A/N: I found a bunch of brain teasers on YouTube and decided to write a story about them. You can try to solve the brain teaser or just relax and enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

The bridge

Visiting that remote mountain laboratory wasn't one of Shulk's best ideas. Pulling the lever with the skull symbol just to see what it did probably wasn't so smart either. But, there was no time for regrets, because he, Cloud, Ike, and Olimar had to get away from a group of angry Redeads... fast.

The four Smashers had gotten a pretty good head start, and managed to make it outside the lab. Thunder rumbled in the night sky, and jagged lightning cut through the dark clouds overhead. Shulk and his companions made their way down the mountain, their shoes sloshing in the mud.

"Aren't you supposed to have visions about these things," Cloud demanded, his glowing blue eyes glaring at the Monado wielder.

"Personally, I thought the warning on the lever would have been enough…" Olimar reasoned.

"Just run!" Shulk retorted, leading the group on.

"Look!" Ike yelled over the wind. "There's a bridge up ahead!"

The group shuddered as they realized that their only escape from the clay zombies was an old rope bridge spanning across a massive gorge.

Shulk's hand flew to the Monado strapped to his back. Because of the increased speed the sword provided, he'd be able to run across the bridge in one minute.

Since Cloud's Limit Break was at full capacity, it would only take him two minutes to cross.

Ike was a little slower, and required five minutes.

Olimar, concerned for the safety of his Pikmin, would no doubt need about ten minutes to cross the bridge. After all, he didn't want any of them falling into the rushing river below.

Reluctantly, the four Smashers came to a stop when they reached the bridge. "How much time do we have?" Ike asked, breathing heavily and glancing over his shoulder.

"By my calculations," Olimar reported, "we have a little over seventeen minutes before the zombies reach us. We have to get everyone across by then."

Cloud stared out at the rickety bridge in front of him. "This thing's not gonna hold all of us," he said. "It'll probably support two of us at best."

"We're gonna need some light to cross," Ike pointed out. The old lantern he had grabbed on their way out was dimming, and would only illuminate a tiny area, not enough for Smashers to cross separately. They'd either have to hold the light or be right next to it.

The four companions quickly realized that there were no tricks that would save them here. They couldn't find an alternate way across the gorge. They couldn't use the bridge as a raft. And they definitely couldn't befriend the zombies.

"How are we all supposed to cross in time?" Shulk asked.

The Smashers put their heads together to think of a plan. Since only two of them could cross at a time and they'd have to make some return trips with the lantern, this wasn't going to be easy, especially with only seventeen minutes to act. One wrong move and they'd meet their doom on this bridge.

At first, no matter what they did, it seemed the Smashers would be a minute or two short of their goal, however, their case wasn't as hopeless as one might imagine.

It was Shulk who came up with the idea. "Okay, here's what we've got to do," he said, grabbing the lantern from Ike. "Cloud! Come with me."

The blonde soldier nodded and followed the seer onto the bridge.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Ike protested. "You'd better come back for us!"

"Of course we will!" Shulk called over his shoulder. "But in the meantime, you'll be safe there… at least until the Redeads show up."

"Oh, thanks!" Ike groaned sarcastically.

Shulk and Cloud stepped lightly. The wooden planks squeaked under their weight and the bridge wobbled, jostling them with every step, but it held. After two stressful minutes, Shulk having to slow down for Cloud, both swordsman made it safely across the gorge.

"What about the others?" Cloud inquired.

Shulk hefted the lantern. "I'll have to go back for them, but they'll be joining you soon. Wait here…. Speed!" A green energy formed around Shulk's boots and his body became much lighter. He dashed across the bridge once more, returning to Ike and Olimar one minute later.

"Now what?" Ike asked once Shulk had reached them. Already, three minutes had passed, leaving the remaining Smashers with fourteen.

Shulk thought for a moment, a frown etched on his face, then he tossed the lantern to Ike, who caught it in surprise. "Take Olimar and go!"

"Uh, okay," Ike agreed, and he and the space explorer stepped onto the bridge with the three Pikmin. Since the little plant creatures were much lighter than humans, they wouldn't weigh down the bridge.

Olimar went slowly, holding the ropes and muttering to himself. "What are Redeads even doing in E Gadd's lab, anyway? The professor always struck me as the kind to study ghosts, not zombies…"

"Beats me," Ike responded as they made slow progress across the gorge.

The lantern light faded from Shulk's vision with every step the duo took. Shulk stood in the darkness, feeling as if his heart was going to leap out of his chest at any moment. Now there was nothing to do but wait for his turn to cross the bridge to safety.

On the other side, Cloud folded his arms and scanned the immense blackness, waiting for some sign that the others were on their way. Time crawled along, and Cloud felt like he had been waiting for an eternity. He checked his phone again. "Come on. Only four minutes left…" he muttered under his breath.

"Hey!"

Cloud looked up with a start and saw the dim lantern light moving at a snail's pace towards him, Ike waving a hand to signal to him. "About time," he grumbled, the knot of uneasiness in his stomach loosening.

Ike and Olimar breathed a sigh of relief when they made it to safe ground, but they didn't have time to rest.

"I've gotta go back for Shulk," Cloud said, hurriedly snatching up the lantern. "Ike. Be ready to cut the ropes when we're across." Before the mercenary had time to nod, Cloud bolted out onto the bridge.

Meanwhile, Shulk's uneasiness grew with each passing minute. "They better not have left me behind," he murmured in the darkness. Then, he heard the sound of shuffling earth behind him. The Monado wielder turned sharply, and, in the distance, a Redead's battle cry pierced the night like a chilling scream.

Now, fifteen minutes had passed since the four of them arrived at the gorge, and Shulk knew that he only had another two minutes before the zombies reached him. The noises of the advancing Redeads did nothing to ease his nerves, and his face paled as panic clouded his mind. He gripped the handle of his sword for reassurance to try to calm himself.

"Shulk! Come on!"

Startled, Shulk turned to find Cloud running towards him, the lantern swinging from one hand, his Fusion Blade in the other. Shulk let out the breath he was holding and raced onto the bridge with the soldier. Two minutes later, they both had made it to the other side, their chests heaving.

"Ike! Now!" Cloud ordered once he and Shulk were on safe ground. The blonde soldier unleashed his blue Limit energy in a powerful combination of sword slashes, hacking at the ropes.

Ike swung Ragnell upwards, slicing through the remaining bridge supports, and with a loud crash, pieces of wood and rope tumbled into the gorge below, stopping the zombies' advance just in time.

Delighted and relieved at their successful escape, the four Smashers continued on, leaving the collapsed bridge and the monstrous Redeads far, far behind them.

A/N: What do you guys think? Too much story? Too much math? Please review! And feel free to see what else I've written!