Ok anyway I have this silly au scenario inspired by the Shin Sagi-shi skin where Mantis is like a senior high-school student who's about to face her finals mock exam, she spent her nights making a cheat sheet (peter encouraged it, saying that he also made one for himself) but still isn't sure about it. They say there is a god who could help her ensure that her cheat sheets will work and she would get a perfect score.
But nobody likes this god, obviously, because he's a tricksters, your prayers may come true, but at what cost? Mantis still climb her way to the shrine above the hill. Once she’s at the top she decided to rest for a moment, while she was resting there, she heard a voice calling for her in the wind but there was nobody around. Okay maaaybe it would be better if she make her prayers soon so she could leave quickly cus this whole area is just trees and an almost abandoned looking shrine in the middle.
Loki was, of course, giddy listening to her silly prayers, help her so she could use her cheat sheets without getting caught? Deal! Usually people would wish for something more sinister buuuut suure he could help this one, especially when it's been so long since anyone ever stepped foot here and pray to him. I mean look at his abandoned shrine *one piece of roof falling onto the ground sfx* (ignore the mvp animations ok we'll pretend his shrine is now awful looking)
Mantis being--our silly kind hearted lil bug, ofc notice how awful this place looks, suddenly she no longer feel scared, instead she feels pity, sad, with how abandoned this place looks. So now she's cleaning the shrine--well as best as she could with the broom she found behind the building
And let's go with the typical scenario is slightly touched because usually just leave after they gave him a simple offering, he sneer at her thinking oh she reeeally wants his help to the point she's cleaning the shrine. So he appears before her, saying that he will grant her prayers BUT--- she would have to come to the shrine everyday to of course pray to him and clean the shrine. Mantis, determined to not fail her exam, agreed to his deal.
And there blooms a friendship between an alien girl who wants to pass her final exams and a shrine of an almost forgotten trickster god
Insert lots of typical shoujo manga plot or something
Maybe then Mantis would learn that it's not satisfying to pass an exam by cheating, maybe the guilt is eating her. Loki smirks as he ask "What's wrong, mortal. Aren't you satisfied that you get to cheat your ways through the exam?", later she came to the shrine not just to pray and clean but also study. Loki doesn't stop her, maybe he even silently encourages it. I mean she still visits him every day and pray for him, although her prayers are now slightly different, she wants to pass her exam with her own effort by studying well.
Perhaps there’s a scene where Mantis fell asleep while reading a book. She fell into such a deep sleep that even Loki had trouble waking her up as the day goes dark, insert her mumbling about how she really wants to pass her exams. Loki mumbling aboout how she's such a stupid idiot girl *affectionately* and decided to just bring her back to her home with his magic. (Peter: wait--Mantis?? What time did you come home? I didn't see you coming from the front door??)
Maybe the ending could be angsty where Mantis finally graduated and she had to move away for work, idk if she would go to college, but she's moving away and thanked Loki one last time before she go
Or ykno, a happy ending where Loki now follow mantis around to annoy her is fun too
It’d be funny if she’s the only one who can see Loki
…this is so silly idk what my shower thoughts were thinking
