Michael Townsend

**Michael Townsend** is apart of the Naturals Program. Heis a natural at reading emotions and is one of the teenagers in the natural program. At the beginning of *The Naturals*, he leaves Cassie a note with Agent Briggs' number. He is also known by many for doing stupid rebellious things.

## Natural Skill

Michael is a natural at reading emotions. As a result of his abusive father, Michael has developed the natural ability to sense anger and other emotions in people, based on their facial expressions and body language. He is also a natural at annoying people and just deserves love and affection.

## History

Micheal comes from an incredibly rich family. His skill developed as a result of his father's abusive tendencies. Michael learned his Natural Skill by predicting his fathers' moods so as to avoid the abuse.

As for schooling, Michael blackmailed a principal into expelling him, so that he could be sent to boarding school. He joined the Naturals program after Dean, Lia, and Sloane.

## Books

In Twelve it is revealed that he is training with the other Naturals as a new Intelligence Analyst Trainee (NIAT) to become an agent at the FBI Academy. He enjoys annoying his instructors.

## Personality

"Michael drove like a maniac and had a general disdain for authority." *-Cassie on Michael*

Michael locks away his feelings behind a tight mask and rarely shows his true emotions. Even when he is upset, he tries to brush it off with humor and attempts to not show vulnerability. He has a tendency to throw himself into the path of danger for stupid reasons.

He has a habit of taunting others and trying to rile them up, especially Dean. Dealing with his father taught Michael that it was easier to make someone hit you because then you knew what to expect - which was safer than having others take out their anger on him unexpectedly.

He has an extremely caring side, which is shown by the way he comforts Cassie, and Sloane on many occasions. He has also inherited his father's temper, something that he is extremely conscious of. He has an aggression problem.

## Physical Appearance

Micheal has brown hair and brown eyes. Michael's skin is like marble, but for the bullet scar, pink and puckered where his shoulder met his chest.

## Relationships

Lia

Michael and Lia are in an on-again-off-again relationship. At the start of the Naturals, they are "off." In Bad Blood, they become "on" again. The two care for each other, even though they do not often show it. They are both used to locking away their emotions and understand what it is like to be abused. This draws them to one another, and Lia can relate to him in ways the others can't. But they are considered "bad" for each other because whenever things get hard, they push each other away.

It's implied that this on-off-again relationship continues into adulthood.

Cassie

Michael is immediately drawn to Cassie, therefore causing problems with his relationship with Lia. Initially jealous of her relationship with Dean, he eventually starts to get over his heartbreak. He cares a lot for Cassie and is willing to do almost anything for her. He can read her emotions extremely well, and often helps her figure out how she is feeling. He is a good friend to her and occasionally tries to use his sense of humor to raise her spirits. When Cassie learns about his abusive father, he does show some vulnerability but insists that he does not want Cassie's pity.

Thatcher Townsend (Father)

Michael's father, Thatcher, traded Michael to the FBI in exchange for immunity for white-collar crimes. Thatcher Townsend is known to have an explosive temper. Michael implies that his father is abusive, which is later confirmed, and Cassie discovers that Michael trades the physical abuse for favors, including luxurious cars. The Naturals witness Michael being backhanded by his father in *Bad Blood*.

Celine Delacroix

Celine is Micheals older half-sister. They grew up as being very good friends. Michael’s father had an affair with Celine’s mother. It takes a while until Micheal finds out that Celine is his half-sister.

Sloane

They get along. Michael would never try to hurt her and is not afraid to bribe her with coffee. In *All In* Michael believes that he should have been the one who died in place of Sloane's brother, but Sloane cant' bare to lose him as well.

Dean

They often butt heads and don't get along. A lot of this is due to Michaels feelings of jealousy towards Dean and Cassie. Eventually, he is able to grow past it and tolerate them as a couple and they become friends.

## Trivia

* His favorite movie is Homeward Bound.
* His birthday is March 31st