Matsu hovered just above as she was giving a more serene look. Her communion with the platform and the others who were around the platform while Hanae perched triumphantly atop Eternity's massive metallic head. The child's small hands gripping the gleaming ridges of the Ssi-ruu chassis for balance. The High Marshal himself stood as an immovable sentinel at the edge of the designated riding ring, his enormous saurian frame gleaming under the sun, blue optics glowing with patient vigilance while his tail rested in a gentle curve along the platform's edge. To frame it but also give several others a railing they could use.
The Gonki bustin ring itself formed a wide, padded oval bordered by soft energy barriers that shimmered faintly in pastel hues, ensuring no errant bounce could send a rider tumbling into the crowd. A dozen younglings from the creches within Silver Jedi temples in the galaxies each one swaddled in layers of reinforced padding that puffed them out like overfed ropos or startled porgs, waited their turns with varying degrees of excitement. Helmets sat snug over tousled heads, knee and elbow guards strapped firmly in place, and colorful chest plates emblazoned with the Silver Jedi crest completed the ensemble.
The modified Gonk droids blocky, sturdy frames repulsor-tuned for controlled vertical oscillation lined up in neat rows, their photoreceptors blinking in cheerful amber as handlers made final adjustments. At a brisk walking pace the droids would begin their rhythmic bounce, a gentle yet unpredictable rise and fall that mimicked the unpredictable hops of living mounts without any risk of true harm. Matsu's lips curved into a small, serene smile as the first child was lifted into position, tiny legs straddling the droid's broad back while gloved hands clutched the reinforced handholds welded just behind the power housing.
Hanae leaned forward from her lofty vantage, her voice carrying in bright, unrestrained delight as she pointed toward the starting line. "Look, Momma! That one's got the blue helmet and he's already giggling!" The girl's posture remained perfectly balanced atop Eternity's head, her own simple tunic fluttering lightly in the breeze created by the platform's subtle repulsor hum. Matsu adjusted her hover with a thought, drifting closer so the child could see every detail without strain. The first droid activated with a cheerful series of low beeps, its legs extending and contracting in a steady, bouncy gait that carried the padded rider forward at the designated pace.
The youngling held on with determined focus, body rocking in time with each rise and fall while the crowd of parents and Expo visitors cheered encouragement from the viewing galleries. Eight seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity of wobbling triumph; when the droid slowed to a gentle stop, the child slid off into the waiting arms of a handler, cheeks flushed with victory and a prize pouch of shimmering candies already being pressed into eager hands. There were more, the younglings were just here cause Matsu could make a field trip. The expo goers letting their children participate was the real fun as some saw it and wanted to try it.
Another rider took position almost immediately, this one a tiny Twi'lek girl whose lekku poked out from under her helmet like curious antennae. Her droid lurched into motion with a slightly higher bounce, the repulsors calibrated to add just enough unpredictability to test balance without ever tipping into danger. Matsu observed the way the girl's padded limbs adjusted instinctively, knees clamping tighter during the upward surges while her upper body remained surprisingly centered. Hanae clapped her hands in delight, the sound soft against the metallic surface beneath her, and called out a suggestion that only Matsu could hear clearly through their shared connection.
"She should lean forward on the big bounce!" The Grandmaster's gaze remained steady, noting how the event's design encouraged laughter more than competition; no one kept score beyond the simple joy of lasting the full count, and every rider received the same enthusiastic applause regardless of outcome. Eternity's deep, resonant voice rolled across the ring like distant thunder wrapped in warmth, offering calm reminders between riders about grip strength and posture while his massive frame served as both platform and guardian. Hanae was looking at more of it while the Matrons were on the side cheering on their charges.
The line of waiting children shifted with restless energy, their padded forms creating a colorful patchwork against the white and silver decking. Matsu let her awareness expand outward in the gentlest of ripples, sensing the bright sparks of excitement and the occasional flicker of nervous anticipation that melted away the moment each rider claimed their turn. Hanae twisted slightly atop Eternity's head, her small legs dangling over the edge of one metallic brow ridge as she pointed toward a boy whose droid had begun its bouncy traverse with particular enthusiasm. "You can do it." She was excited, the sugar rush had remained and Matsu was debating if she knew how to manipulate what she was breathing in like she did to latch onto her.
The child's laughter rang clear and unfiltered, a sound that blended seamlessly with the cheerful beeps of the Gonk droids and the supportive cheers rising from the gathered families. Matsu's robes settled around her in fresh folds as she drifted a fraction lower, positioning herself so the afternoon light caught the kyber beads in her hair and sent tiny prisms dancing across the ring below. Here, amid the structured wonder of the Expo, the simple act of children holding on for those precious seconds became a living reminder of why the Silver Jedi poured their efforts into moments of unbridled joy. Matsu let out a small laugh though as she was having fun.
The progress and protection were not merely contracts or gunships, but the laughter echoing across a sunlit platform while padded riders bounced their way toward candy and cheers. Eternity's optics flickered once in acknowledgment as another successful ride concluded, the droid slowing to a stop while the youngling dismounted with a triumphant fist pump. Hanae waved both arms overhead, nearly toppling forward before Matsu extended a gentle thread of telekinetic support to steady her. She had the Fandar ship there to be explained but no judges had come by here to ask or approached the one with the other ships on display.
The girl's grin stretched wide enough to rival the brightness of the Naboo sky, and in that instant Matsu felt the quiet satisfaction of a day well spent not in grand speeches or technological displays, but in the simple spectacle of small heroes conquering gentle bounces on loyal mechanical steeds. The Gonki bustin continued its cheerful rhythm, each new rider adding another layer of delight to the afternoon, and Matsu remained exactly where she was, hovering in perfect poise while the platform was swimming around in the water and she allowed herself to be able to have fun. The ride exciting those not participating as most didn't see Theed from this perspective as much.
