The Pathfinders
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Rhodes |
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Leader of the Pathfinders |
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| Affiliation | Merchants | ||||
| Role | Pathfinder | ||||
| Usual Location | ??? | ||||
| Species | Template:Species | ||||
| Gender | Male | ||||
| Age | Child | ||||
| Trait | Alert to sounds | ||||
| Nature | Careful | ||||
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| Related Stories | Resignation The Dates The Pulled String Successor Scars and Regrets |
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The Pathfinders are a group of Sneasel that have drifted from Slasher's gang, and are led by Rhodes.
Contents
Rhodes
He used to be Slasher's right hand Sneasel, but after Slasher's demise, he has defected and become the leader of his own group. Though still quite young, he is fairly mature and empathic towards others on top of being a competant fighter, and capable of adapting quickly to stressful situations. His combined talents mark him as highly useful ally to the Merchant guild.
Background
Slasher Gang
In his early youth, Rhodes was a 'star member' of Slasher's brigade of Sneasels, known for accosting and robbing passersby in Creeping Forest. While he was too timid to actually shake travelers down, he had an unrivaled ability to sniff them out within their home forest, no matter how quiet or low-profile they were trying to be. Due to this natural talent, as well as his naive innocence, Slasher took great interest in the young Sneasel as a potential tool for his use. Many of the successful robberies the gang made were due to Rhodes's tracking. At least, since he was old enough to do it.
Rhodes continued to follow Slasher closely and without question, no matter how bad things would seem to an outsider. To him, it was all part of what they needed to do to survive, and their leader knew best. However, he was always uncomfortable when another Sneasel was punished or scolded. It never seemed like they deserved it, but he stayed quiet, not knowing any better. He and one other Sneasel simply followed Slasher along, always acting as his two bodyguards and almost never leaving his side.
As a result, Rhodes accompanied Slasher as the Weavile made secret business meetings with Shroomsworth. His job in this case was to ensure that no one interrupted their meeting. Unfortunately, Rhodes was not able to detect PK on their last meeting, resulting in a blunder that cost them their leverage on the Merchants. Slasher later scolded Rhodes harshly for this.
Things would come to a boiling point as Slasher took his bodyguards to have an audience with Merlot, who refused to speak to anyone but Slasher himself. After an exchange that left Slasher angry, Rhodes attempted to calm him down. With built-up anger, Slasher struck Rhodes across the face, giving him a bleeding wound that would form into the scar on his right cheek.
A day later, Slasher instructed his gang to kidnap Sandy from the Merchant HQ at dusk and bring her to the biggest waterfall in the forest, appointing Rhodes as a distraction as punishment for all the problems he had allegedly caused. This ended with him 'disguising' himself with a green scarf over his face and walking up to PK's stall. The scarf was pulled down over his neck shortly after, as PK was not fooled. Embarrassed and lost, Rhodes began to cry and told PK what he was doing. Though Rhodes gave up on the distraction in progress and tipped PK off, the other Sneasels managed to break open the window and steal Sandy in that time.
Upset at being treated so lowly, Rhodes divulged all the information he knew about Sandy's whereabouts to PK and Shroomsworth, even leading the two to the waterfall. Thanks to his lead, Sandy was rescued just before a group of Sneasels hurled her unconscious body over the cliff.
Unfortunately, having guessed Rhodes would betray him, Slasher was lying in wait. He took a risky leap, taking Shroomsworth with him over and down the falls. They would both survive the fall, but with an ensuing fight in which Slasher was the close victor. Fortunately for Shroomsworth, Rhodes lead PK and Sandy down the quickest path to the bottom of the waterfall, reaching him just in time despite being hindered by some of his more vicious brethren. Though they saved Shroomsworth's life, Slasher was fatally wounded by Sandy and did not survive.
Rhodes, Sandy, and PK tried their best to heave an unconscious, nearly-dead Shroomsworth back to Tao Village, but made very slow progress. It was thanks to some of the more amiable members of the former gang happening upon them that they could transport him in time. However, they would not set foot into the village proper until the next day, despite Rhodes begging them.
Exhausted after this trek, Rhodes fell asleep right in the Merchant HQ while the village doctors did what they could for Shroomsworth. He was transported to Missy's hatchery from there, since he was technically an orphan.
Aftermath
The following morning, Rhodes exited the village briefly, attempting once again to reason with some of his old friends at the forest's border. He managed to convince some to come with him, but many, many other young Sneasels still aimlessly tried to survive in the forest. The ones that did enjoyed the comfort of Missy's hatchery, and were both content and welcome to stay, at least for a while.
Filled with gratitude for the freedom he now had, Rhodes convinced his friends that they should help the Merchants out somehow. They eventually settled on making their own group, coming up with the proper paperwork to present to PK and Shroomsworth thanks to a little help from Missy herself, since none of them could write particularly well. PK ultimately accepted the deal, allowing Rhodes and his new crew to affiliate themselves with the Merchants as pathfinders.
History
Mission 4
PK ordered members of the Merchant guild to go to Sapling Village and retrieve a book she had ordered from Arianna but was never delivered. Because of the snow Sorbet brought to the area, it was difficult to navigate through the Creeping Forest to Sapling Village. As an alternative to Barty's service, Merchants could ask Rhodes and the pathfinders to escort them through the forest.
Event 4
Rhodes volunteered to carve a sculpture of Sorbet out of nevermeltice for his birthday party at the Spinda Café. That sculpture would later on become the centerpiece of the village's new fountain.
The Pulled String
Rhodes and Udon set out for a stroll in the Creeping Forest immediately following Sorbet's rampage. He was in shock of the damage that had been done to the forest. Soon after, he heard a noise somewhere in the forest and began to follow it to its source with Udon not too far behind. As it turned out, three Sneasels had caught and tied up two of Rhodes' friends to a tree in hopes of trapping and ambushing Rhodes. Despite having figured out their plan, Rhodes went in to free his friends. When the leader of the three Sneasels refused to cooperate, Udon grabbed him by his head and made him release his prisoners.
All would have gone well, but a suspicious Banette appeared and began to speak of secrets that only members of the Slasher Gang would know of. Rhodes became wary of the ghost and began a canopy duel with the other Sneasel. Rhodes won the duel, though the other Sneasel had ripped his scarf in the process, and offered the others to join him and the Pathfinders to lead a better life, which they accepted.
Once alone with the Banette, Rhodes began to question the ghost on how he knew the gang's secrets. At the time, Gnasher wasn't able to answer his question and asked the young Sneasel to help him find a place. Rhodes took the Banette to the only place he knew that fit the description given to him; the location where Slasher met his fate. Gnasher began to remember his past life, and what he had done during his previous life. Rhodes, at first, was worried that Gnasher would continue to act the way Slasher did before, but the ghost felt remorse for what he had done before.
To show how grateful he was to Rhodes and to prove him that he would be different in this life, Gnasher took Rhodes' tattered scarf back to what was left of Tao Village and fixed it up.
Successor
Rhodes arrived to Sapling Village to bring Shroomsworth his belongings from the Merchant Hut but before he could find the Breloom in the Shroomish Hut, Ginko mistook the Sneasel for a thief and began to strangle the Sneasel. Luckily, Shroomsworth appeared in time to vouch for Rhodes and Ginko promptly released him.
Later in the day, Rhodes accompanied Shroomsworth and Sporegard to the Commerce Mushroom and began to sell some berries for the day. During their work, Rhodes asked Shroomsworth several questions concerning the village and the Sneasels in the Creeping Forest. The Breloom was able to answer nearly all his concerns, except for how long the Sneasels have been around.
The Dates
When Maple was pestering Sandy to admit what was wrong, Rhodes attempted to get Maple to calm down in order to avoid a scene in the Merchant Hut. When she refused, Rhodes carried her back to Fresnel in the treehouse. The Sneasel went back to the hut to see if Sandy was alright, only to find the Deino moping under PK's bed. Sandy talked about how PK seemed to ignore her more lately and wondered if it was her fault for staying out so late with Maple. Unsure of what to do or say, Rhodes gave Sandy a comforting hug.
Mission 7
Rhodes was among many Pokémon who were teleported back into the past following the events from Event 6. He, along with PK, Iceburg, Winston, and members of the Rogues had to track down and catch Jasmine, who was severely injured by Shade and take her to Monochrome Tower.
Event 7
Both Rhodes and Winston had separated from PK and the Rogues in hope of finding Jasmine. However, Rhodes noticed an Altaria carrying Sneasel eggs and followed it, which led to the two being lured and captured by a cult led by a Carracosta who called herself Hariett. Hariett told him that he was part of the legacy of the Origin Wish, the proof being how Rhodes reacted to a gem which would grant her a wish. That wish however could only be obtained once enough blood was offered to Tornadus, and that was when she tried to force Rhodes into killing the Whimsicott. Rhodes resisted the killing urge the stone was giving him and instead freed Winston. Despite this, he could not save Winston as another feral Sneasel came in and finished off Winston before he could get away. Rhodes was horrified from what he just seen and began hearing a voice in his head which he apparently was the only one to hear, asking him for a wish. Not trying to understand anymore of what was happening, he wished Jasmine to help everyone. Elsewhere, the Celebi suddenly got better and attempted to take everyone back to the present in Tao Village.
Scars and Regrets
In the aftermath of transporting to the past and witnessing Winston's death, Rhodes confided and sought comfort in PK when she asked how he was doing. Both were distraught over the idea of never returning to their own time, but for the moment, they could comfort each other.
Gallery
Official V-Day Card!
Arc 2 Merchants!
