Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2002 11:09:48 -0800 (PST)
From: Author James <authorjames2002@yahoo.com>
Subject: Marvel Knights: Era of Hatred 8

Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction.  It has no intentions of
resembling any real persons dead or alive.  This is entirely from my
imagination, with a little help from already established sources.  This
story is based loosely on the comic book character "The Punisher" from
Marvel Comics.  Other characters may appear from Marvel comics as well as
DC Comics.

Punisher and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics.

Blade and all related characters copyright Marvel Comics.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel copyright Joss Whedon, United Paramount
Network and Warner Bros. Respectively.

The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice.
Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice.

I have written another story on nifty entitled "Tales of a Real Dark
Knight".  It is in the Celebrity/Boy Bands section.  Batman may appear in
this story once or twice, as the Punisher may appear in "Tales of a Real
Dark Knight".  Any comments may be sent to authorjames2002@yahoo.com

Thank you and enjoy.

Chapter 8 Pride 2001

	Davey and Harris showed up at the mansion in full Pride gear.
Blade shared with them the attack on the mansion and that the amulet was
stolen by one of the demons.  Whistler shared with everyone the extent of
Ryfin's powers and all were very concerned about what was coming up.
	"The best we can do is not cause a panic," Whistler stated.  "If
that many people panic, there will be a stampede and some could get
trampled and killed.  We need to go in as normal as possible, which means
no costumes."
	"No problem," Davey said.  "Harris and I are ready."
	"It's possible that Ryfin maybe controlling one of the demons like
last night.  Look for one that might be wearing the amulet."
	Everyone agreed and readied themselves.  Blade and Punisher wore
leather pants and black sleeveless shirts.  Blade kept his armored vest on,
though.  Johnny wore black leather pants and a tight black muscle shirt.
Ty wore a white muscle shirt and blue jean shorts.  Tandy put her hair up
in a ponytail and wore a pair of khaki shorts and white t-shirt.  Davey
wore his white PRIDE shirt with the rainbow triangle and blue jean shorts.
Harris wore a black PRIDE t-shirt with the rainbow triangle and khaki
shorts.  Last, but not least, Whistler wore faded blue jeans, a black
t-shirt and jean vest.  Everyone pulled on their sunglasses and headed out
to downtown Columbus for the 2001 Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade.

	As the group piled out of the Suburban, Johnny and Michael pulled
up on one motorcycle and Blade pulled up on his.  They dismounted and
joined the rest at the curb of Goodale Park.  All around them little booths
were set up with all kinds of wares.  Today was the day the city celebrated
all of its citizens.  This park wasn't part of the actual Pride
celebration, but it was to be the kick-off of the parade.  One could see
men holding hands, women holding hands, and couples walking their children.
Heterosexual and homosexual alike were open about their feelings and
expressed them without discrimination or prejudice.
	"It's a shame," Harris stated.  "We can't show our affection all
year round without getting hateful comments directed at us."
	"Sometimes it takes humanity a while to grow and evolve," Whistler
said.
	"Sometimes it seems too slow, even stagnant."
	Davey reached over and took Harris's hand in his.  "But we have
today.  Let's enjoy it."
	"Definitely," Harris answered.  He kissed Davey on the cheek.
	"Where does the parade end?" Whistler asked.
	"Bicentennial Park."
	"Let's spread out and go our separate ways.  We can work our way
south toward the park.  Once there, let's meet at the fountain."
	Everyone nodded and headed off toward Bicentennial Park.  Harris
and Davey headed toward High Street on the west side.  As they walked
through the throngs of people, some gave them second glances at the oddity
of their matching.  Others gave the look of approval believing it was cute
the mismatched couple was together.
	The two watched as the "Dykes on Bikes" drove up and down the
street policing the area for any sign of disruption.
	"Lesbians on motorcycles make great security," Davey remarked.
	Harris smiled.
	They passed several restaurants and the pleasant odor of food
cooking wafted out the doors into the streets.
	"That smells so good," Harris replied.
	"We'll have to eat there when this is over with."

	Johnny and Michael headed down the east side of High Street a few
feet behind Davey and Harris's location.
	"Isn't this great, Michael?" Johnny replied taking Weatherby's
hand.  "I never felt like I could be free to do this.  It's like I've been
taken to another world.  And I have you to thank for that."
	Weatherby smiled at Johnny.  Smiling was one of the few things
Weatherby ever did.  He squeezed Johnny's hand and they made their way down
the sidewalk.  The two kept getting glances and stares from so many people.
To be honest, they looked hot, not as in temperature but in appearance.
They were both well-defined and their clothes revealed so.  The fact they
wore leather pants with their tight shirts accentuated their body structure
and definition.  They kept getting winks and a few hands roamed to their
butts as they passed.
	Johnny was at first offended by it.  He wasn't used to guys
flirting with him.  Plus, he felt he belonged to Michael only.  But after a
few times, he got into the spirit of having others enjoy his physical
appearance and accepted it, even enjoyed it.

	There were all sorts of people at the parade route, as well as
throughout the city heading to either Goodale Park or Bicentennial Park.
They ranged from high school and young adult twinks, bears, leather men,
butch women and lipstick lesbians to protestors and Christian groups
attempting to convert parade goers.
	Blade frowned at the ministers on the corners shouting through a
megaphone and microphone anti-gay sentiment.
	"Why can't people leave well enough alone?" he muttered.
	"Excuse me, sir," someone said to Blade.
	Blade turned to see a young man with a beard, blue short-sleeved
dress shirt red tie and khaki's on with a handful of pamphlets.  The young
man smiled.
	"Are you open-hearted enough to hear what God has to say about
homosexuality?"
	Blade lifted an eyebrow above his sunglasses.  "What?"
	"Do you know what the Bible says about homosexuality?"
	"I know a lot of things," Blade replied turning to face the man
letting his crossed arms fall down to his side.
	"The Bible talks of the sins of homosexuality.  To God, it is an
abomination and worthy of death.  But that was the Law.  Now we are under
Grace.  We can be forgiven of our sins.  So can you."
	Blade's eyes narrowed but the young man could not see behind the
glasses.  Blade took a step forward toward the youth, then another.
	"Forgiveness for my sins?  Forgiveness for my sins?  Let me tell
you something, son.  I have fought more battles against the forces of
darkness than you could ever hope to do in your lifetime.  I've slain more
vampires than I can count.  I'm up all hours of the night fighting what
goes bump in the night.  While you are busy saying your prayers, I'm flying
down the street on my motorcycle after gangs of vampires who attempted to
kill several innocent people.  While you are busy condemning homosexuals
because our lives are not the fucking mirror images of yours, we are trying
to survive the night and save lives doing it.  While you are picking out
which movies may or may not be appropriate for your sensitive ears, I'm
busy sharpening my wooden stakes and training so I can fight the next gang
of vampires to come along to this city.
	"To you, sins are every little thing that you can think of that
might or might not offend someone.  To you, some words are evil simply
because of a meaning or feeling behind them.  To me, however, sins are
feeding off people's blood and giving them violent deaths.  To me, sins are
killing people senselessly just because someone has nothing better to do.
	"I've seen a great many things, and I know a great many things.
Don't come up to me with your sunshine face and handful of hate pamphlets
and tell me what I should or should not know about sin.  Not get your
scrawny, ignorant ass out of my face before I whoop it out of here."
	By now, the youth's eyes were widened in disbelief and his body
shook in fear.  He turned and walked away slowly.
	The people surrounding Blade just stared at him in disbelief as
well.  Even the minister speaking through the microphone quieted down to
hear what was going on.  Those who were gay and supporters of gay rights
cheered while the protestors just stared on in shock that someone said
something back to them.
	Blade turned and headed toward Bicentennial Park.

	Tandy and Ty walked down the street and several guys checked Ty out
in his tight shirt.  Several women checked Tandy out and she enjoyed the
attention.
	"When you got it, you got it!" Tandy said to Ty's questioning
glances.
	"But you're not a lesbian."
	"It doesn't matter.  Lesbians know a hot girl when they see one.
It lets me know I'm still one sexy bitch!"
	Ty laughed.  "When you put it that way..."
	The two arrived at the park and headed toward the fountain.  As
they neared, they saw Blade show up.
	"Where's Whistler?" Tandy asked.
	"Right here," he replied coming toward them with a Pina Colada in
his hand.  "What took you so long?"
	They smiled at him.
	"When will the others get here?" Ty asked.
	"They were going to come at the tail end of the parade.  That way
they can keep an eye out for Ryfin."

	Weatherby and Johnny watched the parade from one side of the street
while Davey and Harris watched from the other side.  They all laughed at
the silliness and absurdity of the floats.  And they smiled proudly at the
straight supporters of gay rights marching along in the parade as well.
There were young children and teenagers marching with their gay parents,
brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends.  It was nothing
but a big parade of support and affirmation of people who were born
different.
	Harris wrapped his arms around Davey's waist from behind and rested
his head on Davey's shoulder.  The floats marched passed along with the
drag queens and other marchers.  Soon the parade ended and the two young
men joined the older men on their team and they marched down behind
everyone.  Weatherby kept an eye out for any sign of demonic or
supernatural activity.

	The parade finally ended at Bicentennial Park and the four made
their way to the fountain where they found their friends waiting.
	"No sign of anything," Weatherby said to Blade and Whistler.
	"What happened with the protestors?" Harris asked.  "I heard them
earlier but, by the time we got to them, they didn't have as much passion
in their voices."
	"I had a nice little chat with them," Blade replied.
	Everyone turned their eyes on Blade.
	"Now's not the time to tell you about it, though.  Look."
	Blade pointed up in the sky and everyone turned to a swarm of
Lanithro heading toward the park.
	"Protect the people at all costs!" Whistler replied.
	Everyone readied themselves for what was about to come.  Punisher
reached into his pocket and pulled out a pistol.  "Everyone get down!" he
ordered.  The gay men and women nearby dropped to the ground and covered
their heads.  Others, after seeing the gun, ran off in a panic.
	The Lanithro closed in on the park and swooped down attempting to
grab those fleeing.  Ty tossed out several bolts of energy knocking the
demons off target.  Tandy threw some light daggers and stunned a demon or
two.
	"Spread out!" Whistler ordered.
	Davey and Harris headed toward the stage where several Lanithro
were heading.  Harris grabbed a branch from a tree and swatted one or two
Lanithro in the claws.  Davey somersaulted forward and thrust forward with
his hand when his legs were parallel with the ground.  He flew forward and
kicked a Lanithro in the stomach knocking it into the back of the stage.
	Johnny turned into Ghost Rider and pulled his chain off like a
whip.  Lashing outward, he connected with a Lanithro's head and knocked it
unconscious. Then he tossed a few fireballs at some hovering Lanithro
attempting to get at a small group of paraders.
	Ty got some Lanithros attention and they flew down after him.  When
they neared, he opened a portal to the dark realm and the demons were not
able to maneuver in time.  They flew into the portal and were gone.
	One Lanithro turned and flew toward two women and their daughter.
Punisher noticed this and ran toward the Lanithro.  As it neared the
ladies, Punisher leapt into the air and tackled the creature.  They tumbled
into the grass wrestling.  The demon clawed at Punisher, a few talons
connecting and tearing his flesh.  He did not let up, however.  His marine
training remained intact and he continued punching at the beast.  The
Lanithro rolled onto its back, tucked its legs under Punisher and kicked
outward.  Punisher flew up into the and into a nearby vender, crashing the
merchandise under him.  The Lanithro rolled onto its arms and legs, flapped
its wings and took off into the air.
	"Damn," Punisher muttered as he stood up.  Then, he ran out after a
Lanithro nearby.
	Blade pulled out his Sikhs and as a Lanithro flew after two men, he
threw the blades.  They spun in the air and swooped around toward the
demon.  It reached its claws out to grab the two men and the Sikhs flew
past amputating the creature's claws.  It shrieked in pain.
	A demon swooped down and grabbed Blade by the shoulders and carried
him off into the sky.
	"Blade!" Harris yelled noticing the abduction.
	The Marvel Knights all looked around, then up, toward their friend
being carried off.  While gazing up at the sky, they saw a Lanithro wearing
the amulet.
	"Ryfin's there!" Whistler exclaimed.
	Ty and Tandy turned and fired energy bolts and light daggers at the
lead Lanithro.  The attacks hit an invisible shield surrounding it.
	"What do we do now?"
	"If we had a tracking device, we could plant one on a Lanithro and
follow it," Punisher suggested.
	"But we don't!  So what do we do?"
	"I've got an idea," Whistler replied going over to Ty.  "Remember
what we talked about doing?  Remember how Ryfin can control a Lanithro and
inhabit the body?"
	"Yeah," Ty answered.
	"I think you can do that.  Not to as great an extent as Ryfin, but
enough to see where they demons are going.  Are you up for it?"
	"I guess so."
	"Good."
	Whistler and Ty stood facing each other.  Whistler began an
incantation and Ty joined in at appropriate places.  Ty's body shook a bit
and his breathing became labored.  Sweat appeared and poured down his dark,
smooth skin.
	Punisher and Johnny walked up behind the two, Punisher ready to
catch Ty should he fall over and Johnny behind Whistler in case he should
fall backwards as well.  Ty's hands moved up to Whistler's and they locked.
A ring of energy formed around them and Ty fell backwards with a great
intake of air.

	A few moments later, Ty awoke.  He looked at his friends who were
surrounding him now.
	"Are you okay?" Tandy asked.
	Ty took a few deep breaths and nodded in the affirmative.
	"Did it work?" Johnny asked excitedly.
	"Yeah.  I know where they are."
	"Let's get back to the mansion and suit up," Whistler replied.
	Punisher helped Ty up and helped him back to Goodale Park and their
vehicles.

To Be Continued...