I like Noelle in general! Of all things added in to Deltarune (differentiating it from Undertale) she's been up there. I had admired her thoughts and perspective on fear after ch2's release. She seems like a good addition to whatever our messaging may be.

If I've seemed more reticent it would be mostly out of not having known much about her or where the story may take her, going off of only 2 chapters (one of which barely contained her!). While Asriel and Kris obviously borrow from their Undertale counterparts, and immediately justified like, a dozen delusions I had about Asriel and Chara's relationship for years; giving me in a way, much more fodder to work with. The entire GAME is about their shared childhood, so EVERYTHING is fodder. I'm also ALREADY obsessed with those two, I don't need to be worked over or convinced to care HAH.... Susie and Noelle are at a disadvantage, both being new!

It takes time for me to investigate anything, digest dialogue, check out all route alterations, the website ARG stuff. We finally got a lot more Noelle in ch4, more childhood stories with Kris, suggestions about Dess... slowly the picture of her as a complete person is forming. Seeing her HOUSE and BEDROOM is HUUUUGE!

For what its worth, I'd say Asriel likes Noelle, and Noelle likes Asriel. Ralsei's response to the Noelle tea is.... "it's soft and sweet". They shared a few vocations (both in choir, cross country ... it would appear as if Asriel's room has gold trophies while Noelle's has silver; they may have placed 1st and 2nd in at least 1 event together?), so I would imagine they spent some time together growing up, even distinctly separate from Kris or Dess! Noelle refers to him as "Azzy" (in eng) or "Azu-kun" (in JP), affectionate nickname similar to how Dess called Noelle "Elly". I'm very curious what Asriel may have called her! As it is, I like that she'd use '-kun' and not '-san' for Asriel... there's familiarity, even if Azzy is older.

I think Noelle is very similar to Asriel, and I don't think that is incidental, or a coincidence. While we know Kris became distant and cut-off after a certain point (and Noelle is nostalgic for their past!), I don't have the same impression of Asriel (I'd imagine that would come up with the various townsfolk!). I wonder if Asriel was there for her after Dess disappeared-- even if Kris was paralyzed by the sudden loss-- and if that might have something to do with Noelle taking on Asriel's hobbies.

Asriel's locker was right next to Kris's... and Kris's locker, is empty. Asriel used to carry Kris to school... keep chocolates in his pocket to give to Kris... take them out for hot chocolate after church as the family fell apart.... I wonder if Kris didn't need to use a locker, keen to borrow everything from oniichan. Unused to being independent, used to sharing, relying on him for everything.

When I look at these possible events... Dess disappearing, Asriel being there for both Kris and Noelle, and then, Asriel leaving... I can imagine Noelle wanting to take the place of Asriel for Kris, try to be the person for Kris that Asriel was for her, as their families change. Is that crazy? She is attentive, always has pencils for Kris, offers help with homework, or to talk to the teacher for them... she's accommodating, patient, even if Kris barely mumbles 2 words at a time. I always found it so BIZARRE to have this kind of dynamic with an unrelated PEER of one's own volition. She feels like an older sister! ... but if she admired Asriel's caretaking oniichan vibe-- a vibe that may have even helped calm Dess while all were together-- maybe she took it upon herself to imitate what Asriel would do for Kris, once he was gone. She knows what it feels like to rely on your big sibling...!

.... as more information clicks together, I try to think of the Holiday-Dreemurrs as a muddled unit, unique dynamics all across this 4-way intersection. I like to think of everyone as honorary siblings of one another.

Waiting patiently for more information as always (: