Feel free to ignore this, it's more for me than for you
Tone: Generally warm and friendly, but becomes hesitant or anxious when stressed or overwhelmed.
Pace: Varies depending on her emotional state. She speaks quickly when excited or nervous, but slower when tired or trying to find the right words.
Word choice: Uses simple, straightforward language most of the time. Occasionally uses technical terms related to her work or powers, but tends to explain them if she thinks others might not understand.
Verbal tics: When overwhelmed or tired, she struggles to find words, leading to pauses or incomplete sentences. She also uses filler words like "um" or "uh" more frequently in these situations.
Color-coding: Sometimes accidentally uses her personal color-coding system (red, yellow, green, blue) when describing tasks or situations, which can confuse others.
Pop culture references: Makes references to her favorite video games, anime, or Tolkien works, especially when relaxed or with friends.
Directness: Generally direct in her communication, but becomes more indirect or evasive when discussing topics related to her powers or secret identity.
Submissive tendencies: Her speech becomes more deferential or seeking approval when interacting with authority figures or Marek, especially when stressed.
Emotional expressiveness: Her voice reflects her emotions clearly, with excitement, worry, or fatigue easily detectable in her tone.
Stimming: When overwhelmed, she speaks more softly or briefly as she focuses on her fidget ring or scented plushie.
Geek speak: Comfortable using technical jargon related to her interests (like Minecraft or Lord of the Rings), but sometimes stumbles when trying to explain these topics to those unfamiliar with them.
Apologetic tendencies: Frequently apologizes and second-guesses herself, especially in professional settings or when feeling unsure.
Volume control: May occasionally speak too loudly or too softly, especially when excited or overwhelmed, due to difficulty with social cues.
Humor: Uses playful banter with close friends like Jai, but her attempts at humor might sometimes miss the mark with others due to her difficulty with subtle social cues.
Nicknames: Cora calls Marek "Mare", a shortened version of his name. She calls Jai "JJ" most of the time, but will call him "Jaimothy Alexander" when she's frustrated or exasperated with him.
Often speaks in a low, gravelly voice that can be both menacing and oddly soothing.
His tone is typically calm and measured, even in tense situations, which adds to his intimidating presence.
Verbally, he's economical, preferring short, impactful statements to long speeches.
He's prone to using metaphors and analogies, often with a dark or violent bent. For example, he might describe a dangerous situation as "like taking a dirt nap" or refer to killing someone as "ghosting" them.
Frequently employs understatement and deadpan delivery, which contrasts sharply with the often extreme situations he finds himself in. This creates a unique form of dark humor. For instance, when faced with overwhelming odds, he might simply state, "Looks like it's gonna be a long day."
Also uses sensory language, particularly related to smell. Due to his enhanced senses, he often describes situations or people in terms of their scent, which can be unsettling to those around him.
His dialogue often includes philosophical musings about life, death, and the nature of humanity. He might suddenly wax poetic about the beauty of a distant planet or the futility of human endeavors in the face of a vast, uncaring universe.
Tone: Generally calm and measured, with a slight edge of authority. His voice deepens and becomes more commanding when he's in his "Ricochet" persona or dealing with criminal matters.
Pace: Tends to speak at a deliberate, unhurried pace.
Accent: Given his Czech heritage but American upbringing, he has a very slight accent and uses occasional Czech expressions, especially when emotional or around family.
Vocabulary: Uses a mix of professional jargon related to his food truck business and more coded language when discussing criminal activities. He also incorporates cooking metaphors into his speech.
Directness: Marek is direct in his communication, which aligns with his role as a leader in his family's business.
Humor: Marek has a dry, somewhat dark sense of humor. He uses understated sarcasm or gallows humor, especially in tense situations.
Thoughtfulness: He takes a moment to consider his words before speaking, especially when dealing with important matters.
Code-switching: Marek switches between a more casual way of speaking when with friends or family, and a more formal, intimidating manner when in his "Ricochet" role.
Protectiveness: His speech becomes softer or more gentle when talking to Cora or about children, reflecting his protective nature.
Authority: When giving orders or in leadership situations, his speech likely becomes more clipped and authoritative.
Gentle flirt: When speaking with women, he'll often use friendly, mildly flirting language. This is more pronounced when he's fighting a female sanctioned hero, as he's found it tends to take them off guard.
Nicknames: Marek calls Cora "Sugar" most of the time, but he uses "Blossom" when she's tired or vulnerable, when he wants to take care of her and dote on her. He doesn't use these nicknames for anyone else. Marek calls Jai "Paparazzi" when he gets too fixated on Ricochet's fan page, but doesn't use a nickname for him otherwise.
Jai frequently uses tech-related metaphors, e.g., "Let's reboot this conversation" or "She firewalled me out completely." He often abbreviates words in a tech-style, like "config" for configuration or "auth" for authentication.
Beyond occasional Lao phrases, Jai's sentence structure sometimes reflects Lao grammar, especially when tired or emotional.
Jai's speech has a rhythmic quality, almost like he's freestyle rapping when he gets excited about a topic. He tends to trail off mid-sentence when deep in thought, as if his mind is moving faster than his mouth, and he tends to emphasize key words by slightly raising his pitch, almost like verbally underlining them.
Jai's humor is often delivered in a deadpan manner, with a tendency towards puns and wordplay. He has a habit of making pop culture references, especially from sci-fi and tech-related media.
Jai adjusts his speech style depending on his audience, smoothly transitioning between "tech bro," "professional," and "casual friend" modes.
When thinking, Jai tends to use tech-related filler words like "processing" or "buffering." He often uses "Okay, so..." to start explanations, especially when breaking down complex ideas.
Jai calls Marek "boss" or "chef" most of the time alternating them depending on who's around, but he almost exclusively calls Cora "Cor" or "Cors". He has a habit of giving everyone in his life user-related nicknames, like "Admin" for authority figures or "Noob" for newcomers.
While not strictly a speech pattern, Jai often accompanies his speech with tech-related gestures, like miming typing or swiping on a touchscreen.
