EPIC I FINISHED YOUR REQUEST! X3 And I actually really like how it turned out! BUT YOU GOT THE 13TH CHAPTER! OAO BAD LUCK! XD

Song: A Whole New World

Mexico/Australia

Maria held her breath as Gandalf raised his staff, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!" She knew what was coming, and she knew she couldn't stop it, even if she wanted to. Gandalf the Grey needed to become Gandalf the White. The balroc of Moria raised its fiery whip and-

"That must be a good book, huh?"

Maria looked up quickly and snapped the book shut. She blinked in confusion as the setting changed around her from a dark and dangerous mine to a sunlit beach. She was sitting on a large flat rock near the water's edge and the man who had so rudely interrupted her was leaning against it, the lower half of his body still in the water. He had brown hair which had two locks that stuck up in the front despite it being wet, pale green eyes and thick eyebrows. He grinned charmingly and winked at her.

With a huff Maria scooted back from the edge of the rock. Honestly, she'd come out here to get away from such idiocy! "Who are you and what do you want?" she asked bluntly.

The man put a hand to his (very muscular) chest in mock hurt, "I only wanted to know if it was a good read!" He reached out a hand to touch the book and Maria drew it back before he could drip seawater on it.

"It's one of the best books out there, Lord of the Rings to be exact," she snapped.

The man's eyes lit up, "I think I've heard of it! People say the movies are bloody brilliant!" Maria rolled her eyes. Great, he was illiterate as well as egotistic. "I don't spend that much time on books and the like," he continued. "I prefer to swim."

Maria softened a bit and looked at the waves lapping around her rock. "I can understand that I guess. The ocean is so peaceful."

The man chuckled, "It may be on the surface, but there's a whole world underneath with plenty of dangers for the more adventurous bloke."

Maria smirked, "And I suppose you're one of them?"

"Reckon! And what are you?" He looked Maria up and down and his face fell a bit, "Oh no, you're one of those sensible types aren't you? The kind who believe in science and never do anything interesting!" Maria bristled at this. How dare he?! She was reading a fantasy book wasn't she?!

"Listen you pendejo-" she began. The man laughed and held up a hand.

"I was kidding! Nah, you're not one of 'em. You're one of them shy types who just need to take a chance sometimes." He spoke these last words so sincerely that Maria blushed and looked away. How on earth could he know that? Everything about him seemed so…different.

"So what if I am? Please leave so I can read." Please, please leave. You're making me dizzy just by being so close!

The man looked at her like she was crazy. He leaned closer and Maria scooted back a bit more. She didn't trust this stranger, especially when he was so close. N-not that she was affected by his masculine beauty in any way! He was an idiot after all. "You've been reading for hours Sheila!" he exclaimed. Maria looked at him wide eyed.

"How would you know that? Have you been watching me this whole time?!" That was it. She got to her knees and tried to stand up but the man grabbed her arm.

"Wait! I didn't mean to frighten you!"

"Let GO of me!"

She struggled against his firm grip, dropping her book in the process. He let go of her just as she heaved backwards. Maria was thrown off balance and tumbled off the rock and into the water. She squeezed her eyes shut as the water stung her eyes. She tried to swim back to the surface but she couldn't tell which way was up. Panicking, she opened her mouth to scream and water flooded down her throat. Something caught her around the waist and she felt herself being hauled upward. Her head broke the surface of the water and she gagged and struggled to breath. Whatever was carrying her pushed her until she was lying on the sand.

Something smacked into her back sharply and water poured out of her mouth. Maria gasped and felt the sweet relief of oxygen in her desperate lungs. She coughed and hacked for a good two minutes while her rescuer patted her back and brushed the hair out of her face. Her blurry eyes cleared and she recognized it was the annoying man, even though she could only see his face from where she lay. After a while he started whispering so low she almost didn't catch it. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean- I only wanted to…" He broke off and looked away. Maria was amazed to see tears fill eyes. He slide away and seemed ready to escape into the water.

Maria lurched to her knees and reached out to him. "Wait! What did…you…" she trailed off and gaped at him. Well, to be accurate, his tail. Yes, instead of legs he had a tail. It had dark indigo scales that glittered in the sun. The man, no, merman, watched her apprehensively. "Wow…" she breathed. Her hand moved of its own accord to his waist where the scales seamlessly turned into skin. There was no doubting it, he was real. The merman flinched at the touch but he allowed a small smile to return.

"You're not…afraid?" he asked. Maria shook her head quickly.

"Not at all! I've always dreamed of finding- I mean, this is just so…" she stammered and tried to think of something intelligent to say. "Um…now I see why you don't read much." Is that really the best you could think of?! Idiot!

But the merman just laughed in relief. "I'm glad, I was afraid you'd be afraid and never come back here. Then I'd never be able to see you again."

Maria put her hands on her hips, "So you WERE watching me!"

The merman flushed a dark red and rubbed the back of his neck, "Ah…you see, you always come here and sit for hours on end. It was always so fun to watch you read, you're face changes when you read you know. I could always tell what was going on in a book by your face, it would get angry or excited or sad…I saw you cry a few days ago."

"What? Oh yeah… I just finished reading Old Yeller."

"So today I decided to actually talk to you. I never imagined you would figure out so quickly." He looked down at his tail and Maria did as well.

"What's it like living in the ocean?" she asked.

He smiled, "It's amazing! I can show you if you'd like!"

Maria looked at him nervously. "Uh uh, I can't breathe underwater like you can. And I don't even know your name!"

The merman smiled and held out his hand, "I'm Ralph, and you're Maria, right?" she nodded. "I can show you…do you trust me?"

"What?!"

"Do you trust me?"

Maria looked at his outstretched hand, then at his face. His eyes held no deceit, only kindness and adventure. She took his hand and allowed him to pull then both into the ocean until she was up to her chin. "Ralph! I really can't breathe underwater!" She felt panic flutter in her chest again as he let go of her hand and swim around her for a bit before coming back to face her. Then Ralph did something unexpected.

He kissed her.

Maria froze for a few seconds before her eyes closed and she melted into his embrace, playing with his hair and pulling her closer. After a while the parted for air and Maria leaned her head against his chest. "I think I'm seeing stars!" she gasped.

"Well, that might be the effect of my spell, love."

Maria looked up at him and opened her mouth to ask him what he was talking about, but before she could Ralph dived and pulled her under the water. Maria closed her mouth as water entered her lungs and…she could breathe. Hesitantly she opened her mouth and tried again. Yes, it was real, she was breathing underwater. Ralph grinned as she looked around the underwater world. "We have one hour," Ralph whispered.

Maria grinned, "Show me everything."

I hope this satisfies you Epic! Cuz I'm not writing another Australia/Mexico chapter! (I kid, I kid! XD)

Please review!