Hinata pushed through the crowd and tried to outrun Naruto. She quickly dashed past the gates, heading into the forest.
"Hinata wait!" Naruto shouted, jumping past the guards. He ran up the wall and followed her movements, seeing her head for a lake. "When did that get there?" He shook the off the confusion and raced through the tree tops, catching up to her. "Hinata!" Naruto shouted.
"Leave me alone!" Hinata shouted, stopping at the lake, catching her breath.
"Hinata!" Naruto shouted, jumping down. He couldn't stop running and ran straight for her, wrapping his arms around her. Hinata's eyes widened as she felt her feet lift off of the ground. The water splashed, enveloping them. Naruto came up to the surface breathing for air. "Hinata! Where'd you go?" Naruto shouted. Hinata quickly swam away from him, her tail swishing back and forth. She swam behind a boulder and peeked her head out, watching him closely.
"I'm over here!" Hinata told him. Naruto looked towards her and sighed in relief, swimming over to her.
"What are you doing over-"
"Don't come any closer!" Hinata shouted, hiding even more of her face.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, frozen.
"Nothing, I just, I'm soaking wet!" Hinata blushed, looking down at her shell top.
"I'm soaking wet too!" Naruto shrugged "what does it matter?"
"My clothes, they're clinging to me." Hinata lied. Naruto sighed and swam towards the edge of the lake and climbing out.
"What did Hanon mean?" Naruto asked, shaking his head. Hinata pressed her back to the boulder, looking at the clouds.
"Nothing. She meant nothing. She was just fooling around and said some stupid things! She didn't mean anything." Hinata choked out, tears falling down her cheeks.
"Are you alright?" Naruto asked, looking at the boulder.
"I'm fine! Just go!" Hinata shouted, trying not to cry. She listened to him leave and gasped, finally letting her tears come out. She placed her forehead on the cool rock and sobbed. "Naruto-kun! I'm so sorry!" She shouted, getting her frustration out. "I'm sorry…" "I wish that I could tell you how I feel…but I never can…or else I'll disappear. I'll turn into sea foam." Hinata cried. She heard a small splash and tensed up, before she heard a sigh.
"I'm guessing it didn't go well." Hanon sighed, hugging her daughter.
"Mama!" Hinata cried, clinging to her "I wanted to tell him! I wanted to show him my tail! I want him to know the truth, but, I don't want to disappear!" Hinata cried.
"There, there…" Hanon cooed, petting her daughter's hair.
"It's so hard! Why is it so hard? Why can't I just tell him? I just want him to know!" Hinata cried.
"I know." Hanon whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. "It's hard, I know. For so long I waited for Nagisa to figure it out, and it's hard. But it will get better. It always gets better." Hanon comforted her.
"Really?" Hinata asked, straightening.
"Really. I promise, things will get better." Hanon nodded.
"Let's go. I need to talk to Neji." Hinata gasped, wiping the tears off of her face.
"Alright." Hanon nodded, leading her daughter out of the water.
~Later, with Neji and Hinata~
"It'll be alright." Neji assured his cousin. Hinata leaned on him, crying.
"Are you sure?" Hinata asked. "It hurts so much to keep this from him! I just want to shout it out and have him know everything, but I can't!"
"He'll figure it out…he's not that much of an idiot." Neji smirked. Hinata slapped his chest and wiped her tears. Neji chuckled, and rubbed her shoulders.
"I wish that you didn't have to go through this." Neji sighed.
"At least the girl you love is Tenten," Hinata muttered "you're a water spirit, she's a mermaid, you two don't have to hide any secrets." Neji sighed and looked at the ceiling, gathering his thoughts.
"I won't go after Tenten, until Naruto knows who you really are. I'll even set it up to where he finds out." Neji told her.
"How can you do that? If you tell him the truth Aqua Regina-sama will punish you for revealing us!" Hinata muttered.
"I'll lead him to the lake and have him see you transform, set up training with him and 'accidently' push you into a lake, anything! I just want you to be happy." Neji told her.
"Thank you…but I think Aqua Regina-sama will still punish you. I'd hate for you to go through hell just for my happiness."
"Hinata, I've looked after you ever since you were born…I wish for your happiness everyday. You're the princess that I'm in charge of. I'm just like how Coco is to Sakura; I'm your guardian, in human form. I want your happiness more then my own. It's my job." Neji smiled.
"Alright…" Hinata nodded, standing up.
"Let's go." Neji suggested, leading her out of the room.
"I have training to do!" Hinata nodded rushing out of the house.
"And there she goes again." Nagisa sighed, looking after his daughter. "I can't believe that I've had to miss so much."
"She's a brave princess," Neji informed him "She just has to make the one she loves realize who she is."
"Hanon is considering the proposal." Nagisa told him.
"Does she really want to let go of Hanabi?" Neji asked.
"No, but it'll be for the best if the indigo kingdom gets back their princess." Nagisa told them "She wants to do what is best for the kingdoms."
"But is what's best, really for the better?" Neji asked. "The shadows had no problem attacking the indigo kingdom once. What's to stop them from doing it again and completely destroying the indigo mermaids?"
"I don't know." Nagisa sighed, "She just wants to help secure the indigo kingdom."
"She should think things over very carefully before she acts." Neji told him "The kingdom survived when Noel was kidnapped, they can survive with Nixie gone. Even if the pearl is missing." Neji muttered, before walking away, his bare feet softly patting against the wood.