Can't Cut the Mustard

This is the second episode of my fan fiction, Survivor: The Cursed Idol.

Previously on Survivor...
Sixteen castaways were marooned off the coast of the Caramoan Islands, Philippines. In the Davao tribe, Serena revealed she was a transwoman, which received tremendous support, except from Delia. Adrianna and Brock made an early alliance. At Cebu, Belinda, a well-off businesswoman struggled keeping her secret, which forced her to find for the Hidden Immunity Idol. The two tribes competed in three challenges, where Cebu became victorious in two of three, one reward and one immunity. Facing Tribal Council, the Davao tribe considered Serena to be the first to go for losing the challenge for the tribe. Meanwhile, Cyrus approached Delia for an alliance, but the latter rejected due to "ethical reasons." In the end, it was Delia's shallowness and apathy for strategic gameplay got her sent home. But before leaving, Delia assigned the Cursed Idol to Serena for reasons best known to herself. Fifteen are left, who will be voted out tonight?

Challenges
Reward/Immunity Challenge: Tumbang Preso One person will take responsibility of defending a tiki, while trying to chase and tag the members of the opposite tribe, whose objective is to take the tiki down using their slippers or kicking the tiki outright. If the tiki gets knocked down, the defender cannot tag an attacker. He/she would have to put the tiki back to the center circle before chasing someone again. A point will be given if one of the following scenarios has been fulfilled:
 * A chaser has been tagged by the defender of the tiki under the 60 second time limit with the tiki standing (point given to the defender's tribe). Once tagged, that tagged player will be the new "defender" for next round. Regardless if either of the next two cases gets fulfilled, the chaser will remain as such until he/she tags somebody.
 * If in 60 seconds, the tiki still stands (point given to the defender's tribe).
 * If the 60 seconds has lapsed, the tiki remains down or outside of the circle (point given to the attacker's tribe).

First tribe to gain four points would win immunity.

Reward: Tribal Immunity, blankets, pillows and mosquito nets. Winner: Davao

Night of Day 3
Returning from their first Tribal Council, Davao's morale is low, especially Serena's, whose condition as a transgender was panned by Delia, who was the first voted out. Unable to sleep, while her tribemates are already in deep slumber, Serena goes to the beach and started crying.

At Cebu, the tribe bonds over campfire, celebrating the fact that the rival tribe went to Tribal Council. Hallie starts the conversation about her modeling accomplishments and her "beyond major" sex life.

Day 4
At Cebu, tensions rise between Hallie and Seth when the latter noisily does camp chores in the morning. On the other hand, Seth was also complaining about Hallie's outspoken personality.

Not wanting to lose her cool in from the tribemates, Hallie went to the deeps of the jungle, and stumbled upon a large banana tree with ripened fruits.

In utmost delight, Hallie stayed there, munching as much bananas as she could, ending up eating fourteen bananas, making herself full for the first time in four days. Getting suspicious of her absence, the tribe suspected that Hallie might have been searching for the Hidden Immunity Idol, knowing her bitch fit will put a target on her back. While Seth was busy campaigning for Hallie's demise, Belinda on the other hand used this as an opportunity to look for the idol herself. Using the clue they had won from the first Reward Challenge, Belinda finally finds the idol inside one of the water well's blocks, much to her delight.

At Davao, the tribe is visibly in a brighter mood after last night's vote. After doing camp chores, Serena grouped the tribe, telling them to push past her condition. The other tribemates tell Serena that they do not share the same sentiments as Delia's, that she is fully welcomed to the team, to her amusement and relief. On the other hand, Cyrus sees Serena's actions similar to a defeatist.

Back at Cebu, Hallie gossips with Alanna and Carly about their male tribemates. Not wanting this kind of conversation, Alanna makes a weak excuse to bail out from the conversation. Alanna says: "Hallie is so not a trustworthy person. I see through her bluffs. I all hear from her mouth is verbal diarrhea. I know talking behind somebody's back is forcibly required in this game, and you'll only have to do it for strategic purposes because if you don't, others will see that gesture as natural to you. That conversation is just ridiculous and unneeded."

Day 5
A sack of flip-flops was placed beside the tribes' Tree Mail areas. Not only the castaways can keep them after the challenge, the slippers are to be worn at the next challenge, where they will have a crucial part in the said challenge.

After receiving Tree Mail, the tribes convened at a small village for their next challenge, where they saw children playing Tumbang Preso. They soon discovered that they will participate in a Survivor version of a Filipino street game called Tumbang Preso (literally "fallen prisoner" in Tagalog). Having an extra member, Cebu choses Eddie to sit out. After a draw of rocks, Serena was chosen to face the wrath of the entire Cebu tribe.

In the first round, Serena is standing in front of the tiki, "defending" it. When Seth delivers the blow on the tiki, the whole Cebu tribe scatters around the field, avoiding Serena's reach. Serena tries to tag Seth, but Alanna knocked the tiki once again. Ten seconds before the time limit lapses, Serena managed to prop the tiki back to the circle, while tagging Hallie, who was about to deliver a blow, winning a point for Davao. On the other hand, being tagged by Serena, Hallie becomes the new "it." Cebu - 0; Davao - 1

For the second round, Hallie is now under the mercy of the Davao tribe. When Serena kicks the tiki from the circle, Davao starts running sporadically. Hallie tries to place the tiki back, but Davao would not let her, tipping the object the second it gets back standing, making Hallie unable to chase further. The sixty seconds has lapsed, and the tiki remained down, winning the second point for Davao. The sight of foreigners playing a Filipino game delights the villagers to no end. Cebu - 0; Davao - 2

For the third round, Hallie remains the "it" for not being able to tag. Claiming she has learned from the previous round, Hallie decides to go for it. Trying to chase the same person who tagged her in the first place, Hallie almost tackles Serena, but Carson tips the tiki even before Hallie is about to tackle. Five seconds before the time lapses, Hallie let herself receive the blows herself, while standing the tiki. The tiki stood after the time limit, winning the first point for Davao. Despite this, Hallie remains the "it" for still not tagging a Davao member. Cebu - 1; Davao - 2

In the fourth heat, Hallie reaches Serena, while the tiki was knocked down yet again. As Hallie goes toward the tiki, Carson throws one of his flip-flops to the already-knocked tiki, removing it far away from the circle. Right after returning the tiki back to the circle, Hallie finally touches April after a failed sneak attack, winning another point for Cebu. Hallie receives a round of applause from the village people. Cebu - 2; Davao - 2

With this, Cebu finally returns to the playing field, with April in their sights. While searching for a prospect to tag, April goes after Hallie and successfully tags her, winning the third point for Davao. Hallie starts crying. At the sidelines, one local child shouts "burot" to Hallie. Not knowing what the child said, Hallie asks one of the villagers, but Jeff interjected: "a burot is you." Cebu - 2; Davao - 3

With Hallie back as the "it," Davao knows they already had the challenge in the bag. Brock and Freddy ganged up one her small tiki, kicking it out if its circle and out of Hallie's reach. The sixty seconds lapses, and Hallie is still unable to retrieve her tiki, Davao jumps for joy for winning their first Immunity Challenge, sending the visibly-upset Cebu tribe to Tribal Council. After the challenge, Jeff allows the Davao tribe to play tumbang preso with the children of the village for an hour.

Day 6
After a humiliating loss, Seth starts to campaign for Hallie's ouster. Seth stressed: "After her performance, or lack thereof at the challenge yesterday, there is no reason to keep that bitch." After a toilet break, Hallie spots Seth's efforts to get rid of her, and starts another row with Seth, stating that she tried her best at the challenge. Alanna complained: "Hallie needs a little lesson on self-awareness. She virtually gave herself credit more than her actual performance."

Later that day, Hallie converses strategy with the other women, in hopes of eliminating one of the males, starting from Hallie's perceived weakest male tribemate: Eddie. In a confessional, Hallie states: "There is no point of voting Seth out, but Eddie is a far more logical choice." Seconds later, Hallie brings up the Hidden Immunity Idol and tells her female tribemates that she is wondering if the idol has been found or not. Belinda states that there not enough clues to find its exact location, adding up to the fact that the tribe is usually together in doing tasks, such as camp chores, so nobody would be away long enough to search for it. Unknown to them, Belinda already had the idol. Perceiving that the women will not align with her, Hallie frantically went to the woods in a last-minute search for the idol. While she found Belinda's rehidden clue, she used the clue to no avail.

At Tribal Council, Seth and Hallie again clashed over the latter's dismal performance in the Immunity Challenge, with the latter throwing a tirade that she would vote for Seth, but nobody visibly liked the idea. In the end, Hallie's weakness and outspoken personality became her undoing, sending her home in a 7-1 vote. In retaliation for being verbally attacked, Hallie gives the Cursed Idol to Seth, effectively giving him an extra vote at Cebu's next Tribal Council.

Voting Confessionals

 * Carly: "I actually can't stand your mouth. You're the most insincere person I have ever met in my entire life. And P.S., this should have been Seth, but I knew nobody would budge. But I have to stick with the team for me to stick around. Ciao."
 * Alanna: "You need to go home, go to the nearest bakery, and look for the biggest slice of humble pie you can find."
 * Belinda: "You said you want to get rid of the idol. But the idol's with me. If you want my idol gone, be gone instead."
 * Hallie: "Sorry daddy, you're the weakest member of the team. As for you Seth, if I go home tonight because of you, I will make sure that you will go back to camp trembling while holding your Cursed Idol."
 * Seth: "Hmm, bye." *shrugs shoulders*
 * Wes: "You desperately need a reality check."
 * Eddie: "Sorry kid, you the type of person that the tribe can afford to lose. Good luck."
 * Curtis: "Sorry lady, your bitch fits are coming to an end tonight."

Final Words
Hallie: "I should have kept my mouth shut more. Face it, having a row with Seth is just a losing battle. Regardless if he's liked or not, they wouldn't vote for him because of his strength."

Next Time On Survivor...
Freddy blows up on his tribemates, while an unlikely person finds Davao's Hidden Immunity Idol.

Author's Notes

 * This episode's challenge is a Survivor version of a Filipino game called Tumbang Preso ("Tumba" meaning to fall down/collapse, and "preso" meaning "prisoner"). In the original mechanics of the game, attackers are wearing sandals/slippers, while the guardian protects a tin can. Think of 'tag-you're-it!"thumb|228px|right|A demonstration of how "Tumbang Preso" is being played. meets dodgeball.
 * It may look like a physical challenge at first thought, but its not! It's kinda fun...Just don't get hit by a slipper in the face!
 * Burot is a Filipino term for a person who gets tagged the most in any game.
 * While the challenge has a time limit, the original format states that the next round would commence if an attacker got tagged.