Scene #5247: A Tip of a Hatter

Owner	Pose
Pippi	'The Enemy of my Enemy is my Friend' -- as the saying goes. The Mad Hatter was fond of this phrase, turning it constantly in his head as he hummed. He had sent out a simple message through his little army of taggers, who had gone around to various neighborhoods and spray painted a rather foxish face, with a very particular purple marking, beneath a very large, ungangly tophat. Oh, he knew it would be seen by the wrong people, certainly, there had been a little talk about 'hat foxes' appearing tagged over other gang's signs. One of his taggers had ended up in the hospital from a particularly enthusiastic Purple Dragon. It would be worth it, however, to not entice the fox a second time by using her young charge. That just wouldn't be fair. So the Mad Hatter waited, calmly in his rooftop garden. A strange, subverted meeting of extremely handled and copiously designed, man-made garden. Artificual grass. Artificial succulents. Fake plants, fake trees, everything designed to look real and be moved about at his whim. Behind him there's a bistro set, with three chairs and a tea set.
Alopex	If the man's invitation had been a few weeks earlier, the third seat may have not been needed, Alopex wanting to keep her 'charge' safe from this man. However, with the amount of growth that Pippi had shown recently, there was no need to send her off somewhere safe. Instead, the meeting would be somewhere that Pippi could come as, very nearly, an equal. With the amount of patroling the fox made from one day to the next, finding the hatter only required time, and it wasn't as though he was trying to hide himself. It wouldn't be many days after the tags had appeared that a particular fox, and a particuar canine, could be seen approaching in typical fashion for ones like them. Front door? Never. Simply arriving? Likely. It would depend on access points, windows, and fire escapes.
Pippi	Pippi had not been keen on coming back quickly anyway, and probably took a little convincing to make it out of the foxden afterwards. The rooftop garden was easily accessable from fire escapes, or a short hop from an adjacent building. He does live, after all, in the building he's outfit to be his own. Below on the streets, there's a line to get into his club, not that it's so busy. Monday nights. And still he waits. He's a very patient man when he's moving all his pieces into place.
Alopex	"I wouldn't worry. We are not required to do everything he desires. He gets his favor, and that will be the end of it. If he does anything that remotely looks like betrayal, well.." The fox glares toward the man's building, "We can deal with that too.." All that said, the fox starts across the rooftops toward the club, landing on the hatter's roof a few minutes later, silently, despite being expected.
Pippi	Pippi heaved a slight sigh as she stands up, stretches out one shoulder a moment, and then follows Alopex. She leaps, gracefully with the start off -- aaand then doesn't stick the landing, tumbling over her shoulder and landing on her butt with a soft 'yarp!' sound, and then immediately reaches up and covers her muzzle. The yarp sound was dulled by the false flora, mostly. But the Mad Hatter just cracks an unsettled smile. "I see you've gotten my invitations. I /do/ apologize for the unorthodox way, Madam Fox, but I have no forwarding address for you or your little friend." he smiles, and turns. HE's wearing smart charcoal gray, very well tailored to his tall form. Dark eyes settle on Alopex. "Please, have a seat. We have a little to discuss."
Alopex	Thankfully, Alopex didn't expect perfection for rooftop parkour just -yet-. Especially when they were somewhere expected. A partly concerned, partly 'it's ok' look is given Pippi before she turns to the Hatter, "It was hard to miss. It's so common around the city that I think Pippi may have seen it on the internet before I saw it in person." A -possible- exageration. Does Pippi even get to go on the internet? With the offer to take a seat, Alopex makes for one chair, takes a seat, all the while taking in the rest of the roof and anyone else on it. When she turns to him again, she's to the point, "Considering everything that's going on the city, I was considering a visit to see if anything was your doing.."
Pippi	Pippi /does/ go on the internet. Sometimes. But mostly it's confusing because there's an awful lot of text and the screen bothers her eyes and there's all those coloring books that require attention... "How could you mistake the hat?" He inquires, and adjusts his own hat in the process as he makes his way over and sits down. Pippi doesn't join them, but keeps a watch on the other things going on, her nose twitching. Might be a hotdog vendor nearby. The Mad Hatter gives a smile as he pours for Alopex. There's a little creamer, there's a plate of lemon wedges, and sugar cubes. It's a British tea rather than an Eastern blend. "Sugar, Madam Fox?"
Alopex	The fox holds up a hand, "Mistake the hat? Very unlikely," Beat, "No need," is replied in reponse to both questions as she settles. She was being polite, at least about the meeting. Her nose and eyes set on trying to determine the type of tea as he pours, waiting for him to speak about his plans.
Pippi	Earl Grey, hot. The tea was completely normal. "I do beleive that there is something of interest to your young friend going on. There has been an... up-tick in missing and stolen pets. In particular, dogs." he states, and hands over a little thumb drive. "One of my taggers spotted a Purple Dragon member in an attempted take. A list of the types and places. Typically, I might chalk it up to a fighting ring, but they're very particular in sizes."
Alopex	Eyes narrow at the news. She knew the dragons were up to... something... but she wasn't sure what. The thumbdrive is taken and tucked away before taking a sip of the tea. "They attacked the business of a very close friend of ours. Between that and taking pets is VERY concerning," she explains. "I am no friend to this group, I doubt Pippi is either. What do you have in mind..?"
Pippi	"Oh, my dear Madam Fox, I'm afraid that there is little I can do." The Hatter gives a smile, leaning back in his chair as he pours himself tea. "I can pass on information, but I dare not intrude personally. After all, I have no ability to defend myself, or my club goers -- but I have a vested interest in keeping the dragons out of my teritory." And he gives a wry little smile. "Oh? What got attacked? What businesses are they interrupting now?"
Alopex	Oh no, no no, she isn't giving that up, "Just something local," Pex deflects. Pippi was taken, and she has her strength. Zisel, despite the amazing cook she was, would not be put into danger by Alopex giving away her restraunt's address. "I'm just pointing out, I don't care for the dragons. If you want them pushed out of the area, so be it." Once that's done, she'd consider them square from what happened before. Sip. "So you're just giving me this information with no instruction besides 'Stop them from doing things near my club,' and letting us know they're stealing pets. Is that right?"
Pippi	"Stealing dogs, between fifty and seventy pounds. Usually designer crosses. They're healthier." The Hatter replies with a wicked little smile. "Some poor girl lost her seeing eye dog. Wouldn't it be terrible if someone were to steal a sick child's helpful pet?"
Alopex	That gets an ear to flick, the fox wondering if the last statement was for her or for Pippi. "I wasn't saying we aren't going to do it. I was making sure that it is clear what is going on once we leave,". Another sip, the teacup is emptied, and Alopex rises. "Pippi, did you have any questions?"
Pippi	Pippi seems hesitant, especially after her player wrote out an entire pose not realizing it was in capslock and one key over to the right. She shifts her weight from foot to foot, and shakes her head, being uncharacteristically quiet. Maybe it was the way he said it. What does the Hatter know? And how much is he able to get from their reactions? He just leans back in his seat. "Well, don't let me keep you. I'm sure you ladies have a busy couple of nights ahead of you."
Alopex	Considering the last time Pippi met the man, things were very different. She'd just ask her about it once they were away. With her answer, Pex looks back to the Hatter, "Very well. You're right, we have a bit of work to do, and to take a look at what's on the drive you gave. We'll see what we can do," she says, not making any promises, before starting to head for the edge of the roof.
Pippi	"Certainly, Madam Fox. Do give my best regards to your charge." Hatter gives a wry little smile, and sips his tea. Pippi seems very, very releived that she did not have to interact with the Mad Hatter, who simply sips his tea like he's a completely normal person and not an amasingly creepy JERK and who would even want to fashion themselves after someone played by that guy who also played the chocolate guy the pirate guy and the guy with all the scissors in his hands really. Pippi turns to Pex, and she glances up. "... think it might be Lambda?"
Alopex	Once off onto the next building, Alopex turns to Pippi, uncertainy showing, "Maybe. If it is, they're about to be in for a very -big- surprise. Two of them, in fact."