Originally I just briefly entertained the thought of shipping them in order to make a joke, but then I thought more about it -and I have said before I can ship anything if I think about it long enough, so… here we are.

1.
Yeah, I'm not gonna adhere to any canon version of the cmc as adults. In regards to the final seasons, I'm gonna be one of those annoying people that cherry-picks which parts they like and use that in my next-gen verse, while pretending the other stuff didn't exist.

Sweetie Belle takes after her sister a lot; they have the same facial structure and Sweetie even ended up with a similar mane-style. It wasn't completely intentional though, as she just wanted a style that looked good but wasn't in the way a lot. She didn't actually realise they looked similar when getting her mane cut, and was a bit dismayed after Scootalo and Applebloom pointed it out. But, whatever, she looks good, she's keeping it.

Scootalo was inspired by Jayrockin's Tiny Sapient Ungulates' version of adult Scootaloo; the punk aesthetic with the motorcycle-looking vehicle was just such perfect fit for her. So I nabbed it. Please forgive.

2.
Sweetie is pissed. Ever since Applebloom started dating Pipsqueak, it seems like everyone is suddenly all up in her business trying to get her a date with someone. Applebloom feels bad about going on so many dates and spending less time with them, and wants to find them both someone special so they can go on triple dates together (also, she feels a bit bad about talking about her special somepony when they don't have anyone). Rarity is constantly teasing her about it and keeps trying to suggest dates for her. Her mom is asking increasingly embarrassing questions, and even approached a pony in the supermarket, trying to set them up. Ugh.

And to top it off! Her extended family is coming over, and she heard her younger cousin now has a colt-friend that he's bringing. Her grandma and aunts and uncles are not gonna let her talk about anything else, she just knows it! It's going to be torture having to sit there and have them barrage her with dating advice, and stars, she wishes Applebloom or Scoots could come, at least then she'd have someone to share the torture with. But, it's only for family and blabla…

Scootaloo has an idea.

3.
Yup. They are. Oh, you hadn't heard? Why, they just got together recently, and had kept it a bit private so far. Because they just wanted to spend time alone together. Because they're in love. Totally.

4.
"I can't believe we forgot to tell AB about the plan!"

"I think we should have told Rarity about it too, she just spent the morning gushing over it. And maybe told everyone on town"

"Right, so, we tell them it was all a ruse right?"

"What, no! They'll be crushed"

"-mad"

"mad that we lied to them about it!"

"Ok, ok ok ok so, we 'date' for a while, drift apart and break up while remaining good friends, wait 20 years, and then look back at this laughing?"

"Yes. No. I dunno, maybe this isn't a good idea. Wouldn't it be bad to lie to everyone? …Even more, that is"

"…I'm not Applejack. Besides, do you wanna tell Rarity you faked a date? You know she's gonna take it as you being desperate for love"

"…lying it is."

5.
Eh, if they're gonna fake dates, might as well have some fun doing it, right? They need to eat anyway, and picnics are fun. Oh, and there's a new movie Scoots been meaning to watch for a while now. Wait, Sweetie's never been to the ocean?? Well, they have no choice but to go to the beach now. Wanna grab dinner together? There's a new place a bit away, Scoots can take them on her motorcycle.

It's fun. It's just friends hanging out. If one friend finds the other really pretty under moonlight and tells her, well, that's just being nice! And if one keeps hugging the other extra tight while on the bike, well, then she just doesn't want to fall off. And if one friend…

Enough time has probably passed that they can 'break up' now, but maybe just one more date to be on the safe side…

6.
Oops.