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To be afraid of someone or something that is likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening. From a young age people develop fears that manifest into phobias years down the line if they don't get over their fear. Some children are afraid of the dark or the monsters that were in the closet. Parents would pretend to chase those monsters away or leave low light in their children's rooms until the child grows out of it.
Yet Fear always stayed. It wasn't just the light childish fears that kept kids awake. There were the bigger fears that were later diagnosed as trauma. Something so scary that it completely changes the way someone grows up into a functional adult. Fear was something that was believed in and it took on many forms and physically he was there for everything. He saw it all and people were always afraid of him.
Yet there was this one boy that didn't quite experience fear. Fear knew of him and the reason he knew of him is because his sister was always afraid and trying to hide him. Their parents were awful people, Fear never liked them. But he was more interested in their son, while his sister hid him away in one of the spare rooms the boy would stare at. Not only did he stare but he looked directly at Fear as if he could see him.
Fear was an emotion, he shouldn't be able to be seen but this boy looked at him. This started when the child was 2 and it continued to happen. Around 4 he gathered up the courage to tell his sister about Fear. He dubbed him Fright Knight and said that Fear looked like a knight. His sister entertained the idea of Fright Knight but Fear could tell that she was just doing it to keep her brother distracted. The parents fought over little everything so having this little small thing to keep the boy happy was enough for her.
Fear was then happy to go along with this as well. He watched over Danny, as he would like to be called, for years. Even slowly adopting the name he gave Fear. Danny could see him and that alone made him a very interesting child. He was afraid of Fright Knight at all, he thought he was the coolest person in the world and bragged about him to his newly acquired friend Tucker.
Even though following Danny around was nice, Fright hated that he couldn't do more for the boy. Danny had no sense of fear because he had no sense of danger. There was no development of sensing danger because everything was terrible. His home life didn't help him nurture that and cause Danny to have a warped sense of security. He walked off to places he should be for a child his size and age along with not being able to handle a situation properly.
A boy his age shouldn't find violence funny. He should be scared or crying or even angry but instead he was laughing. Fright worried about Danny constantly and he wasn't the only one. Thankfully his sister was able to catch him before he walked off into the streets but she was a child. She shouldn't have been doing all of this. So Fright watched over both of them simultaneously because of how often they were together.
Middle school for Danny was stressful for Fright as he watched children call Danny every mean word they knew for their age. But even as Danny grew up he could still somehow see Fright. He even started giving Fright daily notes and emotional checks because he didn't talk to anyone else aside from Tucker. Tucker seemed more skeptical about Fright Knight's existence and he couldn't blame the kid.
Danny should have long since lost his sight of Fright Knight yet he didn't. His belief in Fright Knight kept his sight a lot longer. He wasn't as vocal as he was when he was 4 but now it was just him and Danny. His sister Jazz didn't stop believing either, at some point she was also able to see him and Fright wasn't exactly sure what made the Fenton Siblings so special. Perhaps it was how they were raised or the family they were born into.
Fright was more than pleased that they came to him with their problems. He knew about natural progression for humans, he has been a witness to the nurture of humans for a long time. Bottling up their emotions is not something they should do so instead they come to him and Fright takes them in with open arms. He is a great listener but he doesn't exactly know how to respond to the children but they didn't mind that.
It was around the time Danny had turned 14 when he acquired a new friend. Samantha, she was an odd one for sure but she seemed good for Danny. Danny raved about her a lot and bounced around with joy. Fright was glad that the boy was able to make more friends that weren't just Tucker. Not that Tucker wasn't a good friend but Danny needed more friends.
Almost like a rite of passage Danny told Samantha about Fright Knight. He was shocked not at the fact that she believed him but the fact that she was very confident that what he was saying was true. Even Tucker was confused on how genuinely serious Sam was on believing Danny. When she was questioned she simply pointed at a photo of Danny's parents and Danny's home. Creepy workshops must have even creepier lore.
Fright Knight was not going to question her thought process but it was definitely something. Since she had believed Danny he decided to go into more in-depth detail on what Fright Knight was. Not that he knows exactly what he was but Samantha had a running theory of her own and called Fright Knight night the spirit of Halloween. Well he was Fear, Halloween was essentially one of those holidays that endorsed fear for the better. Not that most people were genuinely scared but it was a celebration almost like a momentum for him.
In the old days people would not embrace their fears, they would think that they were a curse. But with how modern society had grown they started to make dedications to it. So Samantha wasn't exactly wrong and Fright Knight did enjoy Halloween on some occasions. At least on modern Halloween he did enjoy it, the old days were more of a spitfire. It didn't end up turning into a celebration and those first few years of celebrations were definitely more memorable.
So since time has passed Danny was still 14 but it was Halloween. His parents were out to God knows were leaving him and his sister alone at home. His friends eventually came over in costumes, Tucker tried scaring Danny but Danny had little to almost no reaction. His little reaction was him laughing at his friend, Tucker pouted but Samantha was impressed. She always thought that Danny's inability to feel fear was something to be studied. Fright Knight watched over them as they talked in the living room and Jazz excused herself to the second floor.
Fear doesn't interfere with mortal affairs; he simply watches over them. Fright Knight was painted to be a guardian over the Fenton Siblings, he wasn't a guardian. He couldn't save them from that life and it was clear that that was a mistake. If only he would have stepped in sooner he could have prevented everything that happened on that night.
Samantha was curious about how far Danny would go, a healthy curiosity that turned quickly dangerous as she recommended them going into the Fenton basement. Tucker was the only one with the mindset to say that they really shouldn't but he was easily swayed by Samantha. A thrill seeker, a person who feels no fear and someone who is very much afraid enters the basement. That on its own was a mistake one Fright Knight should have stopped but he couldn't interfere. He watched as the events played out slowly.
Danny gets into a hazmat suit and then the teens mess around with different weapons and items in the basement. Then there was the tunnel, it was inactive but it was meant to be a portal of some kind. Danny stepped in as his friends snapped photos of him and got him to pose. Fright Knight wanted to yell at the boy to leave but he couldn't say anything. The boy spotted something inside the tunnel and went in further as Tucker yelled that they should probably leave. At least one of the kids had some sense.
It was like the seconds of Danny going in turned into minutes, it was as if everything slowed down. And everything did slip down as Fright Knight witnessed Danny die in front of him. A sharp and short explosion that blasted his friends back but launched Danny's corpse straight out of the tunnel. Fright ignored the green flames and his friends who very much concussed to kneel next to Danny who was badly burnt. So much for a hazmat suit if the thing wasn't fire proof.
Fright Knight felt something for the first time, he was afraid. He didn't think he could even feel what he was supposed to be. Yet he was afraid of losing Danny and he wasn't the only one. Jazz had found her way to the basement and screamed past Danny's and kneeled on the other side of Danny's very much deceased body. She cradled him and sobbed violently as she realized that she was far too late. She looked up at Fright Knight.
"Please, save him." Jazz's almost broken plea rang out as if a wish. Fright wasn't sure what he could do but today was one of his most powerful days.
So he decided to take a gamble, fear was a concept just like death was. He never had the opportunity to try using most of his abilities but he pulled on Danny. A small blue flame came out of the boy, Fright had never seen it before. The small flame shifted and turned itself into a small infant. Danny's soul had made him into a small baby and it carefully placed itself in Fright Knight's hand. Danny was not going to come back to life but it seems that he was given a second opportunity.
Jazz looked at the small infant in Fright Knight's hand and sighed in relief. She couldn't stay long as the Fenton parents had finally arrived and stormed in anger but she whispered softly to Fright and Danny that he deserved better. That night Fright Knight, Fear had acquired a son. A boy that would later be known as mania because aside from his rebirth he still had his small personality. He did not fear Fright in the slightest.
It was sweet when it was just the two of them for a long time, Danny didn't grow much and for some reason preferred being small but Fright didn't complain. It made it easier for his son to just rest on his shoulder. Fright didn't think he would be a good parent but Danny was easy to love and easier to take care of. The Spirit of Halloween became a dual title, Danny loved it because he declared it his birthday. If only he knew, Fright found the day bittersweet but there was nothing they could do about it.
They traveled for a while until they met a white haired boy. Danny liked Jack Frost a lot. A child of snow if Fright remembered correctly. Jack didn't notice them each time they crossed paths but he was definitely like them. He could only be seen in those who believed and he seemed quite lonely. So Danny being his young self decided it was time they should get to know him even though Fright was skeptical.
"Hi!" Danny was far too cheerful and Jack flinched away from him. He looked at the floating child and then as Fright who simply shrugged.
"Who are you?" So this was Jack's first time interacting with people like them? Or perhaps he just didn't talk to others much.
"The Spirits of Halloween! You know, that big ol holiday in October that makes everyone scream!" Danny was flinging his arms around while explaining, Fright grabbed him under his armpit and brought him close. Danny only calmed down when he was being held by Fright and wasn't exactly sure why that was. Jack looked at Danny essentially melting in Fright's embrace.
"He is my son but yes, we are sort of those spirits. You are one of the winter spirits, are you not?" Fright only met one winter spirit before. A very eager old man that was constantly busy during the winter. Not that Fright was surprised, Christmas was just as busy as the Halloween season. Though he was pretty confident that Danny did not like the old man for some reason.
Jack Frost was a lonely spirit, he didn't get along with the other spirits but Danny loved him. So Fright decided to make this a stop on their journey across the world, to visit the snow boy each year just to see how he was doing. He was sweet and a bit of a chaos gremlin of his own when it came down to it. Danny claimed Jack Frost as an older brother and Jack seemed pleased to be an older brother.
This is what family was supposed to be like and Danny being happy made his day. Yet they haven't visited Amity City in years, Fright Knight wasn't sure what would happen if he brought Danny back there. Jack eventually confessed to him one visit that he didn't like going back to where he came from, painful memories of his past life. Putting Danny through that pain wasn't something that Fright Knight was about to risk.
So they traveled around it on every trip through the states. Jack eventually decided he wanted to tag along and Danny was more than thrilled. They stayed to the north for Jack and Danny as well because for some odd reason he seemed to be attracted to the cold. Landing them in Illinois, the Easter Bunny appears and says he needs to talk to Jack. Leaving Fright and Danny alone.
"What's over there?" Danny faced in a direction that Fright didn't recognize at first.
South from their location would be the state line, Amity Park was close by. But Fright knew that Danny didn't have exact memories of his old life so could he just sense it from that distance? As if he was gravitating to that place Danny was hovering slowly in that direction but Jack popped up in front of him to hold in a bear hug. The Easter Bunny wasn't far behind him.
"Oh geez, spooky, why are you running around with this guy?" Bunny teased and Jack simply blew him a raspberry while Danny wiggled in his brother's hold. Danny stared at him for a while causing the bunny to back away from him with concern. "I heard about you running around with a devilish imp but why is he just as creepy as you?" Fright took that as a compliment, Danny did too. He managed to giggle out of Jack's hold and floated to rest on Fright's shoulder.
"Apparently I have something to do up north. The big snow wants something, the little mania doesn't start snowball fights without me, okay? I'll come find you." Jack didn't seem entirely too pleased to be leaving but if Santa wanted something he would be persistent.
Danny grumbled as Bunny left with Jack, he wanted to go with but Danny would probably bite Santa like he did the last time. He leaned against Fright's neck but he could tell Danny was looking back in the direction of his old haunt. Fright hummed trying to get Danny to look away but there was nothing he could do. This was bound to happen and Fright knew that but he didn't think it would be so soon. Soon in spirit standards afterall.
Fright swiftly moved Danny from his shoulder to his arm, Danny looked like he was about to break into pieces. He felt so fragile in his arms that Fright was more tempted to leave the state but he knew this was just him experiencing something he shouldn't. Fright was expecting fear and the only person that could cause that for him was Danny. This is why Danny was so special to him and why he was worried about losing Danny to the city that created him.
Making their way there was easy and a bit too fast for Fright's liking. Danny kept steering in his arms like a fussy infant trying to get out of their bundle of blankets. It wasn't that Fright didn't want to let go but watching it happen didn't make him feel ok. As if the world was ending as Danny tries chasing a random source that drew him to this place. Danny didn't even look twice at the old building that used to be his home. He wiggled out of Fright's arms to head west.
Danny led and Fright followed. He wasn't sure where Danny was headed since he doesn't remember Danny ever coming in this direction when he was alive. They kept going through the maze of a city passing old buildings and schools that Danny used to attend but he didn't spare them a second glance. Fright was tempted to stop Danny until they stopped in front of a gate, gates that explained where Danny was going.
Pushing through the gates and floating low to the ground Danny wasn't quick. Fright looked around with Danny until they stopped one person in the field. A woman with dyed black hair with her grey roots showing, she was kneeling in front of three graves. Danny got closer to her and she turned. A face that didn't exactly change even when time is her enemy. She smiled at Danny and turned to Fright Knight to give him a small nod.
"Hello little one, what is your name?"
"Mania? But papa calls me Danny! How can you see me?" The older woman chuckled before searching through her bag. She handed Danny a piece of candy before patting his head.
"Well me and your dad are old friends. Mister Fright Knight takes great care of you doesn't he?" Danny beamed and nodded. It didn't take a genius for Fright to understand who was in front of him. She looked tired.
"Hello Miss Jasmine."
"Hello Fright."