I pounded on the box as hard as my one good arm would allow.

My bad arm throbbed, and the pain drove me to kick more.

Then, I heard it.

The circus music.

I felt tears roll down my face as I saw the ringmaster move a hidden door in the place.

"Rise and shine, my little star." He said, and I shivered.

'That was what he used to call me. His little star.' I thought, disgusted.

He grinned, and pointed to the barrel.

"Its show time." He said, smiling.

I then felt a rough pair of arms grab me and stuff me into the barrel, further breaking my broken arm. I cried out in pain, and the man stalled, softening for a moment.

"Now, light it on fire." The ringmaster said, an evil look in his eye.

I gulped air as I felt the barrel heating up.

"Now, Edwardo, push it into the rings." The ringmaster said, and I felt myself start to spin.

With every spin, I'd hit my head, over and over.

I felt my cheeks gain color as I was about to puke from the spinning and the nausea.

'I need to get out of here.' I thought, banging on the sides.

My foot kicked out the lid and I smiled.

'Yes!' I thought, grinning to myself.

I lept out of the barrel and I smiled, then my smile shattered into a million pieces when I saw the spotlight on me.

"Shoot!" I said, quietly, wanting to crawl back into the flaming barrel.

The audience laughed at me as I looked around, confused, but in reality, I was looking for an escape.

I heard a whip and I jumped. I looked back to see the ringmaster eying me to get to work.

I sighed, as tears built up in my eyes, as I started juggling balls of any color. As I got pies thrown at my face
As I got ribbon ripped out of my grip.
As I taunted every tiger and lion.
As I made my 100th balloon animal.
As I felt like the living human joke.

And that night, I cried myself to sleep, on a bed made of hay and a lone pillow, with no hope of escape anywhere, and my door locked tight.
And my show name on the charred barrel.

Habuku Takenaka, the clown on fire.

"""""""""""""""""

Ritsu woke up, on the sidewalk, dazed and confused.

"Hibiki!!" He screamed, scrambling up and trying to regain balance.

"Where's Hibiki?!??!" Ritsu asked, but nobody was around at three in the morning.

"I gotta find Hibiki!" Ritsu said, running off to the school, tripping and stumbling a bit.

'Stupid chloroform.' Ritsu thought, as he stumbled into the door.

He hit his head, and passed out on the doorstep.

**1 hour later**

"...nova......CassaNova..... CassaNova!!!!!!" Ritsu hears, as he bolted up.

He looks to see Tamaki guy, and his head started pounding.

"Where.....am I?" He asked, confused.

Tamaki looked confused himself. "Why, your at the school. Why were you passed out?" He asked, concerned lacing his voice.

"I'm.....at the....school.....Hibiki!" Ritsu shouted, slipping on the stairs.

"Whoa, CassaNova. Take it easy. I'll call Kyoya and he'll check to make sure your not hurt." Tamaki said.

"I......gotta......find Hibiki....
he's.....in......trouble!!!" Ritsu said, as he stood up again and tried to run but Tamaki wouldn't let him.

"Hibiki? What happened to him?" Tamaki asked, the worried look in his eyes growing.

"Hibiki!" Ritsu said, feeling his heart being smashed when he remembered all the events.

The gun.
The threat.
The weird man in the mask.
The kiss.

Ritsu began to shake as he realized that the kiss Hibiki and Ritsu shared would never happen again.

Just then, a limo pulled up and Kyoya hopped out....
Followed by Karou and Hikaru....
And Honey......
And Mori....

"I thought you said you were only calling Ootori!" Ritsu exclaimed, kinda frustrated.

"What seems to be the problem?" Kyoya asked.

"Mommy, something terrible has happened to Hibiki, and Ritsu looks like his been mugged! We have to do something!" Tamaki said, being all dramatic.

Kyoya's pen snapped, as a black lightning bolt appeared in the background of the club.

"Hibiki's been." "Hurt?" The twins said, no longer mischievously.

The Ootori guy came over and took out this wierd sciency instrument and put it to my eye.

"Drugged." Kyoya said, finishing his analysis.

"Oh no! My nephew!" Tamaki said, with tears in his eyes.

Ritsu looked over at Honey, expecting him to start crying like the boss.
Except he wasn't.

Honey had a dark aura around him, as he clenched his fists.

"Someone hurt Hibiki." Honey said, as his eyes didn't look cute and friendly anyone.

The same look was on Takashi, too.

"Uh.....guys.....my head." Ritsu said, grabbing his head with his hands.

"CassaNova, tell us what." "Happened to Hibiki." The twins said, looking pissed.

Ritsu shook his head and tried to stand up. "Got.....to......find......Hibiki!!!" Ritsu said, shouting.

"CassaNova! Listen to us, we want to help. Tell us who took Hibiki!" Tamaki said, softly, despite the situation.

"The........ringmaster.....took.....my...... Hibiki! AGUHHHH!!" Ritsu shouted, as he was frustrated that he couldn't do more.

Ritsu banged his hand on the steps, and a noticeable crack was on them afterwards.

The host club froze. They've never heard of this man.

"Ritsu, who is the ringmaster?" Honey asked, scary quietly, as darkness came off of him in waves.

Ritsu's head hurt so much, and his eyes were so droopy. He couldn't stay awake anymore, and started to fall asleep.

'Hibiki, I will get you back, if it's the last think I do.' Ritsu thought, before he saw only black.
"""""""""""""""""""

Back at the orphanage, everything was running smoothly.

Airi and Euru were playing blocks.
Daiki, Hina, and Taiga were playing doll vs car vs puppet.
Sora and Sota were helping Moka and Ryuta in the kitchen with cooking.
Miyu and Soshi were working on homework and keeping an eye out for the little ones.
Kika and Aya were braiding each other's hair, by the door.

When a note came.

Aya picked it up and looked at it. The handwriting was fancy and written really well.

"Aunty Clair. I have some mail for you." Aya said, walking up to her and handing it over.

Aunty Clair stopped working and took a look at the letter. She gasped, dropping her pen and looking at the letter in disbelief.

Aunty Clair quickly opened it. And all the kids gathered around her.

Dear miss Clare.
I am here to tell you that we have Habuki. If you don't send those twerps over to me, I will make Hibiki's life a living h*ll.
And I'll spill your secret.
Sighed,
The ringmaster.

A picture was attached, and it was of Hibiki coming out of a flaming barrel.

Aunty Clair gasped, and wished that it wasn't true.

Her secret must stay hidden.
But she won't give up her kids to do it.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is chapter 25
And I'll keep you in suspense for a while longer.