LET’S PLEASURE THE ECHO OF STROLLERS and in Kyoto, Jewel rides easy on the cultural shockwave. She’s still unsure whether it’s offensive to call it “Engrish,” but there’s so much of it, on buildings, plaques, t-shirts and windows–

“Kino,” she says, playing with the runes in her pocket.

“Mmm,” he says.

“What do you do with a wasted language?”

“Recycle it.”

“Right.” She pulls the runes out: Ansuz, Raidho, Thurisaz. “Use it to hold the words that aren’t meant for conversation.”

“Curse words?” He tilts his head. “Magic words?”

Jewel looks around again, seeing abjuration, invocation, bindings and secret names.