The Twelve Kingdoms: The Shore in Twilight

in.
    Shouryuu asked, "Couldn't we determine Taiki's location by zeroing in on Gouran?"
    "No," the kirin all answered.
    Hanrin shrugged and said under her breath, "If it was that simple, you big dummy, we would have found him already."
    "We know that he's there. We know from that bad feeling we're all getting blasted with. Because that feeling gets worse the closer we get, we know we're getting warmer. But that's all."
    "Then why can't you just head in the direction that's getting warmer?"
    "Just to clue you in," said Hanrin, looking at Shouryuu, "but sure, if Gouran was some post stuck in the ground, then finding him would be a piece of cake. And all the easier without the static kicked up from all these damned reluctant shirei and their unconstrained instincts running around to and fro. But Gouran is on the move. His powers wax and wane. Probably his aura changing when he's awake and when he sleeps. So even aiming at where the powers are concentrated, we'll end up missing the mark. And there's no telling whether we were off by a mile or whether Gouran simply decided to take a nap!"
    Quite unconscious of her actions, Hanrin even stamped her feet for emphasis, her irritation expressing all her accumulated fatigue and frustration.
    "Hey, don't take it out on me."
    "If I was taking it out on the likes of you," Hanrin shouted, " I'd be the one getting broken!"
    She turned and rushed out of Ransetsu Hall. As Shouryuu gaped at her disappearing form, a fan whacked him on the side of the head.
    "Hey, Monkey Man, lay off my princess."
    Shouryuu grimaced and picked up the fan the Royal Han had flung at him. "Listen, you son of a b--"
    "The Taiho are trying their best. And yet their best hasn't proven good enough. Who more than anyone has the right to be upset about that? You and I are mere observers here. All this nitpicking won't improve things."
    Shouryuu maintained a stony silence.
    "In particular, Risetsu is quite frightened of Gouran. She's a much more sensitive creature than that little baboon of yours."
    "You mean she's timid. It's unlikely that Taiki is going to lose control of him."
    "As a unicorn she is finely attuned to peril. She cannot help that her true nature shrinks from such dangers. Her natural instincts are much stronger than those of the taika kirin. It's not something she has control over, so keep your criticisms to yourself."
    The Royal Han glanced at Renrin and Keiki. "You too as well. Don't push yourselves unreasonably. I think it's time we called it a day. When the days go on like this, the body tends to get run down. The Kei Taiho in particular must be taking time out from his busy schedule to be here."
    "Indeed," Renrin agreed with a sigh.
    When they glanced at Keiki as if for confirmation, he nodded, and with apparent reluctance left the hall.
    "He does look quite tired," Shouryuu muttered, watching Keiki leave.
    The Royal Han agreed. "It's exhausting, even using the Gogoukanda. Well, I'm off to console my princess and tuck her into bed." With a rustle from the hems of his robes, the Royal Han exited the hall.
    Only Shouryuu and Renrin remained. Glancing at Renrin, who showed no signs of departing herself, Shouryuu asked quizzically, "You're not going to bed?"
    "No. Before retiring, I wish to dive through one more time. You needn't worry about me."
    "As annoying as the man may be, that guy from Han isn't far wrong. You are shouldering a burden greater than all of ours. You need to take good care of yourself. Best you get some rest."
    Every time one of them used the Gogoukanda, Renrin had to be there to supervise their goings and comings. The kirin who accompanied her could spell each other off, but her presence was required at all times.
    "I haven't yet reached my limits."
    "I don't quite believe you."
    Renrin laughed thinly. "The fact is, sleeps escapes me whenever I think about Taiki being swept away into that other world. I'm plagued by questions like what in the world happened there, and what we should do next. It's all my mind can dwell on. My head knows that he would have grown up by now, and yet he was so small and such a child. Things like that."
    "You've met Taiki previously?"
    "Yes. Only twice. The first time was when he returned to Mt. Hou. And that because I lent Sanshi the use of the Gogoukanda. The second time was right before those strange things started happening in Tai. He journeyed to Ren to officially express his thanks for our help at Mt. Hou."
    She couldn't forget how he