Toph's life changing field trip with Zuko was a definite flop. She tried to get some life-changing-magic started, but noooo, Zuko said they had to find Aang. So when Toph decided to visit her parents in Gaoling, a two day flight from the royal palace, she made Zuko drop all his firelord duties and join her.
It hadn't been easy. First she tried to guilt trip him about burning her feet. Zuko mentioned all the times he had to give her a piggyback. Then she tried to persuade Uncle Iroh first, but the pai sho game was just so interesting she might have forgotten what she was about to say. Finally, she broke down one of the palace wings. Five times. That had worked, and now they were on Appa's back, flying to Gaoling.
"So," Zuko said, after reading the list of how to care for Appa from Aang.
"Yes?" Toph asked. This was going to change her life, she knew it!
"Do you have any cherry-apples? The list says Appa likes them."
"No." Toph answered, disappointed.
"Would you like some fireflakes?" Zuko asked, to break the silence.
"Fine." Toph grumbled. She crunched her flaming fireflakes.
Setting up camp wasn't very hard. Toph made two rock tents and Zuko lit a campfire. To pass time, they started telling folk tales.
"And, so, when Agni was about to knock on his father's door, he had second thoughts-"
"What did he do?!"
"He opened the door and was welcomed home."
"Oh. What do you think would have happened if he wasn't welcomed home?"
"I don't know, probably would run away or something," Zuko replied flippantly.
"I ran away a few times," Toph recalled.
"Yeah, I saw some of your posters. I think they got the teeth wrong."
"Really? I couldn't really see them..."
"We're almost at Gaoling," Zuko informed Toph. He received a grumble in response.
They started towards the house, narrowly avoiding stepping on moon lilies and fire blossoms. Finally, at the door, Toph was resigned to no life-changing field trips. She just wanted the visit to be quick and painless. She rapped at the door, and her mother answered.
"Firelord Zuko! We weren't expecting you!"
Toph cleared her throat.
"Toph! What are you doing with the firelord?!" her mother asked. Just then Appa roared.
"Someone get me my smelling sal-" she stopped as she collapsed on some of her moon lilies.
"You have a nice family," Zuko remarked.
"You haven't even met my father." Toph sighed.