In a small gray office, sat a small gray man, with a mind holding almost no color at all. He wore a black suit suit, a white shirt, with a black cravat around his neck. The only outstanding thing about him was the large black bowler hat, sitting exactly erect on his head. His hands worked rapidly and with quick, tense, birdlike motions, on a partially finished hat identical to the one on his head sitting on a much pinned and tattered mannequin head. The man vibrated with rigidly restrained intensity, eyes burning into his task, oblivious to anything outside of his work.
The clock chimed once, twice, then a third gong resounded. The man froze on that third tone as suddenly as a bird that sensed a cat. He slowly lowered his hands to the desk....instruments of work still clutched in his fingers. He stared blankly at the gray wall for a few moments, as if bemused that work had momentarily ceased.
"Three is the number of propriety," the man solemnly intoned to no one, sitting stock still.
The face brightened, but without a smile.
"My friend, it is time. It is time to eat SuShe. At long last...," The man croaked in a voice that resonated with barely restrained emotion.
The man was Hatter. It was his vocation and identification and identity. In his small minded, tightly bound, rigidly proscribed world, it was better...safer...if there was not more. His one freedom was his allotted SuShe.
A thin smile, slowly, slightly twisted the corner of his lips. Suddenly, quickly, smoothly, in one spring-like motion, Hatter released himself from his seat. He stood, putting his tools fastidiously down next to the partially finished hat on the gray desk.
At Hatter's crotch, was a silver cage, his Propriety Restraint. His large, purplish, penis strained for freedom within its shining cage, standing out sharply against black of his suit. The cage had a small silver lock dangling near the tip of his cock.
Hatter adjusted his Propriety, belt buckle, and cravat to all be precisely in line as the law demanded.
"We must always appear properly in public, my friend. Propriety must always be served. Nothing less will do." Hatter intoned slightly happy and amused to be released from the confinement of his work.
Hatter took one precise step backwards, his legs rolling his gray metal and leather chair back, and then two precise sidesteps leftward. He paused, erectly standing, before he walked to the opening of his office. A Propriety Warden silently stood at parade rest in the hall appallingly eyeless, hairless, and completely covered in black robes.
"Denial is Delight," the Warden intoned flatly.
"Propriety or Punishment," the frozen Hatter gave the appropriate reply
The eyeless face turned toward Hatter, who averted his own. He stiffly marched away toward the salon to ensure his proper dress for SuShe. One did not dare challenge the rules of Propriety.
Hatter stepped in front of the mirror in the salon. He checked his hat, cravat, and Propriety Restraint for a proper alignment on his head. He made sure his phallus was displayed visibly restrained through the silvered bars...displaying his Propriety...his restraint...his obedience
Hatter then drew himself up, took one set back from the mirror, turning about face he strode with alacrity down the hall to the salon exit. He nearly bumped into a Molly carrying her broom on the way out. Both flushed red and quickly stepped back from any illusion of contact. Personal contact was not Propriety.
Hatter's eyes scanned her Propriety of their own accord. Both breasts exposed...Her areola covered with silver clamps...teeth biting the nipples. Her sex...her Pussy ....exposed by a famed window into her coveralls...its delightful curls peeking out from the bars of the silver chastity belt...he could imagine her aroma...sweaty and tart after a day of work. She noticed his wandering eyes, stiffening under his gaze.
"Three is the number of Propriety," Hatter quickly said.
"Propriety of Punishment!" she sternly stated, stepping back one pace, and heading past him with her nose in the air in the direction of the Propriety Warden.
Hatter blanched pale at his breach of decorum. His actions put his Propriety in question....putting him under question. His blood ran cold as his eyes followed the Molly walking toward the black clad warden. He quickly headed to the door and out into the street.
Hatter moved rapidly into the cool of dusk around the traffic circle. In the cool of dusk outside of the hat building, Hatters, Machinists, Carpenters, Bakers, Mollys, Sarahs, and other's briskly stepped about their business with Propriety. None made contact other than to exchange quick greetings. All proudly displayed the instruments of their restraint, cages, belts, clamps. Above all, a Propriety Warden was best not noticed to be standing on a high platform in the center of the circle, black truncheon hanging at his side, sightlessly watching all who passed for breaches of Propriety. As Hatter paused, the faceless Warden stared his way. Hatter's blood running cold again, he moved quickly around the circle. Hatter's only thought was to get to his appointment for SuShe before any other improprieties could happen.
Hatter left the circle and headed toward the Sustenance district, where all forms of needs could be satisfied. The need for food, water, SuShe, and medicine. He quickly greeted a passing Baker with a bit too much zeal, "Nothing Less than Propriety!" The Baker's glance was censure enough and Hatter moved quickly forward. Why on this day...of all days...was he failing in Propriety? He was so close to tasting SuShe..after so many months of restraint...so close.
So great was his distraction he nearly brushed a Chemist leaving his shop for the day. The Chemist glared at him, "Restraint or Ravishment!"
Hatter quickly replied, "Denial is Delight!" without looking and pressing down the street. Hatter could barely restrain his speed and his panic at his rapidly failing Propriety.
As Hatter turned the corner to reach his destination, he saw two Propriety Wardens standing over a prone figure in the street, truncheons hanging limply in their hands as they stood immobile. The figure was splayed out, unconscious, with a darkness spreading around its head. Hatter inwardly gasped and averted his eyes. As quickly as he could without running, he closed the distance to the basement door that was his sanctuary.
Hatter presented his identity card to the smartly dressed and very proper Attendant. The Attendant seemed completely undisturbed by the violence that must have occurred just meters from him. Hatter's credentials were carefully compared to a list on clipboard. The Attendant looked hard again at Hatter, sending chills down his spine.
"Come with me, Sir," the attendant stated flatly, turning, and buzzing a door for admittance. The heavy metal door cranked aside allowed both of them to enter. Hatter walked down carpeted wooden walled halls with silvered doors every few meters on either side. He heard, but properly did not notice, sounds of SuShe being eaten. One door emitted moans, another wet lapping sounds, just as they stopped at another gray metal door, a scream sounded from down the hall.
The Attendant opened the door and stated, "Come with me, Sir."
The Attendant now led Hatter down a stark brick hallway with only metal doors. No sounds of SuShe were heard in this hall. Only the echoing steps of Hatter and the Attendant.
The Attendant stated, "Your room, Sir."
Hatter stood frozen still, ice flowing in his veins. This was not a room for SuShe as he recalled from his last appointment.
Hatter dared not ask what or why. Hatter dared not refuse. There was only one question Hatter could ask. He could ask to be freed from restraint as he was entitled. "May I have my key of Propriety please?"
The attendant flatly stated, "No," and walked away.
Hatter stood still facing his uncertain door. Frozen still as a bird that sensed a cat. Did they know? Had the Molly informed on him? Had his breach in propriety resulted in denial of his full privilege? He had worked for months for his right to SuShe. He had met all production quotas. He had behaved with utmost Propriety...except for today.
"Sir, is there a problem?" The Attendant asked from down the hall by the gray metal door.
