Vegeta had, indeed, sent a sweeper team through the arena. Ten times. They'd not found the cause of the power drain but they had found the source. A small point near the back of the generator room was giving off odd readings while the systems were off, and resonated with the generator while it was on, sapping the power from it. In the end it was determined to be some odd natural phenomenon, one that interested Bulma but wasn't particularly dangerous.
A portable generator was brought in and hooked up to the primary systems and the barrier systems were linked in to the generator that normally ran the primary systems. It was a patchwork job but it'd hold for now. They'd have to either find a way to get rid of the phenomenon or work around it after the tournament end. The fighters spent the rest of the time before the tournament resting up and relaxing. Especially those with challenging first rounds.
Now it was May 7th, the day of the tournament. Everyone was gathered at the arena now, the sun just rising over the horizon. It was just shy of six in the morning and there were already close to a thousand spectators milling about, not counting the eight hundred stadium personnel. Among them were most of the participating fighters who were currently gathered in the competitors area.
The first matches didn't start for two hours yet but they had to be there early to get ready. Raditz stood with Tien but was busy scanning the crowd of people looking for the fighter who'd entered under the Tatamo name. He recognized most of the Sai-jins present. In fact, aside from two of them, they were all friends, family, or royalty. Unfortunately, since he didn't know what Niono look like he couldn't really tell which of the two unknown Sai-jins was the supposed Tatamo.
Still, he looked both of them over and sensed out their strengths in an attempt to figure out who was who. The one was a large man, nearly eight foot tall and very much looking like a living tank. Few Sai-jins ever really got that large or muscle bound, but this guy was massive. He figured the guy's fists were about the same size as, if not large than, Videl's head. And he doubted any of the children save Sakura would reach as high as his waist.
He wore a black body suit with white boots and gloves and his tail wrapped about his waist. That was one of the restrictions for the tournament, battle armors were not allowed. Thus why he himself was in just his body suit, boots, and gloves, just like Toma and the rest. The large Sai-jin had some really wild and spiky hair as well that added at least another foot and a half to his height. It looked almost like he'd stuck his fingers in a light socket.
The other unknown Sai-jin was quite the contrast. He was short, maybe five foot even, putting him an inch taller than Vegeta. Well, minus the royal's hair. He was toned but still trim, though his muscles were extremely defined and looked like they packed far more power than their size should allow. His hair was like a shorter version of Raditz's own hair, going only just below his shoulder blades instead of well down his back. There were also a few spikes jutting out this way and that making it look almost like a mix of his hair and his father's or brother's.
His outfit was what really caught Raditz's eye, however. While the man appeared to be thirty at the oldest his clothes were of a much older style, a style that hadn't been worn since before the Sai-jin and Changeling empires had first encountered each other. The top was made of animal fur, in this case the brown fur of probably a large Borenath. It was a basic garment, just a simple tunic like top. The pants were made of blue-gray animal skin, by looks of it the hide of a Dalaphane, an aquatic native of the planet's oceans.
Neither Sai-jin was as powerful as him. The large one was the stronger of the two. Somewhere around a hundred thousand he'd estimate. The other was probably around thirty thousand. /Hmph. Just like I thought, someone's too over confident for their own good. Still, I wonder which one's which?/
Hearing the doors behind him hiss open he turned to look and saw the last of the fighters enter the room. Namely, Gohan, Piccolo, Videl, and Goten. "I was starting to think you'd miss the tournament." he said grinning.
"Not a chance." Videl replied. "I've still got to kick Gohan's butt." she joked.
While the Sai-jins held their conversation Piccolo narrowed his eyes. He felt a presence in the room that seemed somehow... familiar. His eyes scanned the room for a moment and then came to rest on one of the other fighters. The short Sai-jin Raditz had just been scrutinizing. /What is this feeling?/ Piccolo wondered. /Why does something about his Ki seem so familiar?/
The Sai-jin suddenly turned to look toward the group, his eyes momentarily meeting Piccolo's. He held his gaze for a moment and then smiled faintly and nodded to him before moving his gaze toward the others. Spying Gohan his smile grew and he made his way over to them. Piccolo followed him and, after he'd drawn a bit closer, so did Raditz upon noticing him nearing.
"Hello there. You're Gohan, aren't you?" he asked, looking at the teen as he reached the group.
"Huh? Oh, yes, I am." Gohan replied, noticing the man for the first time.
"It's a shame we are so far apart in the tournament." the Sai-jin said. "I was looking forward to fighting you. Now it seems I may not get the opportunity. I do look forward to seeing what you are capable of though, Gohan."
"Uh, thanks." Gohan said, scratching the back of his head.
"Gohan's going to win!" Goten cheered. "I'm going to try my best but no one can beat Gohan!"
The man smiled down at the child. "Well, we shall see." he said. "Well, I'll see you in the ring then." he said after a moment, bowing lightly, and then walking away from them.
"So, who was that?" Videl asked, looking over to Raditz.
"No idea. I've not seen him before." he said. "But I'd say, based on the fact he seemed to be suggesting he might take the tournament, and that he wants to fight Gohan, that he's the one using the name Tatamo."
"Did you say Tatamo?" Vadora asked walking over to the group with Mango, Tangerie, and Toma. "I'd heard someone was using his name. You think he's the one?"
"Has to be." Toma said. "That large tank over there is Niono. So that other guy is the only unknown Sai-jin here."
"What do you mean by using the name?" Videl asked, confused.
"No Sai-jin is given the name Tatamo these days." Mango said simply. "It was the name of a hero among the Sai-jin people about ten thousand years ago, that was the last time it was used."
Piccolo pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes a little further. "Hmmm, I wonder."
"Piccolo?" Gohan asked.
The Namek shook his head. "It's not that important. But... I do think I'll go speak with him a moment."
"What's with him?" Tangerie asked as Piccolo walked off.
Gohan shook his head. "I don't know. I guess he senses something that's got him curious." he replied.
Piccolo followed the Sai-jin across the large room to where the refreshment table was set up. By the time the Namek reached him the Sai-jin was filling a plate with food. "So, Tatamo, is it?" Piccolo asked, stopping behind him.
"That's the name I was born with." he said, not looking back. There was a moment of silence as he looked over the food. Finally he picked up a few pieces of meat and placed them on his plate. "I take it you recognize my aura?"
"Should I?" Piccolo asked.
The Sai-jin paused for a moment and then looked back at him. "Come now, Namek, you used to be a Guardian. Though I find it odd you left your position..."
Piccolo's eyes widened. "Wait, you're...?"
He nodded once. "Don't mention it, though." he said, turning back to his food. "I want to see what the current generation is capable of, don't want knowledge of my position affecting things."
"Is that why you're here?" he asked. "You could have observed from above."
"I spoke with a friend of mine." he said after a moment. "About three months ago she paid me a visit, told me about you guys. She thought I might be interested, and she was right. Observing is fine, but it's been some time since I've had company, or a good fight. I am a Sai-jin, after all."
Piccolo smirked a bit. He had a point with that. "So, have you been Guardian here for the last ten thousand years?" Piccolo asked.
"No." Tatamo replied. "I spent time... elsewhere, for a while." he said. "I didn't take the post until around five hundred years ago."
"That's still quite a while."
Tatamo shrugged. "What about you? I've never heard of someone giving up their post."
"I wasn't the Guardian." Piccolo said. "Not exactly. My other half was."
"Ah, Namekian Fusion." Tatamo said, nodding in understanding. "You're one of the ones I'm looking forward to seeing fight." he said after a moment. "Azura says you're quite the skilled warrior."
"Azura?!" Piccolo asked, a bit shocked.
Tatamo nodded as he started eating. "She would be the friend that mentioned all of you." he said. "Well, if you'll excuse me, it's been a while since I've had food like this." he said walking off.
Piccolo watched him go and shook his head. This was looking like it would be another interesting tournament. His life had been full of those so far so he wasn't particularly surprised this one would be the same.
Elsewhere in the room the children had gathered together to hold a small meeting of their own. Upon seeing the one missing member of their group arrive Cheri went off to get him and so she overheard the conversation between Tatamo and Gohan. Now they were back over with the others. "He could be tough." Cheri insisted. "I mean, what if he is the real Tatamo?"
"That's not possible." Trunks said shaking his head. "He'd be even older than Master Roshi then, and you know what he looks like!"
"Piccolo's old too." Cheri interjected. "What's so much more impossible about him being Tatamo than people being revived from the dead or traveling through time?"
"She's got you there, Trunks." Goten said grinning.
"Whatever. It doesn't matter, we can take him. It's my dad, Gohan, Hotaru, and Videl I'm worried about." Trunks said. "Even grandpa's really strong. I don't know how powerful Gainin and Mijima are but mom told me they were stronger than my dad seven years ago..."
"Well, we've got the advantage of surprise." Cheri said.
"Some of you do." said Sakura, crossing her arms. "I don't, they know what I can do."
"Not everything." her sister said, looking up at her. "Mommy doesn't know you can use the Kinryoku while transformed yet."
Sakura nodded. "True, but that's still not even enough power to beat an untransformed Gohan." she said with a sigh. "And Trunks' Grandpa is even stronger than that. I can't win that match..."
"The best bet for all of us is a fast rush, take them by surprise." Cheri said. "We can win this if we don't let the grown-ups transform."
"Right!" Trunks said with a nod. "That's what we have to do. We've all been preparing for this chance for a while now, they don't know what we can do and that's what's going to let us win!"
"Right!" they all cheered in unison.
Off near the doors out into the Battle Pit Vegeta stood leaning back against the wall, eyes closed, arms crossed. He was keeping his senses trained on the others in the room, all at once, as he evaluated each of them. He knew Gohan would be his main challenge in this tournament.
Though Vegeta's mind was still having trouble accepting that he'd surpassed his own father so much, he'd never expected anyone to be more of a challenge than him, or to be so much stronger than his father that he could beat him as easily as his father could defeat a Third Class Soldier. Of course, had he not reached Super Sai-jin that wouldn't be the case. In that regard his father was still the greatest.
Even after all he'd been through, all the training he'd endured preparing first for Frieza and then for the Androids back on Earth, he was still outclassed by his father while in base. Outclassed enough that he'd not stand a chance. It irked him some, that he'd not become as powerful as his ancestors. Reduced capacity or not, he was still royalty. The King now, in fact. It was one thing he was going to see to correcting when he started to train his son.
By all rights he should have begun Trunks' training already. It should have started as soon as the boy was old enough to throw a punch. But first the Androids and then this Sennari business had put a hold on tradition. Well, this tournament was going to mark the start of a recess in the work he'd been doing over the years. A three month break from campaigning and organizing for the Sennari's formation. He'd take that time to make up for the time lost in Trunks training.
And he'd use this tournament as a means to gauge just how good his son was. He'd seen the young Prince watching him train a few times. He'd also seen him sparring with the other children on more than one occasion, as well as with several of the stronger adults around the palace. Seeing how good Trunks was currently would give him a good idea of just how determined the boy was, and give him an idea of the child's innate ability to learn combat skills.
But first things first. Based on the order listing his most challenging fight before Gohan in the Semi-finals looked as though it would be his first fight, against Hotaru. He wasn't sure how strong she'd become but he doubted he she was anywhere near his power. She'd proven, several times over the years, that she was as tenacious and skilled as any Sai-jin, but there were gulfs that skill and determination couldn't cross.
Still, it had been a while since he'd had a good fight. She'd likely be a decent challenge so long as he didn't use his full Super Sai-jin powers. It'd be a nice workout for him at any rate, and no doubt the crowds would enjoy it too.
He'd watch Gohan's fights closely, see how much power the boy had gained. He knew the boy had trained over the years but didn't know how extensively. He had pushed himself hard as he could but had had trouble getting away from his duties to train. Now he understood why his father's power had held almost steady over the years while he was king. There just wasn't much time for improvement. If it hadn't been for the fact that he could differ royal matters to Bulma he doubted he'd have ever had time to train.
He was interested in the unknown Sai-jin in the room, too. He didn't much appreciate someone using Tatamo's name, but he did know that the fighter had skill. He'd been in one of the tougher prelim blocks and still made it through, apparently without even trying. He'd downed every opponent in just one hit, one of which had had a power greater than three hundred thousand. That meant that he had to be at least four hundred and fifty thousand, at the bare minimum.
It was true, the average Sai-jin power was going up. The number of Sai-jins greater than 100,000 had increased from around six hundred to over thirty-five hundred in the last twenty years. There had already been talk of 're-drawing the lines', so to speak, for the classes. Upping the levels needed to be of a certain class. No doubt they'd be doing that soon, too. If not then they'd run out of Third Class Soldiers in another ten to twenty years, the way things were going now. Still, having such a high ranking Sai-jin that was completely unknown was unusual and warranted monitoring.