Order of Sonic Unleashed 2 segment (and no, I only own Ozzie):
"What's the Frequency, Kenneth?"
"All the Right Friends"
"Everybody Hurts"
"All the Way to Reno"
"Losing My Religion"
"Supernatural Superserious"
"Until the Day is Done"
"Crush with Eyeliner"
"Half a World Away"
"It's the End of the World as We Know It"
"Shiny Happy People"
("Sunset Prism" from Lightning Returns)
Legends speak of a time when Dark Gaia was once benign, when he watched the world alongside his brother in peace. Together, he and Light Gaia oversaw the planet's passage through day and night and life and death. They protected the people and their lands. They insured the balance of both nature and the world.
But the balance shattered when a terrible spell of malicious origin came across Light Gaia, sending the god into eternal sleep and thereby casting the world into shadow. The mortals the two gods watched over had grown jealous of Light Gaia's unparalleled kindness and power over time and so one of them cast the spell in an ill-fated bid to obtain the god's power and then overthrow his dark counterpart, who they secretly reviled and feared.
Dark Gaia, caring nothing for what the mortals thought of him, raged and lamented at the undeserved cruelty brought upon his sibling. He wished to punish the inhabitants of the world for their misdeed, make them feel what he felt. Yet when he looked down at the planet, he saw punishment from his end was unnecessary. Without light, the world had quickly become cold, night had become pitch-black, the stars blocked out, and all plant-life was beginning to fade away.
Dark Gaia was quick to turn away from the pleas of the mortals, who had realized the foolishness of their selfishness too late. He didn't even dare to bat an eye at their suffering.
Until a faint glimmer of light caught the god's eye.
The light revealed itself as a mysterious golden warrior, one who had left his home world to confront the deity of darkness.
"It is too late, golden one," Dark Gaia said, already knowing why the stranger had come. "My brother's light is gone, silenced by your kind, and even I do not have the power to reawaken him."
His words did not deter the warrior. "Is there any way to free him from his sleep?"
"The spell cast upon him can only be broken by stars born from hearts. And thanks to humanity, there lays not a single glimmer left on this world. Humanity...has rendered itself heartless."
"That's not true!" the warrior exclaimed as he pointed to the world below. "Look!"
Dark Gaia did as the warrior wished...and he could not believe his eyes!
Before the two of them, the world shined with millions upon millions of lights that shone like stars against the darkness. The children of the world had felt in their hearts the distress and sadness of both Light Gaia and Dark Gaia and so cast their sympathy and concern as light in an effort to save the two gods from loneliness.
All of this the warrior explained to the deity of darkness, who remained in both awe and shock at the compassion of so many who shone in spite of the absence of his brother's light and warmth. He had misjudged humanity.
Yet the god knew wherever there was light, darkness would always follow. He could not risk himself and his brother falling victim to any future attempts on their lives.
For that reason, he asked the warrior to use the light to instead seal him inside the earth, where his brother slumbered, so that the two brothers would never part again but also never need to fear their powers being abused. Dark Gaia promised that not only would his joining his sibling in slumber internalize their powers within the planet, thus returning light to the people, but also that he would only remain asleep until his brother's spell wore off, a time that would not come for millennia.
The warrior, though sad at the thought of the god resigning his self to such a fate, agreed to this condition and so used the light to seal Dark Gaia away into the planet's core.
But not before the dark deity left the world with a "parting gift."
"I cannot trust the whole of humanity to handle the world unsupervised, warrior. From the depths of my heart, I have born a new race of beings that will help you and anyone else righteous of heart watch over the planet and protect it from the wicked until my and my brother's return."
This race, born of both darkness and earth, emerged from the soil and rock, sentient but well aware of the task placed upon them by their creator. Dark Gaia's essence beat deep inside their hearts, the force linking them to the deepest recesses of their father's mind and soul. Alongside the golden warrior, this race silently vowed to protect and treasure the planet and pass their compassion for nature to the rest of the world for generations to come.
'I was a fool to ever listen to you, Warrior,' Dark Gaia angrily thought as he slumbered beneath the lava.
Why couldn't the golden one let the world go? The people had transgressed; it was only fair they received punishment, and by their own ignorance, no less.
So why...why spare those who would never learn their mistakes?
Idiots: that's all the people of this world were.
Destruction: that's all these people understood.
No wonder why he became part of their world then. So why did so many of them bother to prove otherwise? Were those fools naïve as well or just grossly in denial?
To Dark Gaia, it would've made perfect sense...so why weren't these ones he sensed reacting the way they should—the way others would?
Were they mad?
Were they all suicidal?
Didn't they know how easily he could destroy them? And why were these emotions he sensed from their hearts so...warm? Why were their hearts full of so much concern?
He himself couldn't be the reason. That wouldn't make sense at all. He was a monster, a creature of darkness, a god of destruction. Such things weren't meant to be shown compassion. They deserved to be shown fear, hatred, and rage.
He represented those emotions, after all. How come they failed to understand that? Why couldn't—
All of a sudden, Dark Gaia tensed. His arms and hands tightened around him out of uncertainty, as if he'd just stumbled into unfamiliar territory. 'S-Something's wrong. No, not wrong...different...'
His heart...his heart was beating. By itself, this wouldn't be unusual—if it weren't for the sudden gentle heat filling his body with every passing beat. He shook his head no. How could this be? How could this be possible? He was darkness—darkness, not light! Only one force—one person—could ever make him feel this way.
And yet—
No...Yes...Yes. Yes!
This light in his heart...it was coming from them, these mortals that dared face him with such open hearts! Somehow, they shone altogether with a dazzling radiance that even rivaled that of his brother.
Dazzling...
Did his mind actually conjure up that word by itself? Was this a side-effect of the light brewing inside him?
Dark Gaia tilted his head towards the surface.
Something else struck him as different...something about those mortals...
'Their presence feels so...familiar.'
Only one way to find out...
(Music fades out)
The Sonic Heroes, back to normal and utterly exhausted, were sitting on pins and needles at this point...and considering their current situation that was the understatement of the millennium.
Our heroes had won the battle, both Cretacean and Eggman defeated for good, but this journey wasn't over yet. Almost immediately after the doctor's demise and just before Sonic and his friends could celebrate, True Dark Gaia (Ozzie) faded out from the Gaia Colossus's arms with a rueful smile, instantly causing alarm among everyone. Even Chip couldn't deny his worry at this occurrence.
They all understood what had just happened, the knowledge of this event passed to them by the injured Gabriel just before the Chaotix took him away. Once Ozzie regained his original body, he would also regain his original memories and personality, so there lay the risk that he'd no longer be the same person Sonic and the others knew, much like a robot returning to its factory settings. With this result being inevitable, all they could hope for was that this Dark Gaia was as benevolent as Chip remembered him to be; otherwise they'd be finished for sure. No one had enough energy left to spend on one more fight, not even Shadow.
At last, in a scene Sonic and Chip found all too nostalgic for comfort, an array of large writhing purple tentacles broke the surface of the lava in the distance as a familiar figure emerged soon after in all his serpentine glory. All present tensed the second the dark deity's glowing green (not purple) eyes landed on the Colossus.
Without even a growl, Dark Gaia drifted through the lava and right up to the giant, his spindly yet muscular arms lax at his sides. The Gaia Colossus balled its hands in response to the Sonic Heroes' caution, an action at which Dark Gaia merely raised an eye-ridge before raising a long-clawed hand to set the mortals at ease. To his satisfaction, our heroes heeded the gesture, their calmed emotions reflected in the golem's untightened fists.
Watching Dark Gaia with anxious eyes, Amy still found hard to believe that this beast's true consciousness used to be one of her best friends. She clasped her hands together in prayer for Ozzie. 'If you can hear us, please give us a sign...something, anything to tell us you're still in there.'
For the next few moments, much to the rose's worry, nothing seemed to happen...until Dark Gaia opened his cavernous maw and spoke, his dark velvety voice reverberating everywhere at once, "I'd rather our first encounter not involve fist-a-cuffs, thank you very much."
Everyone, Chip excluded, took a double take at how Dark Gaia sounded almost exactly like an asthma-free Ozzie talking through massive static-free speakers set on surround-sound. Shaking himself out of his stupor, Sonic took the initiative by clearing his throat and stepping forward, despite Dark Gaia being unable to see the action.
"Then I take it ya don't remember who we are." When the towering god narrowed his eyes and cocked his head in confusion, the Blue Blur realized why and rubbed his nose with a chuckle. "Heh, oh right...," he turned his gaze skyward, "Hey Chip, got enough juice left to introduce us?"
"I think so," his unseen friend replied, "Let me see..."
Instantly, the gang found themselves teleported onto the Gaia Colossus's outstretched right-hand, only to find Dark Gaia hovering right in front of and over them, his face intense as he studied them. Tails, Amy, Cream, and Cheese fidgeted under the deep and soul-penetrating stare while their teammates stood their ground.
Like lightning, recognition flashed across Dark Gaia's widening eyes and the god of darkness quickly lowered himself to be as face-to-face as possible. With considerable effort, he worked his toothy mouth in an attempt to force out a word until finally...
"S-S...Sonic..."
("Memories" from Shadow of the Colossus)
Exploded, everything in Dark Gaia's mind exploded with memories thanks to that name: the Talpideans, Cretacean and the betrayal, the eventual rebirth, his family, his grandfather, Uncle Gabriel, the ruination of his home, the cryogenic sleep, living in a fabricated world, meeting Sonic, running away with Gabriel, saving Amy and Cream...
Hard and heavy breaths possessed Dark Gaia, whose scaly chest heaved with emotion, too overwhelmed to speak properly let alone think. He would've looked away and hid himself beneath the lava in shame if Cream hadn't boldly spoken up. "It's okay, Ozzie, there's nothing to be ashamed or scared about. We all know it's you."
She could tell her tender words succeeded when Dark Gaia finally released his shoulders and relaxed his tentacles in relief. The corners of his mouth upturned in what his facial features could pass as a smile. Sonic, Amy, Knuckles, Cream, Cheese, and Tails gladly returned the expression, thankful to have Ozzie back in spite of his new appearance.
"If I must intrude," Omega cut in, his yellow eyes full of curiosity, "in what manner did you and the Chihuahua creature dispose of your rival?"
Dark Gaia only had this to say: "Free..."
Omega nodded in understanding, remembering the info that cucumber professor explained to him and Shadow during the rescue mission at Arid Sands.
Rouge, on the other hand, had been preoccupied with spying on the Sonic Team at the time, so before she could question DG on what that meant, Shadow answered instead. "He has the power to not only bind souls but also set them free, just as Professor Pickle said, right? Therefore it stands to reason that Ozzie sent Cretacean into the spirit realm where he belongs."
"With his family," Chip/Colossus added with a smile in his tone.
A moment of silence passed as both Rouge and the Sonic Team paused to take in the words of the Ultimate Lifeform and the light god. Ozzie had done the right thing in showing his rival mercy.
Rumbling cut through everyone's thoughts without warning as the whole area began to shudder violently, causing rocks to come tumbling down and forcing our heroes to pivot around alarm. Looking up, Sonic realized with dread the gradual reclosing of the rocky ceiling. 'Oh man, not again!'
Even worse, this time he'd have to leave behind two friends rather than one and the loss of Chip back then had been painful enough. No way would Sonic—or his friends for that matter—be able to handle losing Ozzie, too.
Cream clung to Cheese as the top continued to close, 'I won't do it! I won't leave my brother or my friend behind. There has to be a way for all of us to leave together!'
As if in answer to the rabbit's prayer, blinding white light suddenly emanated from the Colossus as pitch-black darkness surrounded Dark Gaia and poured out with the same intensity. In seconds, everything before the Sonic Heroes' eyes consisted of either searing white or solid black. Even the floor no longer remained visible.
"Sonic," Tails managed to call out above the roaring din just before the twilight maelstrom consumed them as well, "what's going—"
Then oblivion...
...
We did it.
We really did it.
We're free, brother.
...
We're finally free.
(Music ends)
...
Poke.
...
"Try again."
Poke. Poke. Poke.
Slight stirring but nothing else...
"Mm, maybe you're not doing it hard enough."
Poke. Poke—
Eyes shooting open, Sonic sat up, startled awake with a glare, and slapped away the incriminating thick finger. "H—Hey, cut that"—he froze once he finally took note of the pudgy smirking culprit—"Ozzie?"
"Sonic!"
("No Reason" from Planetary Pieces OST)
A familiar red rascal attached himself to the hedgehog's face in a surprise hug full of joy, one that Sonic returned in baffled yet amazed relief. The Azure Wind then pulled the little fairy off of his face and set him on the ground. A sweeping glance indicated to the hedgehog that he'd landed on the same windmill island as from the start of his last world adventure. And when that glance ended at Sonic's left side, his eyes landed back on the twins that defied fate.
"Chip...Ozzie...how did you guys—"
"Remember the sleeping spell I'd been put under, the one from the legend Professor Pickle told us?" Chip chirped, bouncing up and down in the air with barely contained excitement, "Well, Cretacean kept reviving it after he took my brother's body so I'd stay out of the way as much as possible, but once Ozzie and I beat him, we broke the spell!"
Sonic didn't need long to understand Chip's rushed speaking. His quick-to-return smirk and thumbs-up said everything. "Then...that means you guys are finally free! Congratulations!"
Chip nodded with a beam at the gesture, "We wouldn't have gotten the chance to make it happen without your and the others' help, Sonic. Thank you."
Ozzie nodded in kind, a grateful grin on his muzzle.
Sonic returned the expression in kind until he noticed an important detail. He scanned his eyes across the area again. "Hang on a sec. Where are the others?"
"No worries...all safe," the mole clapped an assuring hand to his friend's slender shoulder, switching the hedgehog's focus to him, "all nearby."
The Blue Blur smiled in relief.
A sliver of gleam soon caught their eyes and brought their attention to the horizon, where the first rays of the sun could be seen lighting up the departing darkness. As the waves echoed their melodies against the shoreline, the three friends all stared off into the distant sky to admire the colorful display, made only more breathtaking by the wandering clouds.
Ozzie closed his eyes to breath in the salty ocean air and listened carefully to the cawing of approaching seagulls as he removed his hand from his friend's shoulder. 'So this is what freedom truly feels like,' he mused in reverence, 'No wonder you love it so much, Sonic.'
Speaking of Sonic, the cerulean speedster turned his eyes skyward as if in search of an answer before settling them on his friends, "So what are you guys gonna do now?"
'Good question,' the Gaia brothers simultaneously mused as they shared a look of curiosity. Ozzie spoke on behalf of both of them once he turned to Sonic with a shrug of his shoulders. "Move on."
"There's still so much of our world we haven't seen yet, Sonic," Chip added as he returned his gaze to the sun, the light casting shadows that made his serene expression solemn, "Even knowing what I do now about it, I wanna get to know the good on this planet; I wanna better understand what makes people like you and Ozzie heroes."
"Tch, like you're not a hero already? Anyway, if that's what ya want, Chip, then I say go for it," Sonic grinned, "You and Oz are your own masters now; you guys don't need some prophecy ta tell ya what ta do anymore. Just make sure ta check up on the gang every now and then, though...especially Amy"—he paused to pointedly smirk at his Talpidean friend—"Ya know how she gets."
Eyes rolling, Ozzie lay back on the grass and folded his hands behind his head, returning the smirk. 'Oh, I know all too well, my friend...Still, though, Sonic hit the nail right on head,' Ozzie admitted to himself, 'we're honest-to-God free. It's been so long since I've felt like this...it's overwhelming, to say the least. I'm not sure what I should do first.'
And yet as Sonic's quip lingered in his mind, Ozzie found himself blushing a little even as the blossoming warmth of the morning sun lulled him to well-deserved sleep.
'Then again...seeing Amy doesn't sound too bad of a first thing to do...'
Wow, this one took a while, but that's the price an author has to pay to make good writing. And so we reach the concluding segment to the Sonic Unleashed 2 section of this series! Hope you all enjoyed the journey! Oh, and be sure to check out the Planetary Pieces OST for Sonic Unleashed; it is gorgeous!