Starting in Central City

Iris wasn't going to do it naked again, she told herself. She still vividly remembered her last jaunt through the mirror version of the city. The awareness of the air against her skin with every step, the streets she was so used to seeing filled with people all around her; she didn't want to have those same associations again.

Though as far as ways out went, other Labs probably would be their best bet for escaping the Mirrorverse.

Iris hugged her shirt back to her chest, cheeks warming, and looked over to Eva. She was used to how Eva stared by now; the scientist's social skills weren't the best after years of isolation.

"Wouldn't mind checking out Mercury Labs first," Iris said. Hopefully they wouldn't need to trek all the way to Star City. "Just give me a minute."

Eva cocked her head, curiously. Iris quickly backed out of the lab to the relative privacy of the hallway and untangled her top.

Well, top was perhaps a generous description now. After the tear had completed its journey up her side, it was just a glorified sheet; still, it could do its job vaguely well. She draped it over her front, and looped the trailing arms back around her neck, blindly tying a knot until it felt fairly secure. It wasn't the best, but the bib was at least theoretically decent. Hopefully it would mitigate her nerves at least.

Still, she looked doubtfully down at her pants. They weren't in much better shape; while most of her legs were covered, the hole had spread around the crotch to the point that her inner thighs were bare, and if she wasn't keeping her legs pressed together she was certain a much more intimidate spot would be visible. Her butt was hardly particularly well-covered either; she could feel the frayed edges of the hole if she reached back, more than a hint of her cheeks sneaking out.

Well, if she was committed to improvizing... Iris bit her lip, looked around the hallway, and slid the jeans down her legs. She stepped out of them, then lifted them up by one leg, trying to work out what best to do.

She looped it around her waist, the top of her pants where it was wide dangling back over her ass, while the legs went around the front; she tied a knot tightly there, and did what she could to have them go down between her legs as well. They covered much less skin like this, everything from mid-thigh down completely bare, but they at least did a better job of hiding the important stuff.

It was just a bikini, Iris told herself. In fact it was bulky as far as bikinis went - sure, it was shoddy, obviously thrown-together, but she'd been to the beach before. She didn't need to be so flustered in a bikini.

Okay, she'd never worn one while parading through the streets of Central City, but even so.

Doubtfully, she walked back into the lab. Eva quirked an eyebrow.

"You know, just going nude is much easier," Eva said.

"I know," Iris said. Her voice came out squeakier than she meant. "Just let me have this, okay?"

She was almost as embarrassed as if she had walked out in front of Eva naked. At least it was a different kind of embarrassment though. Sure, Eva had seen her naked before, but that didn't mean Iris wanted to make it a regular thing.

Eva sighed. She seemed almost disappointed.

"Let's go, then," Eva said. She scratched her arm. "Mercury Labs isn't far."

Unsurprisingly, the city outside hadn't changed. The same blue sky, the same buildings, the same streets devoid of cars and wide open. Iris took a tentative step outside. The sidewalk was a little warm to walk on in bare feet, but bearable enough.

Eva strode ahead with none of the hesitation of Iris, inhaling deeply of the fresh air.

"Do you want to go for a dip again?" Eva said. Iris's face warmed, remembering the last time.

"Let's just focus on getting out of this dimension," Iris said.

"If you insist," Eva said.

Iris was a few steps behind her. She did her best to keep her eyes focused on the back of Eva's head, her wild hair, and maybe her bare shoulder-blades. Definitely no lower. Iris swallowed.

Mercury Labs wasn't exactly as Iris remembered it. Then again, the mirror dimension had always been a bit weird with how it reflected the real world; they approached the front door. Iris jumped as Eva threw a rock through the glass front door.

"Eva!" Iris said.

"Buildings like this are usually locked," Eva said. "But it doesn't matter - it's not like there are any security guards. It's the only way in."

"Right," Iris said. "Sorry, this place still feels too real to me."

"I remember," Eva said. She grimaced as she reached through the broken glass to open the door. "You do get used to it. Start living by different rules, and you adjust."

"Are you trying to get me naked again?" Iris said.

Eva flushed. Iris suddenly realized how that particular phrasing sounded, and stammered for a moment.

"Er. I mean. Let's just look for the tech we need," Iris said.

She followed Eva into Mercury Labs.

On one hand, it was a relief to be in the relative shelter of a building again. The fact it was unfamiliar to her was something of a mixed blessing; she wasn't imagining people around every corner now, but she couldn't entirely relax in somewhere she'd barely been to.

Her shirt-turned-bib drifted a little as she walked. Quickly, Iris adjusted it, doing what she could to keep it level.

"Do you know where we're going?" Iris said.

"If they have dimension related technology here, it'll be this way," Eva said. "I assisted here for a few years, it hasn't changed that much."

The interior was bland, if a little more open than Iris would have hoped for; there were windows in even the internal walls, looking in on empty rooms and research areas. Thankfully there was still no sign of any other denizens of this mirror dimension.

She adjusted her pants, not sure if it was her imagination or if the knots holding them up were loosening. At least if she didn't look down she could pretend they were more decent than they were, rather than being confronted with the reality of how much of her butt could be seen around the draped pants.

Eva looked back over her shoulder every couple of steps. Iris nodded in acknowledgement, not sure why Eva thought she wouldn't be following. Where else was she meant to go?

Eventually they made it to a room filled with machinery, most of which beyond Iris's understanding. In one corner was an archway, and down another wall were banks of large blocks. Nothing was lit up, nor turned on, but it certainly looked important.

"Anything?" Iris said.

"It's a long shot," Eva said. "Mercury Labs never did much in this field. Maybe..."

Eva walked over to the archway, frowning for a moment, peering behind it. She fiddled with something. Iris waited by the door to the room, patient.

Maybe it was too much to hope for. Eva probably had been through these Labs before, years ago when she first arrived. There was no harm in double-checking though, and nothing else for them to do.

Eva groaned, running her hand back through her hair in a pointless gesture of frustration. She shook her head.

"Nothing. Shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Of course it was nothing," Eva said. "Proprietary technology, not compatible with anything else, and everything here doesn't do what we need it to. No chance."

"You're sure?" Iris said.

"Of course I'm sure," Eva said. Her voice came out faster, snapping in a break in composure, before her expression softened. "Sorry. Not mad at you. I didn't think I had much hope left to lose."

It was hard to ever be mad at Eva. Solitude had clearly taken its toll, but Iris could see a good person there. Quietly, she took a step closer - and it only took that step for the unsteady knot holding her pants up to give way and for them to fall down to the floor. She stumbled for a moment over them, then gasped, and moved her hands back from an entreating gesture towards Eva to instead cover up.

Eva's frustration was replaced with an amused smirk.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," Eva said, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't remind me," Iris mumbled.

She stood there for a moment, one hand over her core, and the other stretched vainly over her butt, trying to work out how best to act. Eventually she settled for unsteadily crouching, and snatching up her pants with her backmost hand, hastily wrapping them around herself again. Hopefully she could make this next knot hold for longer.

"Feel up to a hike to Starling?" Eva said.

Iris hesitated.

"Queen Consolidated has a better shot at having technology we can actually integrate," Eva said. "There's nice scenery on the way."

"Um," Iris said.

Her pants had already fallen down here. The idea of a long, outdoor walk like this was... well it was more than a little embarrassing.

Then again, the chances of them getting out if she stayed in Central City was basically nothing. Better to do it when she at least had this little to wear.

Iris sighed.

"Sure. Let's try it," Iris said. "Er, first, can we look at the real world? In case it looks like Barry might have started looking for us, we might want to be nearby."

Something flickered across Eva's face, but she shrugged - she went to the window in the wall and waved her hand over it. Apparently it was reflective enough for her to use her powers to display STAR Labs.

Everyone was still there, including the duplicate Iris. Even fully dressed, she seemed remarkably skittish - she'd ended up naked herself more than a few times. Still, she didn't seem to have been affected by the real Iris's state of undress, if that was somehow what was causing it.

Iris shook her head. No point tormenting herself worrying about it. Eva knew how this dimensions worked more than she did.

"They haven't even noticed that's not me," Iris said. She sighed. "Fine. Central City it is."