Rainbow Road [Super Mario Bros.]

31

Dash gave them a police escort to the Cosmic Sunrise Hotel, which was lucky, because traffic was pretty ugly in this part of the space metropolis -- they passed by gluts of backed up traffic four lanes deep on the tubeway, and it all reminded Luigi of the congestion of New Donk City.

Plus, while taking the tube, they got a truly awesome opening view of the Hotel: dome-shaped, sparkling, and with a glass, crown-shaped facade, the coliseum-sized hotel seemed to swallow the packed city center like a man-made sun, reflecting the kaleidoscope of city colors beaming down from nearby skyscrapers and neon signs. It stood colossal over a web of interconnecting free- and tubeways, and as their carriage slipped down the tracks to join the traffic, they briefly entered a dark tunnel filled with speeding cars, spaceships, and tubes racing in all directions.

Even up: the navigation computer had them switch tracks, and abruptly they joined a train of other tube carriages sliding along a railway taking them into the ceiling of the tunnel. There was a strange moment where the track pulled them straight up at a ninety-degree angle, and then they leveled out and swept into one of several tunnels.

Eventually, they slowed and then stopped: the doors opened, and they stepped out. They were in what appeared to be a subway station, except not nearly as grimy or dark: the ceiling sparkled with chandeliers, the floor was wood, and there were Shy Guys in suits walking around, pulling totes of baggage and speaking into radios. One appeared as Mario and Luigi disembarked.

"Reservation?" he asked.

"Mario and Luigi," Mario said. "We're here for the Rainbow Walkers' celebration."

The Shy Guy eyed a pad on his clipboard: it appeared that even if you were the Mario Bros, you couldn't step foot into the Cosmic Sunrise Hotel without an RSVP. "I'll escort you to the ballroom," he said eventually.

"Have fun," Dash called -- he hadn't climbed out with them. "I'm heading back toooooooooo the statiooooooooooooon. Paperwooooooooork. Doooooooooon't wooooooooorry, Luigi, I'll make sure Nabbit stays loooooooooooocked up this time!"

The carriage closed and took off into the darkness -- a moment later, another pulled up to the station drop-off, carrying a family of Koopas.

"Let's head up," Mario said.

They followed the Shy Guy across a small sitting area, complete with a coffee stand, chairs, and an ATM machine. On the far wall was a sign pointing up that said "Lobby", along with a set of stairs, and they went up. At the top of the steps was a wide doorway, and the stone of the steps changed to colored linoleum. Luigi tilted his head, trying to decipher the pattern of the swaths of oranges and reds and dark blues sweeping outward from beneath his feet, but it wasn't until they were halfway across the room that he realized he was walking across the sun.

The floor of the Hotel was one giant painting, a painstakingly-crafted star starting in the middle of the floor and then radiating outward in expanses of red and orange set against a black background -- outer space, twinking with white and blue stars, just like right outside. As Luigi's eyes went from the floor to the walls, he was astonished to find that the painting continued to the ceiling, just like in an ancient cathedral: up here, glowing in swarming skylights, were the rest of the planets, even Pluto, arrayed in a long line all the way across the ceiling. Luigi craned his neck, struggling to take it all in.

"Watch out!" Mario said, catching his shoulder -- Luigi had been so transfixed by the art that he'd nearly run into an employee, a Yoshi pulling along a large cart of freshly-washed sheets. "I know, it's pretty amazing, isn't it?" his brother chuckled. "Enough to make you forget where you are!"

They stopped long enough for Luigi to take a picture, and then continued on, walking along one of the floor sun's radiant arms until they reached a pair of large double doors standing open. Beyond was a giant room, mostly dark except for a stage set up in the corner, where a toad and a Birdo were...trying to do what Luigi assumed was karaoke. He wasn't sure the notes coming out of their mouths could be qualified as singing, though. He tapped his brother's shoulder.