diff --git a/skiply/skiply-connected-systems.css b/skiply/skiply-connected-systems.css
index 0ca3973..eacdef4 100644
--- a/skiply/skiply-connected-systems.css
+++ b/skiply/skiply-connected-systems.css
@@ -112,6 +112,21 @@ body {
   height: 100%;
   object-fit: contain;
   filter: drop-shadow(0 0 14px rgba(110, 165, 255, 0.8)) drop-shadow(0 0 36px rgba(70, 120, 255, 0.4));
+  animation: shoeGlow 2s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes shoeGlow {
+
+  0%,
+  100% {
+    filter:
+      drop-shadow(rgba(110, 165, 255, 0.5) 0px 0px 10px) drop-shadow(rgba(70, 120, 255, 0.25) 0px 0px 25px);
+  }
+
+  50% {
+    filter:
+      drop-shadow(rgba(110, 165, 255, 1) 0px 0px 20px) drop-shadow(rgba(70, 120, 255, 0.65) 0px 0px 50px);
+  }
 }
 
 /* Outer layer: a plain rectangular clip that reveals left-to-right in
@@ -158,10 +173,12 @@ body {
   top: 45%;
   height: 3px;
   margin-top: -1.5px;
+
   opacity: 0;
   transform: scaleX(0);
   transform-origin: center;
 
+  z-index: 3;
   pointer-events: none;
 
   border-top: 2px solid;
@@ -174,6 +191,55 @@ body {
 
   filter:
     drop-shadow(0 0 4px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9)) drop-shadow(0 0 12px rgba(110, 165, 255, 0.8)) drop-shadow(0 0 30px rgba(70, 120, 255, 0.5));
+
+  overflow: visible;
+}
+
+/* Moving wave */
+.shoe-stage__horizon::after {
+  content: "";
+  position: absolute;
+  top: -2px;
+  left: -10%;
+  width: 20%;
+  height: 5px;
+
+  background: linear-gradient(90deg,
+      transparent,
+      rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9),
+      rgba(110, 165, 255, 0.8),
+      transparent);
+
+  filter: blur(5px);
+  opacity: 0;
+
+  animation: horizonWave 2.5s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes horizonWave {
+  0% {
+    left: -10%;
+    opacity: 0;
+    transform: scaleY(0.5);
+  }
+
+  20% {
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+
+  50% {
+    transform: scaleY(1.5);
+  }
+
+  80% {
+    opacity: 1;
+  }
+
+  100% {
+    left: 90%;
+    opacity: 0;
+    transform: scaleY(0.5);
+  }
 }
 
 .shoe-stage__particles {
diff --git a/skiply/skiply-connected-systems.js b/skiply/skiply-connected-systems.js
index 012316c..cec1ef4 100644
--- a/skiply/skiply-connected-systems.js
+++ b/skiply/skiply-connected-systems.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
 
   /* ── Ambient dust: persistent, independent of the scroll timeline ── */
   const ambientHost = document.getElementById('ambientParticles');
-  const AMBIENT_COUNT = 22;
+  const AMBIENT_COUNT = 38;
   for (let i = 0; i < AMBIENT_COUNT; i++) {
     const p = document.createElement('span');
     p.className = 'ambient-particle';
@@ -70,12 +70,14 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
     gsap.set(treeSvg, { opacity: 1 });
     gsap.set(branchGroups, { clipPath: 'inset(0% 0% 0% 0%)' });
     gsap.set(nodes, { opacity: 1, scale: 1 });
+    gsap.set(routes, { opacity: 1, y: -4 });
     routes.forEach((el) => el.classList.add('is-lit'));
     return;
   }
 
   gsap.set(shoeStage, { opacity: 0 });
   gsap.set(labels, { opacity: 0, y: 10, scale: 0.9, transformOrigin: '50% 50%' });
+  gsap.set(routes, { opacity: 0, y: 20 });
 
   function playIntro() {
     const tl = gsap.timeline({ defaults: { ease: 'power2.out' } });
@@ -112,8 +114,8 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
 
     // 6. The tree becomes visible, then each branch draws itself in
     //    center-out: the middle line first, then the two adjacent, then
-    //    the two outer ones — each followed by its node flashing and
-    //    its pill lighting up as the light "arrives".
+    //    the two outer ones — each followed by its node simply appearing
+    //    and its pill lighting up as the light "arrives".
     const centerIndex = Math.floor(branchGroups.length / 2);
     const STEP = 0.22;
     const BRANCH_DUR = 0.9;
@@ -125,17 +127,26 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
       const pos = `branches+=${(Math.abs(i - centerIndex) * STEP).toFixed(2)}`;
       tl.fromTo(group,
         { clipPath: 'inset(0% 0% 100% 0%)' },
-        { clipPath: 'inset(0% 0% 0% 0%)', duration: BRANCH_DUR, ease: 'power2.out' },
+        {
+          clipPath: 'inset(0% 0% 0% 0%)',
+          duration: BRANCH_DUR,
+          ease: 'power2.out',
+          // Fires exactly when this branch's line finishes drawing, so
+          // the node and its route card never appear before the line
+          // has actually reached them.
+          onComplete: () => {
+            gsap.to(nodes[i], { opacity: 1, duration: 0.12 });
+            gsap.to(routes[i], {
+              opacity: 1,
+              y: -4, // matches .is-lit's lift so there's no transform conflict
+              duration: 0.4,
+              ease: 'power2.out',
+              onComplete: () => routes[i].classList.add('is-lit'),
+            });
+          },
+        },
         pos
       );
-      // Opacity reveal is permanent; the scale punch alone yoyos back down.
-      tl.to(nodes[i], { opacity: 1, duration: 0.15 }, `${pos}+=${BRANCH_DUR - 0.15}`);
-      tl.fromTo(nodes[i],
-        { scale: 1 },
-        { scale: 1.5, duration: 0.18, yoyo: true, repeat: 1, ease: 'power2.out' },
-        `${pos}+=${BRANCH_DUR - 0.15}`
-      );
-      tl.call(() => routes[i].classList.add('is-lit'), null, `${pos}+=${(BRANCH_DUR - 0.05).toFixed(2)}`);
     });
 
     return tl;