Summary: Even in the darkest of nights, there will always be a light to lead you on and pull you through—the light of friendship. A short series of heartwarming drabbles based on episode 57. Chapter 4: YohAnnaFLUFF

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King or any of its characters (heehee, although I wish I did)

His heart pounded against his ribcage. His legs were cold with fatigue, they screamed desperately for him to stop. But he couldn't. The roaring, amber flames were all around, dancing dangerously close and licking at his heels.

"UUWWAAAAHHHH!" he spun around to see his teacher flaying his arms wildly, caught up by the iron grip of the Spirit of Fire.

In a flash, the menacing flames engulfed his trashing form.

"Blow! Wind of laughter!" He was screaming almost hysterically now.

Laughter never fails, his teacher had told him once.

But the flames only got stronger.

"Mic! Mi—" he was cut short when the luminous pink monster raised its other palm to reveal Mic's lifeless form. Its master—Asakura Hao stood, his arms folded, a smirk on his features as he watched with sadistic pleasure.

Had it failed this time?

"Burn" Hao whispered.

He was instantly flung off his feet as the steel-hard forearm collided into his chest. He soared through the air momentarily, before crashing to the ground with a painful thud. The impact sent searing pain shooting up his arms, his legs, his back, his abdomen.

He could fight no more.

The sky was lit up with infinite shades of red and orange.

"These guys… I can't defeat them with laughter…" It was his last thought before he was plunged into darkness.

It had.

"Chocolove-san, chocolove-san…" his eyelids fluttered open with the sound of Tamao's timid voice. He blinked once or twice before his surroundings came into focus. He was lying in a vast expanse of desert, white sand stretching as far as the eye could see. Not a trace of amber flames. The sky was clear blue—almost as brilliant as Horohoro's hair color.

Speaking of Horohoro… "Where are the rest?" he blurted out.

"Well, they're not coming back," she hesitated, "Miss Anna, Manta and Jun have gone to search for them" He lowered his head as remnants of the horrible dream plagued him.

The Wind of laughter couldn't put Hao's flames out

"And something terrible has happened!" Tamao continued, "Mistress Jeanne has…" he couldn't stop his mind from drifting back to the sight of both his guardian spirit and his teacher, helplessly bound by the Spirit of Fire's death grip.

"There's probably nothing I can do," he shook his head, "somehow, I've lost my confidence." For the longest time ever, he had believed that laughter would save the world. Believed in it with all his heart. But now… that faith was shattered.

"After seeing something like that, I-" He shut his eyes, willing the thoughts to go away. There was no use crying over spilt milk.

The seeds of laughter were definitely no match for those menacing flames.

As if summoned by his will alone, a thought darted across his mind "Oh that's right!" he grinned, "You can find Yoh and the others!"

She turned to face him, a questioning look on her face. "Yeah, if u do that, I'll ah…ah…" He stuttered, trying to think up something funny. "Aladdin's lamp!" He suddenly exclaimed, years of training as a comedian having taken obvious effect on him. Even if laughter couldn't save the world, he guessed it could probably still serve to lighten the mood.

But seeing her blank look, he decided against it, "Yea, this isn't the time for making jokes," he slumped down in defeat.

Yea, he concluded painfully, that against Asakura Hao, even laughter would fail

A few moments of awkward silence passed before…

"Aladdin's lamp!" Tamao squeaked, before fits of jovial laughter sent her clutching her stomach and rolling on the ground hysterically. "HAHAHA that's funny!" she cried pounding the ground with her fists.

A feeling of warmth settled in his heart as he watched the magic of laughter. "She got it," he whispered.

"You're amazing, Chocolove-san!" Tamao exclaimed, finally being able to compose herself.

"About what?"

"Well, because you can make people laugh at even at a time like this," he felt the blood rush to his cheeks, "I feel better now! I'm going to try at my ouija board!" The now rejuvenated priestess chirped, before flipping open her ever-present book.

Even so… laughter's never failed to bring heaven into earth.

Wasn't that alone saving the world