Hey! Since everybody knows that I don't and never will own Zootopia, that gets the disclaimer out of the way. This is more of an author's note than anything else.

I'm sorry that this is so late. Again, I have a bunch of new stuff coming out and updating this fell lower on the priority list. Between school, at least 5 other short oneshots, updating my shorts collection called Arguing, a three shot for the Magnus Chase series, a 5 shot for the Harry Potter Next Gen community, a (long) oneshot request from a user, a blog that I'm terribly behind on, friends, family trips, a Polyvore account . . . yeah, I have a lot on my plate. But I really wanted to get out this chapter before I forgot about it. Again, nothing on Earth (except death, really) is going to make me discontinue this story. It will get a conclusion, even if I have to resort to updating once a month now.

So, yeah. That's my side tangent. Kudos to anybody who decides to read through these things - I know it can be torture at times. Anyways, onwards to the story!

"Are you sure you read it correctly?" Judy questioned once more. She had been in charge of driving while he had opted for navigator.

It figured. The first time they had gotten a job after 3 months of staying out of the field, it would be in the most obscure place possible. The duo had been driving for nearly half the day, leaving the city under the orders of Mrs. Spike. It was supposedly a portion of their 'next assignment', but so far all they had seen was road and country.

This in and of itself wasn't exactly a surprise. Much of the land immediately outside Zootopia was filled with more rural land, but with the build up their new abilities had caused, the furry gray cop was honestly expecting something a little more grand. Moving to the diverse metropolitan area had been so incredible and life changing; everything about it was magical and brand new. The high rises, the private living conditions, the fountains and vendors and people . . . it had truly been a dream come true. She had naturally assumed that acquiring her 'watch' would have come with the same sort of momentous fanfare.

However, when said 'watch' is also a key tool in a secret government project, its celebration tends to be kept under wraps. Thus her newfound power to transform had gone miffingly unnoticed, and it was all too easy to forget about it. You'd think that this monumental instrument would never let itself remain unnoticed, and yet, aside from training, she honestly had no practical use for it. Sure, it was amazing, but not a major groundbreaking part of her life yet. It was as if it had yet to sink in with Judy that the watch was hers. No buts about it.

Even during her first assignment, the first time it would become useful, it remained dormant. Only Nick's was even activated, and that was only for the remainder of a terrible dinner in the middle of a fake date.

Now the tool from Project T would finally be used for some sort of secret task, and she honestly couldn't wait. Something exciting was going to happen; maybe something that would change everything. Even though their instructions were vague as all get out - all the partners were told to do was follow a marked route on a map - the bunny could feel it in her bones.

This might just be the excitement she had been unwittingly wishing for.

"Yes, I'm doing it correctly, Carrots," he grumbled, flipping the map in a different direction. "Now, have you seen any roads marked 'Springfield'?"

"About a half hour ago, maybe. Why?"

"Well, good. We're probably going the right way, then."

"Probably?!" she cried out, starting to glare at her partner. "Nick . . . "

"Hey, that's about a 90% chance," he shrugged, far from phased. Over the months as her partner, the red fox has begun to build an immunity to her glares. "We're going to be fine."

"If we're lost because of you, I will flay you myself," she groaned warningly, focusing her eyes back on the road. "Just tell me when to turn."

"Can do, Captain Hopps." She rolled her eyes, starting to smile again. That was just their dynamic; no matter how much they worked eachother up, they couldn't remain mad for long. And, she must admit, his stupid nicknames were growing on her with time.

"That's kind of sad, Nick," she hummed, not really upset anymore.

"Well, would you prefer Admiral?"

"Are we on some sort of boat?"

"Yup. Noah's Ark. I'm pretty sure some giraffes couldn't make it aboard, so it's just some foxes and rabbits." Sure enough, real laughter bubbled out of her mouth, followed by a smile.

"You really are ridiculous."

"Naturally," he replied instantly, "but you're my best friend. What do you think that says about you?"

" . . . I'd rather not think about that horrifying statement, actually." She sighed, looking at the blank expanse of road. "Again, isn't there supposed to be a right turn?"

"In about another mile, yeah."

"Good. I just want to get there already, you know?" Judy explained. "We've been driving for an eternity already, and while usually I'm pretty patient, I feel a little too wound up right now. I'm too excited." Nick simply shrugged his shoulders for a second time.

"I guess I understand, but I'm not all that wired. I'm too tired. Maybe it's just your freakish bunny energy that's keeping you going."

"Maybe," she remarked, finally making her right hand turn. "Thank goodness that was quick. I was about to hurl something out the window - preferably you."

"Ouch," he fake winced, grabbing his shirt. "That stung, Carrots." The gray bunny only smiled smugly.

"Get used to it, Slick. We're almost there, right?"

"Almost. Just another couple miles to go, if I'm reading this map correctly."

"So, in a couple of miles we'll either see it or have to drive back down the road to see what turn you made us miss?"

"Exactly," he affirmed, leaning back in his chair.

"That's comforting."

"Yup." As another 5 minutes went by, Judy saw another road in the distance. She nudged her partner.

"Do you think that's it?"

"Probably," he told her. "I mean, it fits, I guess. What else is it going to be?"

"I'm turning, then," she said. "We're almost there."

"Yes, we should just go straight for another 10 miles." The car fell silent again, and for the next several minutes, neither cop uttered a word. Nick opted to look at the fleeting grass from outside the window, while Judy kept her eyes firmly on the ever stretching mass of pavement ahead of her. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of driving, the two made out a tall building. It was plated in silver, and it looked as if somebody had wrapped it in aluminum foil. The roof was flat, and there were few windows in the structure. Outside, however, was a familiar face. Judy eagerly parked the car and ran out.

"Thenson!" she squealed, hugging the scientist who first introduced them to the project. Although they had hardly known him, there was something undeniably friendly about the leopard. Luckily, he seemed to feel the same way about the cops.

"So the duo has arrived!" he beamed, taking a moment to hug Judy back and to shake hands with Nick. "So, how was the drive?"

"Long and boring," the bunny said sheepishly. "I was kinda loosing patience, especially since that one was having trouble with the map."

"We're here now, though," Nick reminded her. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yes, yes we are. That was a painful trip." Thenson continued smiling at the two cops. They were oddly adorable, even when at odds.

"I take it you know why you're here?" Thenson inquired. The officers shook their heads, and he couldn't help but sigh. Did anybody bother keeping their subjects informed? "You're here for the next leg of your training. You've mastered basic maneuvers; now it's time to pick it up a notch. Here you will learn how to use grappling hooks, scale ventilation shafts, and vault over walls. This training will take place in and out of your native forms, as you need to be able to transform at a moment's notice. I'm going to be overseeing your progress and observing your training with Mrs. Spike out here."

"So we're going to be like spies? Because I don't regularly vault over walls," Nick snorted, still in a bit of disbelief. Judy, on the other hand, was nothing if not ecstatic.

"Isn't it great?!" she squeaked, clearly excited to have a greater opportunity to do something with her tech.

Hey, at least one of them seemed confident.

So, yeah. Sorry if this dissapointed anybody, but at this point, I just needed to get it out there. I will try to update sometime this month. If it's dragging on, I'll include a sneak peek.

See you next time, guys!