X's avatar waited on the rock, sorting sticks. There were so many different sizes of stick, so many different colors- it was chaos! Size would be easy enough to correct with his knife, but color? Perhaps paint would do the trick.

He was in the middle of considering the merits of watercolor versus acrylic when his thoughts were interrupted by someone shouting his name. He looked up to see a young woman running at him. He barely had time to blink before she hugged him.

"You're alive!" she cried.

"...yes," replied X's avatar, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. "That is correct." Was he supposed to recognize who this woman was? He searched through the memories of his predecessor. Could it be-? Yes, of course.

"Melody," he said in response, nodding his head. "I am glad to see you escaped the Land of Dreams. You were not harmed?"

"No," replied Melody, releasing him and taking a step back. Her expression was puzzled. "No, but... how did you get out? You said you couldn't follow me- did you find another way?"

"Ah," said X's avatar, nodding. Yes, things were making much more sense now. "I apologize for the confusion. You see, I am not the same entity that you knew before- the previous avatar of X. He is dead. I am his replacement."

"Dead? But- he was there- how can he be dead?" Melody took another step back, visibly distressed. X's avatar realized belatedly that perhaps he should have been a little less direct with his choice of words. "Worry not," he assured her, hurriedly. "I maintain all of his memories, up to the point of his death. I recollect all of our adventures in full detail. Indeed, I will accompany you on all future adventures, assuming you do not object to my presence. Such is X's will."