Not Getting Voted Out with an Idol

is the fifth episode of Survivor: Atlas Mountains.
==Story==
==Day Twelve==
===Maghreb===
Following Dark’s blindside, Mitch touches base with Gabe and Bocetuda to celebrate their successful blindside.
* Mitch: Well doen guys we came through
* Bocetuda: YAAAASS we did it!
* Gabe: Good Job
* Mitch: Boc, that vote was from Dark
* Bocetuda: Yeah I knew it
* Mitch: He wanted me to vote for you and I just played along with it, but congratulations guys!
* Bocetuda: this is my true alliance
* Mitch: Final 3!
* Bocetuda: YAAS
* Gabe: We three are like the alliance made in heaven
They continue to celebrate as Blue sits back at the campsite, still in confusion. He looks over at the group and figures he needs to find a way to keep himself safe. Once the three are done chatting, Blue pulls aside Bocetuda and Mitch and claims that Gabe is a huge threat who they need to take out before the merge if they go to tribal council again. The two of them agree to Blue’s plan, but immediately run back to Gabe and tell him all about it.
* Mitch: Well I just got invited to an alliance with Blue so I accepted, bit akward
* Bocetuda: yeah I'm there too
* Gabe: Just fool Blue
* Mitch: Preferably we won't have to go to tribal council again, we can go in as 4 and let the others vote each other off
* Gabe: Yeah I really want a big threat off like Miko or Ryo
* Mitch: They are comp beasts
* Bocetuda: Yeah
They resolve to try their best in immunity so as not to have to lose another tribe member, but that Blue was easily expandable should they lose again.
===Amizmiz===
At the Amizmiz camp, Killer tells JoeyK and Ryo about the horrors of the Maghreb tribe as Brady and FatFam sit around bored in the shelter.
* Killer: I am glad that I ain't on that stupid tribe anymore XD
* JoeyK: I think Maghreb is cursed
* Ryo: it really seems like it is cursed
* JoeyK: I feel like they might either get rid of a weak link or a competitor.
* Ryo: most likely, id say
* JoeyK: Also if we were to lose a challenge I’d be ok with losing a reward challenge rather than immunity
* Ryo: same here
FatFam looks over lazily and sighs.
===Reward Challenge===
The three tribes are brought into an archery range with bows and arrows and apples on poles at varying distances.
* Nifty: Today, you will be playing for reward! But, before explaining the challenge, I have another bit of lore. 
(Lore Alert: This bit is skippable as well if you don’t care about the lore.)
* Nifty: The Huntress of the hiking team of six was an extremely skilled archer. She was able to hit beasts from several meters away, and was famously known throughout the village for one such trick that left everyone astonished. One day, a prisoner within the village was demanded to be executed. The warden asked the huntress to execute this man with her killer aim and precision to make it a quick death for the prisoner. Instead of killing this man, though, the huntress decided to put an apple on his head, shoot from a long distance, and shoot the apple off of his head. This was seen as an act of mercy from the huntress, so the rest of the village agreed to let the man go alive. He was banished from the village henceforth, but at least he still had his life thanks to the huntress’s forgiveness.
* Nifty: Today, you will be playing Apple Shooter. In this game, you have to shoot the apple off of the pole at different distances. There are sixteen rounds, and each round you are moved back another five feet, starting at twenty feet.The two tribes with the highest combined distance (in feet) will win reward in the form of sending someone from the other winning tribe to The Hiker’s Trail. The first placing tribe will also receive a slight advantage in the next immunity challenge.
Before the challenge began, Amizmiz and Toubkal each had to sit out one member of their tribe. Brady sat out for Amizmiz, while Jermu did the same for Toubkal.
The tribes all take position...except for Killer and Bocetuda, both of whom are missing from the challenge area. Amizmiz tells Brady to go and find where Killer went, and he gladly gets up to look for his missing ally. Maghreb, however, doesn’t have anyone to spare to look for Bocetuda. Gabe tells Mitch and Blue to not get discouraged and to focus on what they can do. Zoe tries to set up her shot and ends up struggling to get the practice shots, so she abstains from the challenge instead of dragging her tribe down.
The tribes begin and take their shots. Everyone is doing impressively well. JoeyK, however, is the first to miss a shot at 60 feet away from the target. He gets a bit upset, but takes a seat on the sit-out bench. The others keep going strong, everyone impressed with Maghreb’s consistent performance despite their past performances as a tribe. As they reach the final few rounds, FatFam and Ryo both mess up a shot at 85 feet. They both sadly get down and join JoeyK at the sit-out bench. No one was left to compete for Amizmiz, which meant they were automatically last.
* JoeyK: Dang it, I'm sorry guys I feel like I lost it for us.
* Ryo: You didn’t, bud, don’t worry <3
* FatFam: Lol joey you shouldn't feel bad we literally were the worst 3 of the people who participated
* JoeyK: I'm just glade it wasn't Immunity
* Ryo: Me too
It was down to Billy, Dim, and Miko from Toubkal and Blue, Gabe, and Mitch for Maghreb. At round fifteen, Billy makes a shot and misses, forcing him out of the competition. Things looked grim for Toubkal as all three Maghreb members were left in the final round, but all of them had to make the shot to officially win. The five remaining competitors all drew their arrows, fired, and everyone hit their mark...meaning that Maghreb won immunity with a combined 285 feet over Toubkal’s 280 feet!
Maghreb jumps down from their platforms and all cheer in celebration, hugging each other and giving high-fives. Toubkal shrug and have a light celebration over not getting last. At least one of them was going on the Hiker’s Trail. Amizmiz, however, pick up their stuff and head back to camp empty-handed for the first time ever.
Challenge 7: Archery 	Challenge 7: Archery 	Challenge 7: Archery
TribePlacement 	Tribe Members 	Sit-Out
1st: Maghreb(285 Feet)	Blue, Bocetuda, Gabe, Mitch	None
2nd: Toubkal(280 Feet)	Billy, Dim, Miko, Zoe 	Jermu
3rd: Amizmiz(230 Feet)	FatFam, JoeyK, Killer, Ryo 	Brady
===Maghreb & Toubkal===
The Maghreb tribe finds Bocetuda back at camp, who explains his absence to the rest of the tribe.
They then get to work on deciding who to send on The Hiker’s Trail.
* Mitch: I can tell you we sent Zoe from Maghreb so if you want to keep track of who went to hikers trail on one person I would suggest her. Gabe was you close with her?
* Gabe: Yeah, I pretty much was close to everyone from my tribe (which half-died.) I think we should send Zoe. If no one is against it, I consider this locked.
* Mitch: Ok I vote Zoe
Bocetuda and Blue don’t object, so Zoe is chosen as the Toubkal member to be sent on the trail.
Meanwhile, at the Toubkal camp...
* Miko: i say boce because he striked
* Dim: umm have we made a decision cause like I’d like to go but like I don’t have to if yall would rather someone else go
* Jermu: We’re choosing someone from the other tribe and they’re choosing one of us
* Dim: oh lel oof I didn’t read thoroughly. Boce then
* Billy: Yeah, I agree with everyone else.
And with that, Bocetuda is selected as the Maghreb representative to head on The Hiker’s Trail.
==Day Thirteen==
===Hiker's Trail===
The two are woken up early in the morning. Zoe smiles happily as she gets back on the truck, and Bocetuda looks a little excited, too, but is also visibly tired. They’re driven over to the trail and let out.
====Bocetuda====
Bocetuda heads to the left and goes up a steady slope to the mid-mountain range. As he walks up this path, he starts feeling parched and even more tired. Another hiker who is nearby notices that this. He walks up to Bocetuda and pulls out what looks to be a large egg, handing it to him. 
* Hiker: Have this if you’re tired.
Bocetuda takes the egg and notices a small hole near the top of it. It sounds like some fluid is moving around in the egg as he moves it around. The man motions for him to drink whatever is in this large egg. Bocetuda doesn’t hesitate as he drinks the water. He feels very refreshed, and this newfound energy will probably help boost his performance in an upcoming challenge.
The hiker takes back the egg and wishes Bocetuda good luck on his journey.
Bocetuda continues up the trail for a ways, but finds himself growing too mentally tired to continue any further. He decides to end his trip early and heads back towards the truck stop to get some extra sleep on a nearby bench.
====Zoe====
Zoe goes the opposite direction of Bocetuda, at first going back towards the Amazigh village...only to change her mind once she gets there and head back the way Bocetuda did. She wanted to visit the old man again and see if she could solve the riddle this time.
As she goes up the steady slope, she also finds herself growing a little tired. She encounters the same egg-wielding hiker and is offered a drink as well. Zoe is more confused and hesitant, but drinks from the egg anyways. She, too, becomes hydrated and feels more energized for a future challenge.
She continues up the slope until she reaches the old man again. He sitting and meditating in the same place he was before. His eyes are closed and his breathing is steady.
* Zoe: Kon'nichiwa
The man opens his eyes, curious. He recognizes her in an instant.
* Old Man: Welcome back, castaway.
* Zoe: I see you haven't changed much.
* Old Man: I see you have. Not drastically, but there is a shift in you. These past few days has been a change in environment for you, hasn’t it?
* Zoe: Yes. How did you know? Do you have a TV?
* Old Man: The buff around your neck is a different color, and your clothes are dirtier than they were a few days ago.
* Zoe: Um. Excuse me, dirtier? Really? Anyways...do you have anything for me?
* Old Man: The necklace of power you sought before is still in my possession. The trial is still the same. You must answer my riddle correctly today, or else you’ll be doomed to try again tomorrow. If you receive the riddle, you must answer it within a minute or I shall refuse you again. Are you certain you’re ready for it?
* Zoe: Yes, I am. Bring it on.
* Old Man: Very well, here is the riddle again: Aynas, Asinas, Akras. Aska?
* Zoe: Hmm... Aska... Basketball?
* Old Man: Incorrect. Come again another day when you are knowledgeable enough to receive the necklace.
The old man closes and eyes and recedes back into meditation. Zoe, discouraged, decides to just head back to the truck as well and end her journey early.
The two meet up at the bench earlier than expected, but as instructed don’t talk to each other. The truck returns, picks them up, and brings them back to their respective campsites before any of their tribemates notice they had left.
==Day Fourteen==
===Immunity Challenge===
The tribes gather in the immunity area and, to their surprise, see nothing but tables with paper and pencils. They all turn to Nifty, looking for answers.
* Nifty: Today, your challenge will...have a bit of lore behind it once again! 
(You can skip lore if ya wanna, it’s optional to read as always.)
* Nifty: The Librarian was among the hiking group on their journey throughout the mountains. Within the village, he was a respected figure who provided education to people in the form of books that he had gathered from many sources. There were also a few stories of journey and intrigue that the librarian would read to several members of the village, both young and old, in order to keep their imaginations flowing. On this trip, the librarian brought a few such books himself to not only keep himself entertained, but also his fellow hiking companions. Along with this, though, the librarian had carried a journal and pen with him throughout the mountains so that he could document his adventures and perhaps make a full-fledged book of his own out of it someday.
* Nifty: Today, you guys will be creating a short story. This story will be about a journey through the Atlas Mountains. This can be based on this game alone, or it can be a fictional story about some random stranger hiking through these mountains. It can really be about anything, as long as The Atlas Mountains are the setting for this short story.
* Nifty: The story must at least 200 words long, but can not be any longer than 2000 words. Not everyone has to have a hand in creating the story, but every tribe must have some sort of story submitted by the deadline. Each story will then be judged by three judges, and scored out of 10 in three different criteria: Creativity, Effort, and Entertainment. The two tribes to get the highest overall scores from the judges will win immunity and be safe from tribal council. Losers will join me at tribal council where someone will become the fifth person to leave the game.
* Nifty: If a tribe fails to submit, they’ll automatically go to tribal council as a result. If two tribes fail to submit, both tribes will go to tribal council. And (god forbid) if all three tribes fail to submit by the deadline...then I’ll just extend the deadline :P
The tribes split up and start trying to come up with story ideas and an author to represent them.
* JoeyK: Who wants to write the story?
* Ryo: im willing to help out, i got some ideas goin through my head now, id love to collaborate with someone :D
* Killer: I’m not creative so oof
* FatFam: I'm not creative but I can attempt
* Ryo: cool! wanna dm and come up with some ideas?
* FatFam: sure
Ryo and FatFam work together for a bit before FatFam gives up and tells Ryo that he seems to know what he’s doing here, leaving Ryo alone to finish the story.
* Dim: okay who is good at writing
* Billy: I write 9000 word chapters for projects all the time. I don't mind doing the writing if you guys want to come up with some sort of premise.
* Miko: anyone read the lores…
* Dim: no I’m too lazy
* Jermu: We don’t need the lores, we create our own story. Firstly is it native or explorer who is having the journey?
* Billy: If you guys give me a base story, I can write it.
* Jermu: Well, we could have a story of a Amzigh girl who lives at the foot of Atlas, who needs to journey to Atlas Mountains for some reason, and she goes to the journey with her mountain donkey, because it's the usual way of transportation. But we need reason why she needs to travel.
* Billy: Perhaps there's a well of water near the top of the mountain…
While Toubkal brainstorms, Maghreb sits dumbfounded. Eventually Mitch volunteers to write, but isn’t able to come up with any good ideas.
* Mitch: If you tell me what to write, I will have it done by the deadline no problme
* Blue: The story starts in a mountain with a king name nifty. There are three sides of the mountain the maghreb the toubkal and the amizmiz they are at war the meghreb started to lose fast until some traitors join from both toubkal and amizmiz but they where strike down again and one of the traitors left the game the war still continue and no one knows who will win but the legend says that only one will be left standing. the meghreb tribe will fight back and win.
* Mitch: Ok I can write some seems like a good base
The tribes spend time writing their stories before all three turn in their final drafts before the deadline. Nifty smiles as he hands off the stories to three people--a friend named Jake, an acquaintance named Pszoro, and a pal named Ben. They read through the stories, give their scores, and hand the results to Nifty. Nifty looks it over, then nods and walks back to the tribes.
* Nifty: Before I announce the scores, I wanna say thanks to every tribe for actually making a story, and having each of them be good stories in their own ways! I enjoyed reading through all three of them myself and appreciate the effort. Now, with a total score of 76......which includes their 5 point advantage for winning the reward challenge…Maghreb wins immunity! Congratulations, you guys, you broke the Maghreb curse and are safe in this game! No tribal council tonight, you can all relax and sleep easy as none of you are going out this round.
The Maghreb tribe all jump up and cheer, hugs and high-fives flying around.
* Mitch: Eyyy :D
* Blue: i guess the curse was lifted
* Nifty: There is one more tribal immunity idol, though. Amizmiz, Toubkal, one of you got a score of 74 while the other had a score of 68. The other tribe winning immunity and safety from being voted out is...Amizmiz! Congrats you guys, you’re all safe another day!
Ryo sighs with relief while everyone else congratulates him and pats him on the back for his efforts. The Maghreb and Amizmiz tribes pick up their stuff and leave the challenge area while Toubkal stays behind, Billy looking the most upset out of them all.
* Nifty: Toubkal, unfortunately the judges didn’t receive your story as well and you’ll be heading to tribal tonight. Good luck coming to a decision, as this will be the first tribal council for most of you, and the last tribal council for one of you. Head on out, everybody. Good night.
Amizmiz's Story
Toubkal's Story
Maghreb's Story
===Toubkal===
* Billy: No offense but if I ever meet Jake online, I will murder him.
* Miko: a 3 on entertainement bruh
* Billy: Yeah, I'm very salty.
* Miko: jake sounds like a bad judge xp i swear im goign to chat with him and get him back
* Billy: I'd love to actually hear why the judges scored they way they did one day. For example, what did Jake constitute as entertaining, because entertainment is a very broad and very subjective point.
Miko and Dim meet up. Dim talks about how they need to get Zoe on their side and asks if Miko has talked to her at all. He shrugs and says no. Dim sighs, admitting he hasn’t either. Dim starts talking about the target between Billy and Jermu, and how they can guarantee her onto their side.
Miko says he has a plan and tells Dim to trust him. Dim nods, then heads off to try and find Zoe. Meanwhile, Zoe is meeting with Billy and Jermu, the other members of #CoolKidsClubs, and the three talk about how to take out between Dim and Miko.
* Jermu: So guys who are we voting
* Billy: I'd say Miko. Dim has a strike, meaning he's not as active as Miko. Pretty simple really.
* Zoe: Miko was begging me to vote for you, Billy.
* Billy: In other words, I'm the target.
Billy sighs, but reassures his loyalty to the other two, as they do to him. They split off for a bit so as not to draw too much attention from Dim and Miko. As they split, Miko approaches Jermu and pitches voting Zoe.
#CoolKidsClub meets up again as Jermu relays this info to them.
* Jermu: Well guys, MIKO just dm'd me saying that he wants Zoe out.
* Zoe: Wtf
* Billy: That basically seals the deal. It's either myself or Miko.
* Jermu: Let's just take that trash out
* Zoe: He wants me gone? Yeah
* Billy: I think he wants me gone and he lied to Jermu since we're both from the same OG Tribe.
* Zoe: Miko is just a lying little biotch
* Billy: I mean, I'd love to stay, so hopefully if all three of us make it through this, we're a strong three.
* Zoe: If we all vote Miko we will be good.
* Jermu: As long as there is no idol (which there shouldn't be) we are safe as Miko was never sent to the trail.
* Billy: That's my logic. Plus Dim has a Strike so they're the less threatening player.
In the distance, Dim glances at the three gathered together. They don’t notice him and he can’t hear what they’re saying, but he gets a bad feeling from it overall. He goes to a private spot and pulls out his idol, looking at it nervously.
==Tribal Council==
The tribe enters the tribal council. As they do, Nifty instructs everyone but Zoe to dip their torches into the fire.
* Nifty: In this game, fire represents your life. Once your flame is gone, so are you.
The others dip their torches into the fire pit then place them behind themselves. Once everyone is seated, Nifty begins with the questions.
* Nifty: Jermu, this is your first time at a tribal council this season. How nervous do you feel coming here for the first time after 14 days of playing this game? Do you think others who are here for their first times should be worried?
* Jermu: Well I am bit worried, but I hope everything goes good for me.
* Nifty: Zoe, this is your fourth tribal council ever. Does it get easier as you attend more and more tribal councils, or are you still not comfortable with being here once again?
Zoe shrugs, not having much to say.
* Nifty: Billy, as the author of the story, do you feel like you’re to blame for this tribe’s loss in today’s challenge?
* Billy: Personally, I think as the author of the story I took my Tribe's input and did exactly what the challenge asked. Perhaps the lack of dialogue hurt the experience in their eyes, but I'm still proud of my work and among the people I showed, it was received positively. Nobody else was even willing to write, so if I go home because I was the only one who stepped up to do the hard part, that's bullshit in my eyes.
* Nifty: Dim, this tribe has an interesting split in terms of former tribes with 2 former Amizmiz, 2 former Toubkal, and 1 Maghreb. Do you think previous tribes will play into how this vote goes down tonight?
* Dim: I feel like tonight could go either way really, Idk much about where everyone's heads are at so anyone could really be the target. But yeah I do think tribe lines will play a part
* Nifty: Miko, the twist of The Hiker’s Trail has allowed a handful of people now to go off and privately search for potential advantages and disadvantages in this game. Do you think something from The Hiker’s Trail could come into play at the vote tonight, and should people be planning for something like an idol or an advantage affecting tonight’s vote?
* Miko: We can definently see how this twist can affects just about anyones game but in the same time we can't be sure on who acthually had been picked for the hikers trail. but it really depends on who we know had the chance to get whatever advantage from the hikers trail. so tonight i don't think i'm too worried about the vote tonight. but if they do come into play that will be the cause of are own confidence
* Nifty: Alright. With that, it’s time to vote. Jermu, you’re up first.
One by one, everyone walks up to the voting booth to vote. No votes are shown, only their expressions. Billy looks confident, Jermu is dismissive, Zoe is angry, Miko is calm, and Dim is anxious. As they sit back down, Nifty walks over and picks up the urn.
* Nifty: If anybody has a hidden immunity idol, and you would like to play it, now would be the time to do so.
Dim stands up.
* Dim: with these odds I can't take any risks. I didn't give up that old shoe for nothing. It’s for me.
Dim hands Nifty the idol. Miko merely nods.
* Nifty: This is one of the hidden immunity idols from The Hiker's Trail. Any votes cast for Dim will not count.
Billy gives a surprised smile.
* Nifty: Once the votes are read, the decision is final. Person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I’ll read the votes.
First vote...Miko.
Second vote...Billy. That’s one vote Miko, one vote Billy.
* Billy: -Looks at Miko and Dim like, that's cool-
Third vote, Miko.
* Dim: shit i knew i didn't need to play it
* Miko: - _-
Fourth vote, Billy. We are tied again, two votes Billy, two votes Miko. One vote left.
* Billy: Here we go, good luck.
* Miko: mhm up to zoe
* Billy: Good game, whatever happens.
* Miko: worph a shoot to take out big guys
Fifth and final vote…
* Miko: gl
* Nifty: ...and the fifth person voted out of Survivor: Atlas Mountains, Miko. Please bring me your torch.
* Billy: We just flushed an idol. What a first tribal, dang.
* Jermu: Good job honeys
* Miko: if people wants to play with the majority that badly its fine
* Nifty: Miko, the tribe has spoken.
Nifty snuffs his torch.
* Nifty: Time for you to go.
* Miko: reepers bye loves
Miko leaves the tribal area with no other comments or looks back towards his old tribe. Nifty then turns to Amizmiz.
* Nifty: This vote was clearly a turning point in the game. The only question is, where will you all go from here? Head on back to camp. G’night, guys.
===Votes===
Tribal Council 5:Toubkal	Tribal Council 5:Toubkal
VotedAgainst 	Voter
Miko (3 votes) 	Billy, Jermu, Zoe
Billy (2 votes) 	Dim & Miko
VOTED OUT:Miko 	VOTED OUT:Miko
===Final Words===
==Trivia==
*Billy, Dim, and Miko each had the most confessionals this episode with 2 each.