Rebirth of the Beyonders Ch. 03

"You're kidding," Joker said.

"Not really, look," Shepard said and she closed her eyes, her chest glowed and the dress lifted up slightly as her breasts swelled up eventually they stopped and Shepard opened her eyes the glow fading she then grabbed them and hefted them up. Joker and EDI were speechless then Joker leaned in whispering.

"Hey Commander I have a birthday coming up soon and I was wondering..." Joker began.

"Joker," Shepard said Joker leaned back shrugging.

"What it's a simple request and it probably wouldn't be too hard for you." Joker said.

"Jeff," EDI said giving him a look.

"Fine, fine deprive me!" Joker said exasperated.

"It's not that I can't do it, it's that... do you still have your disease?" Shepard asked.

"Ahhh yeaaaaahh..." Joker droned out.

"Unless you cure it or have something done abo-" Shepard stopped a thought suddenly occurring to her. "Joker, stay there and don't move I have an idea," Shepard said, Joker raised an eyebrow as Shepard stood up then walked to him she put a hand on his chest and closed her eyes. She concentrated and her command came to her. 'Cure!' she thought and her whole body glowed blue and Joker's data markings pulsed brightly as Shepard began to remove the disease from his body and transfer it to her. As she did this she also reconstituted his bones filling them. Now no longer hollow Joker had full functioning bone structure which meant he could walk, run, hit, lift, and do whatever a normal being could. Shepard stopped glowing her body now a slight red color she removed her hands and looked at Joker who blinked.

"You ok Commander?" Joker said, Shepard blinked her vision blurry and hazy.

"Yeah... yeah I'm... ugh..." She suddenly fell to the floor her body now suddenly flickering and her body every now and then turning to energy then back to physical.

"SHEPARD!" Joker shouted and he got up suddenly expecting to hear the groan of his bones but he heard nothing. He however didn't have time to wonder as he tried to touch Shepard only to withdraw his hand as the energy sparked at his touch. However Liara and Samara were there both looking at Shepard worried.

"What happened?" Liara demanded.

"I don't know all of sudden she was doing something to me when she was done she fainted and got like this." Joker said.

"Whatever it was it seemed to cause a lot of stress on her body," EDI said looking at Shepard calmly.

"What should we do?" Liara asked.

"Leave her," Samara answered.

"What you crazy we gotta help!" Joker said.

"We don't know what is going on with her, this new body of hers she has been learning bit by bit perhaps this is another lesson she is learning. What was she doing exactly?" Samara asked.

"Don't know she mentioned that I had to get rid of my Vrolik syndrome next thing I know she's on me and glowing like a light bulb." Joker said.

"I see... I suppose that what happened is obvious now." Samara said, they all turned to her. "She cured your Vrolik syndrome. How she did it though I do not know but she must have the disease now and is battling against it. We must therefore do nothing," Samara concluded.

"...You're right... but at least let's watch her to make sure that she is at least stable." Liara said.

"Indeed Joker-" Samara started.

"Don't even need to ask." The wise cracking pilot said his gaze fixed on Shepard's flickering form.

-Shepard-

Shepard was once again the forest, but now it wasn't black and charred it was alive. But it wasn't a normal forest it had strange tendrils going from tree to tree. Each tree was covered with large pulsating sacs, then one of the sacs bust open and from it a man fell. No it wasn't a man, it looked like a man the thing stood up, it had long ears that pointed upward and it had glowing silver eyes where a slight slit of a pupil could be seen.

Its body also glowed however unlike Shepard's green this creature glowed a blood red. It also had a fin on its head that curved back and down with glowing nodes along the bottom of the fin. The creature turned its eyes to Shepard, it hissed and its arm suddenly began to bulge then it expanded rapidly. It's arm then stopped it was now as big as a gorillas and it started advance on her and it held up its large arm swinging it at Shepard who ducked the attack she quickly countered with swift punches to the chest and a final one to the head. The creature's head exploded into blood and guts and fell to the ground surprising Shepard.

Shepard looked as the body then began to change becoming human and a ball of energy left it then vanished completely. She tried to perceive what she saw when all of a sudden she heard a scream she turned to see Jack running through the woods behind her were the energy balls. Shepard was about to run when a grunt was heard she turned to see Joker gun out shooting at more energy balls. The shots going through the balls then one of the energy balls slammed into Joker and entered him. He gasped and grunted and grabbed his head struggling.

Shepard turned to Jack to see the energy had done the same to her. She watched as their bodies began to change. Joker's clothes ripping off as he became bigger and muscular. Jacks' chest was growing swelling up like a freakish balloon. She then watched as Jack and Joker turned to each other a hungry look in their eyes then...

-Reality-

Shepard opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling from Liara's bed. She was about to move when she heard voices. "Well EDI, looks like next time you can be on top, and also take a break next time on the Normandy I'll do the heavy lifting," Was the voice of Joker.

"While I am pleased with your bones no longer being hollow I think you will need to have your muscles constituted before you can do heavy or tasking work." EDI said.

"Yeah go pop my balloon why don'tcha?" Joker said, "Besides we can ask Shepard to get me some guns," Joker said, Jane decided to sit up at this. She looked at the two who were leaning over a table EDI grasping Joker's hand gently they turned their heads to her.

"Shepard you are conscious?" EDI asked.

"Yeah what happened?" Shepard asked.

"We cannot give a good explanation but the closest thing we can say is that you infected yourself with the Vrolik Syndrome by taking it out of Jeff and putting it inside you." EDI said, she activated her omni-tool calling up the recording program. She hit play and a screen appeared.

-Video-

"Something's not right it's been 2 days since she fell unconscious." Liara said, "EDI can you scan Shepard's body?" Liara asked.

"What for?" Joker asked.

"Just please..." Liara said looking close to tears, EDI activated her omin-tool an linked it's functions with hers she scanned the body.

"Something 'is' wrong but... this shouldn't be possible." EDI said.

"What?" Liara said now near EDI.

"Shepard... Shepard has Vrolik Syndrome." EDI said there was silence.

"No way, that's not possible it's a genetic disease!" Joker said.

"It explains why you are able to move more easily Jeff, Shepard somehow took your Vrolik syndrome and put it in her own body." EDI said.

"This must be another one of her powers," Samara guessed, "Her powers aren't limited to physical alterations but chemical as well. I'm sure she could readjust the physical workings of anything alive."

-End of Video-

"Wow... anyway we can talk later we got stuff to do." Shepard said grabbing the sheets and pulling them off. She quickly realized she wasn't wearing anything. "Joker!" Shepard said angrily.

"Hey it's not my fault your clothes kinda... fell off and you only became solid yesterday the others got you in here!" Joker said holding his arms up.

"Jeff speaks the truth." EDI defended.

"I believe you guys but we got more important matters, we gotta get the others." Shepard said.

"Others?" Joker asked.

"Miranda, Tali, Grunt, Wrex, Garrus everybody they're in danger." Shepard said.

"From what?" Joker asked as Shepard got out of the bed and seeing her clothes began to put them on.

"From what I am based on," Shepard said, and she headed out of the bedroom to Liara and Samara they both heard and turned to her.

"Shepard!" Liara said, relief in her voice she hugged Shepard who didn't return the gesture Liara pulled away. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"The others are in danger we have to find them before... they do!" Shepard said.

"The threat you mentioned?" Samara asked.

"Yeah they're on the move; they'll target those close to me... I don't know what for but... I can't let them be harmed because of me," Shepard said.

"Shepard," Samara placed a comforting hand on Shepards shoulder. "Shepard... you need not find them tell them you are back and they will ready themselves you know this," Samara said.

"As much as I would like I can't take that chance. We also need to meet with the council so we can tell them what's going on," Shepard said, the two asari looked at their commander then they nodded.

"Very well Shepard," Samara said and she went to get EDI and Joker to get the Normandy ready Liara looked at Shepard, worry on her face.

"Shepard... I know you wish for the best for everyone but that doesn't mean you can deny yourself happiness as well," She said, she kissed Shepard on the cheek and went off to message the council. Shepard stood there then she sighed and she looked at her hand.

"I don't know anymore... I fought to protect the people I loved and cared for only to put them in danger again." Shepard walked and came to the balcony where Asari were fixing their homes. She watched them silently then the sound of a Reaper horn was heard from the sky came a familiar Reaper that Shepard once fought to destroy. "Harbinger!"