The Adventures of Jenny Nicholson.

Part One: I Knew Those Rituals Were A Bad Idea

Jenny's key slid dutifully into her door lock, granting her entrance to her apartment. She heaved a sigh, placing her keys on the side table and locking the door behind her.

"I'm home!" She called out, half expecting to hear some sort of response. Silence only greeted her in return, cluing her in that her friends must be out. Normally, this would disappoint her, as she enjoyed relaying the events of her day to her close friends, but today it was perfect timing. She had just come back from marothoning Beastly at a friend's place, and was ready to rant about it into a camera in her room for money from a website full of other people who talked into a camera for money. She slung her book bag down into the corner of her room and began rearranging her porgs (in order of best to worst, of course), propping them up to look splendid for her video. She was straightening her bed sheets when she heard a friendly voice behind her.

"Welcome home, friend. It's your lucky day!"

Jenny jumped backwards in shock, crashing into her desk.

"What...?"

In the corner of her room stood a man in a large trench coat and black fedora. His black hair curled out from behind his mask of a smiling face. He seemed...familiar. Way too familiar. Was it one of her friends? No, of course not, none of them would ever own a trench coat like that, and none of them sounded like that, or was that tall. But if it wasn't her friend, why did this man seem like someone she had known and loved for a very long time? She thought for a moment, contemplating why he seemed so familiar, when it hit her.

"...McGriel?" She said, stunned.

He took a bow.

"The one and only, dear."

"What..." She stood up slowly, backing towards the door, "What are you doing here? I didn't summon you."

"Well, you must have, otherwise there is no way I could have come to visit! Are you certain you have never repeated my chant?"

Jenny hit her forehead to her palm. Of course, for the video she had performed the ritual to demonstrate! It was so simple, she must have unintentionally summoned him. She took a moment to thank the stars that all the other dark internet rituals weren't so easy and simple.

"Oh. I suppose I did. I...guess this is the part where I offer you tea?"

"I would like some, yes."

"Oh, ah, well we don't...really...have any. We have coffee though! And leftover pizza."

"Piz...za?"

Jenny moved her head to the side.

"Have you never had pizza?"

McGriel shook his head.

"Oh my gosh, then you haven't been living!"

"Dearie, I was never alive."

"Oh. Right."

They stayed there for a moment, just blinking back at each other and trying not to admit how awkward this was. Jenny took a breath and motioned McGriel into the kitchen, fixing him some coffee and nuking the pizza in a microwave.

"So, I guess I have to answer some life questions now?"

"Yes, that is usually how it works. Would you like to begin now?"