Mostly ignoring Destiny, Iván continued to eat his curry in silence, spoonful by spoonful. Yum. Rice and spicy sauce, who could ask for more? Still, the growing sense that something was wrong continued to nag at Iván Carl, definitely Iván Carl, Iván maybe-changing-his-name-soon Carl. Why did he feel this way? Could this be some of Jasper's curry? He thought he'd told the guy to put on a shirt already, and to stop putting weird mushrooms in customers' food. He wasn't scat singing (yet) though, so he didn't think that was it.
"Sure, I guess. We'll call it Destiny Curry," he said after a moment. Then he wondered why he'd said that. Would he normally offer to name one of his curry dishes after a mere acquaintance, even one who'd faithfully accompanied him on the journey through the hellish Spire? He might need the woman on his side if he ever wanted to go back.
And he did. He must, he must, he must. Iván took another bite of curry and chewed it, swallowing.
"Needs Ant Juice."
Still feeling like this pleasant evening scenario was way too normal, Iván looked around. It was a pretty fancy place, even fancier than the Fancy Pepper. Man, they should have asked the Curry House to cater if the Speed Dating was going to be having food.
"Want to see my real face? I have one," he said unexpectedly, struck by a sudden, inexplicable, and completely irrational desire to take off his stinky Snow-Quilled-Guardian mask. He wasn't sure why this idea suddenly occurred to him (or with Destiny, specifically) but it was definitely happening now!
Compelled by forces beyond his control, Iván Carl took off his mask, and then his goggles, and then peeled back the skin-tight body suit under that, and then the face paint, and then his mascara. He hadn't known he was wearing any of that until now, but apparently he was. Maybe he'd dressed up for Speed Dating? He didn't remember putting any of that on but anyway, as he peeled off the last layer of his false eyelashes and revealed his
TRUE FACE (#nofilter) at last, Iván felt...
...Well, confused, mostly.
@Iván Carl