Enjoy :)

Applejack sighed and she collapsed onto the chair. Her arms ached from carrying the bags and bags of clothes and hygiene supplies. She let the bags drop to the floor

The girls were finally finished with their shopping spree. They had taken Rainbow to every store Rarity chose. She helped Rainbow find a ton of clothes she liked. They bought her shirts, pants, skirts, shorts, sneakers, hair ties, underwear, deodorant, lotion, combs and hair brushes, and bras. Rainbow had been quite shy about it all. She kept insisting that they shouldn't be spending their money on her when they could just go to good will or the donation center. The girls nearly laughed at the idea.

"Rainbow, darling." Rarity had giggled. "Don't you know who we are??."

Rainbow had looked around at her new set of friends.

"What do you mean??."

"We're celebrities." Twilight replied. "We have enough money to buy however many clothes you want. Or in this case, need. We don't mean to flaunt our money around like we're high and mighty queens are whatever, but it's the truth. We have a lot of money, so don't worry about us spending a bit of it on you. You do need some things."

"And we will give ya anythin' less than the best." Applejack added her two cents.

Rainbow blushed. "Thanks, guys."

Rainbow's left ear suddenly twitched. She turned her head.

"Applejack?."

She tapped Applejack's thigh, with an open palm.

"Yeah??." Applejack replied.

"Who're those people with cameras over there and why are they taking pictures of us??."

The girls were on high alert at the mention of paparazzi. They turned their heads and looked over to where Rainbow was looking. Sure enough, there was a group of photographers, snapping pictures of them, their flashes going in a million times a second.

Applejack sighed. She looked at Rainbow Dash.

"Those are what people call paparazzi. They work for magazines and news shows on tv. They follow famous people around and be nosy and get in people's business and they take pictures of everything we do. They're annoyin' pests ta put it simple, and we're leaving. They obviously are taking pics of you and you'll be on a magazine by the end of the week, wondering who or what you are."

Rainbow gave a curious glance at them. She looked at the girls as they all stood up, collecting the bags of stuff.

"Are we leaving??." She asked, getting up as well.

"Yup."

Applejack said. "Ah can tell they'll probably swarm us, so if they do, hold on ta me, keep you head down. Don't say anythin' to any of them because they'll write it down too. Got it?."

Rainbow didn't quite understand what was going on or why. Applejack just knew she had to keep her safe.

"We can take the bags." Twilight said to Applejack. "You just worry about Rainbow Dash."

Applejack nodded. The girls got their stuff and they walked away. Soon enough, the men and women with cameras follows them closely. Applejack and Rainbow walked arm in arm. Rainbow noticed one of the men was really close to her. She tries her best to not look at him, but it was hard not to with the flash of the camera in her face and the people calling out to her.

Applejack eventually just wrapped an arm around Rainbow and they walked faster.

"Just keep walkin." She told Rainbow.

"Applejack." Rainbow said quietly. "There's a man right there."

Applejack nodded. "Ah see him. Don't worry."

Applejack looked down at the jacket was tied around Rainbow's waist, concealing her tail. Applejack looked up at Rainbow Dash's face. She could see the sudden warm of strange people was making Rainbow uncomfortable and even a little scared.

The girls headed out of the mall. There were a few reporters outside. They approached the girls, goof straight for Applejack and Rainbow. They crowded around them.

"Hey!!." Twilight. "We need some space."

Rainbow looked around at all the flashing lights and the voices that surrounded her. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She felt overwhelmed. She had no room to breathe. She couldn't breathe. Felt her body begin to shake uncontrollably. Rainbow was starting to panic. She grabbed onto Applejack, her eyes wide and suddenly teary.

"Applejack." She cried, panic in her tone of voice.

Applejack was forced to stop. She looked at Rainbow. She saw Rainbow struggling to breathe.

"I can't breathe." Rainbow said, holding her stomach. "I can't breathe."

She was having a panic attack.

"Girls. Stop."

The others stopped as well. They looked to see what the problem was. They saw Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow." Applejack said, turning to the panicking girl. "Look at me."

Rainbow was in tears, fear in her eyes.

"I can't breathe." She gasped, taking in shorts choppy breathes.

Applejack placed her hands on her shoulders.

"Rainbow. Ah need ya ta look at me."

Rainbow obeyed. She looked at Applejack.

"What do you need??." Applejack asked.

She had been experienced in handling panic attacks. It had happened to her little sister, Applebloom, a few times, and so Applejack had done research and such, so she knew to do in this situation. She needed to keep calm.

"I-I need to get away from here." She said. "It's too crowded and loud. Too many people and not enough room to breathe. Too many sounds and voices."

Applejack nodded. "Up??."

Rainbow nodded.

Applejack got Rainbow onto her back.

"MOVE!!." She yelled at the people with cameras. "YOU'RE SCARIN HER. SO LET US LEAVE AND GIVE HER SOME ROOM."

The photographers and magazine reporters immediately made some room. The other girls glared at them menacingly, nearly scaring a few off.

Once they got a clear walking path, they hurried towards the parking lot. Rarity unlocked her car. Applejack put Rainbow Dash down onto the pavement. The others put the bags in the back of the car.

Applejack made sure they weren't being followed. Then her full attention was on Rainbow. The hybrid girl was still breathing harshly.

"Breathe, Rainbow." Applejack said. "You're safe now. Nothing is going ta hurt cha. Focus on yir breathin' and mah voice."

Rainbow nodded.

"Breathe in slowly and hold yir breathe." Applejack instructed.

Rainbow inhaled through her nose. She held her breath.

Four seconds.

"Now, breathe out."

Rainbow released.

"In, again."

Rainbow inhaled. Four seconds.

"Out."

She exhaled.

Her and Applejack practiced the breathing exercise a few times for a minute or two. Rainbow felt herself calm down, the panic ceasing.

After Applejack was sure Rainbow was okay now she nodded.

"Good. How do you feel now??."

"Better." Rainbow replied.

Applejack nodded. "Alright. You think you can handle being in the car??."

Rainbow looked at the car. One of the side doors was open.

She nodded. "Yea."

Applejack looked at the girls. They looked just a worried as Applejack felt. She nodded at them. Without a word, they all got into the car. Rainbow sat next to a window, Applejack next to her.

Rainbow held Applejack's hand as they drove away from the mall. It was quiet in the car, save for a low music from the radio. Rainbow had the window open, letting the wind blow her hair. It soothes her and it further helped her get her breathing back to normal.

She looked at Applejack. Applejack was on her phone. Rainbow felt bad and felt that she should apologize for the scene she caused.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

Applejack looked at her, having heard what she had said. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Don't be. What's there table sorry for??.

Rainbow Dash looked at the floor.

"For embarrassing you in front of the camera people. They saw me panic and you had to yell at them. They probably took pictures of you when you got mad and if what you said is true, they'll have it posted on the internet or a magazine for everyone to see."

Applejack smiled kindly.

"Rainbow." She said. "You didn't embarrass the girls, or me. You're not use to being in that environment and you panicked. It's normal for that ta happen."

"It is??." Rainbow asked.

Applejack nodded. "Yup. It is. You'll eventually get use to it. Don't worry about it. Ah'm just glad you're okay now. Those guys were annoyin', huh??."

Rainbow nodded. "And scary."

Applejack wrapped a protective arm around her. Rainbow laid her head on Applejack's shoulder.

"Just rest." AJ said quietly. "Ah'll wake ya up."

Rainbow closed her eyes. She relaxed and snuggled with Applejack, her bear in her arms that she had left in the car for this trip.

She eventually fell asleep, her soft breathing tickling Applejack's neck. Applejack smiled at her. She looked so cute asleep.

Applejack thought about the events that had happened. Rainbow had been so scared and overwhelmed by the paparazzi.

Applejack knew Rainbow was sensitive and innocent in the eyes of the public and when it came to the cruel and scary world, she needed to be protected. Applejack felt extremely protective of the young hybrid girl.

Applejack promised herself to be the one that kept her safe. No matter what.

So yeah. Let me know what you think :)