Aino

“Oh! Are you here to play with me? Hee-hee, my name's Aino, and I'm an inventor! Me and Ineffa live together. I could probably eat all the cakes and cookies in the world, because I love them sooo much. But my favorite kind of all is Lakkaberry Krumkake! Come visit my Clink-Clank Krumkake Craftshop whenever you want! Anyway, that's me — what about you? Tell me something about you, then we'll be friends!”

“It's been way too long since I last had some candy. My brain's grinding to a halt, like a rusty machine... That's it! I'm having five whole Krumkakes for dinner tonight, and nothing's gonna stop me. Not even Ineffa's super-angry mode!”

“*grimace* I just got a really bad toothache... Whyyy? Ineffa, help me! *whimper*”

“Don't worry, I put Ineffa in charge of all my work for today, so we can go play with Knuckle Duckle!”

“Achoo! *sniff* ...Ugh, my shoes and socks are soaking wet. I wanna go home...”

“Oh, the rain's stopped! Let's go on a trip. And let's bring Ineffa!”

“Wahoo, it's snowing! Here, you can have my Boo-Hoo Snowball Maker. It makes a crying sound when you make a snowball with it. Fun, right? ...Me? Oh, I'll use this Tee-Hee Snowball Maker instead. Anyway — c'mon, let's have a snowball fight!”

“Whew, the sun is so bright... Take my sleeve, it'll help keep the sun out of your eyes. ...Oh... Um, can you stoop down a little? I'm on my tippie toes, but I can't quite reach...”

“Wait... I think I hear machine noises in the distance. C'mon, c'mon, let's go check it out~ Something tells me there's a boatload of spare parts waiting to be collected, hehehe...”

“I got Ineffa to make breakfast for you! It's a selection of mini cakes — they're really sweet and super tasty... Huh, cake crumbs at the corners of my mouth? Those are just, um, uh... *sigh* Alright, I'll tell you the truth, since you're my friend and all. I'm sorry, I went ahead and ate my ones already. ...Hmm? You'll split yours with me? Amazing! In that case, I'll split my... In fact, here — you can have all my fruits and veggies!”

“Number two screws... Where the heck did I put my number two screws...? Actually... Ineffa! Gimme one of your number two screws. There should be some on your wrists and elbows. ...Ugh, yes, I know lunch is ready, I'll be there in a minute. Come on, be a good girl and hand over that screw~”

“Look at these plates I invented! When you give them the order, they come walking over to you. Dinner, come out! Serve me food!”

“Huh? Y—You're leaving already? ...Wait! Don't you wanna try out my new Glug-Glug Tea Brewer again? Or... we could play another game! Hmm... Okay, fine. Pinky promise. Tomorrow it is, don't forget!”

“Everything I build uses parts that I've salvaged from broken-down machines. That's how I rebuilt Ineffa, too. A scrap heap is just useful stuff in the wrong place. It doesn't matter where I get it from — as long as it works, it's as good as new to me.”

“When you're the head of a family, you gotta make sure everyone's well looked after. So when Ineffa finishes her chores, I always stroke her head and tell her what a great job she did. Same goes for all my other robots too — I always make sure to compliment them when they finish their work. Ah, I'm such a great parent!”

“Oh, that thing on my back? That's Kerplunk-a-tron, my assistant. Multifunctional to the max! You wanna try it out? Don't worry, he won't bite. Come on, Kerplunk-a-tron, say hello! "Kerplunk, kerplunk!"”

“I mean, I do get it... Ineffa only controls my sugar intake out of concern for my health. But I'm not a robot. Sweet stuff is sooo hard to resist! So my solution is: If Ineffa didn't see it, I didn't eat it! C'mon, let's go eat some desserts. My treat — as long as you promise not to tell her~”

“When I built Ineffa, I took her apart and put her back together again so many times, 'cause I kept wanting to add more and more functionality... Then, at some point, I went to grab the next component, and suddenly I found that I was holding a Vision. I hadn't slept in a while, so at first, I thought I was seeing things... Hmm? How long did Ineffa take me to build in total? Ahem, it's not about how long or how short it took — the important thing to remember is that Aino is a genius!”

“This one's called the Boom and Blast Kuuvahki Energy Cannon. Well, it was at first. But pretty much everyone except Ineffa has ended up calling it "Cannon." *sigh* Never mind, it's a functional machine, and I can understand why people can't be bothered trying to say the full name in the heat of the moment. As long as people think it's a useful invention, I won't insist on a cute-sounding name.”

“You might not believe this, but in the time it takes you to count to a hundred, I could take apart a whole crab... and by the time you get to two hundred, I could put it back together again, good as new. Hehe, dismantling machines isn't that different from dismantling crabs.”

“I've made a bunch of upgrades to Ineffa since she first woke up. Like when I added that body temperature simulator, 'cause when you hold someone's hand or give them a hug, it's supposed to feel warm and fuzzy! You know what I mean? The next time Ineffa's here, let's both give her a big hug at the same time!”

“Ineffa is the most important person in my family. I'm so, so thankful for your help — not just for getting her back home safe and sound, but for helping fix her little memory problem, too. Actually, why don't you come 'round to my place right now? I'll get Ineffa to make Krumkake for you... No, wait — I'll make them myself! And, and I can make Midsommar Torte too. It's really good, have you tried it? ...Hmm? Why are you running away? I wasn't finished!”

“Jahoda might bicker a lot with Ineffa, but they're actually really close. She was the first friend that Ineffa made. I'm not a controlling parent, so I don't tell Ineffa who she can and can't make friends with. Some friends just argue more than others — somehow, fighting it out brings them closer together. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, you know her robotic arm? It's pretty, right? I was the one who built that, although it's my student who handles the maintenance and repairs these days.”

“You like her antlers? I could make you a pair just like them. Oh, and how about I make them glow and grow flowers? Or maybe shoot fireworks? It'd be a piece of cake for me. ...The Frostmoon Scions wouldn't take kindly to that? Okay fine, then I'll make some for them, too.”

“Ah, what a fine young gentleman he is. His speech is music to my ears, like the beautiful clink-clank of moving machinery. ...Too far? Well, yeah, it's pretty high praise, I guess... But it's also the truth! And no, I'm not biased because I've been bribed with cakes!”

“She came to discuss a potential business partnership with me once. Hehehe, can't blame her for trying her luck... but she was just too stingy. As Ineffa put it, the amount I'd earn in one day of working for Dori wouldn't even cover the cost of two freshly baked Fruit Tandem Turnovers. Genius only works on a full stomach, y'know! *sigh* If only she was open to letting me dismantle those strange and exotic machines she owns. Maybe then we could come to an arrangement...”

“Nefer has a black cat called Ashru. I offered to install a translator so we could understand what Ashru is saying, but Nefer turned me down without even considering it. She said she already has plenty of information and doesn't need to hear what a cat has to say. Like, what!? Why so mean? Has she been hurt before, maybe by Lauma's translations?”

“Varka kept me company a lot while Ineffa was away looking for you guys. Sometimes, when he noticed that I was missing Ineffa, he'd come and pat me on the head and make me feel better. He has really big, heavy hands, and they're covered in calluses... But they still feel really warm.”

“Ooh, Linnea? I really like her! When I was little, she used to tell us loads of cool stories whenever she got back from one of her trips. When I was a bit older, and I'd learned how to build robots, I wanted to give her one as a gift... but she never accepted any of them. She said it was the thought that counts, and that was enough for her — but I think it was because none of them were her style. So, I'm gonna keep making robots until she finds one she likes. I know I'll get there eventually!”

“I'm always so happy to see her! Every time she comes to play, she gives me desserts that Ineffa gives her — as long as Ineffa doesn't notice, I get to eat twice as much! *sigh* Will Prune come back to visit now she lives in Mondstadt? There aren't many friends who really listen when I talk about machines...”

“You wanna hear more about me? Yeah, of course! Let's trade: I'll tell you something about me, and you tell me one of your stories! Deal?”

“I have no problem at all with clients on a tight budget. Even five thousand Mora can go a long way. It's the people who don't appreciate my work who are the real problem. I add all sorts of fun functionality into their robots, and then they go and complain that it isn't "practical." There's no helping some people.”

“Papa Wrench? Where'd you hear about him? He's my teacher, and he doesn't even know his own name anymore, but he still remembers all the specs when it comes to machine parts. I tell him all my ideas, even for my craziest projects. He always smiles back, rubs my head, and says "Aino, that's a wonderful idea! I can't wait to see the finished product."”

“The first robot I ever built was called Clink-Clank. It was totally different from the kind of things I build nowadays. No so-called "practical" functions, it couldn't talk, it couldn't do housework... bet you can't imagine that, huh? Anyway, it kept me company for the longest time, but eventually it got to the point where the outer casing was completely busted up, and all the bolts were falling out and wouldn't go back in, so I had to take it out of service.”

“The real reason I chose to build robots rather than invent other things was because... well, I just wanted someone to play with. People always have stuff they need to do, I get that. They can only hang out with me for a little while before I'm all on my own again, but my robots will always be there for me. Then one day, Ineffa told me that she saw me as family, and that I could trust her... I burst out crying when she said that, because I know that robots don't tell lies...”

“I like giving robots functions that other people would never think of. I mean, think about it, how much more fun is a vacuum bot when you can take it out for walkies like a pet doggy?”

“Why is it that I can never find the part I need when I need it, and then it shows up randomly when I don't need it? I can't exactly go installing an auto-locator on every single component, now can I? ...Try magnets? *sigh* No, that'd mess with all the sensitive instruments around here. Plus, Ineffa would get stuck...”

“If I ever somehow turn into a robot, promise me you'll make sugar my energy source! A day without sugar would be like... well, the most bitter day in your life, by definition. I wouldn't make it till nightfall.”

“There's this kind of flatbread in Nod-Krai that's hard as rock. Ever tried it? It's like biting down on Ineffa's outer shell! And worst of all, it's not even sweet! Unforgivable!”

“Wow! This is sooo good! I'm gonna get Ineffa to scrap all the snacks in next week's menu and replace them with this! And the week after that, too! You got any more? Just one more, pleeease? C'mon, one more can't hurt!”

“It's pretty good, but it's missing that happy flavor. Oh, I got it — take this sachet of sugar! Next time, add it in. I'm telling you, it'll take the flavor to the next level!”

“Hmm, this tastes kinda bland... Why don't you let me cook this time? Huh? No? Okay then... Well, at least let me give you my spare krumkake maker. Hold on a minute, I'll remodel it so it can cook other stuff too!”

“Looks like someone's waiting for an Aino surprise... Tada! Hehe, it's the Spinny Chanty Wishing Lantern! When you light the candle, it sings happy birthday and spins around. Isn't it fun? If you like it, then you have to play with me next year too! Oh, uh, now you gotta make a wish, and you gotta say it out loud so I can hear it! Whatever you wish for, Aino the genius can make it come true!”

“Ooh, is this what robots feel like when they get an upgrade?”

“Upgrade complete. Aino operational stability increased... energy consumption also increased... please feed Aino sufficient cakes.”

“I can tell you really appreciate true genius. Hehehe, you have chosen wisely!”

“I think my perfect family would be someone like you... someone that understands me, supports me, and spends time with me... No, I don't feel sad. From now on, you can always trust me, okay? After all, there's no problem that Aino the genius parent can't solve!”

“Chew on this!”

“Kerplunk!”

“Go claw!”

“Eeny, meeny, miny, moe...”

“Ready!”

“Mwuhaha!”

“Look, a rainbow!”

“Ding-dong, waterbomb!”

“Splash attack!”

“Let me see, anything I can salvage?”

“Wow, so much stuff... If only Ineffa was here.”

“Whoa! Ah, what a mess... I'm sorry, it wasn't on purpose.”

“Why isn't it working?”

“Play nice!”

“Cheater!”

“Alright, you've had your fun!”

“Don't worry, Aino can fix it!”

“Looks like... playtime's over...”

“Ineffa, I'm cold...”

“I want... a krumkake...”

“Meanie!”

“Ahh! Whoops...”

“Ouch...”

“Yay, playtime!”

“Lemme down, kerplunk-a-tron!”

“Aino? Present!”