A/N: I finally get to post the piece I made for the Ultimate Academy zine, a collection of art/stories for an AU where all the DR cast are just regular students! It's one of my favorite pieces I've made for a zine, so I'm happy I finally get to show it off.

It's been awhile since the project started so I might not remember the context perfectly, but I believe I was assigned Gonta for my character. I had a couple ideas for him - other students encouraging him to use his crazy strength for the sports teams, or him pleading with Hiyoko to stop bullying ants. But after thinking about what to do with him, I realized something: He wasn't the only character with a strong connection to bugs. I knew then and there I had to do something with him and Toko/Kameko, and in the end, settled on a story where the two strange students meet and the little stinkbug helps them get to know each other. I think the result is very cute, but don't take my word for it, read for yourself!

The stairwells at Hope's Peak stretched all the way from the top floor to the basement. No student ever really needed to go that far down, though, unless they were a troublemaker being forced to help out the janitor as punishment. There was nothing but storage and other unused rooms down there.

Which made it a perfect hiding spot for Toko Fukawa. Whenever she needed a quiet place to write, or hide, or she just wanted peace — which was often — sitting underneath the bottom of the stairs was like a sanctuary. A spot of slanted shade hidden in an otherwise well-lit area. Though she'd flinch at the stomping and shouting going on the tiles up above her, it was her one safe space in this nerve-wracking institution. A spot of calm amidst a sea of voices and sweat.

It was so safe in fact that, one day, she mustered up the courage to bring her only friend there.

Toko never stayed in class to eat lunch — too many people, too noisy. She'd slip away and spend it under the stairs, slowly chewing on some snack bar or chips as she scribbled away in her notebook. This time, though, she pulled something extra from her backpack: a small white beetle.

One would think it sad that the writer's only friend was a stink bug, and yeah, it kinda was. But as soon as she held the little critter in her hands, Toko was happy. "S-s-sorry for the bumpy ride, Kameko…" she said to it, gently stroking its shell. The bug chittered and crawled over her palm. "I know! It's so nice down here, isn't it…? N-no loud jocks, no one sneering at you and gossiping behind their hands…" Among other belittling acts, she thought bitterly. But she couldn't be mad long with her Kameko peeking up at her with what she assumed was affection.

Sure, their combined stench made the area basically uninhabitable to anyone else, but to Toko, that just made it even better. Just a place for her and her one true friend to relax. No one else.

"Halyomorpha halys!"

"GAH!" Toko jumped when a new voice called out and a shadow loomed overhead. Leaning on the railing above, a tanned and burly guy who looked like he'd never seen a comb in his life beamed down at them. "Wh-wh-what are you doing here?!" she spat. "And what'd you just call us?!" It wouldn't be the first time someone was a jerk to her, but she certainly wasn't going to take it in her domain.

"Halymorpha halys," he repeated, pointing at her friend. "Name for stink bug." Beyond bug nomenclature, he spoke like Toko expected a typical meathead to. "Gonta smell!"

"You said it, not me…" she retorted with a sneer. Like she was one to talk.

"Huh? No, no, Gonta smell bug and follow!" He descended the rest of the way and eyed them — Kameko in particular. "Did not think someone else catch first…"

Toko's mouth gaped as if he'd just insulted them. "Catch?" she repeated, offense in her tone as she pulled the beetle close to her chest. "I brought her here. She's my friend! My Friendsect! A-and if you try to lay a hand on her…"

The newcomer raised his hands protectively. "A-ah! Gonta understand! Gonta gentleman. Will not touch. But Gonta wonder why you two down here…? Lunch upstairs!"

"…Hmph." Toko turned her focus back to her beetle, finding comfort in the way it glanced up at her. "B-because they don't want us around."

Gonta's eyes went wide behind his spectacles. "But why? No one who like bugs is bad person!"

"…Your standards for morality are depressingly low."

Gonta tilted his head, lost. "Gonta sorry… not know what you mean. But why you not welcome?"

Toko groaned. The last thing she wanted to do was explain where she stood in the social hierarchy. "I-I can't imagine someone like you would understand… more muscles than sense, and an IQ lower than room temperature." Judging from his blank expression, her jabs weren't hitting home. She groaned. "So just forget about it!"

For a moment Toko hoped he'd take the hint and leave the two to their lonely solidarity... but, apparently, he was too thick to process even that. Instead of dubbing her a lost cause like everyone else, he just scratched his chin before pointing at her bug. "Maybe she explain?"

"...Huh?" Even Toko in her infinite (biting) wit was lost, her brow furrowing.

The tall man kneeled and held out his hands palm up. "Hello, friend! Come talk?"

Toko would've been weirded out... if it hadn't worked. The bug turned to face the newcomer before suddenly leaping, buzzing across the gap to his hands. "K-Kameko!" Toko cried out. Curse her beetle's sudden but inevitable betrayal.

The writer was left alone briefly as the boy and bug talked quietly to each other. Somehow, it seemed they were actually conversing. Gonta nodded and hummed in response to chitters and clicks. "Mmm... oh! Mhm. Hmm... Gonta have idea."

Kameko buzzed right back over, and Toko clasped her hands around her like she was a precious jewel. "Gonta collect many bug," the gentle giant explained while she fawned over her pet. "Keep them safe. Kameko want to see! Kameko want you to see, too."

Toko shot him a look. "Wh-what, you think that just because I'm friends with a stink bug that means I want to hang out with just any insect?!"

"N-no!" Gonta protested. "Gonta just think maybe you find friend for Kameko in his collection…"

Toko's heart fell through the floor. Her mind blared a million reasons why that was a terrible idea. "Wh-wha… no! Unacceptable! What if she finds a new buddy and realizes she doesn't need me anymore?! W-who do you think you are, you Friendsect homewrecker?!"

Still on the defensive, Gonta held his hands up. "Gonta think Toko shouldn't worry! Can have more than one friend. And Kameko trust you… so you should trust her."

"…More than one friend?" she echoed. It was common sense, but it was almost alien to someone as lonely as Toko. "B-but... then I'd have to be the third wheel carting her back and forth to your hive!"

Once more, Gonta seemed lost. "But Kameko said she want to go for you, not her."

"...Huh?" Toko glanced down at the bug in her hands like she was up to something. The beetle chittered innocently. "I don't want to spend time around any other bugs! And that'd mean I'd have to spend time with..."

She shot a glance over to their guest... and then paused, eyes widening in realization. This had been the longest talk she'd had with someone since... forever. And while Gonta was hardly going to give her an intelligent conversation... it was admittedly kind of nice to chat with someone who'd actually respond. Just thinking about following him anywhere made her apprehensive, but perhaps it could lead to... friendship? As Kameko clicked encouragingly in her hands, Toko finally figured out what she'd meant.

Still, it'd be a massive leap outside her comfort zone — but if her Friendsect suggested it, she'd be doing her friend a disservice by ignoring the opportunity. Judging from her estimates, lunch was only half over. While she and Kameko could continue to spend it lurking in the shadows... well, they could do that any other day.

"I've... ch-changed my mind," Toko finally murmured. "I gu-guess we'll go see this... urrrgh... this collection." She was already regretting this.

She was just waiting for him to reveal it was a joke or change his mind. Instead, he just smiled at her and motioned for her to stand. "Okay, follow me! Oh, and my name Gonta."

Her eyes narrowed. "No, really? N-never would've guessed…"

Toko's skin hadn't stopped crawling since she'd entered the side room. The school allowed Gonta to keep some of his finds in an unused class and he did, indeed, collect many a bug. The walls were full of glass cases and the nonstop hum of beating wings. With no windows to let any light in, she felt like she was trapped in a spider's web.

She was alone in that, though. Gonta seemed in his element, grinning and humming as butterflies roosted on his massive fingers. Kameko crawled about on one of the desks, happily scurrying with a bunch of other little beetles Gonta had determined would get along with her. Like always, Toko felt out of place.

Until one of the butterflies fluttered off of Gonta and landed on her glasses.

She resisted the urge to yelp as large blue wings flapped right in front of her eye. But once that initial panic wore off... she saw the creature was beautiful, even close up. It's featherlight touch felt like a small reminder that she did, in fact, exist.

Gonta looked over and laughed. "See? Bugs friend! Now you have two friend."

But as quickly as it arrived, it flew off just as suddenly when the lunch bell rang and left her alone again. Gonta sighed and started directing his bugs back into their cases. "I think they like having visitor. If you want… you can see again tomorrow?"

Toko huffed, scooping a cheerful Kameko back up. She might be better off without a meathead caveman of a friend. …Then again, it might be nice to actually spend lunch with another person. Even if that person was crawling in ants and flies.

Toko bit at her thumb, a nervous habit of hers. She was taking her good time to respond, and even Gonta was starting to feel like he'd asked the wrong question. Finally, she spoke again. "...Y-Yeah, sure. Tomorrow."

Kameko's leg patted her finger, as if approving her decision. The small smile Gonta sent her made her think that maybe she hadn't just made the worst decision of her life. It wouldn't be long before she had three friend.