1269_UgliesFreeBook

42 Scott Westerfeld
“It’s weird how that works, isn’t it?” Tally said. “Like
two different people.”
Shay nodded. “Creepy.”
Ugly faces were always asymmetrical; neither half
looked exactly like the other. So the first thing the morpho
software did was take each side of your face and double it,
like holding a mirror right down the middle, creating two
examples of perfect symmetry. Already, both of the symmetrical
Shays looked better than the original.
“So, Shay, which do you think is your good side?”
“Why do I have to be symmetrical? I’d rather have a
face with two different sides.”
Tally groaned. “That’s a sign of childhood stress. No one
wants to look at that.”
“Gee, I wouldn’t want to look stressed,” Shay snorted,
and pointed at the wilder-looking face. “Okay, whatever.
The right one’s better, don’t you think?”
“I hate my right side. I always start with the left.”
“Yeah, well, I happen to like my right side. Looks
tougher.”
“Okay. You’re the boss.”
Tally blinked, and the right-side face filled the screen.
“First, the basics.” The software took over: The eyes
gradually grew, reducing the size of the nose between them,
Shay’s cheekbones moved upward, and her lips became a
tiny bit fuller (they were already almost pretty-sized). Every
blemish disappeared, her skin turning flawlessly smooth.