Pony frowned, the words making him more unhappy and he stared away from her. He asked for another drink and dragged his fingers through his hair. "I don't know. I used to have a plan. It wasn't easy, but it was something." He rubbed at his eyes and his voice shook a little.

"I worked hard, wanting to get enough money to buy a small farm. I don't know much about it, but.. it's like the picture of a quiet simple life. I wanted to move into a little plot in a small town and just.. live a quiet life away from a lot of people. Was gonna finish selling all my 'concoctions' and be able to just.. retire with my sister. I pictured she'd meet someone nice in the small town and court for a year or so like people are supposed to. And I'd be able to approve and make sure she was safe. And things would just be a good quiet life. But none of it happened. SO I don' t know."

He opened his mouth to say something, the sadness and bitterness still on the edge of his tongue but shut his mouth immediately.