"Wow, considering what I've heard about some other women in your world, that must be quite the accomplishment. And you can stop looking away, Dick, I don't mind you looking at me.", Komi told him as he took a moment before glancing back at her.
Dick blushed, gulping, "You're really calm about this...", realizing that Komi is truly real, reacting, and Komi chuckled, "I lived on a world where nudity is common...And my, my, is that your dick there, Dick?", with a smirk.
"I...At least that's something better yet embarrassing at the same time...My real name is Richard, but Dick is my nickname...In another meaning, uhh, dick means unpleasant, rude, and inconsiderate...", Dick blushed hard, wishing that he should have gone with a better nickname or something, while trying to think of anything to slam that reaction down, but Komi's appearance isn't helping.
"Alright, nice to know, of course, I could easily have learned that with a little kiss.", Komi teased as he went red again. "Carrie told you about my sister and I and how we can practically instantly learn the tongue of folks we come across with via lip contact?".
"She did mention that, yes.", Dick said. Komi shook her head as she flew behind him and started to rub his shoulders. "Take it easy, okay?", she said. "It's just us here, nothing to be afraid of, believe me, I'm still a bit caught off guard about this whole soulmate thing myself."
Dick gasped before moaning slightly, biting his lip, "K-Komi...I...I'm scared of messing this up if you can believe it...", and Komi replied, "Hey, I'm scared too. I don't want to be like that Talia bitch or that...that Heracles bastard...", as she doesn't want to rush Dick, just taking it easy, even if she can't help teasing him.
"Wait, you're scared too?", Dick asked as Komi nodded, "Yeah, sorry, did Carrie make it so much when she was telling you about me that I came off as having no fear or something? I mean, yeah, I'm fairly confident and all that, but I still got some fears and worries too, Dick.".
Dick remembered Carrie's comment immediately of Kori feeling like she's not worthy of being loved, and he turned around to look at her, "Komi, you deserve to be worthy of yourself, and you deserve to be loved and all...".
Komi's eyes began to water slightly, "No man ever had said that to me, not even on Tamaran...It was one thing with all my Amazon sisters, and it was fair to believe them because they are all of great beauty and such...Has...Has Carrie told you of my...my treatment from the people and my bigot parents after I got sick?".
Dick nodded. "Yeah, total dicks, if I might say so.", he said with a little smile as she chuckled. "Ah, there's where that definition can work.", Komi smiled as Dick was starting to now feel a bit calmer with her.
Dick grinned slightly, "I like that smile of yours, glad that I'm cheering you up...I can deal with taking it easy...C-Could we stay here in this spot, or do you need some more sun, even if we're dream walking?", realizing that he is intrigued by Komi, wanting to show her that he's not pushing her without a chance to have her choices to do what she wants, even if he's feeling angry at Komi's bigot parents, never giving her a choice after what happened to her, not seeing her as a real person with feelings, and all.
"Of course, we can. And after a bit...", Komi nodded as she looked back to the water. "We can keep talking while I go back to fishing there.", Komi said as she gave him a little smirk, "And if you want to make yourself comfortable, I don't mind if you lose a few layers...". She ran a finger on his chest as she said that in a very flirty tone.
Dick gulped as he felt all the blood run, somehow feeling more comfortable to talk with her yet more aroused by her as time went past, and he exhaled, "You know, I might, but we'll see, eh?", with a crooked smile, and Komi blushed with a smile.
And so, their conversation kept going, as Dick and Komi went to do their things, taking it easy with blushes and laughter and teasings. Meanwhile, in another bedroom, Jason slept on, finding himself in a vast training ground with targets of every kind, with weapons skewed through them like arrows, spears, battleaxes, and such, with a nearby big chess board.
Jason then yelped, dodging fast as a spear, a familiar spear jabbed into the ground on his left, and he heard a sharp, feminine voice, "Nice reflexes...", as he looked up to see the woman of his brief vision, tall and beautiful, narrowing her eyes at him as she stood by the big chess board, "I've heard that you are a good man, but with your name, I do not trust it well, for there was another Jason who was friends with Heracles who had hurt my queen in the worst way.".
"Jason and the Argonauts?", Jason spoke up as the woman nodded. "So, they're still known in men's realm...", she huffed as he nodded.
"Sort of, they were a popular movie from long before I was born which is why they are even really known in my day and age.", Jason then sighed. "Are you Artemis?", he asked.
The woman nodded, "I am she. And Carrie has told me that a movie is modern theater...I have not personally talked with any man equally, especially if it's true that we are soulmates...The shipwrecked men and Captain Trevor doesn't count as they were too intimidated.".
Jason remembered Carrie saying that Artemis doesn't easily trust anyone until they have a good reason, and he spoke carefully, "On my honor of being a brother to Carrie, I am only intrigued to meet you, Artemis. If I may say, that was a brilliant throw there.".
"Thank you.", Artemis nodded once again as Jason reached over to pick up the spear. "So... I can already probably tell this whole thing is a bit awkward. Us being soulmates especially, considering how much you've got a grudge against men in general which I don't blame ya.", Jason said. "Carrie mentioned how Hippolyta, well, Heracles isn't the hero he's usually known as where I'm from."
Artemis replied, "I have heard similar things from Carrie as well...And yes, it's true that I have a grudge against men where I'm suspicious of...I'm respected by all Amazons, and I'm loyal to my home, my queen, and I couldn't go back to Man's World if I can help it.".
Jason nodded, "That's very fair, as I won't dare hurt you by pushing you to my homeland when you are safe here...I'm not like Heracles at all, even if I look a bit intimidating, but that is only for bad guys and bullies. I love my family too, and I wouldn't betray them.", looking straight at Artemis, knowing if he does avert his eyes, it would mean that he's lying.
Artemis looked at him carefully, "Hmm, I can hear the insistence and determination in your voice, and your eyes doesn't betray you...But I am not anytime excited to do any kissing or anything.", and Jason replied, "I am the same...I'd rather earn your trust by becoming friends, and I believe friends can play a game of chess...May I suggest we play some chess here? I never truly played a set this big, but I believe I can do it, considering that I have played the normal game of chess with some of my schoolmates or some of my family.".
"Hmm, chess or a duel per chance?", Artemis suggested as Jason's eyes widened. "I mean, if you're wishing for that sort of thing... um, we are dreaming right, like we can get hurt in dreams with no affect?", he asked as Artemis smirked as she quickly swept him off his feet and reclaimed her spear from him before having it at this throat.
"Chess is a good test of the mind, combat for the body, and if it's true that we're soulmates, then I would very much like to know that he is my equal.", Artemis said as Jason gave a grin of his own.
Jason replied, "You're on. So, chess first, and then a duel?", and Artemis chuckled, "Well, as you have suggested first of chess earlier, let's do it. But be warned, I'm very much involved in all chess strategies.".
"Heard that from Carrie. I'm impressed either way. So, white or black?", Jason asked, and Artemis smiled, "I'll take black. You take white.", and Jason nodded, "Got it.", not going to argue with the general of the Amazons.
And so, Jason and Artemis got to know each other in a conversation while they went to play chess and duel against each other, with Artemis soon slowly losing her suspicions of Jason.
Meanwhile, in another bedroom, the last of the boys in the batch, Damien is having his dream as well, finding himself in a great stable, glancing to see one of the windows having his reflection having a 25-year-old self-overlapping his 17-year-old self, and he then heard a laugh, "Whoa, easy, girl! I know you are impatient to head out, Calista, but we must wait.".
He turned a corner, exhaling as he saw the woman of his brief vision, petting her horse with a radiant, warm smile, as indeed, it's Diana, the very real princess of Themyscira, and he fought both his panther and teenage hormones back deep as he caught the scent of Diana, and he gulped deeply, "Princess Diana?", coming closer.
Diana didn't look his way as he was taking a deep breath, trying to keep control. Did she not hear him? Was he perhaps a bit too far away? "Princess Diana?", Damien spoke again as he walked up to her. "Hello, Damien...", Diana whispered as he took a step back, "You... you know who I am?".
Diana nodded, "Yes, I do. I felt the spark when you touched my favorite sword and saw you briefly. Looks like the magic is giving you a sense of how you'd be when you're around my age physically. Carrie told me a bit about you...You are the shapeshifter of a panther, yes?", as she kept petting her horse who whickered slightly, while looking over at him.
Damien nodded, "Yes, I am...I...I can leave if I'm bothering you and your horse as I probably smell strange to her and all, and well, I know I can't replace Steve Trevor...I never thought I'd have a soulmate ever, and I didn't expect it to be you...a princess...".
"I didn't think so either...", Diana admitted. "Steve, I felt, was the one too, but apparently, I was wrong... it was as Carrie said.".
"What did Carrie say?", Damien asked her. Diana sighed a bit heavily as she replied, "She told me that Steve would always love me, and he wishes for me to move on, and if I find true love again in time, I have a choice to take it because he wants me to be happy.".
Damien widened his eyes, "Wow...He sounded like an honorable, good man right there...I..I'm sorry...If it was possible to go back in time, I would stop his death, and you and he would be happy, along with that cheerful and smart daughter of yours, and all.".
"Don't...I appreciate it, but Steve...he knew the risks, and I couldn't imagine seeing Carrie's heartbroken look if she finds out that her brother died in saving Steve's life in the past like that...And don't be sorry, you are somehow able to meet me, meaning that Steve approves of you from the heavens...", Diana replied.
"Yeah...", Damien glanced away as she had a curious look on her face, "You don't think that you're worthy?", with a tilt of her head.
"How could I not think that?", Damien said. "I mean, look at you, a princess and all, wise and powerful beyond years and I'm still practically a boy!", Damien began his little pity rant.
Diana watched as Damien kept ranting, "And to make it worse, my panther hormones aren't making it easy on me as it battles my teenage hormones at school where those girls think they want to be popular, to be rich, to want to be both popular and rich if dating, er, courting me! There are barely any few girls who just want to be themselves, but they're judged as weak or cowardly or even small by my panther hormones when my teenage hormones judge them as average, cute, or pretty! And then now, they are literally agreeing as one, about you! My panther hormones are screaming at me, judging you as a powerful, sexy, and graceful female, wanting to attract you, to make you my mate, to claim you, while my teenage hormones are judging you as a beautiful, strong, smart woman, wanting to know you, to court you, and beyond...", panting as he finished.
Damien wanted to bury his face into a tail or his paws or hands or however any way he could to hide it from her after that rant. It just felt all so natural for him to let it out but now that he said it, it just caused him to go red faced.
Diana was stunned, realizing that there was maturity in this young man, for she knew, as of recently, with Carrie and Tessa, about the teenage years, teenagers don't really tell their feelings to adults, only peers their age until they really need to, and when they're adults, they can more or less tell their feelings than before.
She blushed, feeling like she was seen, and she realized that Damien controlled greatly of his instincts, meaning that he had done it for years, and she realized that she kind of liked being attractive yet desired. "I can see that you speak the truth, Damien...Tell me, do you ride horses?".
Damien smiled, "Yes, I do, as I like animals, even before I became a shapeshifter too.", and Diana nodded, "Good. Why don't you say hello to Calista while I prep another horse for you?", gesturing to her horse with a smile, realizing that maybe Damien needs a bit of distraction to calm his instincts/hormones, knowing that in horse riding, there's other scents out there to distract Damien, if she is to have a conversation with him without instincts/hormones in the way.
"Alright...", Damien admitted as she walked off while he started to pet the horse's cheek. "Bet you don't have too much to worry about, Calista...", he sighed. "Some days I feel my life would be easier being full feline all the time...".
Calista nickered, nuzzling into him, and he chuckled, "Okay, okay...I guess you have a point there. Being a panther doesn't help with being tall and getting your itchy spots...", petting and scratching the horse's cheeks and ears and such for a while.
Diana returned with a chuckle, "Calista sure likes you, Damien.", seeing Calista practically pleading with rubs against Damien to show her itchy spots, and Damien smiled, "Guess I'm not scary to her like this.".
"Indeed. Come and meet Willow.", Diana replied as she held into the rein, and Damien gave a few last scratches on Calista before leaving her, and smiled, "Oh, look at you, pretty girl...", offering his hand, and Willow snuffled, nickering as she rubbed her nose against Damien's hand as Calista neighed to her.
Willow seemed to blink, and then bumped her head into Damien gently, burring, and Damien chuckled, petting and rubbing and scratching her itchy spots, and Willow neighed happily, and Diana blinked in surprise, "Huh, Calista and Willow are cousins, a couple generations apart, looks like Willow likes you as well, if Calista told her that you are good.".
Damien smiled, "I told you that I ride horses with mostly no problems. Sometimes they don't want me when I'm upset or hormone annoyed.", and Diana nodded, "I see. Go ahead and take a few minutes to get used to Willow's gait. I'll be there in a moment.".
"Got it.", Damien nodded, taking around the rein around Willow, tying it to her bridle, and patiently and expertly got up into the saddle, and urged Willow into a walk, clicking his tongue, "Let's see how you do, pretty girl, eh? Atta girl, Willow.".
Diana soon joined him upon Calista, smiling lightly, "Looks good, Damien...Are you feeling any intense distractions about me now?", and Damien replied, "No...I think my panther instincts are enjoying more of the outdoor smells now...So...um, when did you start horsewoman riding and sword training?".
Diana replied, "Well, I believe it was perhaps when I was around 3 or 4 years old, and I...", starting their conversation as they rode onwards, not caring about one direction or another, just going where the wind and their horses take them.
And so, that was the start of the four boys' dream walking sessions, getting to know their respective others, and they were firm to keep it all a secret, but it didn't last too long until the end of the first week.
