When we arrived at the estate, everybody else was already there. Jen ran off to her favorite spot in the yard and we came in, our mouths watering at the great smell of the dinner ready and waiting in the living room where all my family was. My grandparents were talking with Lin who arrived this morning, uncles Wei and Wing with their wives were in a corner, talking about how amazing their sons were and probably comparing them as they always do. Mom and dad came to great us and I'm always happy to see some joy on my father's face. The only person who can make Bolin forget completely about Korra's disappearance is Mako and the firebender could also use some cheering up by the looks of it.

And of course, the kids were all put up together. Jairo and Sen sat next to me and they immediately started talking with my five other cousins. Tora and Gano, Wei's sons are showing off their muscles and bragging about how they both had a great season this summer. But Tora is stopping next year and is doing his final season this winter, saying he's got enough of probending and that at twenty years old, he's thinking about doing something else, something more useful to the society like maybe entering the Army in Ba Sing Se for example.

Everybody's settled now and we start to eat the usually fabulous dinner that our family cook makes. I really like his cooking but I'd rather taste something less complicated and more mundane. I'm not complaining but I'd like to taste something new, like for example water tribe food. The adults (I mean, we're basically most adults, me being seventeen and my cousins between fourteen and twenty) talk politics and economy between themselves which is fine because it allows us to talk between ourselves. But I know it's only a matter of time before the conversation turns to each one of us.

Wing's three sons have all chosen different paths: Loshi is working in a construction company as a metal engineer, Yoki is a probender and Riko started a lot of things but never finished any of them, he was selling apples during a year or two, tried probending but wasn't cut for it, then did some arena fighting a few months ago and even tried a career in politics with grandma but it never worked out. Right now, I don't even know what he's doing. But they all love to fight and Tora just promised Jay a bending duel after dinner.

"Yeah, well, being a cop is not easy, but I know what you mean when you say you want to help the society." Jay suddenly says. I look at his chest, the badge is hidden in his pocket, he put it there before taking off his mantel, making sure Mako didn't see it. Just before dinner, he told me his father confiscated his badge because he did something stupid, but he really wanted to show it to me, that's why he took it back because he knew where his father had hid it. And of course, I promised I wouldn't say anything about it so I won't. It's better to let them deal with their problems alone.

Mako immediately looks at his eldest son who's eighteen now and I can see he's trying to stay calm.

"You have no idea what you're talking about! I've never seen a cop who screwed up so much in less than a day!" He says, raising his tone. Lin lowers her gaze, clearly knowing what's going on which doesn't surprise me since she's the chief.

"Mako, what are you talking about?" Asks Bolin.

Jay's story has everyone's attention now and I'm listening closely like everybody else is. I can see Jay getting paler by the second as his worst secret is about to be revealed. I can't help being curious but I also get the feeling that what's about to happen is not going to be pretty.

"Jairo has successfully entered the police of Republic City but during his first day, he got into a fight with the person he was supposed to arrest and managed to destroy a whole building before letting the suspect get away!" Mako almost screamed. He's up now and ended his talk by slamming his closed fist on the table, his face as red as Opal's jacket.

I really thought that Jay was going to let it go and not add oil in the fire but I forgot he's just like his father. He gets up too and slams: "Like it was my fault! The guy was a damn chi-blocker! How was I supposed to arrest him when he paralyzed my bending?" His face is now as red as Mako's.

"You should have waited for the backup you called." Says Lin calmly then takes a sip of water. "You did more damage than him, that's why you've been suspended."

"And you should be grateful! Most people would have been fired, Lin saved your neck!"

"I've already thanked you, but I don't need any help! I would have got that sucker if it wasn't for this stupid glove he…" Replies Jay.

"Watch you language!" Screams Mako.

Sue steps in and manages to calm everyone down by changing the subject. So after talking about Jairo and then Sen and the earthboys, we talk about me. And who better than my mother to talk about my future? I start to blush.

"In a few months, once the year is over, Feline will start a journalist career in Ba Sing Se! I can't wait to read her articles in the local papers! Isn't that going to be awesome honey?" She asks my father. Bolin who was just enjoying his dinner almost chokes with his water when the attention is on him. I can clearly see him trying to regain his composure as quickly as possible so no one notices. "Oh yes, terrific!"

I can tell this future wasn't my father first choice, but it doesn't seem to bother him this much. This idea of me being a journalist was obviously my mother's idea and I'm pretty sure my father has pictured me as a great bender before he realized it wasn't going to happen. I really want to, but I can't show him that I actually could become a bender because I know he's going to be disappointed I'm not an earthbender even more that I'm not a lavabender like him. And don't even get me started on the whole Korra thing.

Now may be my chance to make them change their mind. Maybe if Lin agrees with me, she could persuade them… But with what happened with Jay, I don't know if the whole "working in the police" idea still stands.

"I know I agreed to become a journalist and that was what I wanted to do once, but what if I sort of… changed my mind?" My voice almost dies at the end of my sentence and I can feel the weight of all the stares on my face.

My mother seems as surprised as my father. Only Jay smiles a little bit, like he figured out by himself I changed my plan. "Are you serious, sweetie?" Asks Opal.

"Yes mom. I really thought about it and I want to go to Republic City, I really want to, but not to be a journalist."

"What would you do then?" Grandma asks gently, a smile starting to form on her face as if by looking at me right now she was remembering something from her past. A similar situation maybe?

"Well…" I can't just tell them that I want to master all four elements, that I want to learn how to fight, that's there's a lot of things with my condition of avatar that I haven't figured out yet, that being a police officer is really appealing and would be so cool, that I have to discover what happened to Korra… I actually don't know where to start. And before I know it, I'm standing in front of everyone but not saying a single word, just staring into empty space. It's Jay's pull on the corner of my top that brings me back to reality and I stare intently into his brown eyes, silently asking what's going on.

"Sooo, Feline, you sort of were away for a few seconds I guess… what were you saying?" He says, trying to understand my silence.

"I…I thought that maybe aunt Lin's proposition still stands? And wasn't I supposed to go to Republic City?"

Everyone looks at Lin and she throws me a deadly stare. I remember her saying something about this possibility being a secret between us… oops… But unlike my father, she stays calm and replies ever so calmly: "It's true that I offered Feline a position in the police force but it was a long time ago and a lot of things have changed since then especially in Republic City… I don't think it's safe for you anymore to…"

"You're telling me you're backing off because of what happened with Jay?" I can't keep my mouth shut, I just have to stand up for myself, it might be my only chance. "That's completely unfair!"

"This has nothing to do with Jairo! The situation in Republic City has been quite… unbalanced lately." Replies Lin now standing. Her gaze is fixed on me and mine on her.

"That's exactly what Korra was told before she came! And she managed to save the situation when she was in Republic City anyway!" I realize only too late that I mentioned the former avatar and my father's face along with Mako's are immediately veiled by sadness. Damn! I forgot! If Lin's stare could kill me, I'd be dead by now.

"What happened with the last avatar has nothing to do with you and you're nothing close to the avatar!" Everyone stopped eating when Jay was mentioned but now, it's like they're all watching a duel between two benders in an arena and are waiting for the other contestant to attack.

"Yeah, I'm no bender, I figured!" I spit while sitting down and crossing my arms on my chest, having completely lost my appetite.

I can see on Lin's face that she didn't want to make it sound like that, but I can't let it go: the idea of me being the avatar is so absurd to them because they think I can't bend that I can't help being mad and especially showing it to everyone with my behavior. Mom looks pained too like she didn't want the conversation to turn out like that but was afraid it might. "I'm sorry it sounded like that, sweetie, but we're only thinking about your safety, that's all. Republic City is not a safe place right now."

"And it probably never will if things stay the way they are! Aang and Korra changed so much things in the city, in the world! I want to do something great too and I know I can! You can't protect me forever! And it's not like I'm going there alone! Aunt Lin, uncle Mako, even my cousins would be there! I really want to, but I also need to go there! And I thought we agreed I'd go!"

"How can you need to go to Republic City?" Asks my dad. I can see he's curious now. He probably won't be as difficult to persuade as mom. But I can't just tell him my secret, I've got to make something up and fast.

"Because I…"

Gano and Riko were playing this whole time, bending the ground under the table's legs, making it jump every time someone told something important. They say it adds a dramatic effect to the whole situation and it always makes them laugh until they can't breathe. It's Riko's turn now and he bends the ground, making our table jump but he didn't control his strength and my glass of water flew straight at me. I did it without thinking: I created a small puff of air which pushed the glass out of my way and made it land on Wei's wife, Sona… Sana… well something. I see my father's jaw hanging open and my mother trying to decide if she's dreaming or not. Well, there's no choice left now. I take another deep breath and say:

"Mom, dad, I'm an airbender."