He still remembers the day when he first found out the beautiful transparent egg had crack and the most rare being was born. Val was the last of his kind. The last Ancient Dragon. Xellos remembers it all too well.

He teleported into Filia's Mace and Vase shop. It was Filia's home along with Gravos and Jillas who lived there as well and now it was the home of the last Ancient Dragon. Xellos had come to pester Filia. It was a daily thing when Xellos didn't have anything to do he'd come and pester her. Filia though seemingly annoyed by this was kinda happy he was around. She learn to accept certain things of him so it wasn't all bad. Xellos felt this acceptance and took it as an opportunity to be around more often and of course pester her. Sometimes Filia let him stay with them for the night. Mainly cause he didn't always like living with Zelas who was a heavy smoker and well it was kinda nerve racking being near someone that could end your life in a heart beat. Zelas later proved that she was capable of doing so which soon made the Mace and Vase shop his only home to go to.

But when he came to the shop that day he was in for alittle surprise.

"Well hello there Filia." Xellos said in a cheery tone. "I just came by to see how things are doing?"

"Yeah sure…" Filia said in a tone that seem to be kinda nervous. Not only that but she seem to be holding something as she turn her back towards Xellos.

"What's with you?" Xellos asked "You sound like I came to kill you or something which you know I don't kill anyone unless they are a threat to any plans of the Monster Race. After all I don't resort to violence like a dragon likes to do."

"Yeah…" Filia said in a calm tone.

"Funny that one always makes her go out in a rampage." Xellos thought.

"Filia?" Xellos went over to her. He actually had some concern in his voice when he said that but he couldn't hide it. He looked over her shoulder. There in her arms was a pure black dragon with wings like a raven's.

"So he hatched didn't he?" Xellos said in a kinda disgusted sorta way. You would be too if this was the thing that you were sent to kill and nearly did kill.

"Please what ever you do don't harm him." Filia told him sadly. "Cause if you do with all my strength I'll find away to kill you!"

"Now now please" Xellos held his hands up in a calming way. "He's no longer a threat there for there is no reason to harm him. Plus I don't go to the low of harming a child."

"Good." Filia said as she rocked the dragon in her arms.

Xellos watched in amusement. He never thought of Filia being a mother. She was so hot tempered and prideful at times but then again she did mature a bit after Prophecy incident. Maybe that's why he liked hanging around her alittle more. He always seemed to watch her during the incidents when he wasn't around. Although he liked watching Lina and the others when Filia came around it was much more amusing. Even though years ago they met as young ones themselves but that was so long ago that they only remember a couple of things about it. But he wondered why they could only remember little bit of the pleasant part of past and remember clearly of what he had done to the dragon race. Maybe it was cause both their masters trained them to hate each other and it covered the part of them actually getting along.

Not too long after he hatched Val learn to retain a human form. It was the first things young dragons learned how to do. To them retaining a human form was like a human baby learning how to crawl. Which was probably one of the reasons why Filia felt alittle embarrassed when her tail showed. Xellos snickered at this which ended up in him getting hit by something Filia threw. Val giggled in amusement when they fought. It never bothered him at all when Xellos and Filia fought each other yet when Jillas and Gravos fought it scared him and make him cry. Could he knew that the reason why Xellos and Filia fought each other might be cause they cared for one another? Xellos and Filia wondered on that. One other thing they wondered was why Val seem to like Xellos. Of all things he cared about Xellos wasn't an exception.

Val was in Filia's arm's nice and cozy when Xellos appeared. Val looked at him and then reached his arms out to him as if he was real happy to see him.

"What is it Val?" Filia asked

"He probably wants to bite my arm off." Xellos commented

"Well lets see shall we?" Filia handed Val to him.

"Uh what do you want me to do?" Xellos seem to be really awkward about this.

"Just hold him." Filia replied. "He seems to like you for some reason."

Val cuddled him and soon fell a sleep.

Xellos couldn't help but feel odd about it. He gently handed Val to Filia.

"You should put him to bed." Xellos told her. "He'd be much more comfortable then with a monster like me."

"Oh Xellos sometimes you can be so immature." She whispered " Val seems to be more mature then you and he's a new born hatchling."

Xellos ignored her statement. "Try saying that after being sent to kill him."

*****

A few hours later Val woke up . Xellos walked over to Val's crib and just looked at him.

"You don't remember do you?" Xellos told him. "How you and I were once great enemies. How I nearly killed you and you nearly killed me."

He smirked as he took his hand and put it to Val's face. Val smiled.

"But why do you care about me?" Xellos asked "Is it cause you're just too young to hate? Shouldn't there be alittle unpleasant feeling when you're around me?"

Val grabbed his finger. He was strong yet gentle. Xellos then took his hand away and then took his staff and held the orb part in front of Val's face. The orb began to glow. Val just giggled as touched the orb.

"You're not scared at all." Xellos said. A smile crept up on his face. The orb glowed with some of Xellos's true power.

"You must know that I wasn't going to harm you." Xellos said "After all even you should be able to feel my power."

"Xellos what are you doing?!" Filia ran over to him and picked Val up.

"I thought you said you weren't going to harm him!" Filia yelled.

"And I wasn't" Xellos replied. His staff stopped glowing. "I was seeing if he would recognize my power and see if he remembers who I am."

"And scaring him!" Filia said. "Xellos just please go!"

"Fine by me" Xellos was about to turn when a voice cried out.

"Papa!" Wings sprout from Val's back and he jumped out of Filia's arms and flew towards Xellos.

Xellos caught him as Val began to loose balance and fell.

"Val!" Filia ran to them. "Did he just called you…"

"Papa?" Xellos looked at him oddly. His eye twitched.

"He flew. He actually flew!" Filia was in shock.

Val turned to Filia. "Mama!"

"Oh he called me Mama!" Filia said happily in tears.

Val turned his head to Xellos and said "Papa!" Then he turned his head to Filia and said "Mama!"

"Hey he isn't your "Papa"! " Filia told him in disgust.

"That's right I'm sorry little guy but I can't be uh…" Xellos cringed.

Val giggled and laugh. "Mama! Papa!"

Was this Val's sense of humor? They turned to each other and sighed.

****

Val had fell a sleep in Xellos's lap. They were on a sofa. Filia came over.

"What a day." Filia said with a smile as he handed him a cup of tea.

"Yeah it was." Xellos smirk as he took the cup carefully.

"If you want I can take him and put him in his crib." Filia offered

"No that's alright." Xellos said "He's not bothering me one bit."

He rubbed Val's back as he smiled his usual cheerful expression.

Filia smiled. "Are you finally showing some acceptance towards him?"

"I'll be right back" Filia said and went off.

Xellos looked down at Val. He had to admit Val wasn't so bad. He was kinda touched that Val cared about him so much. Never did he ever had anyone care about him. As a monster he was always treated as an annoying insect or some one really unwanted. This acceptance that Val and sometimes Filia gave felt kinda nice. Actually being wanted cause they cared about you. Xellos smiled kindly. It was sure out of his character but that's alright sometimes right?

"But what would you do?" Xellos thought. "If you knew I once tried to destroy every thing you had and everything you once knew? Would you still think of me the same way?"

Filia came over and put a blanket over Val's shoulder and then came over to the other side of him and wrapped a blanket over both herself and Xellos.

"I thought it was kinda cold tonight…" Filia stated shyly.

"Oh yes it is kinda cold…"Xellos looked up alittle shy himself.

Filia laid her head on his shoulder and fell a sleep. Xellos lean his on her head, smiled a bit and fell a sleep.

Jillas and Gravos looked.

"Aww! Would you look at that?" Jillas smiled with tears in his eyes. "They're like one happy family."

"Oh you are so weird!" Gravos grunted quietly but then looked at them and sniffed a tear happily.

Indeed they seem to be.