Gaman



"If we never experience the chill of a dark winter, it is very unlikely that we will ever cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Nothing stimulates our appetite for the simple joys of life more than the starvation caused by sadness or desperation. In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse."

- Gaman's Philosophy

Gaman (我慢, Gaman) is a Jōnin level of  and the current  of, the Sand Spirit, and the first since the establishment of the  which established that creating Jinchuriki should be illegal. Having been created for the sole purpose of destroying Sunagakure, hailing from a clan who descended from the deserts of the Land of Wind, Gaman was launched into the hidden village as their main offensive force as a small child. However, when he was released upon the village, he was defeated by, the previous Kazekage, and his clan were exterminated. Despite being a breach of policy, Gaara found it impossible to claim Gaman’s life by removing Shukaku, and thus allowed him to retain the Jinchuriki thereby placing him under Sunagakure’s protection and surveillance, yet the sanctions he suffered from the Shinobi Union has caused him to raise taxes within Sunagakure.

Because he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of shinobi, in addition to being a member of a tribe who have claimed to be the enemy of Sunagakure for decades, along with being the reason for their increased taxes, Gaman is despised by the other citizens and has lived under their unpredictable malice. Following Gaara’s death, Gaman was arrested by the next interim Kazekage and charged for treason against the Shinobi Union due to his status as a Jinchuriki, and was sentenced to death as they went to extract Shukaku from him to levy the sanctions that were currently stacked against them to prevent their inevitable bankruptcy. Before their wishes could be fulfilled, Gaman escaped Sunagakure, and has retreated into the shadows of society to prevent his death.

Appearance
When Gaman speaks of his insomnia to others, it is a rare occasion that they ever actually believe him. Whereas those individuals said to possess the medical condition have a dark pigment around their eyes, Gaman does not, despite his lack of ambient sleep for literal decades. Unfortunately, it is not his body that requires the rest, but what does is his mind and soul. While he continues to function optimally physically, it is his sanity that is deteriorating, and that can not be deduced with a glance. Yet, while he may not show insanity, Gaman calls for help with his expression, however most mistake his features as an indication that he is either bored, or irritated. Regardless, it does not lie. Even when confronted by squadrons of people, or plummeting off a cliff, Gaman does not feel the enjoyment that he has sought. As people, it are in those moments that we are injected with a surge of adrenaline. The excitement of danger thrills us, yet Gaman's body, host to a demon that moves it sand to protect him knows no danger. He can only blame his soul's complacency for his boredom. His hubris is enough to evoke men into action from a glance, to change every word that he speaks into a pool of sarcasm, and to ease the worried nature of mortals with its confidence. It’s what makes him the source of envy, but simultaneously charismatic. His aloof, bored expression evokes strong emotions in others, and those strong emotions are what draws his strength, his power, and his attention. Contrastingly, it is his gem, golden eyes that suggest a withdrawal from the world. They wander about aimlessly, apathetically watching the world as evil and good battle for the undivided attention of the people. Yet, in the eyes of humanity it is his features that are desirable. To be able to charm others, to make others jealous, to turn every statement into a cruel insult or joke, and to appear as if one simply doesn’t care are qualities that humans have tried to imitate. Though, it is the act of trying to appear that makes his own features undoubtedly perfect; it’s natural, and the people who ponder about him know such a fact. His full face, and sharp features capture the essence of a youthful, adult male, as if his entire being was chiseled into existence by a master sculptor. He possesses purple, silky hair placed into a long ponytail that reaches to graze the grass. Yet, despite its length, his hair is neatly cut. The hair around his face extends no further than slightly below his ears, and is even in all places with the exception of a natural strand of hair that hangs from the tip of his head moving the viewers eyes downward to his is unblemished, fair skin that glistens under the morning sun; Gaman is attractive.

Aside from his features, Gaman is a relatively tall man, and due to years of conditioning his body to handle the rigors of the world, he has a broad frame, but a lithe body. His muscles are bold, defined, and sharp, but they are not overwhelming in appearance, yet still deadly in application. He retains the power of an elephant, and he agility of a chimpanzee; his form has been forged by an anvil of training, and perfected by the heat of war. Having taken the power of a fallen deity into his soul, the earth rebukes him; he floats across the world. As quickly as he moves into sight, he vanishes just as quickly from sight like an apparition. His attire only adds on to the secrecy of his identity as his robe flaps in the endless breeze as he walks. His clothes are loose fitting, allowing him to move unrestricted, and gracefully like the apparition he is. He dons a purple and white floor length robe, a white turban with feather decorations, and pointed red shoes. Completing his outfit are series of jewelry, collected from years of purchasing luxuries as a means of coping with the vile nature of Shukaku.

Personality
What humans often desire more than anything, aside from riches, love, and food, is sleep. When one's parents have a day off and work, and when their child is off at school serving as someone else's problem, they take the time to sleep. It plays a vital role in the health, and getting adequate amounts of rest is important for living a healthy lifestyle. Physically, when one sleeps their body works to repair damage dealt to it by the rigors of life: walking, talking, doing some sort of recreational activity, falling on the ground and scraping an elbow; it helps with the regulation of hormones, such as leptin and ghrelin—these sets of hormones helps with determining whether you are hungry or full—and how your body reacts to hormones, such as insulin, which is used to control blood-glucose levels. Without sleep, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, just to name a few, become a much more apparent threat. Mentally, a lack of sleep has been linked to a loss of memory, the ability to quickly make decisions, rational thought, and the ability to control one's emotions. As a result, those who often lack rest are among the statistics of those who perish early.

Though Shukaku has taken away his ability to sleep, Gaman has been an exception to this axiom. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending upon the context, Gaman's soul is bonded to the demon resting within him. Its chakra supplies all the nourishment that he needs and for that, physically he functions nigh perfectly, despite his lack of sleep, if not more efficiently than most individuals. His mind, serving as a representation of his soul, is too immortal, and everlasting. Thus, for Gaman, it is not the effects of not sleeping that is responsible for his descent into madness. Instead, it is what he sees in his dreams, and what happens when he rest. The Shukaku, driven by vengeance, flashes nightmares of devouring his soul, destroying the world, etc., but its ability to completely possess his body during the eight hour rest is what truly disturbs Gaman. It may not be the case that Gaman has developed an intense fear of sleep, but instead an intense fear of the powers he hold, and the creature that he shares his soul with. However, although he can survive entirely without sleeping, it would be inaccurate to say that he isn't compelled too. As the Shukaku amplifies his negative emotions, and restrains his positive ones, Gaman finds his mind overrun with sin; his sloth pushes him to rest.

Sloth is described as physical, spiritual and emotional apathy: the lack of feeling, emotion, interest, or concern. Whereas he once loved adventure and discovering the unknown, he now lacks such passions. He cares very little for anything other than resting under a tree and simply sleeping, including the lives of mortals, deities, or any living creature around him. When in the presence of physical and emotional torture, abuse, rape, just to name a few, Gaman watches the acts of horror apathetically as if he's bored. The sad truth is that he is. Though, because of the remnants of the adventurer that continues to live on in his soul, on a few occasions, a glint of curiosity can be seen. His curiosity hints at a candle shining in the ugly dark, a hope for his return, but the contradiction between the evils and positive in his soul weigh heavy on his mind, and though his spirit is indestructible, a pain is inflicted from the constant internal battle. Gaman is a living being of contradictions. As a result, Gaman, to others, appears to have a severe case of Bi-polarism. In an instant he can move from being bloodthirsty, disturbed, furious, and enraged to a gentle, compassionate, kind man.

As a means of attempting to quell the extremities of bi-polarism, Gaman is an addict of various drugs including, but not limited to: Heroin, Cocaine, Caffeine, Alcohol, Tobacco, etc., For him, the act of introducing these drugs into his system is indication that some part of him still lives in the shattered piece of his spirit that are soaked in a pool of the Shukaku’s conscious. It is an act of discovering the unknown, and that, the feeling of discerning uncertainty, is what Gaman, especially prior to his discovery of the sword, derives entertainment from. Though, as it still a drug, Gaman cannot deny the physical satisfaction that it gives him. He is as addicted to them physically as he is emotionally. As a direct result of his ambitions and need for physical relief, Gaman finds himself in the bed of a variety of people on a daily basis. Yet, as he is a fan of the act itself, rather than the relationships of the people involved, Gaman does not discriminate against gender, appearance, or social status when choosing a partner. He is a man of spontaneity, because the urges themselves are not rational but entirely physical, and thus whomever is in the area willing will suffice. However, when Gaman plays the bachelor, he is not the cruel, psychotic individual perceived to be, but the seductive, charismatic, bachelor that the Shukaku allows him to be.

History
Gaman was born outside the safety of Sungakure into a nomadic clan wandering the deserts of the Land of Wind, whom had continued to do so for centuries due to their unwillingness to submit to the will of, Sunagakure's first Kazekage. However, because of the rigors of the desert, including the various dangerous creatures dwelling deep in the sands, their clan had continued to face extinction, and despite their pleas to Sunagakure, their unwillingness to submit to Reto continued to curse them. They were denied entrance several times and cast back into the desert, exiled for all eternity just as their ancestors had been. Longing for vengeance, they decided to steal the power of the Shukaku and use it to destroy Sunagakure, and claim the oasis that it was built on as their own. Gaman, who was the only child who was closest to being born, but still unborn, was chosen as the future Jinchūriki and the Shukaku was sealed into him, at the expense of a majority of his clan. Fearing his power, his father, as his mother perished when Shukaku was sealed into her premature child, isolated him from the rest of the clan. He was kept in chains and a cage while they traveled across the deserts. While not allowed to learn ninjutsu, Gaman was allowed a surplus of food to ensure he remained healthy and strong for the day where they would invade Sunagakure.

Because they did not particularly care for what happened to him after the invasion, their clan did not bother teaching him how to control the Shukaku, nor did anyone assist in quelling the demon's spirit. It manipulated Gaman's thoughts, his memories, and appeared in his dreams. It cursed him and claimed that it would kill everyone as he slept. One day, despite his best attempts, Gaman fell asleep, and when he awoke, his father, and his best warriors were dead at his feet. After this event, the remainder of his clan fell desperate, and forbade Gaman from eating until the night of the invasion. He suffered the consequences of starvation for nearly three days before Sunagakure was reached, yet, fearing that the Shukaku would be too strong after the battle against Sunagakure after the event, even then they didn't feed him. Disguising herbs, that were used to put member's to sleep, as food, Gaman fell to the powers of the potion. During this period, Shukaku launched its attack on Sunagakure, while the child was sleep. However, with the combined might of Gaara and his villagers, the demon was quelled, and the village was spared, albeit barely.