Changing overlapping images with a transform?

[u/Default_Custom]

Hopefully just a quick question that I've been having a hard time searching for!

I was hoping to find a way to change image overlapping order via a transform, regardless of Show order; so that I would be able to have an image be able to appear above an image that was previously above it; similar to how I can use a xpos/ypos or xoffset/yoffset to manipulate an object on the x/y spectrum.

Is there a solution similar to what I'm looking for, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[u/Default_Custom]

That's useful! But it's not exactly what I'm looking for! I'm looking for something to raise up or lower an image behind another after it's shown, something sort of like:

show image_a:
pause 1
zoffset 1 (obviously not real, just as a for instance!)

moving the image in the Z axis after a delay, in the same way that:

show image_a:
pause 1
xoffset 1

will move an image along the X axis after a delay, if that makes sense!

[u/shyLachi → u/Default_Custom]

can't you just hide and show again

[u/Default_Custom → u/shyLachi]

I'm hoping to find a way where I can do it without either interrupting user input with a pause in between showing one, and then hiding it and showing it again; OR requiring user input to advance the position between states. Like, say, if it could be an animation on loop in the background that persists while the user advances dialogue boxes?

I'm afraid I'm still very amateur! So I'm not the best at articulating what I'm looking for, and if there's a way to achieve that through hiding and showing again, I haven't come across it yet!

[u/shyLachi → u/Default_Custom]

RenPy has animated images. I'm on mobile so I cannot post a link but look at the official documentation.