"I never said it was," he says, puzzled. "I couldn't tell, that was the thing. Never seen - that, before."

That being purposefully vague. Maybe he can hold off on the Ascended explanation unless it's more necessary. Not that there's any point in hiding it, but it would add a fresh layer of complication to an already confused exchange.

Though that gives him a good segue to his actual point. "What was it?"