@perk snaps a sprite upward and slightly larger for a beat, then settles it back into place. The motion reads as a physical "perk up" - the involuntary lift a character does when something unexpected cuts through their attention. Reach for it any time a character registers surprising news, spots someone they recognize across the room, or snaps from distraction into focus.

It works best paired with a line of dialogue that carries genuine surprise or curiosity, because the default duration lands just as the reader processes the words. If the moment calls for quieter alertness rather than a jolt, bring intensity down toward the lower end of its range so the effect reads as a subtle shift rather than a sharp reaction.

The wait parameter becomes useful when you want a second effect to start before @perk finishes - for example, layering a soft ambient cue or triggering another sprite's animation so both land at the same time. Leave wait at its default when @perk is the only thing happening and you want the scene to hold naturally until the motion settles.

@perk and @shake both pull the reader's eye to a character, but they carry opposite emotional weight. @perk signals alertness or pleasant surprise; @shake signals distress or agitation. If you reach for one and the scene still feels wrong, the other is almost certainly what you need.