Recluse

Every time I open my eyes, I always wonder if I'm actually still dreaming and that I'm back at home. Wondering if I'm back at my own time period: 2013, from what I can remember.

It's the morning, I think. That's what the light peering through the crack between the curtains says. I curl myself up into a ball, holding the covers tight as I yawn deeply. It's warm in this room, I think it's summer. The musky scent of my covers and my pillows lull me to stay in the bed, but I have things to do and people to meet before I can go back and maybe read another book or two.

I sit up, rubbing my eyes and straightening my bed-ridden hair. The mornings are always the worst, since I have to do things whilst my body is still tired. I usually don't get enough sleep since I spend most of my night time reading books or playing with myself under the covers, but what do you expect? I don't get a lot of entertainment around here.

I get my fourteen year old glasses and look at the mirror. Ugh, I look terrible. My avocado coloured shirt has stains on it and my shorts have them too. My brunette hair looks all raggedy when I tie it all up, I can even see some split ends here and there. My mouth has small splotches of brown coffee and myself in general feels quite shitty.

I walk around my room, passing the coffee table where 4 or so mugs of dried up coffee have been sitting for days, producing a reek smell. I can wash that later when I get back home I guess. I pass by the rack of books that I fill up with each day and take out two or three of them, placing it by the nightstand for me to read when I get home. The sink beckons to me with the pile of plates that I've never given attention to. I'm going to have to wash those as well aren't I?

I can't even find a spare clean cup to put some water on, so I drink directly from the tap instead. It saves me from cleaning a cup anyway. I hear someone knocking on the door as I wipe my mouth clean of any liquids.

"....Who is it?" I spoke calmly. I'm not even sure if that sound made it past the door.

"E-Eliza! It's me! Dusk-Dusk Shine!" His stuttering shouts prick my ears. "I've got today's shipment of books for you!"

Sighing, I reached the door after dusting myself and opened it slightly, sternly staring at the first pony I see in the morning. A wave of cologne washes over me, forcing me to pull my face back. Dusk Shine is a librarian of some sorts, and he was one of the first ponies who found me when I got here. His tall build and smart clothing impressed me a bit, not to mention that he was a male pony...or stallion. Unfortunately, my image of him shattered when I found him stuttering madly and staring at my breasts when we got to his treehouse of a home.

"G-Good morning, Eliza." He speaks.

"Just pass me the books and go." My hand pops out from the cracks, waiting for the guy to pass them over. He does what I tell him and passes it, managing to feel my fingers as he does so. He does this all the time, it's like he's a scientist whose all giddied up about a new species speaking before him. His ears perk up and his nose flares. It looks like he's found out what I've been doing last night because those red patches where his cheeks should be are starting to become obvious.

"Y-you smell nice." He smiles, sniffing me again.

"Thanks." I look away, half ashamed.

"So when are you coming over to my house?" He asks. "I have more books there and we can also discuss...um...discuss your biology and such!"

"When I feel like coming over." I reply coldly.

"Oh come on! Please? You're really special, and not to mention beautiful..." He added.

I close the door on him, having enough of his half-assed attempts to flatter me. With that kind of shyness I doubt he'll even find a woman to speak to, let alone me, for more than five minutes.

"Come back tomorrow, Dusk Shine." I say over the door.

"I most certainly will!" He replies through the door. Sometimes I just picture him pressing his face on it just so that he can be louder or something. Anyways, I walk over to the book case and slot the two books between some free spaces, filling up a row. I feel some sort of accomplishment every time I see a row of books being filled, even if some of them are basic reading books and night time stories for children that contain the most basic forms of equestrian for me to read.

I hear Dusk shine's hooves clop away from the door, signalling me that he has left. Sighing, I open wide the curtains at look away from the glare. The warm sun touches my body and I smile a bit, feeling at peace when I'm alone. I take off my shirt carefully and hold up my breasts as I throw the shirt in the dirty laundry pile, which strangely is not in a state of neglect like my sink and the coffee table.

I remove my shorts and my shorts only since I don't really wear any panties at all. The temperatures here are so high that I might sweat my underwear, which in turn sweats through my shorts, so I just try to stay as cool as possible.

I walk into the shower and put myself into the tub. The room is quite small and the shower and bathtub are in the same place, but I don't really complain since I like small and cozy rooms. I sit in the bath tub and pull the cord of the shower head onto my body, I turn the water on and jump at the freezing temperatures, but I slowly accustom myself to them whilst the water gets warmer.

I grab my daffodil shampoo and start scrubbing, closing my eyes and enjoying the moment while it lasts. My mind wanders off to ponies again, specifically naked ones. I mean, I've never actually seen a stallion in this world naked before, but I can familiarise to why women like them back in my time, I guess.

After spending too long in the shower, I get out and dry myself. I search for another shirt and shorts in the wooden drawers beside my bed and find a red shirt and grey shorts for me to wear for today. I reach the door and look back at my unkempt apartment one more time before I leave for work. I hate leaving the comfort of my home, but if I want to pay the rent then I guess I'll have to endure the pain of not curling up and spending the day at home for now. The weekend is near anyway.

I head myself over to the Apple's state farm. Their employer, Applejackson, hires any willing earth pony to work with him so he can finish his harvests. His older sister, Big Bertha, was even lazier than me. Her name wasn't really Big Bertha, but actually Bailey, the name of the apple she first ate. The whole 'Big Bertha' started when a few stallions decided to mock her heavy build compared to theirs. That, and the fact that she was taller than most of them.

Applejackson sees me walking past the gate and waves from his front porch. I nod as a reply whilst I hold my towel over my neck with both of my hands.

"Mornin' to ya Elizabeth." He shouts.

"It's Eliza." I shrug off. It's not that I like him calling me by my full name, but rather that I don't want others to think that we're closer than we seem. To me I'm just an employee and he's my boss, nothing more, nothing less.

"You sure look peachy today." He jokes.

"Yeah, right." I reply. "Still having breakfast?"

"Ya came right on time. Come in." He opened the door and the alluring scent of apple-baked foodstuffs invade my nostrils. I guess the upside to working here means that I get free breakfast. Sometimes, I wonder if I could just rewind time so I could savour eating breakfast again and again. But then I realise that going back or forwards in time have done nothing good for me or my health.

It's weird, it's like having superpowers that you might never use because it can harm you.

I have breakfast with the Apples and get straight to work after I help washing the dishes. Applebloom, Applejackson's younger sister, always tries to flatter me with her big brother's achievements, which causes the latter to blush furiously and shut her up. I tend to ignore most of them, opting to nod and groan out a response or two in the least offensive way possible. Sometimes I just say "Oh really?" In a sarcastic tone sometimes when I feel like I'm tired of replying.

I leave the cozy home with Applejackson by my side whilst we walk towards the orchard field.

"Ahm sorry ya had to hear my little sister yappin about me." Applejackson mumbles.

"It's fine, if she told it to any other mare then I'm sure you'd have one pining for you or something." I half-heartedly reply.

"Ah guess, but I'm not really lookin for a mare like that." He said.

"Wait, are you gay?" I stop and look at him.

Applejackson shakes his head. Shame.

"Lets just say that I'm more towards mares that can hold their own. A mare that can be hardworkin and be beautiful at tha same time." He forces a smile, blushing like before.

"There's like, more mares than stallions out here Applejackson, you can't be picky like that." I reprimand him.

"Sorry ma'am."

"Don't call me that, I'm not a million years old."

"Sorry...Eliza."

I smirk.

"That's better. Now lets get to work, I want to go home soon."