Daring and the seven brothers were getting the carriage ready for the flight to Ponyville... well, at least the brothers were. Daring was occupied with Caboose.

"I can't believe you have to go away." Caboose pouted. "Who made up this stupid rule about keeping the lovely couple apart the week before the wedding?"

"You got me." Vinny shrugged. "But we're doing it because our pops did it, and Grimm did it, and you're going to do it!"

"Look, Caboose, I know it doesn't seem like fun, but it's only one week." Daring declared.

"But what am I supposed to do this week?" Caboose asked.

"Simple. Watch the manor, and makes sure that it stays the same by the time we get back." Murray smiled.

"But it'll be so boring..." Caboose whined.

"Boring?" Slot snorted. "Now hold on, bro, you should see this week away from your mare as an opportunity."

"Opportunity?" Caboose asked.

"Slot's right, Caboose." Salt nodded. "This is your last week as a single stallion, and you are going to have the manor to yourself... well, if you exclude our men, at least..."

"So?" Caboose shrugged.

"Do we need to spell it out for you, 'Boose?" Sonny sighed. "You can use this time to do all the things you want to do before getting married to the old ball and chain." Daring glares at Sonny. "I mean, the beautiful Ms. Do."

"Of course." Lars agreed. "Grimm made a list of things to do the week before he married Sandy that he could only do when not married, and he had loads of fun."

"So, what you're saying is... this week, I get to do anything I want?" Caboose mused.

"Well, as long as it's legal and nopony gets hurt, sure." Grimoire nodded.

"Hmm... well, still, I will miss you very much, Daring." Caboose admitted.

"I know you will." Daring nuzzled her husband-to-be. "But once this week passes, we'll be together always."

"And if we're lucky..." Murray looked at his brothers. "We will have mares."

Before long, the brothers and Daring were all packed, and (after Daring shared one last goodbye kiss with Caboose) they took off. The flight was mostly quiet. Grimoire would occasionally throw smug grins at his brothers, knowing full well their real reason for going to Ponyville.

"Look at him…he knows…" Slot hissed.

"He's our older brother, Slot…he has a thing for knowing everything about us…" Sonny sighed.

"Doesn't mean I like that smug smirk on his face…" Slot growled.

Eventually, they landed in Ponyville. Rainbow Dash was there to meet them.

"Hey, Daring!" She smiled.

"Rainbow!" Daring gave her a one-legged hug. "How're things?"

"Awesome, as usual." Rainbow smirked. She then took note of the brothers. "So... who are these guys wearing the suits?"

"Oh, these are my fiancé's brothers, and my soon to be in-laws, Rainbow." Daring nodded. "This is Grimoire, Murray, Vinny, Lars, Sonny, Slot, and Salt."

"Hey, how's it going?" Rainbow waved a hoof in greeting.

"It goes... well." Grimoire shrugged.

"Very well." Murray answered shortly.

"Never been better." Vinny followed up.

The other brothers nodded in unison.

"So... how about this Caboose?" Rainbow asked awkwardly. "What's he like? I mean, I've never actually met him. I only read about him in Daring's last book. Is he really as crazy as it says in the book?"

"Yep." Vinny nodded. "Not as crazy as he used to be, but..."

"He is a great colt." Grimm finished for him.

"Sounds like it." Rainbow nodded. "In the book, it says how Caboose is a 'noble' and 'quietly dignified' stallion', with a 'down to earth intelligence'.

Vinny and the others (save for Grimoire) laughed out loud, finding the description quite absurd.

"Something funny, fellas?" Daring glared daggers at them.

"No, ma'am." They said as one.

"Got that right." Grimoire agreed. "That's our brother you're talking about."

"Sorry." Sonny stifled a smirk. "No offense to Daring, but she kinda exaggerated Caboose's good qualities there..."

"And you're going to marry that guy?" Rainbow asked Daring.

"Yep." Daring nodded, "Caboose is my special somepony, and I wouldn't have anypony else."

"Good enough for me." Rainbow shrugged. "Come on. You can drop your stuff off at my place before you head over to Rarity's."

"Gotcha." Daring agreed. "Catch ya later, guys!"

The brothers waved as the girls departed. As soon as they were out of earshot, Grimm turned to his brothers.

"Now, it's time to set the rules." Grimoire declared.

A short time later, they all sat in a shadowy corner.

"Okay, here's the deal: You have until the end of the week." Grimoire declared. "By that time, you will all have dates to the wedding."

"Yeah, just like you said last night." Murray nodded.

"Let me finish." Grimm glared, "When I say dates… I'm talking real dates. There will be no hiring girls to act as your dates, no blackmailing them, threatening their lives, getting them drunk to act as your dates, killing or severely injuring their husbands and coltfriends to make them single and ask them on dates, and most of all… no brainwashing!"

"Geez, one time, and you never let me forget it!" Vinny growled.

"Well, this is Princess Twilight's turf, and she might not be as forgiving as Celestia was, should there be any shenanigans." Grimoire noted. "The terms are, if by the time we leave Ponyville and at least one of you is without a date, I win and you all must sing the song. Ya got all that?"

"Got it." Murray nodded. "Get ready to lose, Grimm."

Suddenly, a light flickered on, revealing them to be in a booth at Sugarcube Corner.

"What are you doing with the lights off, you silly-billies?" Pinkie Pie, who had flicked on the light, giggled. "You won't be able to see what you're eating!"

"Thanks for ruining the atmosphere." Slot groaned.

"You're welcome!" Pinkie beamed, as she left the store with her own order.

"You dearies want anything else?" Mrs. Cake called from the counter.

"No thanks, we're good." Lars called.

"You know, with the lights on, things are suddenly a lot less scary." Vinny quipped.

"I wouldn't be too sure. Rumors has it that the story of 'Cupcakes' was born here." Salt mused.

"In this place? Yeah right… next, you're going to tell me that the 'Sweet Apple Massacre' happened on that lovely patch 'Sweet Apples Acres'. Get serious, Salt!" Slot snorted.

"Anyway..." Murray sighed. "We're all in. Hope you're ready to sing, Grimm."

"You too." Grimm smirked, as he got up to leave.

After their big brother left, the others huddled up.

"Okay, here's how it's gonna go." Murray declared. "We split up, and go looking for the ladies. If we can't find any, we meet back at the inn at sundown. Agreed?"

"Agreed." The others nodded.

"This had better work." Salt grimaced. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I don't ever want to sing that stupid song ever again!"

"Relax, bro." Vinny smiled. "We've got a whole week to get dates. Should be a piece of cake for six of Bitaly's finest bachelors."

"Yeah." Sonny agreed. "We should all have dates within two days. Three, tops."

"They're right." Salt nodded. "I mean, did you see all the mares we crossed paths with on the way here? This place is like a mare goldmine! We've got this bet in the bag."

"I hope you guys are right." Lars said seriously. "For all our sakes."

The brothers left Sugarcube Corner, and soon after split up, each going in a different direction. Their quest had begun...

Meanwhile, back in Bitaly…

Caboose, hours after seeing his fiancé and his brothers off, was now roaming the currently empty halls of the mansion, as all the men were outside getting the backyard set up for the wedding.

All was quiet through the house, as Caboose then said to himself…

"Hmm, all alone in a big empty mansion for a whole week… well, I guess I might as well get started on 'doing whatever I want'…" Caboose sighed.

With his horn, he levitated up a yellow piece of notebook paper, and scribbled on it seemed to be a list.

"Okay… list item number 1… make reference to a funny TV series that was foolishly cancelled on a cliffhanger." Caboose read.

He paused for a moment.

"Check." The youngest brother nodded, crossing it off with a pencil, as he glanced down at the next item, "Number 2…do a re-enactment of Kevin Buckon's Hoofloose 'Never' music sequence in a big empty warehouse."

He glanced around.

"Heh, close enough." Caboose smirked, as he put the list away and in one fell swoop, threw off his mafia jacket, "Cue the music!"

He activated a boombox, which started blaring out the music. He danced around the house, mimicking Kevin Buckon's moves. He slid down a staircase, holding the sides with his front hooves, and swung across the main hall. He jumped up and grabbed onto a bar, swung around, and let go... landing face-first on the ground.

"And... check." He mumbled, his voice muffled by the floor.