Golden Years AU  
Redux
 
Rarity  
Rarity is a sweet old lady who insists she can handle herself just fine. So she took a wrong turn or two on the way to the market, not a problem. She wanted to see Fluttershy anyway. She loves her glasses and refuses to get new ones, even though she still squints when she wears them. Rarity is veteran fashionista and used to oversee the design and creation of the various garments in her line, all created by students she had trained herself. Her poor vision and occasional confusion has made that a thing of the past. She is still revered by the ponies in the fashion industry, but she can no longer participate in the creation of gowns and garments. Nowadays she spends her time chatting with people at the market, and knitting little hats and sweaters to give to foals, as she is cared for by her closest friend Spike.
 
Applejack  
Applejack is a vocal old farm pony with no filter on her words. She spends her time supervising, or rather micromanaging, the apple harvest and various other farm chores. The tough gal tends to start yelling matches with ponies who visit the farm, and won’t hesitate to scuffle. Must be embarrassing to lose a hoof wrestling fight with a granny. She enjoys sitting in her rocking chair and telling tales to her grandchildren, and has found a new hobby in cooking. AJ is considered to have ‘selective hearing’. She’ll seem to hear you just fine, even responds to your words, but other times she’ll claim to be hard of hearing. Usually when she doesn’t want to do something. She has various old scars from a life on the farm, and her back legs aren’t as strong as they used to be. Her hips hurt often. AJ wears metal horse shoes to protect her cracking hooves from the rough ground, something I’ll elaborate on later.
 
Rainbow Dash  
Rainbow Dash is a retired wonderbolt, but she still spends time with her old team. She now gives young recruits an encouraging speech before their training begins, and it’s considered an honor to receive advice from her. She loves telling young ponies stories of her hay day, back when she was a rough and tumble stunt flyer who helped save Equestria numerous times. Dash is grateful to still have her wits about her, and she’s saddened by Rarity’s slipping mind. Dash, loyal as ever, spends time with a Rarity when she can, allowing the unicorn to ramble about her day to her. It’s always nice to see Spike as well. Rainbow Dash can’t fly anymore, her feathers have fallen out from age. When she wants to feel the wind through her mane she slips on her wing prosthesis, lays on a cloud, and wades through the air. It’s not fast and daring, but you have to enjoy what you’ve got.
 
Pinkie Pie  
Pinkie Pie still does things no one can quite explain. Her grandchildren will wake her up in the morning and go downstairs only to find her already making breakfast. She has a habit of sneaking up on people, frightening some. Speak of the devil you know? She gives baking advice to those who will listen, even if the conversation topic wasn’t about baking. Sometimes her grandchildren will find her up in the the middle of the night, in the kitchen, stirring an empty mixing bowl. This confuses and concerns them, but they’re not sure what to do about it. Pinkie has lost her sight in her old age, but she can sense the magic in others around her. She needs to be escorted to where she’s going sometimes, but for the most part she knows how to get around Ponyville. Younger ponies aid her when she’s lost, having grown up with stories of the friendly party pony who always helped save Equestria. Like Applejack, Pinkie’s hooves have begun to crack with age, leaking magic and causing pain. She hasn’t received treatment yet, but she has a doctors appointment scheduled.
 
Fluttershy  
Fluttershy is quiet and a bit reclusive, spending her days and even nights in her garden with her animals. She’s still friendly, but she doesn’t seek out others to spend time with. Walking is becoming harder. She rests on clouds her grandchildren bring to her, but she does not actively wade through the air like Rainbow Dash. Dash, fearing her friend may be lonely, had her cloud home moved to the meadow beside Fluttershy’s home. In the morning she plays music for Shy to sing and slowly dance to. Fluttershy has lost sight in one eye after a battle with Timberwolves several years ago, but she’s self conscious about her scars. She doesn’t want to look scary after all.
 
Twilight Sparkle  
Twilight Sparkle is the current ruler of Equestria, an ageless alicorn Queen. Though she would like to rule from Ponyville, it can’t be done. Ponies from all over come to speak to her, and she doesn’t want to disturb the peaceful town. Her mind is as sharp as ever, sharper even, and she rules with a tender hoof. When she has the time, she visits her friends in Ponyville, but each visit secretly saddens her. Some day they’ll be gone, then what will she do? She fears being left all alone. The only ponies who know this fear are Cadence, Celestia, and Luna, the last two being the former rulers of Equestria. Currently the sisters are on a long vacation, likely getting massages to ease away the stress of thousands of years of rule. Twilight gets postcards from them, and she sends letters in response. Thankfully she has Cadence as well, happy to have someone with similar fears to speak to.