"I just was asking," Usopp answered a little defensively, but shifted too, also uncomfortable with his own topic of conversation. Concentrating on the cards was more pleasant, especially with the height he was getting on this deck. It'd really be something when it got knocked over, too.

"Do you think... it's the kind of thing... we should, or somebody should, look into? I mean... look at closer, to figure out... well, they had to come from someone, I mean somewhere! Had to come from somewhere, so..." Sai had suggested it should be investigated, but Usopp was pretty sure his own hope that it'd all turn out to be a very cleverly done fake upon closer inspection wouldn't pan out.

Nami. Zoro. Sanji. The three who had been here before and then disappeared, two of whom had come back. People here were brought back from the dead, like Brook had been, but Brook had flesh on his body too and before Brook hadn't. Where did the doctor get people from? Where did they go when he was tired with them? Usopp stopped what he was doing to shut his eyes and shake his head firmly to try to get the mental image of a skull with a little red hair still attached out of his mind.