[shaking at this thread now but, Itsuki will take a moment or two to pick something out, and then he nods.]

I've got the perfect one.

[he'll settle down and open the book, which noticeably doesn't have a title? but the picture on it is very pretty. a forest and a lake, and a faraway kingdom.

the story starts in that same vein,]

Once upon a time...

[Itsuki's voice slides into a cadence with an ease that speaks of how often he's done this. the story is straightforward. a young girl is given a choice between attending a ball to find a prince, or to smuggle on board a ship in order to seek her own fortune. she goes through a trying ordeal, because of course she chooses the ship.

she has adventure after adventure, relying on her own wit and the help of her fellow comrades -- other girls, same as her. finally, she ends up saving the kingdom, and when asked if she'd like to marry the prince --

she says thanks, but no thanks. and instead goes home to her mother, who is only happy to see her daughter come home again. there's a sweet, tearful reunion,]

...The next day, both decide to take a journey of their own. The best way to tell her mother of all the things she'd seen is to show her, right? And so they both went on their ship, and sailed off to see all the wonders of the world together.

[he closes the book, smiling]