Chapter 30: Out of Sight, Out of Mind

The Sunnydale High School hallway buzzed with excitement. Cordelia Chase, accompanied by Harmony and a few other friends, chatted animatedly about the upcoming spring events and the highly anticipated May Queen competition. Cordelia's face lit up as she envisioned the crown.

"This is my year, Harmony. I can just feel it," Cordelia said with a confident smile.

Buffy, lost in her thoughts about the latest vampire threat, accidentally bumped into the group, spilling her bag. Crosses, stakes, and holy water tumbled out, drawing the attention of Cordelia and her friends.

"Oops, sorry about that," Buffy mumbled, quickly gathering her things.

Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "What's with the medieval weaponry, Buffy?"

"Uh, history project," Buffy replied hastily. "Giles loaned me some stuff for a... reenactment."

Cordelia and Harmony exchanged skeptical looks but said nothing as Buffy hurried away, her face flushed with embarrassment.

---

In English class, the teacher led a discussion on "The Merchant of Venice." Cordelia's hand shot up. "Shylock is so self-involved and whiny. He reminds me of this bike rider I ran over. She kept whining about her pain and completely ignored my traumatic experience."

The teacher seemed to find Cordelia's viewpoint interesting, nodding thoughtfully. After class, Cordelia arranged to meet the teacher the next day to discuss her paper.

---

In the boys' locker room, Mitch Fargo, Cordelia's boyfriend, was attacked by a floating baseball bat. Outside, Cordelia campaigned for May Queen, oblivious to the chaos within. Xander and Willow mocked Cordelia's vanity.

"Remember when Cordelia campaigned for May Queen at her old school?" Xander snickered.

Buffy, feeling left out, chimed in. "I was May Queen once, too, you know."

Their conversation halted abruptly when they heard about Mitch's beating. Principal Snyder confirmed Mitch was alive but badly injured. Before Mitch was taken to the hospital, he managed to tell them about the floating bat. Snyder stopped Buffy from entering the crime scene, but Willow and Xander created a distraction, allowing Buffy to slip into the boys' locker room. There, she found the word "LOOK" spray-painted on the lockers.

---

In the library, the Scoobies were stumped. They suspected a ghost might be involved. Meanwhile, Harmony asked Cordelia about Mitch's condition.

"He's alright, but his face is too bruised for prom pictures," Cordelia lamented.

Buffy followed an invisible source of laughter after Harmony was pushed down the stairs by an unseen force, injuring her ankle. Buffy approached the sound, but it quickly vanished, leaving her baffled.

---

Xander suggested the possibility of a cloak of invisibility, but Buffy dismissed it, finding the crimes too petty. As the group dispersed, Buffy followed the sound of a flute. In the library, Giles was surprised by Angel, who offered to retrieve the Pergamum Codex, a book of prophecies.

Buffy's investigation led her to discover a hideout where Marcie, an invisible girl, had been living. Marcie, driven mad by loneliness and neglect, was exacting her revenge on those who ignored her. Buffy found Marcie's hideout just as Marcie attacked Ms. Miller, Cordelia's literature teacher, by choking her with a plastic bag. Cordelia arrived just in time to save Ms. Miller. An invisible hand wrote "LISTEN" on the blackboard.

---

Willow found Marcie's yearbook filled with generic "Have a nice summer!" greetings. She was horrified to find her own message among them, realizing that Marcie had been overlooked by everyone. Giles deduced that Marcie's invisibility was not due to magic but rather a result of being treated as if she didn't exist.

In a flashback, Marcie was repeatedly ignored by her teachers and peers, slowly fading into invisibility.

---

The Scoobies realized Marcie was targeting Cordelia. Surprisingly, Cordelia walked into the library, asking Buffy for protection. They decided to use Cordelia as bait, with Buffy acting as her bodyguard.

As Cordelia was getting dressed, she confided in Buffy. "Being popular beats being lonely by yourself. But it can be pretty lonely, too."

Marcie lured Willow, Xander, and Giles into the boiler room, locking them in and turning on the gas. She then grabbed Cordelia as she was changing. Buffy followed but was ambushed and knocked out.

---

Buffy woke up tied to a chair next to Cordelia. They saw the word "LEARN" on a curtain. Marcie explained that she was going to make Cordelia a lesson by mutilating her face. Buffy kicked the instrument tray at Marcie and freed herself from the ropes.

Angel, who had arrived at the school to deliver the Codex to Giles, rescued the Scoobies and shut off the gas. Buffy concentrated, listening intently for Marcie's movements. She knocked Marcie into a curtain, revealing her position, and then knocked her out.

---

Two FBI agents, Doyle and Manetti, arrived to take Marcie away. They explained that they dealt with cases like hers, ensuring she would be properly handled.

The next day, Cordelia approached the Scoobies to thank them. "I know we don't usually hang out, but thanks for helping me."

They were surprised by her gratitude. However, Cordelia quickly reverted to her usual self when Mitch arrived, showing she wasn't quite ready to renounce her popularity.

---

Marcie was taken to a school for invisible students, where they were trained in assassination and infiltration. She chuckled as she opened her textbook titled "Assassination and Infiltration." 

---

Buffy, Willow, and Xander sat in the library, discussing the bizarre events. Giles joined them, looking more thoughtful than usual.

"We should talk about Cyrus," Giles said, breaking the silence.

Buffy's face fell. "I can't believe what happened to him. He was just trying to help."

Cyrus had been critically injured during one of Marcie's attacks. His connection to Cordelia had made him a target. Buffy remembered the horrific scene—Cyrus lying on the ground, invisible blows landing on him as he struggled to protect Cordelia.

"He's still in the hospital," Willow said softly. "I visited him this morning. He's stable, but it's going to be a long recovery."

Xander clenched his fists. "I wish we could've done something."

"We did what we could," Giles said gently. "But sometimes, these things happen. We need to focus on making sure nothing like this happens again."

---

Later that evening, Buffy found herself at The Bronze, trying to unwind. The music and familiar faces provided a brief escape from the worries that plagued her mind.

Cordelia approached her, looking uncharacteristically subdued. "Buffy, can we talk?"

Buffy nodded, gesturing to a quieter corner. "Sure, what's up?"

Cordelia sighed, her confident facade crumbling. "I feel terrible about what happened to Cyrus. He got hurt because of me."

Buffy placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Cordelia. Marcie was lashing out at everyone who ignored her. You couldn't have known."

Cordelia wiped away a tear. "I just… I've been so focused on being popular that I never thought about how it affected others. Cyrus was always there for me, and now he's in the hospital."

Buffy nodded. "Cyrus is strong. He'll pull through. But maybe this is a chance for you to rethink what's important."

Cordelia looked thoughtful. "Maybe you're right."

---

The next day at school, the Scoobies gathered in the library to discuss their latest ordeal. They were determined to learn from the experience and be better prepared for future threats.

"We need to be more vigilant," Buffy said, her voice firm. "We can't let anyone else get hurt."

Giles nodded. "Agreed. We'll start by reviewing our procedures and making sure everyone knows what to do in an emergency."

Willow looked at Buffy, her eyes filled with determination. "We'll get through this, Buffy. Together."

Xander placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Yeah. We're a team."

---

As the days passed, the group continued their fight against the supernatural forces that threatened Sunnydale. Cyrus remained in the hospital, his recovery slow but steady. Buffy visited him whenever she could, bringing updates and words of encouragement.

During one visit, Cyrus looked up at Buffy, his face pale but determined. "I'll be back on my feet soon, Buffy. You can count on it."

Buffy smiled, her heart swelling with pride. "I know you will, Cyrus. And we'll be here waiting for you."

---

Back at school, Cordelia made a conscious effort to change. She reached out to those she had previously ignored, making amends and building bridges. It wasn't easy, but she was determined to be better.

Buffy watched her with a mixture of admiration and relief. Cordelia's transformation was a small victory in their ongoing battle against the darkness.