Raven wasted no time in Adrian's training. According to her research Adrian's powers came from a fragment of the fallen angel Azazel's soul. The only one born into humans is Azazel's Rage and that is the source of Adrian's powers. Right now they are standing in the abandoned Warehouse District of Jump City, Which consists of a single sky scraper in the center of about eight square blocks of disused warehouses.
"Focus your energy; according to my studies you should be able to channel it into one of the three aspects of your powers. Strength, speed, and reflexes; for now I want you to focus on your strength. Try to pick up that car over there," said Raven trying not to stare at Adrian's back tats as he tried to pick up the uncompleted car on the conveyor belt.
He walked over to the car and focused as hard as he could and tried to lift the car, to no avail. He grunted form the exertion but was still coherent enough to hear Devil laughing in his head.
"Damn; you really are stupid if you think I'll just give you my power. You gotta earn it;" He laughed heartily.
"Well; how in the hell am I supposed to do that?" asked Adrian in irritation.
"Well you can start by proving you have a reason to use them;" said Devil with sarcasm.
"How's this for a reason, defending the girl who unlike anyone else gave a shit enough to stick up for us. Without her we would be homeless;" said Adrian hotly.
"Not good enough, that may be your reason but what is your purpose?" inquired Devil.
"Are you enjoying the whole Cheshire cat routine cause it's getting on my nerves!" growled Adrian.
"Are you two going to continue to argue with each other or are you…" Raven was cut off mid-sentence as there was the tell-tell sound of compressed air being fired through a barrel. Adrian dodged but one of the oncoming darts hit Raven in the neck. She went down as the unknown poison took effect.
"Damn I missed! Oh, well at least I got one of them, Hey demon you might as well just give up. That dart that just hit your girlfriend there, it's full of a special Nero-toxin that only affects demons;" chortled their invisible enemy.
"Where are you? Come down here so I can beat on you till stop moving;" Growled Adrian with uncharacteristic hostility.
"Look up Demon;" said the voice. Adrian followed his instructions.
Adrian saw a young man dressed in blue and black armor, he was wearing a black mask with a blue cross over the left eye, and he had a utility belt like Robin. Only his toys were not for incapaciting his opponent, they were for killing them.
"Who are you, what do you want?"Asked Adrian still tense still hostile.
"My name is not important to you, Demon. You can call me D-Hunter. What is important to you is what I want. I want you; I have a nice fat bounty on you. So shut up and die quietly so I can take you back to the Vatican;" said D-Hunter.
"Like hell I will, I'm not going down without a fight. Now give me the antidote before I make you wish you hadn't taken that contract;" spat Adrian his skin turning black as the void and the tattoos inked on his body glowing bright emerald.
"How are you doing that? You shouldn't be able to access my powers without my permission;" said Devil astonished at Adrian's attitude and strength.
"I'm taking them Devil deal with it;" said Adrian with intensity.
Raven was barely awake, her head was pounding, and she could not move. She remembered the man, what did he say his name was? D-Hunter, he said that the dart that hit her was filled with poison… she was going to die.
As she came to grips with this fact, she felt an intense sadness. Adrian and D-Hunter were talking but she could not hear what was being said. Adrian changed like he had at the mall only he appeared more in control this time.
"I never thought about it this way but if you get past the scariness of his powers, he was really attractive in this form, more masculine, not that he wasn't attractive in his human form, with his shy demeanor and soft voice. The way he carried his self as if he didn't have all that fierce power inside him; in all honestly he was 'hot' in both forms. Like two sides of the same coin;" her thoughts rambled.
"Wow you really like her don't you? That's strange demons are not supposed be able to feel stuff like love, lust maybe but not love;" said D-Hunter.
"I'm not a demon. I am a fragment of a fallen angel. Now give me the antidote;" said Adrian. He was beyond angry now he was furious, the kind of cold fury that makes you seems calm when inside you are raging.
"Yeah, I believe that like I believe that the sky is green. I'll make you a deal if you can get to the top of that skyscraper before sunset I'll give you the antidote. I'm not here for her she's not on my list, But you, I'm going to make bank off you. So, in exchange for the antidote you turn yourself over to me;"said D-Hunter.
Adrian thought it over. If the best way to save her is to die…then so be it.
"I don't like where this thought process is going, you do know if you die I'll die too;"said Devil sounding truly afraid.
"But you won't stay dead you'll come back. I can give my life for hers then you'll be reincarnated and she will be alive;" said Adrian.
"But you won't be;" said Devil sincerely concerned.
"I know;" he said quietly.
"You got a deal;" said Adrian.
Raven heard the deal that was made. She wanted to shout, to yell at him not to do it, that her life was not worth his but she could not speak, she couldn't even groan.
"Oh no, Adrian is going to die to save me and there is nothing I can do to stop it;" she thought despairingly.
Adrian walked up and lifted her off the ground like she was nothing.
"Don't worry darlin' I'll get you all fixed up;" he said kissing her gently on the fore head right on the red gem there.
She didn't notice until now that Adrian spoke with a sight New Orleans accent, like he was trying to hide it and failing a little. It was kinda cute. Funny how you notice things like that when you are about to die. Chalk another one up for Team Adrian.
They began to move, and fast. Raven knew Adrian was fast but had never experienced him going full sprint before.
"It's like we're flying;" thought Raven.
Adrian picked Raven up and hauled ass toward the skyscraper. They were going ninety to nothing one moment and a wall of energy would rise up in front of him and he would have to stop and change course.
"Before we die I'd like to inform you that you have grown more in two days than in the entire time I've known you; which has been you entire life. What I mean to say is that I'm proud of you jack-ass;" said Devil
"Thanks D but we are not going to die today. I have a plan;" said Adrian. He then proceeded to share with his psychotic head mate the dumbest idea in the history of creation.
"Hell that's so effing stupid that I think I actually lost brain cells just listening to it, but it might work;" said Devil hopefully.
"I hope so or Raven's going to die and we are going to be killed. So t better damn well work cause other than that…I got nothing;" said Adrian turning another corner designed to slow him down.
Raven felt safe and warm in Adrian's arms. She could barely open her eyes and when she did the light hurt her eyes. But it was worth it to get one last look at Adrian. Raven had never been the sentimental type but this was something she did not know she needed.
What she saw was amazing; the fading sunlight was hitting his hair causing it to take on deep violet highlights. His emerald eyes burned with an intensity she only saw in one other person, Robin. She took in his bare chest. The tattoos on his body glowing green with his desire to do… what did he want to do?
"Would his tats burn like that… for me? Aw, hell listen to me I'm swooning like your average teen girl;" she berated herself.
Adrian came to the bottom of the skyscraper. The sun was setting and he had one hundred and ten floors to climb.
"Well, let's go we got an appointment to keep;" said Adrian with determination.
He started his climb the whole time thinking about his plan. According to Raven's studies the Seraphim were he was not a demon was to do something only an angel can do. He was going to have to smite him.
He continued his climb his fury giving him strength so his soon made it to the top. As he opened the roof access he saw D-Hunter standing proudly.
"Give me the antidote;" said Adrian.
"Not so fast now you agreed to turn yourself in;" said D-Hunter with arrogance.
"Before we do that I want to prove to you that I am not a demon;" said Adrian.
"Sure, try whatever you think will work;" sneered D-Hunter
Raven heard Adrian and his opponent talking but again could not hear what was being said. Adrian walked over to a sheltered spot on the roof and set her down.
"Don't worry Rae honey I'll get that antidote. Please don't die;" He said.
He then stood; He had a determined look on his face.
D-Hunter said something but it was lost on Raven. Then something astounding happened. It only lasted a second but it still was amazing. For a moment it was like Adrian was peeled away and all that was left was Devil in his true form.
His skin was still inky black and his tats were glowing white instead of green. Mounted on his back where the wing tats had been was a thirty two foot span of black feathered wings. She could almost feel what it would be like to be wrapped in that warm and dark embrace, sheltered from all of the world's troubles, even Trigon.
Adrian focused all his power into his right hand. White fire ignited around it in an audible whooph.
"What the hell? My sensors pick up Devine power not Demonic. How are you doing this;" said D-Hunter in surprise and fear.
"I told you I am not a demon I am a fragment of the fallen angel Azazel, and now you are going to feel my full power. Hand of God!" shouted Adrian lunging forward with full speed striking D-Hunter in the chest, pushing all that Devine power into him.
"In case you are confused, that was called a Smite it is attack only the Seraphim are able to do. It is my strongest weapon;" said Adrian with a calm reserve.
"What do you want from me?" Asked D-Hunter.
"Well it's simple I want the antidote and I want the person who set up the contract;" said Adrian in a calm voice.
"Here is the antidote, the only thing I know about the man who set up the contract is he has connections in the Vatican. He calls himself The Saint;" said D-Hunter fearfully handing him a vial of clear liquid in an injection gun.
Raven woke in the medical bay at the Titans tower. She heard the sound of a guitar on the roof. Its tone was sorrowful and was an odd mix of passion and pain.
"Adrian;" thought Raven as she removed the I.V. from her arm and phased up to the roof. She saw Adrian there standing dangerously close to the roof playing his soul out into the guitar.
She remembered the vision of Devil's true angelic form and the thoughts that had accompanied them. She was not sure if it was the effects of the poison or the intuition of her heart.
"Adrian;" she said.
Adrian stopped playing and turned.
"Raven what's up?" he asked.
"I…I don't know, I heard the things you said to me when you were trying to get that antidote…the things you called me. No one has ever called me things like that before;" said Raven apprehensively.
"Well that's a shame cause you need someone to call you Darlin'… Darlin'" said Adrian letting his accent slip a bit.