The Map

Burns ran to Jewel with her sword swinging. She dodged the attack and threw fish at him. The fish stunned him. Jewel slammed the bucket on Burns' head and kicked him in the back, making him fall into the dirt.

"To the death then." Bengal said to Jack in their pause.

"Only if it's yours mate." Jack replied. Their sword fighting led them on top of a dune that was level with Jewel, with the only thing separating her from them being a deep ditch.

"I'm coming dad!" Jewel said, rummaging through the pile to find a suitable weapon. Jack and Bengal locked swords. with Bengal having the upper hand. Jewel finally spotted her pole on the ground. She tumbled to grab it and block an attack from Burns. With an animalistic screech, she swung her pole at him to attack, making Burns defend himself. Jewel then ran around to the back of the cask, grabbing a fishnet.

"Forget the girl! Help me!" Bengal shouted with Jack having the upper hand in their battle. As Burns was going to attack Jack, Jewel threw the fishnet at him. Running up the dune, Burns pulled the net off and ran across the gangplank bridge to Jack.

"Dad, behind you!" Jewel yelled, running after Burns. Bengal was on the ground to defend himself as Burns was about to attack Jack and Jewel about to attack him.

"HOLD IT!" Jack yelled, making all four pirates freeze in their steps, "I don't want this to turn out horribly. For you mate. Especially in front of an audience."

"Alright, sheath your weapons." Bengal said. Burns sheathed Jewel's sword, Jack sheathed his, but Jewel still hung on to the pole. Bengal pushed himself up on his feet to face Jack.

"Put it down luv." Jack said to her. Jewel groaned and put her pole down, leaning it against a dune.

"So, what do you propose we do?" Bengal asked

"We settle this like men," Jack said before patting Burns' shoulder, "No offense mate." Jewel snickered a little, with Burns glaring at her in response. "We engage in a show of outstanding physical prowess to determine, once and for all, who among us is the victor."

"And how do you propose you do that?" Bengal asked

"Uh," Jack said. He scanned the audience and the ground and the pile for something. His eyes fell on Burns and Jewel.

"These two look about the same size. I lift her up, you lift him up." Jack suggested

"To what purpose man?" Bengal asked, getting tired of this whole thing.

"Whoever can hoist their weight the longest will win." Jack explained, "Unless of course you feel you're... not up to the task."

"How will we know who will last longest?" Bengal asked. Jack looked at the audience and smiled.

"We have a crew right here to keep count for us." Jack said, holding his arms up, "You can count, can you?" The audience gave a muttered "yes". "When we lift, start counting."

"Let us begin, you first, Sparrow." Bengal said

"Why of course. Jewel!" Jack said. He walked over to stand next to Jewel and Burns moved to be with Bengal. Neither of them were sure about how the lifting should go. So in holding up Jewel, Jack had her left leg and upper-torso in his arms, which overall was just a hassle. Jewel didn't weigh much, but the distribution of her was problematic.

"1..." the audience began to count and Jewel was struggling to get comfortable, "2..." Jack was trying to hold on, "3..." Jack was swaying, "4..." The two Sparrow's fell into a heap on top of each other.

"Oh, that was child's play. I can best that easily." Bengal said as the two stood up. "My man Burns hath no square meal in three days!" He lifted up Burns and held his legs under his arm, Burns' head inches from the ground.

"Ah, bugger." Jewel said

"Don't worry luv." Jack whispered. The crowd started counting.

"1..." Jack inched closer, "2..." And closer, "3... 4..." Jack was right next to Bengal and Burns, "5..." He took the map from them and walked away.

"Very impressive mate. Let's go luv!" Jack said, running away. Bengal set Burns down and made to follow, Burns walking next to the dunes. Jack pulled up a gangplank bridge so Bengal couldn't follow him directly.

"You can't get away that easily." Bengal said

"I believe I already have." Jack said calmly. Jewel stood by a cannon.

"Dad, Burns!" she shouted

"What? No no no no!" Jack shouted, seeing Burns below him. He jumped up to avoid his legs being sliced off before running to where the flag pole was. He looked up and thought quickly, seeing he was in a dead end.

"I've got you now, Jack Sparrow." Bengal said. Jack jumped up and climbed up the flagpole.

"Just give me a moment to think, if you wo-whoa!" Jack started before leaning back. The flagpole was not as strong as they had all thought it was. It leaned back and forth, and wherever Jack leaned. It didn't break though.

"Dad, stop moving." Jewel said

"I can't stop!" Jack said. He leaned toward Burns, who reached up to grab the map, but missed by mere inches.

"The map! Give me the map dad!" Jewel shouted

"Jack." Bengal said warningly. Jack leaned to Jewel, not reaching her. He leaned far back then leaned forward, holding the map out. Jewel caught it and ran to the mouth of the cannon, stuffing the cloth map inside. Bengal and Burns hurried to her. Jack remained clinging to the flagpole. Bengal chuckled. He held his hand up to stop Burns from drawing his sword.

"Be a good lass and have over that map, and you won't get hurt." he said. Jewel ran to the end and held the lanyard to fire the cannon.

"One more step, and I'll blow the bloody map out to sea!" she warned

"That's right ma-..." Jack started, "That's not exactly what I had planned luv."

"I mean it!" Jewel said, holding up the lanyard.

"You wouldn't dare!" Bengal said, his hand on his sword.

"I'm afraid she would!" Jack said

"Give the map to me, Now!" Bengal said, drawing his sword, with Burns doing the same.

"One..." Jewel said as they walked toward her. Bengal pointed his sword at her.

"I can't bear to watch this." Jack said, turning around on the pole.

"Two..." She said

"I want that map!" he shouted. Jack leaned a bit to his left.

"You can't have it." Jewel said, "THREE!" She pulled the lanyard. Jack threw his arm out and managed to catch the flying map before it rushed past him.

"I got it!" Jack said, cheerfully. Everybody stared in shock at him.

"Dad, how did you do that?" Jewel asked

"Yeah, how did you do that?" Bengal asked. Jack looked at the map in his hand, then at the pirates.

"I have no idea." he replied. Jewel chuckled at him. Her arm was grabbed from behind by Bengal. Burns had her sword pointed at her. Jack climbed down from the flagpole, not witnessing the event. Jewel struggled against him and was handed off to Burns who held both her arms, while Bengal pointed his sword at her.

"I'n through playing games Sparrow!" he said, Jack standing with wide eyes, "Hand over the map, or your precious daughter dies." Jewel could see the wheels turning at their topmost speed in her father's mind. He looked down, then looked up at Bengal striding forward.

"You're saying, if I give you the map, she'll live?" Jack asked

"Aye." Bengal nodded, changing his position to stand next to Jewel.

"If I've learned nothing else in my life, Bengal, it's that some things are worth more than others." Jack continued. He held up the map. Bengal took one step forward, but then took it back seeing Jack back away from him.

"Dad, what are you saying?" Jewel whispered

"Just imagine..." Jack continued, walking to the cask, "How many men have risked their lives to find this map? Hundreds? Thousands? What is it that one more must fall? Because now my life is at stake. Because I'm the one holding the map." He was standing in front of the cask on the pile. He pointed to Jewel.

"And I'm willing to bet that hers is not at stake because if you take her life, I'll just keep the map!" Jack said

"Dad!" Jewel yelled, "I'm your daughter!"

"Just hear me out." Jack said, "I'm simply speaking metaphorically. So, When you come down to it, it's only a single life what hangs in the balance. My choice?" He opened the cask, "It's the map!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Bengal said, stepping away from Jewel.

"You are threatening my daughter." Jack said with a shrug and a smirk. He lifted the map higher.

"NOOOO!" Bengal shouted, running forward. As Jack threw the map into the cask, Bengal jumped in after it. Jack closed the lid and clapped his hands together.

"Your turn luv." he said to Jewel. Jewel looked down and stopped her foot on one of Burn's feet, then with her hands together, smacked his face. Jewel picked up her fallen sword and swung it around in front of her. She sliced at Burns who yelped and retreated.

"Well done, luv." Jack said climbing down to her. Jewel slapped him across the face.

"I deserved that."he said

"You almost had me killed for that bloody map." she said harshly, before her tone softened, "But now with the map gone, no great treasure. This whole venture was all for naught."

"I gave up a map luv." Jack said, reaching into his vest, "Not the map." He pulled out the map that they were all fighting for. "I've learned carrying an extra map has its advantages."

"So treasure?" Jewel ventured

"Yo ho." Jack said, putting an arm around her shoulders. The crowd applauded and cheered for their success. Jewel and Jack bowed and curtsied, respectively, before running out of the theater to search for the treasure.

After a week of searching, the pirates managed to find an entire cave of gold and jewels. It was enough to buy a whole island, Jewel commented as they filled bushels and put on necklaces and crowns. Jack stroked his beard in though of his daughter's words.

An island... he thought