Thank you everyone that has taken the time to read, favorite, follow, and review Laser-Tag Love. I am very grateful and glad that you are enjoying it. I love you all.

I welcome all constructive criticism.

Here is chapter seventeen. I hope that you all like. Chapter eighteen will be posted in two weeks

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat or any of the characters from it. Skip Beat is the property of Yoshiki Nakamura.

Maria's Feelings

Maria was sitting in the front passenger seat of the car that Sebastian was driving to pick up Ren and Kyoko. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid to keep it out of the way during the paintball game. She was watching the buildings pass outside of her window with a slight frown on her face. 'I haven't been paint balling before. It should be fun. But Ren-sama and Onee-san will be there... It hurts to think about them being together. Onee-san knows that I'm in love with Ren-sama. Why did she have to fall in love with him too? Why did he fall in love with her and not me?'

Sebastian looked at her while they were stopped at a red light. 'She's still hurting. How will we be able to help her get through this? It was only with Mogami-san's help that she was able to get over the pain of her mother dying and reconcile with her dad. Tsuruga-san helped her, too. Now the ones who helped her the most are the ones who have hurt her. Even though they don't know it. This paintball activity should be interesting. I better keep a close eye a Maria to make sure she doesn't hurt Tsuruga-san and Mogami-san.'

They arrived at Ren's apartment building a few minutes later. Maria opted to stay in the car while Sebastian went up to Ren's apartment.

He came back down a couple minutes later with Ren and Kyoko following him. He opened the car door for them and Kyoko got in first followed closely by Ren. He then got back into the driver's seat and headed towards the paintball arena.

"Good morning Maria." Kyoko said happily.

"Hi," Maria replied without turning around.

Kyoko glanced at Ren who shrugged apologetically. "Are you looking forward to the paintball activity?"

"I guess."

Kyoko frowned. 'Why is she being so quiet? She is usually more lively than this. She has been like this for the past week. Why? Is it because of me? Did I do something?' Kyoko was beginning to panic. Trying to think of what she could of done to make Maria act the way she was.

Ren sensed Kyoko tensing up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 'I bet she is worrying about Maria. In all honesty I am, too. The only other time she was like this when was after her mom died and she wasn't talking to her dad.' "It's okay, Kyoko." He whispered into her ear. "I don't know why Maria is depressed but we'll figure it out and help her through it. Don't worry."

Kyoko sighed and nodded.

Ren gave her a small, warm smile and kissed her cheek.

Maria looked in the rear-view when Kyoko didn't ask another question and saw Ren put his arm around her as he whispered something in her ear. Her frown got a bit bigger but she kept watching until Ren kissed Kyoko's cheek. When that happened Maria turned toward her window again forcing back tears. 'I will not cry in front of them. I am strong and I will not cry.'

Sebastian watched Maria out of the corner of his eye. He saw her expression in the reflection of the window. 'Well Ren kissing Kyoko's cheek certainly didn't improve Maria's disposition. Hopefully her wounds will start being healed while they play paintball.'

Earlier That Morning

Sebastian was standing beside the couch the Takarada was sitting on. "How is Maria doing," Takarada asked suddenly.

Sebastian was quiet for a moment before answering. "She is much more quiet. She doesn't run up to Tsuruga-san for a hug whenever she sees him. In fact most of the time she leaves before he even knows she saw him. Her behavior is very similar towards Kyoko as well. She is hiding often, the way she used to. However she isn't playing pranks the way she did before."

"I see. And she hasn't spoken to you at all?"

"If you mean about her feelings, then no. She has not. I believe that the only person she fully expressed her feeling to is, perhaps was would be a better word, Mogami-san."

Takarada nodded. "We need to find a way to get her to open up again. I don't all the progress she has made in recent months to disappear."

Sebastian remained silent. 'I wonder what over-the-top idea he will come up with this time. But he is right. Maria was finally almost fully healed from loosing her Mom and basically loosing her Dad at the same time. I know that she feels betrayed and hurt right now because of Tsuruga-san and Mogami-san. Still there has to be some way to help her reconcile with them. Some way for her to heal.'

Sebastian was pulled from his musings as Takarada began speaking again. "I think she just needs a way to vent her feeling towards Ren and Kyoko without any of them realizing it. She needs a way to let it out before it starts consuming her."

"I agree, Sir. But how will make that happen?"

Takarada grinned. "I booked a paintball arena for today. To allow Ren and Kyoko to practice for the laser-tag game. If Kyoko can get the hang of paintball laser-tag will come easily. They will still go however you and Maria will be accompanying them. Maria will be able to shoot them as many times as she wants and it will all seem as part of the game. You will just have to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't go over board."

'That could work,' Sebastian thought as he nodded his head in understanding. "Do Tsuruga-san and Mogami-san know what you have planned for them today?"

"No they do not. I should give Ren a call."

Sebastian silently went to the desk and retrieved Takarada's cellphone. He brought it back to the couch and handed it to Takarada.

"Thank you, Sebastian." Takarada said as he opened his phone and dialed Ren's number.

After a couple of rings Ren's voice came over the phone. "Morning Boss. What makes you call at half passed seven in the morning?"

Takarada smirked, 'So he's Kuon right now. Definitely a good thing. He is letting his true self out more often. Maybe he'll be able to tell the public who he is soon.' "That's a rather impertinent voice. Could it be I'm interrupting something?"

"I'm just wondering why you called. You generally don't call this early."

'Just as forth coming as always.' "You're right. I generally don't but I called to tell you that I have plans today for you and Kyoko. Is she with you right now?"

"Yes she is."

'Of course she is. She must have spent the night at his apartment. Their relationship seems to be doing very well. I'm so happy for them.' "That makes things convenient. Put your phone on speaker phone so that she can hear this, too."

Kuon did as Takarada said. "Okay, Boss. What did you want to talk to us about?"

Takarada ignored Kuon's question and addressed Kyoko. "Good morning Mogami-kun. How are you this morning?"

"I'm doing well, thank you. How are you, President Takarada?"

"I'm doing wonderfully, thank you. Are you looking forward to the laser-tag game?"

"Yes!" Said Kyoko excitedly. "I think that it is going to be a lot of fun!"

"That's the plan." 'Along with getting you and Kuon together. Though that has already happened. I must say it happened faster than I thought it would. But I'm not complaining.'

"So anyway, Boss, what did you want to talk to us about?"

"Well I have an activity planned for you two today."

"What kind of activity?" Kuon asked suspiciously. 'What trick do you have up your sleeve this time?'

'He always suspects something.' "Don't be so untrusting. It's nothing big."

"I seriously doubt that, Boss. You always do things over the top."

"You really are cheeky brat." 'He's as impertinent as ever. That's good. He really is getting over what happened when he was fifteen.'

"Does that really surprise you, Boss?"

"No it doesn't. Considering who your parents are. So, back to what we were talking about earlier. Today I have scheduled for you two to go play a few rounds of paintball."

Kuon sighed before asking, "is there a reason for this, Boss?"

"Of course there is a reason. It's more practice for the laser-tag game."

"How will playing paintball help us prepare for laser-tag?" Kyoko asked nonplussed.

"Paintball is harder than laser-tag. So if you can get the hang of paintball laser-tag will be no issue."

There was about a minute of silence before Kyoko said, "that makes sense."

"Yes, Boss, that does make sense. However neither Kyoko nor I have any paintball gear."

'With the way Kuon behaves you would think that I never make an ounce of sense.' Takarada smiled, "you don't need to worry about that. The paintball arena you'll be going to will provide everything that you need."

"Okay. Where will we be going? I'll need to know so that I can drive us there."

"Yet again you don't need to worry. Sebastian will be there to pick you two up at half past eight to take you. He will be playing against you two along with his partner for the laser-tag game."

Sebastian raised his eyebrows at this. 'Maria is going to be my partner for the laser-tag event? I didn't know that. I didn't even know that I would have to participate. Well I shouldn't be surprised. This is Lory Takarada after all.'

"Who is his partner going to be?" Asked Kyoko.

"You'll find out today when doing paintball. They wanted to it to be a surprise and made me promise not to tell you two."

"Oh, okay."

Kuon asked, "Do Kyoko and I need to take anything?"

"No. As I said everything will be provided and when you're done you'll be joining me for lunch. After which you will be taken to LME, if you want, to continue the practicing you started last week."

"That's sounds reasonable." Said Kuon. "Is that everything you wanted to talk about, Boss?"

"For now yes. Enjoy your morning you two and have fun playing paintball later." And with that Takarada ended the call.

Back to the Present

Sebastian pulled the car into the parking lot of the paintball arena that was only a few blocks away from LME. Maria promptly got out of the car but stayed near by. 'Ugh. I felt like I was going to suffocate in there. Why did Grandfather make me come along? Oh well. I should be fine as long as I'm partnered with Sebastian and not Ren-sama or Onee-san.' Maria suddenly got an evil smirk on her face. 'I wonder how many times I can hit them. I bet I can get them a lot more often than they can get me. I might actually enjoy this.'

Sebastian saw Maria's express while he held the car door open for Ren and Kyoko. 'Hmm. I haven't seen her with that kind of look for a while. I wonder what she is thinking.'

Sebastian locked the car after everyone was out and they made their way into the building. Kyoko made to hold Maria's hand but Maria went next to Sebastian and grabbed his hand.

Kyoko let he hand fall to her side looking sad. Ren caught her hand and intertwined their fingers before giving it a gentle squeeze. Kyoko looked up at him and whispered, "I'm really worried about her, Kuon. She didn't demand that you give her a hug or anything. And she will hardly talk to me. I think I did something to make her hate me." Kyoko's eye's started to glisten with tears.

Ren smiled at her reassuringly. "She doesn't hate you. She could ever hate her Onee-san. I will admit that she is behaving a little oddly but it'll be okay. We'll figure out what's wrong and do what we can to help. But until we know exactly what's going on we shouldn't worry."

During Ren and Kyoko's whispered conversation Sebastian talked to the employee behind the desk and had informed them that they were the group the arena had been booked for. The employee nodded with a smile on their face.

"We have been expecting you, Sir. Your group's equipment is in the locker rooms. The women's is to the right and men's to the left. Please go and prepare yourselves for the game."

Everyone nodded and went to their respective locker rooms.

Once Kyoko and Maria were in the women's locker room Kyoko spoke. "Are you alright. Maria? You've been very quiet."

'No, I'm not alright. But I don't want to talk about it. Not yet at least.' Maria forced a smile on her face and said, "I'm fine. I think that I am just a little tired."

"Okay. But if anything is ever bothering you, you know you can talk to me, right? I'll always be here for you."

"I know." Maria replied before picking up the thick clothes that were obviously meant for her and going into a stall to change.

Kyoko followed her example and took the clothes that had been set out for her and went into an adjacent stall to change. When she came back out she found Maria sitting down retying her shoes. Once they were fully dressed and had their protective gear on they went back to the lobby.

Ren and Sebastian were already there waiting for them. Maria walked straight to Sebastian and took her mask from him.

At this point another employee came up to them and bowed. "Good morning. I believe it is just the four of you right now, yes?"

"That is correct." Sebastian replied.

"Very good. Let's go and get your guns and paint-balls."

Sebastian, Maria, Ren, and Kyoko followed him to a counter with multiple types a paintball guns on it. There were many different styles, sizes, and weights. Once they and chosen their guns and got their ammo they went to the doors leading to the playing field.

Maria could see that there were two levels and many hiding places, particularly for someone as small as her. She smirked, 'perfect. I'll be able to hide and move to new hiding places so much no one will be able to shoot me.'

The employee was talking again, "Alright since there are only four of you I would recommend that instead of doing a normal paintball game, where you are trying to get everyone from the other team out, you do a melee of sorts. There will still be two teams. One team has red paint-balls the other has purple. In this melee you will see how many times you can hit a member of the apposing team. After a certain amount of time has passed an air horn will sound signaling that it is time to stop firing and come back to the entrance of the field. The number of times you were hit are counted and the team that was hit the least wins. Does this sound agreeable to everyone."

The group nodded.

Kyoko looked excited. 'This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait for the game to start.'

Ren looked at Kyoko and gave a small smile. 'She is so beautiful when she is excited about something.'

Maria was smiling. 'They will never hit me.'

Sebastian's face was stoic as always. 'Well, Lory, it looks like Maria will be able to shoot Tsuruga-san and Mogami-san as much as she wants. This may really help her after all.'

"How long would you like the timer for the round set?

"Half an hour?" Ren asked the group.

"Okay," said Maria.

Sebastian and Kyoko nodded.

"Very good. Tsuruga-san and Mogami-san you are a team and Sebastian-san and Maria-chan you are the other team. Go in and take your positions. The horn will sound in approximately ten minutes. So take your time and work out a strategy. And always remember to be careful and have fun!"