"Now as you all know," President Arthurus Janus said, his 'public appearance' a mere hologram of his great figure, "this is a very special day. It is the twenty fifth anniversary of the end of the Great War of Panem. We have been through 154 years since the first Hunger Games, and no matter how hard it is to believe, all 154 years have been lived through by the still living F.B. Higgybottom, the victor of the VERY FIRST Hunger Games, who is present, now!"
The crowds of Panem watched the virtual blue hologram of Janus disappear into blue cubes before fading away and crossfading into the look of the very first victor of the Hunger Games. President Janus had been a big fan of Higgybottom, and Higgybottom's very long life had made Janus jealous. Janus let the still living victors be. There was no problem with them.
"The old Capitol in the days of President Shockmayor was unsuccessful, enemies of the victors, and the Districts. Now, a few leading rebels joined and tried for a new Panem, or like in President Janus' campaign, 'Fight For a New Panem', with a 'Capitol' N!" The audience laughed at the old man's pun.
He continued. "The Districts would be free! But those 25 years of war changed the Capitol's plan for democracy. The Districts still kept their boiling hate and rage for the Capitol and war broke out yet again! The Districts had their chance and they let it slip out of their grasp. During the final five years, much blood was spilled. Through the great tropical island battles, the skirmishes in the frigid glaciers of the North, in North Bay with its forests and fjord, and finally, in the harsh battles of the deserts."
"The Districts sought something so great that even if they gained it, it would be useless; victory. Although they had gained it, it only turned them monstrous. The Capitol rose out of its ashes, still prevailing. The victory that the Districts sought meant nothing!" The old man ended with a cough and frown.
"Thank you, Mr. Higgybottom," Janus' convincing and peaceful tone said as Higgybottom's hologram crossfaded into Janus once again. "So, the Council has decided that for every tenth anniversary, there will be an extra Decennial Doomsday. Instead of a different twist each time, like the Quarter Quell, Decennial Doomsdays have mandatory rules. Mentors will be absent, for one." Janus smirked.
"There will also be a twist, or an extra challenge in the Arena for the tributes every Decennial Doomsday, which will prove extremely risky, yet rewarding. We will reveal this year's little gimmick later." Janus explained, his hologram flickering several times.
A disappointed groan ran through audience. They were dying to know the secret challenge!
"Our Head Gamemaker, Marcus Thunder, assures all of Panem, that many will be given a taste of nostalgia when they see the new Arena and the twists inside of it. I myself have no idea what Thunder is setting up, but I dare bet that it'll be great!"
A roar of approval and applause went through the audience. Janus' handsome and young face smiled through the hologram.
"You all must be begging to know when the Hunger Games start. You also must be asking yourselves if what I said in my interview for the Etiquette Magazine was true. I recall saying that the Games will begin around a month from now. That's not too long of a wait!"
Another roar went through the audience, their multi-colored outfits bringing extreme contrast into the scene.
Janus then suddenly frowned. "I'm sorry to say that back then, I lied."
A groan went through the audience this time, and a look of pure disappointment was filling the face of each and every Hunger Games lover who was watching their president.
"Yes, I'm sorry, I lied." Janus said. "The Games aren't in a month. They're beginning right now!"
"The reapings begin now!" The Capitolites were astonished in pure delight. But they were slightly disappointed as well. They did not book seats at the outdoor cinema or in the park or pay extra fees to the TV company to watch the reapings! They certainly did not expect anything like this, and they had no preparation.
You can imagine their excitement as the real F.B. Higgybottom and President Janus stepped out of nowhere at all, bringing with them a huge TV.