ITEMS TO GET: [Jessie Blasta] Emer Jr. Doll, Hero Costume, Yamato Belt, Hercules Ring (x2), Vivid Turban, Speed Shoes, Wizardry Ring, Kijin Sword

   FREE AT LAST! Yes, you're actually in control of your party again! Woohoo! You're now in the Snowfield Hideout, a crashed-down version of Shevat (although it's never exactly clear why Shevat fell). Billy also now inexplicably has a new Gear Option, the Jessie Blasta; don't ask me where that came from.

   Head out of the room you're in and you'll be in the main room of the hideout. The guy right next to you is the Item Shop, and one of the people on the grey platform on the west side (which is the exit, BTW) sells weapons. You probably have accumulated a lot of equipment over the course of Disc 2, though, so be sure to equip all the stuff out of your inventory before you buy anything -- and since the last dungeon is all Gears anyway, you don't really need to buy any weapons at all. Fortunately, there's also a Gear shop (the blue shack) stocked with new parts. Don't upgrade Stier's or Siebzehn's Frames, or anybody's armor, though... you can buy better ones at another location.

   There's plenty of other things to do here as well. If you jump over the bar counter, you can exit south into a forked hallway. The east path leads to the war memorial (big whoop), but the west one will take you to Hans! He'll explain the story of what happened to the Thames, and then the Man of the Sea himself will show up. Aside from getting to see the Captain again, this doesn't really do anything, but if you talk to Kanna, you can play speed against her. The first time you beat her, she'll give you an Emer Jr. Doll. I've also heard that if you can win several games in a row, you can get other (crummier) prizes, but since I don't really like the card game, I didn't take the time to find out ;_;.

   In the main room, you'll find a guy who wants to sell you his birds for 20,000 G. It's a hefty price, but be sure to take him up on his offer -- it will allow you to access the Stepping Stone, which takes you up into the Chu-Chu shop... except the Chu-Chus aren't there, 'cuz they're dead! HA HA HA HA!! Er, anyway, search all three tables and the shelves upstairs for a whole range of loot, including the ever-popular Speed Shoes.

   The northeast door in the main room leads to a snow-filled hall. The southeast door here takes you to a room with Midori and Dan. Talk to them for a few "scenes" -- also, if you picked up Midori's Ring WAAAY back at the start of the game, Midori will give you a Hercules Ring in exchange. Then go back out into the snow-filled hallway and take the stairs up in the northwest. You'll be outside at what used to be the palace tower. Go up to the top and talk to Zephyr for some more scenes about Ramsus (and, no, you can't get him in your party).

   Finally, go north into the cave behind the Gear Shop and drop down the hole. You'll be down in the Gear hangar; go talk to the guy at the far left end of the area and he will upgrade Fenrir's Kijin Sword into the even stronger Kishin Sword (note that you must have the Kijin Sword unequipped for him to do this).

   Leave the Snowfield Hideout and board the Yggdrasil. Go talk to Margie and she'll say that she hasn't seen Chu-Chu around. Head down to the Gear Dock to find her; she's where Vierge used to be. After talking to her, go up to the bridge and talk to Sigurd to take off.

   You're now ready to go to the final dungeon (Merkava), but there's a few minor sidequests you can do at various spots around the world that you'll probably want to take care of first. BTW, you'll probably notice right away that, aside from Kislev, all the locations from Disc 1 are inaccessible (well, you can get into Blackmoon Forest and the Mountain Path, but there's nothing there). You can revisit the Anima Dungeons, though, but they have nothing of interest.