He’s barely conscious, only just lucid enough to speak, and still they insist on asking the question he wishes they’d avoid, the question of why he helped them on the Floating Continent; and he just about remembers what he had planned to say, and hisses out, “Thought you’d give me a few more gil.”

He’s well enough to stand and fight, now, and when he says he’ll join the party as they head on to the next battle, he sees their feigned looks of surprise and hears Sabin say carefully, “Expecting a big fee, huh?”

He’s scrambling upwards, trying to escape the tower before it collapses, and he knows that when he gets out, there will be nothing for him – no easy answer, no explanation – so he makes up his mind; but before he turns back to find a quiet place to curl up and draw his last breaths, he looses the gil purse from his belt, tosses it back down to the others, and says, “Catch.”