"I'm sure," Steven confirms. "She's popped up on the public network already and I was able to get a good look at her face. It's-- different to translate something you only saw as a drawing to, you know, flesh and bones, so it took me a while, but... it's her. Connie went on and on about their little adventures together and she dropped all kinds of little tidbits about Akane that, uh, added up. Like how she distrusts men and that she's a fighter and shit like that. So yeah. Yeah, I think it's her. And, uh, in another thing on the public network she mentions Ranma, Ryouga, Mousse, and Shampoo, so..."

He sighs and runs his hand through his short hair again and says, "So. When Connie's finally talking to you again--you're not going to tell her that her new best friend is from a manga, right? Because I don't think that's something she could deal with."