Well, after saying, "I've never heard of Stepping Stones", I gots lots
of replies telling me where I could find it.  So, having publicly opened
my mouth, I thought I'd better give a review.

My first reaction was, "Oh, yet another Ukyo-gets-depressed story".
Then I realized how long ago it was written, and decided that it was the
archetypal Ukyo depression story.  And *that* is quite an achievement,
to do something so well that everyone wants to imitate it.

Once I got past that, it was pretty good.  I had trouble reconciling
some of the characterizations, but when you realize that six years have
passed, and most people mature slightly after high school ^_^ then it's
okay.  I can't truly believe that Nabiki will be a bachelor for life,
but hey, it could happen.

The end notes said that there was going to be more of this story.  Did
it ever get completed?

I wonder how much this story influenced future writings of Ukyo.  Much
like one of the first fan translations of the manga inaccurately
referring to female Ranma as "Ranma-chan" later led to that being used
as the de facto designation for female Ranma, perhaps this story also
influenced authors into writing depressed Ukyo stories.

Then again, there's so much potential for tragedy in Ukyo's life.  After
all, she's focused much of her existence on a man who is almost
certainly going to fall in love with and marry someone else.  She's
teetering on top of a high wall she's built herself, and all the King's
horses may not be enough when the denouement finally comes.

It is an interesting story, anyway.  Some of the introspection is a
little drawn out (Yo!  Pot?  Kettle here), but other than that the
writing is excellent and the emotions honest and genuine.  

I found some eerie similarities between this and Chapter 3 of "Thy
Inward Love", making me wonder if perhaps I haven't read it some time in
the far past and been subconsciously influenced by it.  Also, it was
disconcerting to see Ranma's and Akane's first born child being named
"Kouma".  :)

Anyway, I do recommend this story, if for no other reason than to track
the genesis of Ukyo stories.  But it's good to read for other reasons,
too.  :)

-Richard