Bitcoin's Origin Story.... Possibly

This creative tale blends fact, fiction and speculation on inventors of the Cryptocurrency 'Bitcoin'.

It was 5am on a crisp November day in 1940. In a small village outside Shizuoka, Japan, Prince Saionji Kinmochi slowly awoke from an unsettled sleep. Over the past month he had been dreaming of his impending death. Although he was not afraid, still he felt a sense of grief and loss. He knew that he would never again see a spring of pink cherry blossoms or feel the warmth of the summer sun upon his skin. This thought evoked a deep sadness that threatened to flood his heart as well as his eyes.

A glimpse towards the window told him that sunrise was soon approaching. Arsing slowly and with great effort, he brought himself to his feet and reached for his maroon silk robe. Bathing himself in the familiar softness of fabric, he made his way to the washroom. Cool mountain water felt invigorating on his face, causing him to inhale deeply. The anxiety that threatened the his sense of peace upon awakening was slowly dissipating. He knew the time had come to honour his lifelong responsibility in passing on the Key to another. The importance of his making the correct choice was vital, once he had spent many decades deciding upon. The Key was the last remaining hope for the people of his country, and indeed the world. 

Born into a noble court family, Prince Kinmochi was highly educated and well travelled. He was a philosopher at heart, a deep thinker with a passion for justice and equality. His nobility through birthright was something that he had never felt fully comfortable with. The injustice of a world split so severely between rich and poor pained him. He was born into elite family that governed Japan after the political revolution of 1868 that ended to the former military government. He had served his country both as prime minister, and Genro. He has taken many stands against his fellow statesmen throughout the years especially with concern of his country's recently increasing militarism.

The Prince was renowned for his outspokenness, liberal opinions and was considered somewhat eccentric by his peers. He was also known for his kind heart and compassionate nature. In his youth he had been a strong advocate of democracy following a decade of study in France, absorbing Western culture and ideas. He held strong ambitions to walk a different path from the one he was born into. The Prince often wondered how different his life and country may have been had he been allowed to continue his dreams of journalism. Societal pressure from family and other court nobles had forced him to abandon his desires and instead pressured him into government service.

Prince Kinmochi had held a secret Key with him for many decades now. Secrets had a habit of weighing heavily on the soul, and he was not immune to this pressure. This secret and his knowledge of the forces in control of this world had hastened his health decline over the past three decades. He had been warned that the US government was suspicious of the Key being in his control and rumours were circulating of a potential war because of it. Confusion and speculation grew amongst his peers, all of whom had no idea what it was the Americans were seeking. Prince Kinmochi had been living with the threat of death for many years following numerous assassination attempts on his life. The militant forces in his own country sought to silence his political voice. The Prince felt an exhaustion so deep within him. He wished there had been more he could have done to enlighten the people about the dark forces at play, controlling every aspect of their lives. But it was more important he remained silent, and that the Key survived.

Prince Kinmochi tottered to the sun room as Hanako, his housekeeper, poured tea for them both. It broke tradition for a housekeeper and her noble master to share tea, but the Prince was far from conventional. He had brought Hanako to the 1919 Peace Conference with him, prompting much gossip within high society. Hanako was the only woman who's company he truly enjoyed in the morning. She had a calming, unassuming presence that helped him to relax. Unlike his common-law wife, Hanako had no pretension about her. She made no demands of him or his energy. 

"I need you to arrange an audience with my daughter today." Kinmochi requested as he picked up his Yunomi, sipping delicately at the hot liquid. His eyes met with Hanako's and he smiled warmly.

"Of course, Sir. Which time of day will I request her presence?"

"As soon as possible. Tell her it is of great importance. Any other plans must be cast aside. I have much to discuss with her today." Kinmochi gazed out of the window of his luxurious sunroom. The sun was beginning to rise over Fuji-san and it was a spectacle to behold. In all his 90 years he had never tired of such an enchanting view. 

The Prince remained in deep reflection for the rest of that morning, contemplating his life choices over the years. He questioned whether he was right to burden his child with the same weight he had painfully carried for the past 33 years. Hanako entered the sunroom, interrupting his thoughts.

"Sir, your daughter is in the drawing room. Where would you like to meet with her?"

"Please bring her to me, Hanako. I wish to watch the mountain as I speak with her."

"Of course, Sir. Shall I serve lunch for you both here?"

Kinmochi pondered her question for a moment and replied affirmatively. His daughter would need strength to hear this story, of that he was certain. He had tried to provide for her the best education he could. Private tutors had been hired to shape her education in a way that would allow her to understand this story easily when the time came. This moment had been inevitable but he was still feeling apprehension. Any father desires to protect his daughter from the threat of danger, yet The Prince was about to reveal to his that she will spend a lifetime living under the threat of assassination. His contacts believed that it was only a matter of time before the US Oligarchy traced the Key back to him. This meant that her life was in danger regardless of whether he told her or not.

The door opened and Hanako announced his daughter. As beautiful and graceful as her mother, his first partner Geisha Tamahachi, she floated into the room like a warm breeze. The Prince inhaled deeply, allowing her delicate floral scent to fill his senses, energising him. He smiled warmly as she took his hand in hers, kneeling to kiss his cheek in a familiar greeting. 

"Aya, thank you for coming my love. I am sorry I could not give you more notice."

"Father," she smiled "It is always a pleasure to visit with you. I have missed your company of late. How I wish we could find more time for one another."

Kinmochi felt his heart smile. How he adored his daughter's graceful charm and soft heart. He had given her the per name of Aya when she turned 4. 'Angel who knows magic' seemed so very fitting for this beautiful soul who was born with a gentle charm that could win over even the sternest of men. Her birth name, Shin, meant 'real' or 'true'. Again, so very fitting for the woman standing before him.

"Aya, my sweet girl." Kinmochi reached to touch her face, drinking in her beauty and innocence. Even at the age of 40, her charming nature could outshine that of any other woman in Japan. "I have much to share with you today. It will take some time for me to explain. I need you to listen closely and for you to swear not to tell any living soul of what you will hear, until time dictates that you must. The safety of your family depends on this."

Concern immediately washes over Shin's face and she kneeled by her father's chair. "My child, I have a great burden that I must pass onto you". 

Shin watched with confusion as her father removed a chain from his neck and handed it to her. In her hands was a brass key unlike any she had seen before. The design was intricate, but certainly not of Japanese style. 

"I am sorry, dear child. If there was another way, I would take it. But you are already in danger. It is only a matter of time before dark forces will become aware that I have this. Once they do, they will seek to assassinate our family and for this reason why I must tell you. I have little time left on this earth, this I am certain of."

"Father..." Shin's eye's pleaded with him to pause. Her confusion and distress was evident to him, but the Prince had to explain without interruption. It would only serve to prolong the inevitable.

"Child, please. Listen carefully to me now. In my bureau there are four paintings of Fuji-san depicted for each of the four seasons. Do you remember?"

"Yes, Father. Of course. You have had those since I was 7 years old..."

"In each corner of each frame, there is a hidden slot for the key you hold in your hands. If you unlock each of these, a compartment containing papers will be revealed. These papers hold the plans for something needed to save humanity and democracy in the future. It is imperative they are safeguarded until the time is right. I cannot tell you when that time will be, but after I explain what they are, you will understand when to use them. Three decades ago, I was approached by a representative of two innovators who entrusted me with this story and inventions. They could not safely keep them in their country and it was imperative they are safeguarded. I was told that they chose me because of my liberal views, my ethical and moral code and my public advocacy for true democracy. They knew of me through connections in Paris, where I studied back in the 1870s.

Let me begin by telling you about these men;

The first is Herman Hollerith. An educated man born to America and known now for many inventions. He launched a company that was building computing machines back in 1911. The other man, Nikola Tesla, is from Gospic and quite possibly is the most brilliant man who has ever lived. He is a scientist who has advanced knowledge in technological innovation.

Herman began working for the US patent office in the 1880s, around the time that Nikola applied to have his first patent approved. Although both men were known to be somewhat reclusive, upon meeting they became great friends sharing a passion for technology and innovation that sought to improve the lives of the ordinary working man. In the early 1900's Nikola had created plans for a tower that could transmit messages from anywhere to anywhere in the world, using the planet itself as a conductor. He only required funding to build it and prove his theory. This is when he met a man called John Pierpont Morgan. John Morgan was initially funding Nikola's project, until he realised the outcome of it could have a seriously detrimental impact on his ability to control and dominate the energy sector. Providing the population with the ability to connect to each other worldwide, free of charge, would have a catastrophic impact on the copper and steel industries that Morgan owned. If the world required telephone lines, J. Morgan could sell his copper for the next 100 years and build an indestructible power empire. If Nikola's experiment worked, the telephone would become obsolete, losing him vast amounts of money. Nikola wanted to provide the world with free technology while Morgan sought to control it. Have you heard of John Morgan my child?"

"Yes, father. He was the most powerful railroad tycoon in America. Was he also a banker?" she questioned.

"Not just any banker, my child. He was THE banker. When the financial panic of 1893 happened, he formed a syndicate which resupplied the US government's depleted gold reserves. Over $60 million in gold was lent, with great interest, to relieve a treasury crisis. The man essentially bought the US government that day. Before he died in 1913, he was the most powerful man in the world. His son inherited his financial empire and the power attached to it. Believe me when I tell you that his ambitions make his father's look miniscule. 

I need you to understand the gravity of this. This megalomaniac has plans to create and control a single world currency. If he succeeds, and it appears that he is on his way to, he will be in control of the entire world population. The populations, especially in the west, are already becoming enslaved to his banking system. Loans are given to people with interest rates so high that they will spend a lifetime repaying. If they cannot repay one month, the banks can seize their homes and assets, forcing them into bankruptcy. They retain all payments made and the property the person owns. It is a system of robbery that the populations have already blindly accepted. The banks that the Morgan family own, alongside their friend's also control the inflation rates of the country's currency. Every time they raise the rate they are stealing from anyone who has savings in the bank. The cost of living becomes more expensive and the savings are suddenly worth less than before. They are stealing in broad daylight.

"They now own so much of the system that they essentially control the narrative of the working man's life. The system has been set up to keep the working man hopeful enough to work long hours and give his all for the "American Dream". Through media and propaganda they teach the working man that his goal is to have a nice house, modern appliances, a car and a family. This is his goal and he will achieve it through working. They pay the middle classes just enough to keep hope alive, and tax them just enough to keep them working until their deaths. Meanwhile these people and their families are gaining more power and wealth than we can comprehend. 

The system is so corrupt and riddled with propaganda that they are able to convince the people of their country to fight each other; racism and slavery are written into law. Children are taught prejudice and discrimination from a young age. Religion has become a power force for darkness also, seeking to control through fear. The people have no sense of spirituality or the true nature of life."

There was a knock at the door and Hanako entered. Without a word she wheeled in the trolley filled with delicacies for them to enjoy. A heavy silence engulfed the room as Hanako arranged the treats on the table and poured tea for them both. Shin's head was spinning somewhat. The world she had known prior to this meeting has unravelled in the past half hour. 

Kinmochi was grateful for the interruption. It was draining to tell all of this. It was hard to make it cohesive. So many tangents and so much to teach, it was difficult to keep track of what he had already said. He wished he had done this years ago when his mind was clearer and less susceptible to fogging. As Hanako left the room, Kinmochi insisted his daughter take some tea and eat while he continued to explain.

Nikola and Herman began to work on plans for a new kind of technology. They invented a computing system that would eventually reach the homes of the working man. They made a program for this new technology, which they called Blockchain. It is a banking program that will be able to bypass the big financial institutions, namely the banking world of the Oligarchy. 

In all honesty, the technology is so futuristic and complex that I cannot fully explain it to you. What it is, essentially, is a technology invented for the common to take the power back from the banking system. It is a lifeline for the people. Nikola and Herman have had to hide plans for this computing technology because of the Oligarchy's desire to bury it forever. It cannot be released until these computing devices are commonplace. We have to wait until the right time.

You must protect your family. Do not discuss this Key ever again, unless you are doing so with your child as I am with you now. 

Do you understand, my child?"

Shin nodded weakly. Her head reeling from these revelations. 

"I must lie down. I must rest. Suddenly I feel very weak..." Prince Kinmochi shakily rose to his feet. Shin rushed to his side and supported some of his slight weight, assisting him to his bedroom. She drew back his covers and assisted him into bed.

"Father, I promise you I will protect this as you have. I will protect my family, and we will do as you say. I love you and I am so sorry you have had to carry this burden alone all these years." She kissed his cheek and watched as he closed his eyes, instantly falling to sleep.

Prince Saionji Kinmochi never awoke again. His duty had been fulfilled. He died peacefully in his sleep next to his beautiful Aya. The last image in his minds eye was of Fuji-san's snow-capped summit and almost perfectly symmetrical peak. He could see a Kamoshika walking towards him. An animal rarely seen off the mountains. It carried the message that it was time to pass into the next world. And with that, the Prince took his final breath.