Author's Note: So I decided to do Elizabeta this week. I was torn between her and the Korean twins. (I will save them for next week.) In the end, I stuck to what I promised last week. This match ended up taking quite the turn as I wrote this. I hadn't expected the ending to happen but I love how it turned out. Plus, it's different from all of the other Dark Circus matches I have written. (I did hint at what would happen if you don't escape earlier in the season.) I wonder what other country will get swept up into the Dark Circus. As I said before, we will check in on the Korean twins next week. For now, enjoy this week's match.

Match Twenty-Two: Sötét Cirkusz:

The Dark Circus had come to Hungary too. Elizabeta had heard about the disappearances all over Europe. All connected to the Circus. The time for doubt had already passed. More believers were made each day. The police all over the content were running around in circles by now. Citizens were panicking.

Elizabeta read the articles on the screen. Three more girls have gone missing. She shivered as she kept reading.

"Why do you keep looking at that stuff?" someone asked behind her. The Hungarian woman whipped around. Roderich stood in the doorway of her office.

"Oh, it's you," his girlfriend said. Elizabeta turned back to her computer.

"It's just…" she said. Roderich frowned.

"Doesn't it worry a little bit?" she asked. He thought about that for a moment before shaking his head.

"How?" Elizabeta asked.

"I don't know," he admitted. His girlfriend sat back in her chair. She looked at her screen. Things have been tense around the house lately. Roderich withdrew himself into his room as the fall wore on. He looked like he hadn't slept for days. Elizabeta gave up on asking what was wrong. She wasn't going to get anything out of him. She just wished that she could help him.

"Hey," Elizabetha spoke up. Roderich looked up.

"Have you eaten yet?" she asked.

"No…" he said. His girlfriend stood up.

"Let's go out to eat tonight," she said. The Austrian man stared at her.

"We could use a bit of fresh air," Elizabeta reasoned. "It would be good to get out a little bit." Her eyes pleaded with him to go with her.

"Fine," Roderich said. The Hungarian woman ran over and hugged him. He reluctantly held her back.

They weren't going to do anything fancy. Elizabeta just wanted to get out of the house. They were going to a local sandwich shop. It was a nice day to sit outside too. Elizabeta and Roderich walked hand-in-hand down the street. Act normal. Just act normal.

"It's a nice day out here," Elizabeta said.

"Hm," Roderich said. His girlfriend forced herself to smile. Despite the nice autumn day outside, there was something that made Elizabeta uneasy. She resisted the urge to look behind them. There was nobody following them. Why would she think there were?

"You see them too?" he whispered. His girlfriend whipped her head around. Roderich had a grim look on his face.

"See what?" she asked. The Austrian man shook his head.

"Nothing," he lied. "It's nothing!" Roderich looked away from her. Elizabeta didn't know how to pry. She was about to ask when something else caught her attention.

"Did you hear that?" she asked.

"Hear what?" he asked.

"Shhh," Elizabeta whispered. The couple went quiet and took a listen. There was a hopping noise in the distance.

Boing! Boing! Boing!

What was that?

Elizabeta turned her head. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. A little pink stuffed bunny started hopping down the street. It landed with a plop. Like it was thrown there. Its small body lay down on the ground. Arms and legs were spread out spread-eagle. Roderich and Elizabeta looked at each other. Neither dared to approach the bunny.

Suddenly, it sat up and looked around. Its focus rested on the couple. The little creature tilted its head. It rose to its feet. Roderich and Elisabeta looked confused.

"Uh… what is that?" he asked.

"Shhh," she whispered. The rabbit moved as if the dust itself off. Elizabeta pressed her lips together. She's seen this before. The little creature turned its attention to her.

"Elizabeta!" it said. "I missed you! It's been so long!" The Hungarian woman froze. A strange wave of memories hit her in the face. She hadn't seen the little rabbit in years.

"Nyuszi?" she asked. Roderich looked at her.

"Nyuszi?" he asked. The little rabbit jumped up and down.

"You remember! You remember!" it said. Elizabeta took a step back.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. It pointed a fuzzy hand at her.

"I'm here to take you back, silly!" Nyuszi said. The Hungarian woman backed up and shook her head.

"I don't understand. What do you-?"

The bunny hopped up and floated over to her. It extended its little fuzzy hand to her wrist. A loud ringing filled her ears.

"Elizabeta!" Roderich shouted. His voice sounded so distant.

And then everything went black.

When Elizabeta opened her eyes, she found herself in a sea of darkness. It felt like she was floating. Her heart thundered against her chest.

Where… Where am I?

She turned around when she heard the sound of calliope music in the distance. Her stomach dropped as old memories started to form in her head. Yes. She had been here before. Nyuszi popped up in front of her.

"Welcome home!" it said. Elizabeta fell back with a scream. It was then she started to grasp with what was really wrong. Her hands looked so small.

"What… What is this?" she asked. Elizabeta looked down at her body. She was six years old again. What was going on? The little girl turned around when she heard giggling. Nyuszi was staring at her.

"What have you done?! What did you do to me?!" Elizabeta asked. The little rabbit giggled.

"I didn't do it!" it said.

"Change me back!" the child pleaded.

"Nope!" the vile little creature said. "We have to go! We have to go!" Little Elizabeta became confused.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Change me back! I want to go home!"

"We have to go! We have to go! We have to go!" Nyuszi said. The little creature started flying away.

"Hey! Come back here!" Elizabeta shouted. The child ran after the vile little monster in frustration.

Before she knew it, Elizabeta was alone again.

"Hello? Where did you go?" she asked. It was then she noticed that the calliope music got louder. Elizabeta turned when bright lights turned on. She looked up to see a giant black and red tent standing before her. It all started to come back to her. Elizabeta had been here when she was younger. Something inside of her told her to run away. She shouldn't be here. There was somewhere else that she needed to be. But she couldn't remember where that was.

I can't be here. I have to go. I have to get out of here.

A big hand grabbed her by the shoulder. Against her better judgment, the little girl turned her head. A giant pale-faced clown stood over her, grinning.

"There you are!" they said. "We've been looking all over for you!"

"What?" she asked.

"We have to get going!" the clown shouted. "The show is about to start!" They dragged her into the tent before she could say a word. Elizabeta tried to fight back but his grip was too strong. They disappeared into the tent.

She wound up pushed backstage. Three ballerinas dressed in black stood up.

"Welcome home! Welcome home!" they sang, clapping their hands. Elizabeta panicked as she backed away. One of them jumped up and grabbed her by her wrist.

"Get her dressed!" she yelled.

"Get her dressed! Get her dressed!" the other dancers chanted. The lead dresser frog-walked the little girl to the wardrobe section. The three dancers waved their hands over her. Elizabeta's clothes changed into a shiny skin-tight black and red harlequin outfit. Her hair was in pigtails with matching ribbons. Her face was painted white. Her lips and eyes were black and red. Elizabeta stood blinking.

"So cute!" one of the ballerinas said, clapping her hands and twirling around. Suddenly, the speakers in the air crackled to life.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" a man's voice shouted. "Welcome to the show! We've got a new feature for you tonight! Hold onto your seats for this! Introducing… The Princess of Blades! Miss… Elizabeta!

"That's you!" the lead ballerina shouted.

"That's you! That's you!" the others shouted. They pushed Elizabeta out of the dressing room. She didn't get a chance to cry out. With one push, she was now out on stage. All lights focused on her. Glowing red eyes stared at her. She could feel one more pair on her little back. Hissing filled her ears.

"Go on. Give them a show, knife thrower."

Elizabeta's right hand started to move on its own. Not in a smooth way either. It started to move in a jerky way as if on strings. A giant box of knives rose next to her. Her hand grabbed a knife. She looked forward to see her target strapped down to a giant dart board. A woman with long blonde hair dressed up like a German prostitute trembling.

"Our Knife Princess has sixty seconds to throw these knives without hurting the target," the man said. Elizabeta's eyes widened.

What?!

She got a better look at the speaker. A man dressed in a black and red pinstripe suit and top hat held a whip in his hand.

"The clock starts now," he said. "Tick-tock! Tick-tock! Tick-tock!" Elizabeta turned to the target. Her right arm moved on its own. Invisible strings drew back and made her throw the knife.

Stab!

The knife landed inches from the woman's right ear. The target opened her eyes. Twenty more knives left.

Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!

The ringmaster didn't make it any better.

"Thirty seconds! Twenty seconds! Fifteen seconds! Ten seconds!"

The audience joined in on the countdown.

"Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!"

Stab!

All twenty-one knives surrounded the target. Not a single knife touched her skin, hair, or clothes. The woman looked like she was about to pass out. She passed heavily with big eyes. Elizabeta stood looking stunned. They made her do all of that?

"Give it up to our Knife Princess!" the ringmaster shouted. Elizabeta was forced to bow on her invisible strings. She was yanked up into the air.

Elizabeta Héderváry has been missing ever since.