Tanks for the Memories

Click for the full-resolution version.

About the Images

Featured in today’s post are the delightfully goofy mini tanks by Bad Unicorn—perfect for a little friendly competition under the western sun. Just wear your tank, challenge a friend, and prepare for battle. A simple menu lets you resize your tank and switch up the colors, so you can roll into the arena in style. Don’t forget to enable particles, or you’ll miss out on the satisfying puffs of smoke with every well-aimed hit (and trust me, those hits matter). Note: The smoke effects shown in the image have been enhanced in Photoshop, as they weren’t fully visible in the original photo.

Also featured is Synnergy.Tavis’s Western Paintball Backdrop, a dusty, sunlit setting that feels straight out of an old frontier town, with just enough chaos to keep things interesting. Whether you’re staging an all-out tank showdown or just spending time laughing with friends, it’s the perfect backdrop for a day that’s equal parts ridiculous and unforgettable.

Complete credits are below the story. Store and event SLurls are available on the Store & Event Links page.

The Story

The old west theme park smelled faintly of sun-warmed wood, kettle corn, and dust kicked up by a hundred wandering boots. Somewhere, a player piano clinked out a tune that didn’t quite compete with the distant thunk-thunk of miniature tank fire.

Gavin adjusted the hem of his t-shirt—a simple design of a cat in a spacesuit—and squinted out across the mock desert battlefield. “You realize,” he called, climbing into his tiny tank, “that I’m basically operating at peak performance today.”

Erik glanced over, already settling into his own tank, and smirked. “Of course you are. Veterinarian, space cat shirt… this all tracks.”

Gavin laughed. “What does that even mean?”

“It means,” Erik said, gripping the controls, “you’d absolutely be the guy making sure the first cat on the moon had a full pre-flight exam.”

“I would,” Gavin shot back without missing a beat. “And that cat would be in excellent health.”

A buzzer sounded.

The tanks lurched forward—slow, clunky, ridiculous—and immediately began circling like determined turtles. Gavin ducked behind a fake wooden barricade, peeking out just long enough to line up a shot.

Thunk.

Erik’s tank jolted as the hit registered.

“Lucky shot!” Erik called, veering left and returning fire. His shot clipped the edge of Gavin’s tank, not enough for points but close enough to earn a triumphant, “Ha!”

Gavin grinned. He’d always loved this—low-stakes competition, the kind that felt like being ten years old again. The kind that didn’t matter at all… except that it absolutely did.

They circled, fired, missed, laughed, and accused each other of increasingly creative forms of cheating.

“Was that even aimed?!” Erik shouted.

“It was strategic,” Gavin shot back, lining up another hit.

Thunk.

Another point.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, Gavin’s tank sat victorious in the middle of the arena, Erik’s stalled just a few feet away.

“Again,” Erik said immediately, climbing out and brushing dust from his jeans.

Gavin hopped down too, shaking his head with a smug smile. “Nope. I’m retiring undefeated.”

“You’ve won one round.”

“History only remembers the winners.”

Erik gave him a long look, then smirked. “You’re insufferable today.”

Click for the full-resolution version.

Gavin shrugged, but there was a softness under it. “Hey, big space day. Had to wear the shirt.” He tugged lightly at the little astronaut cat.

“It’s very on-brand,” Erik said. “Somewhere out there is a very brave cat, and you’re emotionally invested.”

“Obviously.”

They started walking toward the next attraction—some kind of over-the-top saloon shootout—boots crunching over gravel. For a moment, the noise of the park filled the space between them.

Then Gavin spoke again, quieter this time.

“Hey. About the wedding.”

Erik glanced over. “Yeah?”

Gavin didn’t stop walking. “I meant it, you know. About you being my best man.”

Erik’s brows lifted slightly. “I figured. I’m just… a little surprised.”

Gavin glanced at him. “Yeah?”

Erik hesitated, then said it anyway. “I thought you might ask your brother. I mean… with him being back and everything.”

For a moment, Gavin didn’t answer. A breeze kicked up dust along the path, carrying the distant echo of laughter and music.

“I thought about it,” Gavin said finally. “I really did.”

Erik nodded, waiting.

“But he’s been gone a long time,” Gavin continued. “And we’re… we’re good, now. Better than we were. But you—you’ve been here for all of it.” He gave a small, almost self-conscious shrug. “The good stuff, the messy stuff. Everything.”

Erik’s expression softened.

“You know me,” Gavin added, with a faint smile. “Probably better than he does at this point.”

Erik let out a quiet breath, then bumped his shoulder lightly against Gavin’s. “Yeah,” he said. “That’s probably true.”

“No backing out,” Gavin said, nudging him again.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

They kept walking, the music getting louder as they neared the saloon, the sun warm on their backs, the day stretching ahead of them.

Behind them, the tiny tanks sat abandoned in the dust—one clearly the winner, at least for now.

CREDITS (L to R)

Gavin

Wings ES0715 Hair
777 Motors Basic Goggles (group gift)
IKON Splendor Eyes
Stray Dog Franco
Gustav Dave T-Shirt Cat #1 (group gift)
Bron Joseph Jeans

Erik

WINGS Gift 05 Male Hair (group gift)
777 Motors Basic Goggles (group gift)
IKON Sundown Eyes (group gift)
Stray Dog Clint
Strunsh. Kurumi Basic T-Shirt
ERAUQS Chris Jeans