Someone talked in X's head and he started, violently. The joyous enthusiasm got replaced with shocked confusion, and he stared with wide eyes at his yimo, like he was worried one of the characters might have come to life and spontaneously developed telepathy.

He couldn't read yet! He was too young, much too young, it would cripple him if he ever did. But he'd seen reading, and he'd heard about what it was like, and he was pretty sure it didn't feel like this. You didn't get just one sentence and nothing else.

He looked around, and his gaze finally fell on the black dog walking towards him. She was a beautiful dog, and there was something familiar enough about her presence that X wasn't afraid of her.

He got down on his hands and knees. "Was that you?" he asked curiously. "Who are you?"