Danganronpa: The Enokida Code

Eden

It was the perfect morning. It was hot. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. There was a gentle breeze. As I lay on the boat in my swimsuit and sunglasses, attempting to tan, I silently celebrated my situation. Although the investigation so far had been stressful, full of failure and struggle, it had resulted in this relaxing trip over the Pacific Ocean. It was proving itself worth it.

In the spring of 2015, a video was uploaded online. 'The Enokida Code.' A nonsensical minute of flashing lights, atonal music, and floating symbols. On its own, it wasn't worth a second glance. It went viral, though, spreading across the world like a virus. Online message boards found themselves full of conspiracy theories and questions about the video. What was the point of it? Was it some kind of ARG? Something serious? Just a video trying to be creepy?

Most people never got the answer to those questions as the buzz surrounding it gradually died down. Then people began to go missing. Testimonies from those close to them all showed that they disappeared in similar ways. They said that they wanted to go check something out and left with a small suitcase. Then they never came back.

As the Ultimate Police Detective, I was often assigned the more complicated, difficult, or outright impossible cases. I had a reputation, after all. I could solve what others couldn't. I was the ace up the sleeve of the police force. So I wasn't surprised when my Boss assigned me the case. After all, who else would she turn to when the case was this serious?

It was now the first of August, the peak of summer. I'd finally made progress in the case. I'd worked with a friend of a friend to break down the video, frame by frame. Eventually, we found a code hidden in the video, that when decoded presented us with a set of coordinates. Coordinates that pointed to a spot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Japan. I didn't know what I'd find there, but it was my only lead. I had no choice but to search.

"Hey. Henry. Wake up."

I was pulled out of my trance by the voice of Naoki Shiroma, a young fisherman who Boss had convinced to take me to the coordinates. I opened my eyes, tilting my head slightly so that I could see Naoki.

"What's up?"

Without saying anything, he simply pointed in front of us. I climbed out of the sun lounger I was lying on and took a look at the scene in front of us. I don't know what I'd expected, but this wasn't it.

Floating in front of us was an island. Clearly artificial, the island was the home of a large futuristic-looking building. This had to be what we were looking for. But how come it wasn't on any of the maps online?

I put a shirt on, a colorful blue and pink Hawaiian shirt. I realized that I looked like a mess. If anyone I knew personally saw me like this, I don't think I'd ever be able to live it down. Hawaiian shirt, swimming trunks, flip flops. I looked like a typical holiday goer. But that was the point and was something I just had to deal with. It would make it much easier to find what I was looking for like this.

As we moved closer, I began to make out smaller details on the island. Leading up to the large, futuristic building was a field of flowers that was empty, save for two of three people in white and black suits. The people seemed to be tending to the field, watering flowers, pulling out weeds, et cetera. One of them noticed our approach and gave a large, over-the-top wave as they rushed down to the dock nearby and waited for us patiently as we approached.

As soon as we arrived at the dock, I carefully made my way off the boat, stepping onto the clean, wooden dock. I turned back to look at Naoki, silently asking if he was planning on following me, but he simply shook his head.

"You go on alone." He said. "This place is giving me the freaks. Just call me when you need me to come back."

And with that, the boat that brought me there had pulled away from the dock, leaving me alone and stranded on an island I knew nothing about.