Description:
"Whatever you say, Flur."
Full Name: Cozy Glow Wishes
Nickname(s): None
Parents: Tempest Berrytwist and Constellation Wishes (adopted), Velvet Curtain (biological)
Sibling(s): Dawn Wishes (adopted)
Personality Type:
Species: Pegasus
Residence: Unknown
Special Talent: Manipulation
Occupation: Student at Twilight Sparkle's School of Friendship (Before she disappeared)
Bio:
Cozy Glow was a mare of many faces, twisting herself into what those around her wanted to see. Her adoptive mothers, Tempest Berrytwist and Constellation Wishes, knew her as a clever filly with a head for leadership- even if she did have a tendency to gravitate towards the most important pony in the room. Flurry Heart saw her as a stalwart best friend who supported her own vision of princesshood even if noone else seemed to. Her younger brother, Dawn, saw her as the most amazing pony in the world. Princess Twilight and her classmates at the School of Friendship saw her as a very helpful, friendly pony with a bright future as a Friendship Ambassador.
Perhaps the one who knew her best was her mentor and coconspirator, Tirek. He alone knew that Cozy had developed a distaste for not just Flurry, but the alicorns in general. He alone knew her desire to go down in history. He alone knew her bid for power, disguised as a fight for the common pony- perhaps even to herself. He alone knew the lengths she went to in order to orchestrate the draining of magic from the area.
Fortunately (unfortunately?), her attempt to level the playing field failed miserably. She fled, never to return, leaving everyone around her to pick up the pieces. To wonder how much of the filly they knew was real and how much was an illusion.
It has been ten years since she was last sighted. The world has moved on from Cozy Glow. Nothing remains from her bid to take over Equestria. At least, nothing physical. The wounds she left on those around her? They are still very, very much there.
Relationships:
Cozy's biological mother, Velvet Curtain, died when Cozy was very young. She doesn’t remember her very well, She has vague memories of a mare who dreamed of a better life, an aspiring actress who spent every waking moment trying to claw her way up to the leading roles she so deserved. Despite how short of a time they had together, Velvet left quite an impact on who Cozy was as a person- one much bigger than Cozy will ever realise.
Tempest and Connie adopted her a few years after Velvet’s death. Despite being intimidated by Tempest at first, she quickly realised that she wasn’t that scary. Their opposite personalities meshed together well- Cozy’s outgoingness meant Tempest could get along with her kid better than she would have otherwise. Tempest was one of the few ponies Cozy sincerely loved, even after her resentment for the world started to grow. Close as they were, Cozy often didn’t tell Tempest about her ambitions or her plans to achieve them, knowing she wouldn’t approve- and that was before they became downright villainous.
She loved Connie when she was younger, when she craved someone sweet and motherly after the loss of her mother. But as she grew older and started questioning everything she grew up with, she began to resent just how much of her time Connie spent at the Crystal Springs Orphanage. Did Connie love her as a daughter at all, or was she just another orphan to be a stand-in mother figure for?
Cozy and Dawn's bond was cemented on day one. Cozy loved her tiny playmate, and Dawn stuck to his big sister’s side like glue. Cozy didn’t mind, she liked having him around. Especially if someone else- like Flurry Heart for instance- suggested he was annoying and should be left at home. Once she left for Ponyville to attend the School of Friendship, Dawn practically lived for the weekends, when she’d come back home. He was one of the few ponies Cozy was truly upset about leaving behind.
She and Flurry Heart had been "best friends" since they were foals. Since their parents all knew each other, Cozy and Flurry were introduced to each other as soon as it was physically possible. Their friendship was great at first- they got along well, and Cozy helped Flurry manage the expectations that came with being the Empire’s princess. But as they grew older, Cozy began to resent just how much her own social standing depended on maintaining her friendship with Flurry. Flurry would be remembered and adored no matter what she did, but Cozy would have to work herself to the bone for even a fraction of that. And Flurry didn’t even want to do anything with her power- she just wanted to be a pretty figurehead who charmed her subjects with magic tricks. Escaping Flurry’s presence was part of the reason she went to Twilight’s School in the first place. (That, and she wanted to develop a relationship with the alicorns that weren’t a part of Flurry’s immediate family- just in case their friendship somehow fell apart.) But once she started writing to Tirek as part of her friendship research, well, she found there might be an easier way to establish her power after all…
I'm… honestly a little embarrassed that I never mentioned this was an AU. I started creating the Summerverse just before the MLP movie was released, so a lot of things that happen in season eight/nine play out quite differently. Including and especially the villains! Summerverse!Cozy Glow is around the same age as Flurry Heart, so her villain arc takes place several years after it does in the show.