Private A Sister's Shadow

[Ivy Maro]

It wasn't a sound, nor a voice or a face Ivy recognized across the room, but a feeling. Faint at first, buried beneath the familiar currents of the Force that surrounded the Jedi Temple on Wroona—the restless curiosity of younglings, the quiet concentration of Knights at meditation, the distant flicker of someone practicing with a lightsaber in one of the training halls.

Something familiar brushed against her awareness. For a moment, Ivy forgot how to breathe.

She had a feeling this day would come. Revyanna Pryce . Her little sister.

Ivy stood still, and found herself staring through the years rather than at the young woman standing before her.

... ... ...​

Ava Pryce had spent weeks planning her disappearance.

Where she might go. What she would take. How far away she could get before anyone realized she was gone.

Their father, Ephram Pryce , had always been somewhere else, consumed by political work and responsibilities that seemed to take him farther and farther away from his family. So Ava had stepped in to fill the empty spaces he left behind, as a father and husband that her sister and mother needed. Their protector, their rock of support. The strong, fearless, devoted eldest who tried to live up to some grand ideal of the Pryce family name.

But now, after everything that had happened that left her heart shattered and soul fractured, Ava felt like she was but a hollow shell of herself, with no one to turn to.

She had considered calling Revyanna, one last time. Ava's finger hovered over her sister's name for several seconds, before closing the holocommunicator. She had confided little in Revy about the months of self-loathing and misery that had brought her to this point. Ava feared that if she tried to speak, the words would come out rambling and disjointed. She had cried too much the night before to have the strength left to care anymore.

A handwritten note felt more personal somehow. Cleaner. More concise. Permanent. Folded neatly and left somewhere her sister would find it. Something Revy might keep to remember her by.

Ava picked up the pen. And wrote.


Revy,

I need to be on my own right now. Please don't try to find me. I'll reach out when I'm ready.

– Ava


No flowery language. No false reassurances. No "I love you" or "I'll miss you" to soften the blow. Ava refused to make promises she couldn't keep or say apologies she didn't mean.

She folded the letter, set it down, and walked away.

Ava Pryce thought she disappeared. A trail of digital breadcrumbs, pieced together by someone with enough technical skill and determination to find her.

A call to Ava's workplace at a laboratory several cities away would reveal that she had resigned with proper notice. Her apartment room cleaned out and abandoned.

Holonet records contained roughly a month's worth of increasingly obsessive searches. Force users. Force religions. Jedi. Holoforum posts and chat logs, scattered conversations with strangers about a Jedi enclave on Kattada, of which Ava had been particularly determined to get there.

Then there was the airport history from the city Ava had worked at. A one-way ticket to Unlos Tagge, the capital of Tepasi. Government registries showed that an Ava Pryce had legally changed her name to Ivy Maro. From there, another one-way ticket to the planet Hok. After that, the name Ivy Maro seemed to fade into the wider galaxy, lost among the myrid of moons, starliners and space stations between Hok and Kattada.

The Jedi taught emotional detachment. Ivy had found the philosophy remarkably convenient.

Let go. Move on. Become someone else.

And in time, she did.

For nearly two years, Ivy had been grateful that the galaxy was so very large enough for her to hide in. Large enough that two sisters could become strangers.

Until now.

... ... ...​

Ivy looked at Revyanna again. Her expression softened beneath her Jedi composure.

"Hey, Revy." Her voice was quieter than she expected.

Perhaps Revy would see it differently, that Ivy couldn't have even been bothered to say goodbye to her face. That what wasn't said had hurt Revy far more than Ivy intended to.

Ivy took a small breath. "I know I have a lot to explain."

 

[Revyanna Pryce]

Ivy Maro

BOOM!!! The sounds were the first thing to come through the screen as she sat there. The room of the house setup for sound proofing but it didn't always work as well. SHe had spent a few since her sister left and reading the note she was moving on... finding something to do and that was. "Moving on to our next topic sponsored by Holostation 5, the best in holonet gaming. We have the recent developments in the High Republic Senate as we watched my father and many other senators try to understand what was happening. Truthfully it was the worse kind of interactions, before the interesting stuff started the main group left. I had snacks to watch dad tear them a new one."

She was on the screen talking to some of the people and her viewer count had remained steady at least. The pause from the gaming for ten minutes between matches. "In other news guys we got all this craziness going on with a trial and that is before I even get to look outside of Republic space. Haven't even looked at the reports from sith space or the Mandalorians or any number of other governments and events happening around the galaxy but we do three shows a day, six days a week to bring you the latest news, games and events. Like, comment and subscribe. I am going to go and take a small break, get some food, some of my newly sponsored Denon Energy drinks. Be back."

She said it as she was getting up and moved through the apartment. Stopping only when she felt something on the back of her neck as she didn't turn for a moment. "I should warn you, my dad is big and wanted in fifteen systems. You touch me and no one in the history of torture's has been tortured with torture like the torture you'll be tortured with." Then she turned around when she heard a voice that she thought she would never hear again at least until she was getting some call saying she didn't bail credits. Revy turning to look at Ivy as she looked at her and was silent for a moment... then leaned to the side and looked for a moment to make sure there wasn't a knife behind ehr back. "Well I wasn't expecting this."

 

[Ivy Maro]

Ivy's eyes widened briefly. Then, slowly, her expression settled into something almost deadpan, unamused.

She had imagined anger. Tears. Accusations. Maybe silence. Revyanna Pryce demanding to know why she had disappeared without so much as a proper goodbye and having to explain every ugly, complicated reason behind her decision to leave.

For a moment, she wondered if Revy had lost her mind. "What?" Ivy stared at her.

Perhaps she should have expected humor as a defense mechanism. They might have been ten years apart, but Ivy liked to think she knew her younger sister well enough to anticipate her reactions. But apparently, two years was long enough to make those assumptions obsolete.

Ivy stood still, giving Revy an incredulous look. "Revy, you're in my house,” she quipped matter-of-factly, hoping Revy wasn’t playing dumb. As a Jedi Templar entrusted with protecting the Order’s sanctuaries, the possessive claim did ring true. A tiny flicker of amusement tugged at the corner of Ivy mouth. "How did you get here?" She asked in bewilderment.

Peaceful visitors weren't prohibited from entering the Temple. Wroona's Jedi temple complex maintained civilian apartments and accommodations for visitors, students, researchers, diplomats, and anyone else who had legitimate reason to spend time here. It wasn't exactly unusual for Ivy to encounter strangers wandering through its halls.

She was beginning to notice something that hadn't registered at first. Her sister looked… comfortable. And not just-arrived comfortable.

Revy's black hair, slightly disheveled in the way hair tended to become after someone had spent too many hours sitting in one position. Her pale silver-grey eyes carried a faint weariness of someone who had been awake and strained by a screen for far too long. The faint smell of packaged snacks and energy drinks lingered in the air around Revy, mingling with the stale warmth of a room that had been occupied for hours with little ventilation.

Ivy’s eyes narrowed. Only the faintest twitch at the corner of her mouth betrayed her confusion. "How long have you been here?"

She couldn't decide which possibility was more irritating. Revy knowing she was here all along and not bothering to come find her sister immediately, or all of this being some bizarre coincidence orchestrated by the Force.

 

[Revyanna Pryce]

Ivy Maro

SHe looked at her and offered a moment. "Come on, be fun. THis is worse then when teachers ask us to do math." She said it when she was looking at her and went over while offering a grin. "NOw come on smile or at least a less grumpy face that borders on enjoyment of seeing your sister." SHe said it while grabbing another energy drink with a nod of her head. "BUt only a day or so, I got setup cause you love me and support my dreams." SHe offered one of the drinks. "THey are new and good for you also can stay up for hours and hours reacting to some of the senate vids. Chance to see a lot of fancy people stand around and overtalk themselves."

 

[Ivy Maro]

Ivy stood in the doorway of Revyanna Pryce 's apartment room and groaned internally.

The Temple was going to discover sooner or later that somehow, whenever family was around, "Sunshine" disappeared behind a very irritated little moon, bringing out a side of Ivy that almost no one at the Temple knew existed.

Ivy's lips pursed more firmly when Revy told her to smile. "I forgot how much I don't like you," she muttered sarcastically. Then Revy offered her an energy drink, declaring its health effects. Ivy stared at it. "I doubt that." Her expression remained unimpressed, but the corners of her mouth betrayed her. Just barely.

She sighed, trying to summon the version of herself from two years ago. Ava Pryce. The old face. The old way of dealing with Revy.

"A day?" Ivy repeated, mild surprise creeping into her voice. "Wait a minute. You're leaving?" Her confusion steadily increased. "Were you planning on just crashing here and leaving without saying hi and bye?" Her voice rose with each word.

Ivy finally stepped farther inside, poking her head into the apartment proper. The room wasn't exactly a disaster. It simply wasn't Ivy level clean. But no, Ivy decided that she wasn't going to parent her sister, this time. She was going to relax and be normal. Just be normal.

"Dreams?" Ivy asked skeptically. "What dreams?" Judging by the particular tone Revy used, Ivy suspected she wasn't talking about some lofty academic ambition their mother would have approved of. "Wait. Are you still in college? Goin' after that science degree?"

Ivy moved farther into the room, her attention captured by Revy's sprawling computer setup. "Ooo. Techy." Her eyebrows lifted with teasing amusement in her voice. She leaned closer, examining the setup curiously while Revy said something about watching Senate videos. Ivy's eyes flicked toward her sister. "You stalk Dad much, then?" The faintest smirk finally broke through Ivy's grumpy expression.

 

[Revyanna Pryce]

Ivy Maro

"I was planning to crash here and wait for you to go to sleep so I could put itching powder in your training robes but I would have saaid something it is just you don't seem to like me being here or the surprise or have the interest. You arre my sister and it is like we never get to see each other... I can't exactly talk to dad about boys or girls, or zeltrons. I say I want to invite someone over and suddenly he has to be cleaning his blaster with his senate security team talking about how he is thinking of criminal reforms and other things... Then I have to spend the entire time we are at the table studying and looking things over trying to hear what they are saying cause they sit as far away as they can."

She said it with a smile though and moved the rest. "And yes sciences are fun, but I really want to be a holonet streamer and make political reaction channel videos. Those senate sessions are boring but lower the real dialogue and make funny voices.. the people love it. I got four million views on one... and if I fo well enough could branch into true crime videos, those are the real credit makers. just have to have a sophisticated sounds voice... usually strrangely like an Imperial, give the information with cliffhanger stingers before sponsor advertisements roll... and you are practically fanbricating credits. Might as well call my channel At-Attin for the mint it can be worth."

 

[Ivy Maro]

Ivy let Revyanna Pryce vent it all out. A soft sigh escaped her as she tried to let some of the jagged edges around her tone soften.

"I'm sorry, it's just..." Ivy paused, searching for the right words. "It's been a lot, okay?"

That was putting it mildly. There had been battles. Starfighters. Younglings. More younglings. Becoming a creche-keeper to a particularly rowdy collection of Force-sensitive children. Training. Responsibilities. The growing weight of being entrusted with protecting the Order's sanctuaries as a Jedi Templar in training...

"And I don't like surprises," Ivy added with a small pout and an amused little huff. "I mean, I thought I said I'd find you first. Not the other way around."

She softened a little, trying to make the gratitude in her voice more obvious. "But... thanks. For wanting to surprise me." She hesitated awkwardly. "Um... hug?"

She gave a small, awkward smile and held her arms out. The same arms that had wrapped around dozens of younglings without hesitation, now felt stiff and awkward, toward her own sister. Ivy hated that, feeling like she had regressed two years back into the prickly "tough love" Ava Pryce.

At least the ice had cracked now, somewhat. Ivy found herself relaxing more noticeably in her sister's presence. Almost like two best friends picking up a conversation where they last left off, as if no time had passed between them at all. Ivy wasn't entirely sure whether that was healthy or concerning.

Her expression brightened as Revy enthusiastically went on explaining her holostreaming career aspirations. "Hey, that's great," Ivy said, her voice noticeably breezier. "Whatever works, right?" She gave Revy an amused little grin. Four million views wasn't exactly nothing. Ivy glanced around the apartment again, then back toward her sister.

"Well..." She shrugged. "You're welcome to stay here, however long you like. As long as you pay the rent." Her eyebrows lifted teasingly. "You've got your holostreaming now to do that for you, right?" There was a hint of laughter in her voice.

"Curious..." Her eyes narrowed playfully at Revy. "How did you find me?"

 

[Revyanna Pryce]

Ivy Maro

"I was was on the net and forgot to update my ad blocker and a zinder advertisement came up with meet jedi in your area and they showed you at the temple with a bunch of other women and like two guys... Apparently the temples have a gender divide and there are several top ten theories why." She looked at her and she gave her the awkward hug but there was the chance for it. "And yes, I can pay rent and my food expenses are low. You know I got your back and we can get you some good clothing." SHe was saying it while theirr dad was still around and important. Political commentary would work cause she could tap into the markets who wanted to make such jokes. "Have you spoken to dad yourself?"

 

[Ivy Maro]

Ivy froze with a look of bewilderment. "What in the world? What? Zinder? What're you talking about? Show me!" She rattled Revyanna Pryce for proof of said advertisement. Ivy didn't know whether to be flattered or appalled that her face was somehow posted on one of the galaxy's most popular dating apps. "I've never even used that in my life!"

At first, Ivy thought it was funny... But then her professional instincts began kicking in.

"I can't have people thinking I'm advertising myself on Zinder. This could ruin my reputation!" Ivy looked increasingly alarmed, realizing how serious this could be to her career, especially with younglings and children involved under her care. "Do I need a lawyer? Or a hacker?" Maybe both... Ivy wondered if the Jedi Order had their own legal team for this sort of thing.

Her panic was short-lived, however. Ivy shook her head, still smiling as she looked back toward her sister.

"We've got a cafeteria here too, if you like. I'm sure I could work out some special family-member discount so you don't have to pay as much. I'll have to ask about that." Her expression softened when Revy assured her she had her back. "Thanks," Ivy said with a sheepish smile. "And what's wrong with my clothing? These are premium Jedi robes!" There was an argumentative little tease in Ivy's voice as she looked down dramatically at her cream-colored robes with pastel blue and pink tabards.

At the question about their father, however, some of that amusement disappeared. Ivy shook her head, hiding a small pang of shame and guilt behind a taut, almost blank expression. "Nope." She shrugged. "But now that you mentioned it... Huh." She gave a faint chuckle. "Guess I could use his legal advice in helping me get that picture of me off of Zinder. Sue someone for defamation or whatnot."

She fidgeted absently, fingers brushing against the edge of one of her tabards. "Well..." She glanced toward Revy. "You're welcome to come along and watch me teach a youngling class. I'm a mother now, yay me," she cheered weakly in exaggeration.

Then she added casually, "Oh, and my name is Ivy Maro now. Legally." She pointed out. "Not Ava. If you haven't found that out already. Though you can call me whatever you want."

 

[Revyanna Pryce]

Ivy Maro

"I do not know about a lawyer but we can handle the possible breach of data. With firaxa VPN, an encrypted private network that sponsors me and when you use my code at check out you can get a discount sis. A discountthink about it. As for Zinder most people block the ads and won't see it and they will get a new one in no time. THeir advertisers go with market research and what is supposed to make your want to click on it so if your image doesn't work they will move onto another one. It is all very market oriented and focused to try and maximize clicks, like when some of the holostreamers go in a hot tub to prretend to play games but forget to turn on the controllers."

She was looking at her and gave a nod of her head. "We should and sweet I have nieces and nephews to call short and tell to get me energy drinks this is getting better all the time Ivy... not as cool as Ava but we'll make it work and all everyone needs a safety name. We'll get you a holonet handle if case you join me in reacting to things, people eat that up and we can have you give jedi lectures to the reactions which will help show people jedi aren't all old ladies with a dozen cathar in their doorless rooms that will eat them when they pass away." SHe looked at her and was getting her shoes ready while checking on the socks. "Count as new if you turn them inside out."