront of her. Her happiness faded as she found the space empty. Glancing around, she sighed as she realised there was no one around.

Gazing up at the clock, she saw it was nearly midnight. She hesitated then reached down, slipping off her shoes and then reaching up to take out her hair clip. She placed one of the shoes on the floor, putting her hair clip in it, then headed back to the entrance.

Yulia looked up as she arrived, then noticed her downcast expression. She opened the door without question then began back to the house, wondering if the future she saw was wrong.

Luke sat in his room, cradling a single dainty slipper and a beautiful clip, when the door opened. Asch stepped in, frowning when he noticed his brother.

"Luke? We were wondering where you got to. What's the matter?"

"...I made a huge mistake, Asch," the red-head sighed.

Asch sat at the end of the bed, frowning. "What do you mean?"

Luke hesitated, then shook his head. "Do you remember years back, when that girl visited? And I promised I'd wait for her forever?"

"Yeah..."

"I saw this really beautiful girl, Asch. She was just dancing outside, but she looked like an angel. Then I noticed it looked like she was waiting for a partner, so I danced with her."

"Okay, well, that doesn't sound so bad..."

"She didn't see me. She had her eyes closed, so when the song ended, I just hid again. I thought, if she didn't know who I was, I couldn't have broken my promise." Luke lowered his gaze back to the clip. "She...She looked heartbroken. She left these then left...what am I going to do? I can't stop thinking about her, but I'll probably never see her again."

Asch considered, then grinned. "Well, how about we go look for her, then? I doubt there's few women with feet this small that would fit your description. All we need to do is get everyone whjo was at the party to try this slipper on."

Luke looked at him in surprise, then shook his head head. "Sometimes you actually are nice," he noted.

"Don't get used to it. Now, let's go."

Tear sighed, rubbing her forehead. Because she hadn't cleaned the hall the night before, her mother had her cleaning everything in one day. It was exhausting, but she was somehow managing it.

There came a knock at the door, but her mother went to answer it before Tear could. She opened the door before blinking in surprise.

"G-Grand Duke Jade...what brings you here?" she asked.

"You are Lady Mohsaine Fende, correct?" Jade replied, not answering her question.

"Yes..."

"You and your daughters were at the ball last night?"

"Yes, we attended."

"The Princes have decided to conduct an investigation. Will you allow us to?"

"O-Of course! Please, come in!"

Mohsaine glared at Tear, nodding to the kitchen - the signal that she wanted her to make them all tea - then led their three guests into the sitting room.

"I'm sorry about the mess. Our serving girl has been rather lazy of late," Mohsaine said, flustered.

"What mess? This place is even cleaner than the entire castle," Asch muttered, wiping a finger on the mantelpiece and not picking up a single drop of dust.

Mohsaine laughed awkwardly, then turned. "Vanella! Distasia! Why don't you coome greet our guests?" she called.

The two girls entered the room, blinking as they caught sight of the princes, then going red. They took a seat opposite them, still blushing.

"Very well. Now that we are all gathered, I wish to show you this," Jade said, pulling out a bow with a white slipper in, a pale pink rose on it.

The two girls looked at it, glancing at each other.

"A lady came yesterday, and left it behind. Prince Luke is very interested in this woman, and so we are searching for her. Would either of you wish to try it on?"

The girls immediately nodded, and Jade set the box down, pulling the slipper out.

"Miss Vanella, you first," he said. Vanella slipped her foot out of the shoe, holding it out. Jade tried putting it on, but it was obvious it didn't fit.

"Oh well. Miss Distasia?"

Distasia lifted her foot up, and Jade tried again. It still didn't fit, however, and he removed it with a shake of his head.

"Well, never mind then. We shall be on our way..."

"No! No, I'm certain it will fit!" Mohsaine cried.

Jade frowned. "Well, it obviously doesn't.."

"Let me try!" snapped Mohsaine, reaching for it.

Jade pulled it out of her reach, raising an eyebrow. "Madame, that sort of conduct is inexcusable. Please move back..."

"I brought tea...Mother, what are you doing?"

Luke blinked. That voice...it sounded almost exactly like the one he had heard so many years ago, just older...

He turned, eyes alighting up the tan-haired girl, and froze. Though she was much dirtier, there was no mistaking her. She glanced at him, blue eyes meeting green, and went still. That distant memory seemed suddenly clearer...but, surely he wasn't the one..

"Jade," Luke said, attracting the older man's attention. He glanced at Tear, then smirked.

"Of course, Your Highness. Ma'am, please be seated a moment," he said. Tear hesitated, then set the tray down and sat on one of the chairs.

Jade knelt infront of her, taking her own shoe off and slipping the slipper onto her foot. It fitted perfectly, and Tear gazed at it a moment before looking up.

"Were...were you the one who danced with me last night?" she asked, gazing at Luke. After a moment, Luke nodded, and Tear gave a relieved smile. "So I didn't imagine it...I'm glad," she murmured.

"What are you talking about? Mystearella didn't go to the ball last night," Mohsaine interrupted, glaring at Tear. She gazed down at her tattered clothes, going red. Right...she wasn't nearly on Luke's level. She, a silly commoner, couldn't hope to ever be with him...

"'I will wait for you forever.'"

Tear jumped then looked up at Luke in surprise. He gazed at her with emerald eyes.

"'So will you wait for me?' I promised you that, when we were younger, didn't I?" he murmured.

Tear hesitated, then nodded. "I...always believed that promise," she mumbled.

Luke crossed over to her, kneeling infront of her. He raeched out, taking her hand, and gently pressed the clip into it.

"You don't have to wait any longer. Should I?" he asked, voice sincere. Tear looked at him in surprise, wondering why he was giving her the choice, when he was the Prince..

Deep down, she knew what the answer was. Still, she hesitated, biting her lip. Could she? She was only a commoner, after all...

"You know, he's not been interested in anyone his entire life? This is a big thing for him," Asch said suddenly. Luke looked at him, glaring.

"Shut up!" he hissed. Tear blinked, then giggled.

"Well then, Your Highness...I would not deign to make you wait any longer than you already have," she murmured, smiling. Luke blinked then grinned.

"R-Really? I mean, wow, um..You're really beautiful and look like an angel!" he blurted, going bright red.

Tear blinked at the sudden confession, while Jade did his 'hohoho' laugh. "Yes, I believe both Lorelei and Asch proposed in much the same manner! It seems the men of this family just get flustered far too easily."

"Shut it, old man," Asch growled.

Tear continued to stare, wondering what she had just gotten herself into.

"Yes! I knew my prediction wasn't wrong!" cheered Yulia.

"What? What did I miss? Did he confess?" Lorelei asked, scrambling over.

"Yep! You're going to be planning for another wedding pretty soon," Yulia laughed, patting his shoulder.

"Ugh...costs are going to go through the roof..." the red-head sighed as Yulia continued to celebrate.

A/N: And thus marks the end of Mystearella! I hope you enjoyed! I had to get Lorelei in there as their dad again...plus, Yulia was the Fairy Godmother because I couldn't imagine anyone better for the job!

There are few actually mean females in the game itself, so I had to go with a few mean guys as the step family instead... (I'm sorry! Don't kill me!)

I wish I'd gotten Ion, Sync, Arietta and Anise in there too somehow, but it wasn't working for me..

If anyone has any ideas for me about how to possibly write a sequel (because I really enjoyed writing this), then please leave some suggestions!

Review?