"You're free to go." The security guard handed her a packet of clothes sealed in clear plastic as she passed. She was used to the plastic, at least, but the sight of real clothes was a mild surprise. "Ranma, Yumi wishes you luck." She gave a slow nod, wondering how much he knew of her. Was he like most, serving at this stressful post for a few years before moving on, or had he perhaps been here even longer than she had? Never having traveled outside the inner section of labs before she couldn't be sure.
Turning her gaze back to the ground she made her way to the women's dressing room with cautious footsteps. Not because she was entering enemy territory, no, that fear had largely left her, but because her legs were as weak as those of a newborn calf. Her already slender legs and arms had withered over the course of her illness until they were little more than skin and bone, and even her bones had thinned from lack of use. It was only quite recently that she had made any recovery, but her body had grown so used to her diminished state that it was taking longer than she expected to snap back.
The door thankfully opened automatically, rather than testing her dubious wrist strength. Biometric scanners overhead checking for any sign of fever or airborne pathogens as she entered thankfully all checked green, she didn't know if she could take a setback this close to freedom. The locker room, she was glad to note, was quite empty apart from herself. Easing herself onto a bench she let out a small sigh of relief as the weight left her feet. Prying open the package she noted the pleasant softness of the clothes. Nothing fancy, she was still glad to finally strip out of the medical gown that had been her companion for so long. A generic pair of white undergarments went on first, followed by a light blue t-shirt and dark blue sweat pants that she had to tighten and knot to keep from just slipping off. They followed a feminine cut, she noticed, but they didn't look bad on her. She was just glad Yumi hadn't decided to give her something silly like a dress as a parting gift instead. While admittedly she probably wouldn't mind wearing it even in public after so many years in a medical gown, it was best not to do anything too shocking during the reunion.
Fifteen years... Such an amazing stretch of time that it could only be fully comprehended in the abstract. Minutes stretching into hours stretching into days, it was almost terrifying to think of how long she had been isolated from the outside world. Would she even recognize them? Her father had come by a few times, but it took four hours and five hundred dollars in expenses for the lab just to have someone enter the biohazard level four labs at the center of the complex. Given that he was a civilian and this lab housed viruses capable of decimating the population of japan in a matter of days she supposed she was lucky they even let him visit once a year. The rest though, their faces were a mystery now, effaced by the passage of time. It was 2005 now though, and with the laptop Yumi had given her a few years ago (now likely incinerated) she probably could have contacted them but something had held her back. Well, no matter, she could handle this.
Would Nabiki be waiting outside to remind her of her 40,000 yen debt? Kasumi would be carrying a homemade bento for everyone, and Soun would be crying, of course. Maybe Akane would come to apologize for knocking her in here in the first place, accident though it was. It was certainly one landing she hadn't gotten lucky on. Ryoga was a possibility, if he had managed to walk into the right hemisphere. He was a rival, but she liked to think they were friends too. Maybe even her mother would come. Genma had let slip that she was still alive a few visits ago, but had refused to say anything more.
After putting on a pair of slippers that had come with the clothes (her own had been burnt to a crisp long ago to prevent further infection) she levered herself to her feet. Outside the dressing room it was only a few short steps to the door to the lobby. The security guard smiled as he used his card to let her through, which she weakly returned. "Uwaah, so bright. The large double-paned windows at entrance let in enough light that she had to cover her eyes, squinting through fingers held nearly shut.
"Here, Ranma, take mine." A pair of sunglasses slid onto her face, and she settled them into place gratefully.
"Thanks, Pops." While still bright, she could at least see her surroundings now. Her smile fell as she realized Genma was the only one there besides the secretary. "Not even Mom came?"
Genma gripped her shoulder comfortingly but drew back as he felt how thin and fragile she was. "Listen, Ranma, it wouldn't do either one of you any good to meet. Your mother is a little... off."
Ranma looked up at her father and, odd as it might seem to her sixteen year old self, believed him. He'd changed a great deal in fifteen years. Still bald, his face looked older, hands weathered by time, but he still presented an aura of strength even while wearing a gray business suit. "Let's get out of here."
"My car's outside."
Ranma tossed her head a bit at that, hardly believing that her father, the whacky misogynistic wandering martial artist she had grown up with, actually had a steady job and a car that wasn't stolen. She eyed the foldout wheelchair that had been reserved for her at the front desk. "It's not too far, is it?"
"Right out front," he said. She took a delicate step and he seemed to catch the hint she was still a touch too prideful to speak out loud. Grasping his outstretched arm they made their way outside, Ranma pouting as she noticed that both her hands together couldn't encircle her father's arm. Her own biceps on the other hand were about one step away from nonexistent.
"Ranma, are you alright?"
She had stopped just outside the door, coughing once or twice as she stared at the feathery white clouds painted across the sky. The air was full of pollutants and pollen and was a little harsh on lungs used to sterile laboratory for fifteen years but as she felt the sunlight hit her skin she felt like she was finally alive again. Liquid gathered at the corners of her eyes but she blinked it away. "I'm great. Just a little overwhelmed. It's all so... big." Genma had nothing to say to that.
It took a few minutes but Ranma decided that parking lot was not where she wanted to spend the rest of her life and let Genma settle her in his car. The warm breeze from the window swept over her half-closed eyes and through her hair still loose from the decontamination shampoo as Genma occasionally pointed out new buildings that had sprung up over the past decade and a half. Try as she might to continue watching sights she'd only seen on a computer screen for such a long time she couldn't keep back the drowsiness creeping up on her. Hoping she wouldn't bruise from the light amount of padding on the door she curled up and went to sleep.
It was dark when she awoke, alerted into wakefulness by the cessation of the engine. "You hungry?" asked Genma as she stretched, working out of her seat belt as she did so.
"I could eat." Ranma was quick to pick out a booth as Genma escorted her inside. At least in a booth she could lie down half way through if she got tired from sitting up. Genma predictably ordered a hearty meal, despite his martial arts days being largely behind him. Ranma on the other hand, "One small miso soup please, and can you go light on the seasoning? Thanks."
"Are you sure that's all you want Ranma?"
"I can't actually eat very much yet," she replied. Fed largely through IV's her stomach had shrunk to the point that a single bread roll left her feeling full. It was part of the reason her recovery had been going so slowly. "You look well," she said, trying to divert him from the topic. "How is work?"
He didn't quite meet her eyes. "They offered me an overseas position in America."
"That's wonderful," she said, trying to ignore the pit forming in her stomach at the thought he would leave her alone amongst strangers once again. "You're taking it, right?"
"I was hoping you could come with me. I found a two bedroom apartment, bigger than anything we could find in Tokyo. Just say the word and we can be there in a day."
"Leave Japan?" Ranma swirled her spoon through the last bit of soup. "My friends..."
"You can make new friends," said Genma. "You've still got your whole life ahead of you." His voice took on a grave tone. "Nabiki leaked your name. They don't know your face, but-"
Ranma knew immediately what he meant. She'd managed, despite debilitating illness, to pick up a degree in English Literature by mail. Another year or two at an actual college and she'd have her teaching degree. But who would hire her if they knew her past?
She'd been seventeen when it happened. Powerful, full of life, and foolishly assured of her own immortality. She'd fallen from the sky, straight through the roof of the labs. She'd been male at first. One decontamination shower later and there was further shock and disbelief showing through the face masks of the hazmat-suited scientists surrounding her. Several days later, however, the only thing they were interested in was why she was still alive. Infected with a dozen of the most deadly viruses on Earth she'd been forced to watch her once near-perfect body (albeit short) slowly withered and died. Her superhuman healing ability and mastery of ki had been tested to the utmost as the years passed, a constant losing battle as the scientists attempted to cure her before her body or willpower faded entirely. It had been a tough thing to endure, especially after they realized her female form was more adept at fighting off infection and more or less consigned her to her female form for the duration of her illness.
A mutated strain of ebola had been the most difficult to get rid of. Two weeks ago when Yumi had delivered the necessary antibodies into her bloodstream to finally kick the virus for good she had dropped into a healing coma for three days. Sensing an end to the constant attacks on the equilibrium of her body, her ki had started to truly replenish itself for the first time in years. It's character had changed greatly over the years until she wondered if it was really still ki at all, but it was a comforting warmth at her center.
Still, cured or not, who wanted to be near someone who used to be a walking biological weapon? At least her potential career wasn't further clouded by massive medical debts. Apparently serving as a surprisingly durable test subject canceled out any debts she might have incurred, more or less. They'd even done her a favor by giving her female form an actual legal identity and paying for her textbooks. The needles though, oh gods the needles...
"Alright, I understand. I'll come with you."
"Great, the flight's in three hours," replied Genma.
"So soon?" said Ranma.
"Figured it would be best to get out of town before anything strange can happen."
Sadly, Ranma had to agree. "At least we aren't swimming there." Genma proceeded to compound that point by paying for the meal without wincing or carrying her off in a dine and dash. She grinned. Things might have changed in fifteen years, but not everything was for the worse.
Well, for everyone who actually read this, I imagine you've noticed that it's a little different from the average Ranma fic. This will be a crossover, though with what I'm not yet sure. Leaning towards True Blood at the moment, but "realistically" I could just have to plane crash through time and space to just about anywhere. I should note that the curse is not fully locked and Ranma will have a few ki-tricks at her disposal, weak bones or no. If anyone has a better idea for a crossover, feel free to say so.
I should note that I was originally considering 28 days later, and spent an absurd amount of time researching ebola as a result (apparently the transmission module behind the rage virus(PS the time delay on symptoms seems incredibly sketchy though the overall idea is moderately sound)) but figured Ranma might end up a little mary-sueish in such a setting.
If anyone's curious, in reality Japan has no operating Level 4 Biohazard labs, though they do have the capability, installations, and WHO permission to do so if they choose. I'm uncertain whether their lev4 bio labs were operational in the past.
AIDS is a level 2 biohazard virus.