[Cozy's Perspective]
"Knox?" Cozy asked weakly as her guardian cradled her bruised and battered form.
"Yes, Cozy?" Knox asked.
"You can let go of me now," she said as she winced again, another wave of pain rushing over her injured forehoof.
"I'm fine," she continued, quickly regaining her composure, "really. Nothing broken or bleeding."
She looked up at her friend. He was looking down at her in return, still keeping her cradled protectively in his hooves. His ears were drooping, and Cozy could see tears forming at the corners of his eyes. Reluctantly, he placed her gently back down on the floor.
"What happened, Cozy?"
She froze. She couldn't very well tell him she'd broken into the school in order to steal the book.
'Gah!' she thought to herself. 'Why'd he have to come in now?'
She'd had it in her hooves! She'd almost made it out without problem.
Nope, now she was forced to weave an excuse that would satiate her friend while not worrying him to the point that he'd stay with her all night.
She began to cry gently.
"I-I had another nightmare," she stammered.
"Cozy, I thought we discussed this," Knox began calmly. "You don't have to fear any monsters..."
"I KNOW THAT!" she snapped at him, "but there were no monsters! In fact, nopony was there at all!"
It was Knox's turn to freeze.
"Cozy, I..." he trailed off, glancing down at his hooves.
After a silent moment passed, Knox went to Cozy's side and placed a supportive hoof on her shoulder.
Cozy looked towards Knox's hoof and smiled slightly before hugging him. It wasn't nearly as forceful as her usual hug, but that was to prevent further injury to her leg.
[Discord's Perspective]
From outside a nearby window, a draconequus peered through the glass, watching his friend embrace the injured filly. He'd known about Cozy's journey through the catacombs. He'd even been watching it through the floors of the school.
"O-o-o-oh!" he exclaimed, knowing Cozy wasn't nearly as afraid and defenseless as she now seemed. "Well played, brat. I like your style."
Now, as the two ponies hugged, he saw her innocent smile spread out until it was a mischievous grin.
"Positively chaotic," he said as he melted into a puddle of strawberry-flavored soda and disappeared.
[Knox's Perspective]
The embrace didn't last long, but it was something both ponies had desperately needed.
"How about," Knox began, sounding much calmer, "we head back home and..."
"NO!" he was suddenly cut off by Cozy.
He raised an eyebrow at the filly.
"No," Cozy began again, sounding much calmer the second time around. "You have a job to do. I-I already feel a little embarrassed for coming here in the first place."
Knox watched as she shambled over to a nearby chair.
"I'll just stay here until you're done. Don't worry about me."
'I always worry about you,' he thought to himself as Cozy sat herself in the seat.