A/N: This is the result of letting my sleepless mind wander at Three-O-Clock in the morning. I started thinking about Hiccups mother, Valhalarama (hereby nick-named Val), and what she would be like. I don't know if this will be a one-shot or if I'll continue it. I'll need inspiration to continue first. Got any ideas? Leave them in a Review!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: If you read something in here, and you go "I don't think she owns that", I don't. Got a problem with that, bud? Wanna fight about it? Let's take this outside…

Newcomers.

Stoick hated them. Even the word was stupid, newcomers, newcomers, newcomers. Every time an unknown ship entered the docks, there had to be evaluations, identification, and a lot of other big words that Stoick did not understand, but which seemed to make perfect sense to Hiccup.

This particular day, Stoick had been awoken from his much-needed sleep, and told that there were newcomers. A meeting was to be held in order to decide what to do about it.

So there he sat, in the Meade hall, waiting for everyone to arrive, so that the meeting could get underway. He silenced all the chatter with one definite yell of, "SILENCE, YA GREAT OAFS!", and turned to Gobber.

"What island are these newcomers from?" Stoick asked, Deadpan. He looked around the table to see that Hiccup was nowhere to be found. Where could that boy be at this time of night? Or was it morning? He had no idea.

"Well, you see, these really aren't so much "newcomers" as… I don't know how to put this... Old-comers? Returners?"

"What are you trying to say, Gobber?" He said, now intrigued.

Gobber opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the slam of the huge hall door, which echoed throughout the room.

"STOICK!" Someone yelled, angrily.

All. Faces. Turned.

The source of the voice was a muscled woman, with astonishingly red hair and emerald green eyes, which were currently staring daggers right at the chief of the tribe of Hairy Hooligans. She was approaching them fast, and even Gobber looked scared. Stoick saw that she appeared to be dragging his son along, by the scruff of his neck.

"D-dad, I swear to Thor, I had n-nothing to d-do with this." Hiccup stammered out.

The woman took no notice.

"I left you with simple instructions, Stoick! It was not very hard to comply! Six words! SIX WORDS! I ask one thing of you before I leave! And- and you just-!"

Realization hit the mighty chief like a ton of bricks, he had heard this voice before; seen those eyes. Yes, he had, Nine years ago, when she had taken off on a quest. She left when her son was a mere four years old. The one, he soon realized, she would not return from. But, here she was, really here. He was in so much awe; he barely registered what she was saying.

"Va-" He never finished his syllable. He was cut off by a smack right on his head.

"I can't trust you with anything!" She nearly screeched.

The whole of the Meade Hall looked on this conversation with interest. While everyone else seemed absolutely horrified, Gobber was cracking up. Finally, Stoick got a word in. Literally, a word, singular.

"Val?"

"You bet you're finest axe, it's me! And I'm extremely disappointed in you!"

"You've been here a good five minutes, what could you possibly have to be angry about?" Stoick questioned.

"Stoick," She replied, a bit calmer now, "Do you remember what I asked you to do for me when I left?"

"Um…"

"Thought so." She said menacingly, "It was a simple request, really. Only six words." She examined her nails.

"What was it?" Stoick asked.

"I said," Stoick could swear the woman was about to explode, "And not I'm quoting! I said 'Keep our son in one piece.'"

Stoick had, in the supreme overwhelming-ness of the moment, momentarily forgotten his son's presence in the Hall.

"Well," Hiccup said, trying to make an escape. "This was certainly an interesting experience. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go flying in order to forget this morning ever happened. See Ya!" He tried to scramble away, but Val caught him by his metal prosthetic, dangling him up-side-down in front of his father. That woman was stronger that she looks, and she looks pretty strong.

"Whoa!"

"Now, can you honestly tell me that this is one piece?" She asked.

"Um…" Stoick was still trying to take this all in, and his mind was only sub-par when it WAS focused. For a long moment nothing happened. And then a gruff voice spoke up.

"D'ya see any oth'r pieces?" Gobber asked.

"What?" Val asked.

"It's not like there are many pieces, only one."

"Hello? Dangling here!" Val dropped Hiccup on his head. He got up with a grunt. "Thank you for killing those brain cells. Didn't need those!"

Val laughed and pulled her son into a hug.

"I've missed you."

"You too, mom."

Stoick was touched by this plainly un-Vikingy display of affection.

"So much has changed! Oh!" Hiccup said with a realization. "You need to meet Toothless! He's my best friend! I'll go find him!"

As he ran out the door Stoick stepped closer to his wife.

"Am I forgiven?"

"Maybe." She said, smiling. She leaned in and kissed him, and then she sighed. "It's good to be home. I told you he would grow out of his unsocial phase! Look at our son now! This Toothless fellow sounds like a very nice young man. Best friend…"

"Oh, Val" Stoick said, "You have no idea."

A/N: Please review! Should I continue this? :D