This is a re-post to go along my new chapter. The prologue only has minute 
changes. Chapter 1 has more changes, like the sex scene, where I've added 
insight.


Notes : This is set six months after the end of the manga. Meaning the 
characters are a little more grown up, especially Ranma, and
there are a few things that happened in-between that you'll find out as the 
fic goes on. Comments are welcomed at ranma_666@hotmail.com, and flames can 
be sent at someone@who-cares.com. Thank you. I'd like to thank all of my 
pre-readers for their help and support.

******

Disclaimer

Ranma characters are not mine.
The Sliders idea isn't mine. I've changed the timer concept,
mainly so that Ranma goes, which is the main idea of the fic.

"   " spoken
'   ' thought

******


     Slider Ranma

     Prologue


     In the small vacant lot not too far from the dojo, Ranma
was enjoying what little spare time he had alone. It was a rare feat to be 
alone for him, and to be seen with a genuine happy smile, but sometimes he 
just had to sneak out of the weirdness that seemed to revolve around him.

     Out of nowhere, a blue vortex appeared. Ranma sat, curious,
but not too surprised. Stranger things had happened. Four people
came out of it, one after the other, slamming on the ground, all
groaning. Three men, one woman, all Japanese, looking around 25
years of age.

     The smartest looking one was holding a remote of some sort and
punching buttons. He looked at the others with a smile. "Guys, I
think this is it. We're home." The three others hugged each other.
Ranma jumped from his perch in the tree and stood next to the man
with the remote. "Hey, who are you guys?" He received blank looks.

     "Eh... I'm Yoshi, this is Ken, this is Daisuke and that's
Shori. We're... emm... travelers." Ranma nodded slowly.

     "Yeah, I saw you. Travelers from where? Or maybe when? Or maybe both?" 
he asked, hand on chin. Shori put a slender hand on Yoshi's arm."Yoshi dear, 
are you sure we're in the right dimension?"

     The man pushed buttons again on his remote. "Yeah, the numbers
are right. This is the right place."

     Ranma nodded. "Don't be bothered by me. I've led a weird life. I guess 
now I've seen all kinds of travelers." He shrugged. "What's the others 
dimensions like?"

     "Just like this one, except the 'what ifs' did happen. And
sometimes, they're millions of years old." Yoshi slapped Ken on the
shoulder. "It's not that simple, man." He turned to Ranma. "You
see, it's like this, --" Ranma raised a hand to stop him.

     "I get it. Either the dinosaurs didn't go extinct, or aliens
invaded the earth, or somebody got the big career break they always
wanted, or you asked this girl out instead of that one. Things like
that, right? That's not really weird. Can I try?"

     "Not weird?" Daisuke said. "Not weird?" he repeated, voice
getting loud. "Not weird?!?" he shouted, this time shaking Ranma by
his shirt. "You haven't seen it, pal!!! It's inhuman, I tell you!
Inhuman!!"

     Ranma calmly disentangled his shirt from the nervous man's
grasp. "Could it be weirder than a guy who turns into a girl
with cold water, has four fiancees, blew up a mountain fighting a guy with 
wings in his back and returned to life, all the while fighting off about 
twenty guys out to kill him? I don't think so. So I ask you again. Can I 
try?"

     Yoshi looked at his remote, at Ranma, at the others, and at
Ranma again. "Well, I don't think I want to go back. If you want
it, you can have it, but you need a few explanations." He got near
Ranma and showed him the remote nearer.

     "This is the timer. It counts down to the next time you can do
the portal. If you miss it, it's 29.4 years to the next. You have
to press here. If you let it, it gets to a random universe. If you
enter a series of numbers in this screen, you can select your
universe of destination. Okay?" Ranma nodded.

     Yoshi took a pen from his pocket and wrote a very long string
of numbers on the back of the remote. "That's this dimension's
number. Don't lose it, or you'll never come back here without
someone who knows how to slide."

     Ranma nodded, accepting completely what was said. It was the
only way for him to remember something scientific. "Also, don't
lose or damage the timer." Yoshi added, hitting the remote with a
finger.

     Ranma took the timer and looked at it. "Is there a place in
the frame where I could make a hole? I'd pass a cord so I could
hang it around my neck." The four looked at each other. "Why didn't
we think of that?" "Yeah, it would've saved us a lot of trouble."
"Guys, let's stop worrying about that. We're home, and it's his
problem now." The three men nodded. "Good luck, man. You'll need
it." Ranma shook his head. "When you're a martial artist, luck has
nothing to do with it."

     "Yeah, well, you'll still need it. By the way, the timer is as
compact as it can be. No places for holes. And remember, this trip
*can* be one way. Think about what you're leaving behind." With
that, they all left towards downtown Tokyo. Ranma looked at the
timer while walking back to the dojo.

     'A change would do me good, but... leaving everyone... ...
Then again, they won't be able to pursue me...' He smiled slightly
at this thought. Maybe a change of pace would be good for him. And,
as his father would put it, make him appreciate what he had.

     'Ah, why not? I can come back whenever I want. I'll just tell
them I'm going on a training trip, alone. If they push anyone on
me, I'll lose them with this.' He slowly shook the timer. 'I'll do
it. Besides, I might meet someone who can teach me a thing of two.
And it'll really be training, on my social skills.' He smiled.
'Meeting myself might be fun, too.'

     He looked at the time. He had about ten hours, plenty of time to get 
ready tomorrow morning. He sighed and decided to get a good night's sleep.

     But sleep didn't want to come. Ranma was too 'giddy' about a
trip to the unknown to rest. As quietly as possible, he put the
last things to complete his always-ready backpack, placed his lucky
shirt on his desk, covering the timer, and got downstairs for a
snack.

     Every once in awhile, his insomnia could be cured by filling
his stomach. Except this time, he was having butterflies. "I can't
believe it!" he whispered to himself harshly. "Ranma!" He knocked
his head. "Get a grip! Nothing makes you nervous! Nothing!"

     Upstairs, in her room, Nabiki listened incredulously, pressing
one side of her earphones to her head. She had never seen, or
rather heard, Ranma act that way. Something was happening.

     Hearing only Ranma-vacuum (TM) downstairs, she listed
possibilities. Ranma is choosing one girl. Near impossible. Ranma
is running away. Infinitesimal chance. Ranma is going on a training
trip, alone. Possible, but not something that would make him so
jumpy.

     Whatever it was, it was going down soon. She would follow him
tomorrow, the entire day if need be. Her movement alarm flashed,
putting Ranma on his way up. She quickly closed her equipment and
went to bed.

     She fell asleep a second before Ranma put his foot on the
second floor. Her ability to fall asleep whenever wherever was
something she took pride in. Feigning sleep was something too
dangerous sometimes, for discovery was worse than humiliation.

*******

     Genma woke up, as usual, way before the sun, thus five minutes
before his son. He quickly brushed his outfit, did a few stretches
to warm up and a few sit-ups to put on a little sweat. His
masquerade now on, he could wake up Ranma yelling he was awake for
a good hour.

     Except when he turned to face the boy, he was already sitting,
arms crossed and eyes showing no more than slivers. "Eh eh, son,
it's time for practice. You still have much to do before besting
me."

     Ranma nodded in a way only Nabiki would know he was mocking
his old man, and rose. 'If I can prove just how worthless he is as
a teacher,' he thought, 'he won't object too much to my training
trip.'

     And so, for the first time since the big China incident, Ranma
prepared himself to give it all. Before Genma jumped outside, Ranma
helped him, pushing him outside in mid-flight. Once a good ten feet
from the house, just as Genma began to get a grip on his son, he
suddenly changed directions at a sharp angle, slamming in the
ground, with a rock right in his middle back.

     He barely groaned before Ranma too turned a sharp angle in the
air, foot colliding right over where the rock was. Genma was sure
he felt a few ribs crack at that one. Before he could recover, he
was very hard-kicked into the pond.

     Finally getting his second breath, even if he was in panda
form, he jumped out, only to see Ranma twenty feet away one moment,
and in his face the next, doing a two-punch combo in the stomach
followed by a roundhouse that went right through his best defense,
knocking him out faster than Ranma had moved.

     Ranma took one deep breath, steadied himself, and retrieved
his father from the wall. After dumping him in plain view in the
courtyard, he went upstairs, and checked the timer. Two hours. One
until breakfast, and forty minutes after that. He slipped in his
usual black pants and carefully put on his lucky red shirt. He hid
the timer inside, patted the spot, making sure it didn't stand out,
and sighed.

     Through controlled breathing, Ranma opened all of his senses,
and set out to do one last tour of the house and dojo. Very
quietly, eyes closed, he walked around the house, taking in all the
sounds; Akane snoring, Nabiki breathing lightly, Kasumi getting up,
barely a whisper, the house settling, wood cracking here and there,
Soun Tendo talking in his sleep, of a future Ranma would shake his
head to, taking in all the smells; the newly accumulated dust, the
smell of cleanliness from the kitchen, the bubbles from the
bathroom, and, as the birds sang outside and the sun slowly got up,
Ranma was truly at home, truly at peace with his outstanding life
and typical weirdness.

     As he sat there, on the rock near the pond, Ranma withdrew
himself from the world, this time exploring mentally the places he
could not visit before his trip. His best friend's restaurant,
okonomiyakis tasting better than they smelled while cooking. The
usual ramen chinese-style softly boiling while a few spices were
added, sometimes magical, sometimes not. The school, a very used
fighting spot, and home to more than a few awkward moments. He
triggered all his memories, of his home, of his district, making it
very precise in his mind. When he came back, he would know
instinctively he was home.

     Nabiki saw all of this; so did a small purple cat. The cat
only put it in Ranma's calm side. After all, everyone needs a
little calmness once in a while. The cat purred lightly and ran
back home, getting ready for her daily morning glomp. The other
girl, however, didn't dismiss it so easily. Combined with the
night's events, she was now sure Ranma was going away on a training
trip. It just seemed, however, that he wasn't coming back.
Nabiki didn't understand completely her instincts, but she trusted
them fully.

     She returned to her room and wrote herself a sick note. The
school would know it was fake, but they would never *dream* of
contesting it. She put a pair of long jeans and a blue sky shirt
under her school dress, and instead of books put in her school bag
camera, a few roll of films, her laptop and a few other musts for
a decent stalking expedition. Ranma was planning something, and
something was telling her he wasn't going too far. Nabiki opened
her secret drawer and took a few wads of bills, just to be sure. On
a whim, she took a little more.

     A gentle, soothing voice came from downstairs, and Nabiki
quickly tied her runningshoes before going down for breakfast.
Akane was silent, probably because of something Ranma said, while
he was silent too.

     She noted Genma was still unconscious outside, and her father
looked pretty upset about it. After a delicious breakfast, Ranma
got up solemly and looked at Soun. "Mr. Tendo, my father has
finally proved to be useless in my training. I'm going on a
training trip on my own for a little while."

     To the surprise of everyone, Soun merely nodded. "Of course.
Would you consider taking my daughter with you?"

     "Dad!" an outraged Akane replied, but she was dismissed.

     "Mr. Tendo, it's important that I go alone. Besides, I believe my 
father is now free of any students. I volunteer Akane as a student."

     "Hey!!" once again, but she was listened to as much as the
previous time.

     "Very well. You have my blessing, as long as you come back."

     "I promise I will." Ranma bowed to Soun, and went upstairs to get his 
pack.

     He reached the outside door with Akane, who looked at him full
of hope and sadness. "You're really going, aren't you?"

     He nodded. "I have to go. To get away from everything here. When I get 
back, maybe I'll stop dragging all of you girls around." At that, Akane 
pulled back and crossed her arms.

     "Why don't you just go ahead and run to one of your other
fiancees." He smiled, but shook his head.

     "Because I have conflicting feelings, and I don't know what love is." 
She blinked, as well as the eavesdropping Nabiki. For Ranma to be 
philosophical, or as close as he could get, something big had to be about to 
happen.

     "And," he added thoughtfully, "just in case you don't believe
you have as much chances as the others..." he trailed off, but
didn't have to continue. They locked eyes, and with a hand on her
cheek guided her head to meet his in a sweet kiss. Neither heard
the camera click from inside the house.

     After a moment Ranma broke the kiss. He felt happy, relieved,
heart light for finally it had happened. Akane was torn between
Heaven and Hell. Ranma was finally showing some feelings, and he
was going away. "Ranma, can't I go with you?" He shook his head.
"Bye."  he said after a tender moment, and walked away in a
different direction than the school. Akane sighed, looked at the
sky, mouthed 'Why?' and walked to school, almost sulking.

     Nabiki wasn't sulking, however. She was almost jumping of joy.
She had just gotten the photo of the year. She followed Ranma as
soon as Akane was out of sight. After awhile, she quickly entered
an alley and dumped her school dress. She continued her stalking,
slinging her school bag on her shoulders Ranma style. Five minutes
later, Ranma got to the vacant lot, and leaned against the single
tree. He sighed loudly.

     The sky so blue, the air somewhat pure, and Akane's lips still
fresh on his own, Ranma smiled and looked at the timer. Twenty-five
minutes. Even with taking his time, he still had to wait. "Damn,"
he mused to himself, "I didn't think it would be so hard to leave
her behind."

     Nabiki, behind her wall, smiled. Ranma was waiting for
something -- or some*one*. There was still somewhat of a crowd on
the streets, so she got a little money out and bought herself a
magazine. She leaned on the wall and pretended to read it.

     Time passed, ever so boring, and finally the timer reached for
the home stretch. As it hit the zero mark, Ranma pointed it at
nowhere and pressed the button. Two electrical arcs came out of the
end and joined to form a blue portal, opening to places unknown.
Ranma put the timer back in his shirt, steadied himself, and jumped
in.

     Nabiki's eyes were the size of plates as she saw Ranma jump
and disappear in a vortex. She wasn't much into science, but she
was sure it was very hi-tech, and leading not quite here. Out of
curiosity, she slowly approached it. There was a slight wind
leading in, but nothing dangerous.

     As much as curiosity killed the cat, she had to touch it. A
slender hand reached in, and touched the blue something. She felt
energy crackle through her finger, a wonderful feeling, and reached
somewhat deeper. It was only when her hand began to enter that she
felt the pull. She tried to remove her hand, but too late. Nabiki
was sucked in just as the vortex closed, with a loud yell of
"Damn!!!!"

*******

     In Ranma's home dimension, in a not-too-much frequented hotel,
four weary travelers woke up in a familiar yet constantly different
large suite. Yoshi held his aching head up as he surveyed the
others, also with headaches. "What happened? Huh, who has the
timer?"

     One by one, they all got up and began searching first
themselves, then the room. "Damn," Daisuke said, "those pills hit
hard. I hope we don't ever go to a world like that again. I totally
freaked out, man. I could *swear* I just saw an anime character."

     The two guys snickered, but Shori's eyes went wide. "Eh, guys,
we have a problem." Three pair of disbelieving eyes turned towards
the girl. "What now," asked Ken, "you're having your period again?"
Shori got up, went to him, and slapped him, hard. "No. Daisuke's
right. We did meet an anime character." The guys blinked. Shori
started screaming. "We gave the timer to RANMA SAOTOME!!!!!"


     End Prologue

*******



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