Jolly Sailor || Elizabeth Swann

09

Benj watched the three men level swords at each other. The chest abandoned between them. Will wanted to kill Jones and save his father. Jack wanted it to get Jones to call off the kraken and Norrington wanted it to give to Beckett in return for his life back. In all, it was a stupid impasse. "Does anyone want a fourth sword?" Benj asked blandly. "Just to add a bit more to the chaos".

Norrington swung first. There was a clang as his sword collided with Will's, who then shoved it back and sung at Jack. Norrington and Jack both swung again only to have their swords meet as Will slipped under neath the blades and began running across the sand. "Stop It!" Elizabeth shouted as the men gave pursuit. Norrington went stumbling in the sand and Will ducked under Jack's blade. The captain grabbing the key from Will's hand as the younger man avoided it.

"Ah ha!" Jack grinned, holding up the key. Benj tackled him, knocking the man to the sand and ripping the key from his grasp as Jack slapped at him.

"Mine now", the merman grinned sharp teeth as he got up and unsheathed his sword. He jumped back and blocked a swipe from Norrington, kicking the man back.

"Will!" Elizabeth cried out as Will went tumbling in the sand.

"Guard the chest!" He ordered as he shot to his feet.

Elizabeth gaped for a second. "No!" Benj laughed as he avoided Jack's strike and blocked Norrington.

"Who's side are you on?" Will shouted at him.

"Mine", Benj grinned. He pulled the key out and held it up. "You want it? Go get it!" And he threw the key up into the air. The sun glinted on metal as it went sailing towards the distant green of the jungle and disappeared. Will, Jack and Norrington all glanced at each other before running after it.

"Alright fine!" Elizabeth shrieked at them. The three men had dissolved into another sword fight a couple of feet away. "Let's just get our swords out and start banging away at each other! That will solve everything! I've had it! I've had it with wobbly legged, rum soaked pirates!"

"Humans are so stupid sometimes", Benj chucked as he stepped up to her side. He was watching the fight with a entertained grin. "I hop you didn't include me in that statement", he nudged her with his shoulder. She blew a strand of blonde hair from her face in frustration and went back to shouting at the three men.

Satisfied that everyone was entertained, Benj silently turned and began walking back to where they had left the chest. It was easy to slip the key into the lock and turn it. The chest sprung open with a small noise and as quick as a wink, he slipped his hand inside. The fleshy feeling of the still beating heart was disgusting and he pulled face as he slipped it out and stuffed it in a pocket. The chest shutting with a click and locking again. Then he was slipping back across the sand, walking after the sword fight to find his silver whistle. Behind him, the two pirates they had brought with them grabbed the chest and ran off with it. Elizabeth spotting it and giving chase.

"Look what I found!" He called once he had recovered his silver whistle from the sand. He held up the key, the actual key this time, and waved it. Jack broke away from Norrington to sprint over. Benj met his sword with a clang and then tossed the key over his shoulder. "Fetch", he grinned. Will went diving after it and Benj almost felt bad. Almost. The pounding of the heart in his pocket didn't let him.

With a smirk and a parting wave to the three men running across the sand, he turned towards the shore. Only to pause as humanoid beings stepped out of the surf a hundred yards away. They used to be human but decades under the sea had transformed them into fish like beings. One had the head of a hammerhead shark and barnacles littered their skin. "Oh fuck", Benj groaned as he started running. There was a wave of shouts as the crew of The Flying Dutchman gave chase.

Compared to the light sand that covered half of the island, the jungle was surprisingly full of vegetation and lush plants. Benj almost tripped over several times on the uneven turf but the shouts of his pursuers kept wonders to keep him upright. "Out of the way!" He cried out as he almost barrelled into Elizabeth. She had been being held at sword point by two pirates who were holding the chest. At the sight of Benj's pursuers, they stuffed their swords into Elizabeth's hands and grabbed the chest to make a break for it. Elizabeth blinked for a second and Benj grabbed her arm. "Run!" He shouted as he pulled her along. The two of them fleeting across the grass.

Jones' crew caught up with them. Benj stuffed his sword into one of the pirate's hands as they dropped the chest. Elizabeth throwing the second to the other just in time for them to block the blows from their fishy opponents. One let out a war cry and charged at Benj. The merman hissed a sharp grin of shark teeth and kicked the man between the legs. The man let out a gasp and sank to his knees as Benj wrestled the sword from his grip. He turned just in time to see Elizabeth impale a man through the chest with a whirl of hair.

"Very nice", he complimented with a grin. "Now, lets run", he grabbed her by the hand and tugged her off to the right.

"What about the chest?" She called in concern, glancing back at where the chest lay int he grass.

"It will be fine. They don't have a key", Benj shouted back in reply. He glanced over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of Jack crouching down by the chest. He quickened his pace and dragged Elizabeth through the trees back towards the rowboat.

"Benjamin!" Jack's enraged shout called after him. "Get back here!" Benj laughed and ran faster.

They broke out of the trees and reached raced across the sand just as Jones' crew, Jack and the two men carrying the chest appeared behind them. "Watch out!" Elizabeth shrieked as a man with a sting ray head charged at them. Benj let go of her and fell back, kicking out and knocking the sting ray off his feet. Elizabeth stabbed him with her sword.

"I think we make a good team", Benj huffed as she pulled him to his feet.

"There's more", she warned as the other caught up with them. Benj lifted his stolen barnacle encrusted sword to catch the blow of a axe. They were becoming quickly surrounded. Then a giant old water wheel broke through the trees. The wooden circle was rolling towards them and Benj watched with wide eyes as it ran over about five go their opponents, knocking them into the surf. He watched as the wheel came to a slow stop and toppled over, Will and Norrington stumbling out.

"What the heck was that?" He muttered as he defended from another blow. Steel clanged loudly as he blocked a few blows. They were being pushed back to the rowboat. There was too many of them to keep defending forever.

"We are not getting out of this", Elizabeth grunted as she swiped her sword.

"Not with the chest!" Norrington agreed.

Benj laughed as he stuffed his sword into his belt and grabbed the chest from inside the boat. "You guys get out of here", he called. "I can catch up". Then he was lifting the chest and running across the surf and back onto the sand.

"I'm coming too!" Norrington called as he caught up. Benj held out the chest and the man took the other handle. The two of them legging it across the golden sand as Jones' crew gave chase.

"No!" Jack called after them as the two men disappeared into the trees. "Don't go!"

unedited