#rasler

So. Rasler. Trans man extraordinaire. Why not? It's a fun idea.

So imagine Rasler is being sent to Dalmasca originally to be Ashe's Lady In Waiting. He sees this as an opportunity, you know?

This would explain:

1. Why Rasler is the only Hume Dude in Dalmasca not part of the army who covers his chest on the regular. We even see the King's tits.

Look. Tits. "They've got on the Fancy Armor", you must be thinking. "Surely it's just decorative." Yeah, so is Rasler's. Rasler is also wearing ceremonial armor. And it is covers Everything. "But Sal, he's from Nabradia, not Dalmasca."

Listen.

Listen.

I do not care.

More than that;

Look at that. That's surprise. Rasler obviously wasn't intended to go into battle. He's just wearing the most conservative armor physically possible in the lineup of ceremonial armors. Even the king's got his tits out. It's hot in Dalmasca -- man knows what he's about. Rasler must be sweltering. (The things we do to cover our chests. Binding. Layers. Full plate armor.)

Even Ashe wears less than him. She's in a tube top with sleeves and he's in full plate armor in direct sunlight in midday w i t h a c a p e. You cannot tell me that's the decision of a man without a reason. If he is cisgender then that is a lot of decisions and they are all bad.

2. Why Vaan didn't know about Rasler.

Admittedly, this is a minor note.

3. Ashe and Rasler's relationship.

So in Japan you don't really say "I love you." It's a rare thing to say -- they prefer actions over words, to the point where it's a once in a lifetime thing, depending on how you say it. But also I don't think Ashe and Rasler were in love because if you look at the timeline, they don't get much time together. Barely months. More than that, they don't even present it to the people as such.

Look at that. Look at that dialogue.

Rasler could totally be trans. Admit it. Admit it.

Ashe looks at him extremely tenderly, and he looks upon her as well. Do I think they had a whirlwind romance? Neither of them really seem like the type. They're both impulsive, but that's for jumping into battle.

BONUS: Not a point, but this gives the "That I be considered worthy" line way more significance because trans reasons and that makes me happy. Especially if the King is in on it.

Followed by an immediate pan to Ashe:

That is the face of a woman who knows what's up.

(On a side note, the Viera Lady Knight behind her? Her design is what's UP. I wanna know more about her!)

NOW. We're done with the slideshow. (I promise. There's not many more photos I can add, anyways. Thanks, Tumblr.)

The timeline would be thus.

Rasler's Pops would send him to Dalmasca to be the Lady In Waiting and/or Royal Companion to Princess Ashe because Rasler is miserable in Nabradia. They have a long history of friendship and peace between their countries to the point where the people legit only see their relationship as a political symbol between their Kings. That's Some Freakin' Friendship right there. So naturally it's a safe bet for sending your "princess" to maybe get a fresh start and make some friends.

Now, Rasler? Rasler sees this as a Chance. Rasler knows that no one knows him in Dalmasca. He can be Whoever he wants. So what does he do? He dolls himself up, forges his own papers, and goes to Dalmasca in style *cough* full plate armor *cough* and introduces himself a Prince Rasler of Nabradia, who is there to court the Princess Ashe of Dalmasca (because there's only so much he can forge without someone sending a letter back and the "Princess's Companion" is the best cover to keep him flying under the radar as long as possible.)

N O W. Here's where it gets dicey.

So Ashe finds out pretty quickly, probably. He likely tells her, and she's totally on board with it and she's like, "I respect a man who can fool an entire Kingdom for things that are important but also largely harmless. Also I've got several older brothers -- there's no way I'll have to produce an heir." Cue nervous laughter.

So they hook up! Ashe is totally Rasler's beard and confidant, and they bond over stuff. Bonus points if Ashe is gay and practicing her "in love" face when looking at Rasler to fool people. (I imagine she's pretending to look at that Viera guard we see in the "HYAAAAA" scene.)

(I mean, look at her. She's incredible. The armor. Her hair. The fact that she could rip your face off but won't, has claws, and wears shoes that could double as a deadly weapon in a pinch. What's not to love? But alas -- forbidden love, because this Viera is very likely at least 30 times Ashe's age. But she can dream, right?)

Anywho, Ashe is Rasler's beard.

Maybe a senator or two is send to Dalmasca, and Rasler has the cajones to show up to the meeting and look the senator dead in the eye and smile, daring him to complicate the relations between their countries. And the senator pulls the King aside as is like, "You do realize... the Princess Rasler is wearing full plate armor, correct?"

And the King is like, "This man is not sane. Please send him back to Nabradia and get us a new senator."

So they do. And the senator brings back the news, and this time they send several more senators, and during the meeting Rasler is just sitting. Right there. Staring at them. Smiling.

So they bow and scrape and treat him like a Prince, and then they leave. And they tell their King, who then makes the trip personally.

And you know what?

He lays eyes on his son -- who was so miserable in Nabradia that he sent him to another freakin' country to make friends -- and sees him smiling and waving at people and talking and being active and potentially in love with the Princess of Dalmasca and he says, "Rasler... you are a man, now."

King's just like

Free Treaty; Free Son.

That's chill. Rasler is happy. Ashe is happy. S'all good.

And then Archades gets up on their shit and moves their dick measuring contest to Nabradia where they proceed to swing a spear between their legs at everyone unfortunate enough to be in slashing distance.