Little Michael loved Duel Monsters. Especially one monster in particular. His all time favorite was the rather funny-looking critter known as Demon Beaver. Why it was his favorite know one knew, but he simply loved it, and carried its card all the time. He drew Demon Beavers on his notebooks, on his textbooks, and on big pieces of paper to hang in his room. And every night he carefully put his beloved card on a stand by his bed, where it was the last thing to see when he went to sleep, and the first thing he'd see when he woke up.
One night in particular, he was getting ready for bed when he looked out at the stars outside his window. He focused on the biggest, brightest star in the sky.
"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight."
He looked down at the card in his hand, then holding it close, said his wish.
"I wish, I wish that I my Demon Beaver was a real monster that could be my friend. I promise I'll take good care of and play with it every day!"
That done, he gently set the card down in its stand, and turning out the light, he crawled into bed.
The next morning Michael woke up and sleepily opened his eyes a little. Then he suddenly he opened his eyes wide and sat up. His Demon Beaver card was gone! Frantically, he looked all around. It wasn't on the floor, or behind the dresser, or in the drawer, or under the bed. Sad and disappointed, he sat back down on the bed, but a strange noise made him jump back up again and spin around. Sitting on the bed and nursing its recently sat-on tail, was Demon Beaver! Michael almost shouted, he was so excited.
"I can't believe it, it's really you!" he said happily. Demon Beaver smiled cheerfully and made a happy noise.
"Oh, wow! I've got to show you to my friends!" Michael hurriedly got dressed and grabbed some breakfast, not forgetting to get something for Demon Beaver to eat as well. Soon he was outside heading for the park, with his new friend right beside him.
Michael skidded to a stop just out of sight of the playground.
"Okay," he said, turning to Demon Beaver, "you stay here and hide in these bushes until I come back to get you, okay?"
Demon Beaver squawked that it understood and quickly jumped into the bushes. Within seconds it was completely hidden.
"Good! Now stay right there and don't make a sound until I come back!"
With that Michael ran off to find his friends.
"Hey, Justin! You're not going to believe this!" he shouted.
"Believe what?"
Michael paused to catch his breath.
"Demon Beaver, from Duel Monsters, he's real!"
The other boy stared at him for a moment, then laughed.
"Yeah, right! That's just a card game, nothing more. The monsters aren't real. But you probably think that your imaginary friend is right here in the park, too, right?"
Michael nodded. The other boy laughed again.
"Ha ha ha! Hey, everybody! Michael here thinks his imaginary monster's real!"
Quickly a crowd of kids had gathered.
"He is too real! I'll show you, just follow me!"
With that Michael took off running for the spot where he'd left Demon Beaver. The other kids followed, curious to see what would happen. Michael stopped in front of the bushes.
"Now you'll see. Come on out, Demon Beaver!"
Everyone gasped as the bushes rustled. With a little squawk, Demon Beaver jumped out and landed in front of Michael.
"I-i-it IS real!" one boy stuttered.
"Is it safe?" a girl asked.
"Of course!" Michael replied. Soon everyone was crowding around to have a chance to see and pet the little monster.
Michael and Demon Beaver walked happily down the street. They'd had great fun playing with everyone at the park, but they had to go home sometime to get something to eat. He wasn't far away when he passed an older kid standing by the side of the road.
"Heh, that's a pretty wimpy little monster you got there," the kid said. Michael stopped and turned to face him.
"Demon Beaver's NOT wimpy!" he said angrily.
"Yeah, right. Can you prove it?"
"Of course! Demon Beaver could do anything!"
"Then maybe it'd like to try dueling my monster. But I doubt it could win..."
"Just try it! Get ready, Demon Beaver!" Michael encouraged his friend. Demon Beaver squawked in agreement and got ready to fight.
"Heh, such a weakling, it's hardly worth my time. Attack, Mammoth's Graveyard!"
The giant skeleton mammoth charged forward from out of the trees that had hidden it.
"Oh no! Demon Beaver, get out of the way!"
The little monster tried to dodge, but the mammoth rammed it and sent it flying across the pavement.
"Finish it!"
The mammoth roared and charged again at the weakened and injured Demon Beaver.
"Demon Beaver! Nooo!"
Michael woke with a start, panting.
"It was just a dream..." he said to himself, trying to recover from his fright. He looked over towards the card stand, but the card was gone! Michael's heart raced.
No, there it was, on the floor. It must have fallen sometime during the night. With a sigh Michael returned the card to its rightful place. Maybe, he decided, it was a better that monsters weren't real after all.
