The guys were taking a short break during their O&O session. Spike had gone to get the group more refreshments, so Knox decided now would be a good time to ask the question that'd been gnawing at his mind ever since he'd noticed how calm everypony seemed despite his presence. He'd expected a little bit of unrest, or at least some questions. He had freed Cozy Glow, after all!
He turned to face Discord and the earth pony. He never had quite gotten around to asking for the earth pony's name, had he?
"Did Spike tell you who I am?" he asked before his mind could wander too much.
"Ehh... Nope," answered the earth pony.
Meanwhile, Discord answered in a rather nonchalant tone, "Why, no, in fact he didn't."
He was currently flipping through a magazine, which he was holding upside down, and Knox was highly doubtful that he was getting the draconequus' full attention. Discord turned the page, and a swarm of bats flew out of the magazine and out the library doors.
"Is that something we should know?" he asked absentmindedly.
"I'm..." Knox hesitated for a moment. Did he really want Discord to know? Discord was one of the beings that turned Cozy to stone in the first place, so he might not be happy that I undid his handiwork. Then again, secrets and lies were no way to start a friendship.
He let out a heavy sigh before continuing, "I'm Cozy Glow's new legal guardian."
Discord somehow did a spit take, spraying orange juice everywhere, without drinking anything. His voice took on a somewhat darker tone.
"Oh, really..."
Knox gulped, "Yes."
Discord's next words were in a cheery tone: "And how is the brat doing?"
Knox was very rattled by this sudden shift in demeanor. Less than five seconds ago, he'd sounded like he was about to take off Knox's head, but he now seemed genuinely curious about what Cozy had been up to.
"She's, uh, doing fine... Discord. She's been trying to earn back the trust of her old friends, and I think it's working rather well."
Knox squirmed in his seat as the Lord of Chaos looked him up and down.
"I see," he said. His tone betrayed the disappointment in his voice.
Knox was about to speak again, but Discord somehow appeared from behind Knox and interjected with another question.
"What'd she ever do to deserve such unwavering loyalty?"
Knox contemplated his response. What had Cozy done for him? It didn't take long for him to decide on his answer.
"Everything," he said.
Discord was taken aback.
"W-what do you mean, everything?" he stammered. "She betrayed you! She betrayed everypony! She..."
"She was also there for me whenever I needed her," Knox interrupted the god-like entity. "Helping, listening, talking; whatever I needed. She taught me what it was like to have a family again! She was my only true friend when I had nopony else. At least, she was until somecreature decided to turn her to stone!"
He glared pointedly at Discord. The all-powerful creature did not interrupt as Knox continued.
"She always helped me out before, and that still hasn't stopped being there for me now. In fact, if it weren't for her, I might not have had the courage to ask out the mare of my dreams."
This last bit peaked Discord's interest immediately. An exclamation mark popped up over his head as he quickly tried to divert the conversation to what he considered the more interesting topic.
"Ooh, do tell," the chimerical demi-god implored. "Who's the lucky mare?"
Knox blushed furiously at Discord's blatant question about his love life.
"It's Pinkie Pie," he informed the draconequus.
"Oh, really?" Discord said as he tapped his assorted finger-like appendages together rhythmically. "How did somepony like you end up with such a chaotic pony? You seem quite the opposite of each other."
Knox recounted the tale of the previous Hearts & Hooves Day, when he'd had Cozy help him break up a friendly get together so he could have her all to himself when he asked her out. He also mentioned Cozy's amazing acting and the light stalking they'd been doing for the entire day before the execution of their plan.
"Oh, how splendid!" chimes Discord. "You know, a good friend of mine once said 'Love is about spying in the bushes.'"
That actually got Knox to laugh. Other than Cozy and Pinkie, he couldn't even think of the last time somecreature had made him laugh.
Spike returned shortly thereafter with the snacks, having missed a wonderful bonding experience, and the game resumes.