“Are you sure about this honey?” the new dad fretted once again.

Princess Cadance rolled her eyes, a habit she had picked up from her aunt Luna. “It my job, it doesn't stop just because I've had a foal. Twilight's covered the duties by herself for two months now so it’s time for me to return to work.”

“But do you have to? Can’t it wait another month?”

Cadance stepped forwards and nuzzled her husband affectionately “I know you like to protect us, but we’ll be fine. This is an important meeting and I have to attend. Now, you just enjoy a few days of peace and quiet, although I expect the new Crystal Guards training to be in full swing by the time I'm back.

“Yes dear” Shining Armour kissed his wife, before stepping back a few places a planting a kiss on Flurry Heart’s forehead. “Keep mummy out of trouble, okay sunshine?” he smiled at his daughter, eliciting a cute garble of gibberish in response.

The trip to Ponyville was uneventful in the Crystal Princesses private train, and upon arrival the trio was met by Twilight and her friends. They had built in a few hours buffer in their timetable for delays in the journey, but as the railway had been on time [1] they were able to spend some time together, even if Flurry Heart did steal most of the attention. It also gave the Crystal Guards a bit of downtime and they were able to spend some time exploring the quaint town.

But fun times pass so quickly and it was soon time to get moving. When the guards returned, the two princesses wished their friends farewell and along with Spike went to Twilight’s Library where the portal mirror was still set up. As Cadance briefed the guards one final time, Twilight cast the spell she had developed to change the mirror's reflection to be slightly purple.

Having studied the magic mirror, Twilight discovered she could alter the dynamics such that rather than being turned into a human when trotting through, she could stay a pony. Apart from allowing her to visit the human world as a alicorn with her magic intact (helpful given their was the human version of her in her group of friends their now), this change had also allowed the transfer of goods between the two worlds without them being magically altered.

It had been six moons since had first Twilight done this, and a lot had changed in those months. Formal diplomatic relations with Earth and Equestria had been quickly made, the humans embracing the fact there was an alternate reality with sentient species. And it had allowed basic trade to be set up between the two worlds.

The trade tended to be one way - with no disease or famine in Equestria, and no real want for the modern technology humans craved so much, the human world had little Equestria would want. Offers of improvements in agriculture were met with disdain - what would all the earth ponies do if the process was done by machines?

On the other hand, Equestria had many things the human world wanted. The amount of rare gems, metals and even gold that filled Equestria threaten to completely destabilise the global economy. Princess Celestia had resolved this by banning all by small samples of any materials, not to protect Equestria's resources but their new friends.

But the study of magic was something that Earth also craved, and that is what this month's meeting was all about.

Twilight motioned that the mirror was ready, and the three Princesses and dragon walked through the mirror, flanked by four guards...

It took a second or two for the two adult princesses eyes to adjust after the transfer, whilst Flurry Heart just seemed amused by everything that had happened. [2] As Twilight focused, she saw seven familiar faces smile at her, before every human present bowed to the two Pony Princesses.

Well, nearly everybody. Fluttershy was stood there, mouth slightly apart.

“I'm sorry Princess” Applejack sniggered slightly trying to remain formal “I’m sure she doesn't mean any disrespect”

Cadance just laughed as Fluttershy stood their staring at her foal wide-eyed, the said foal looking around at the new world with the curiosity that the youngster displayed towards everything.

Twilight rushed over to her friends and lifted Sunsets head with a hoof looking around at all her friends “Sunset, all of you, there's no need to bow to us, we’re friends!” before turning to the groups of other humans present “And that applies to you as well.”

Finally broken out of her trance, Fluttershy squeed “She is adorable!” and went to rush towards Princess Cadance, but caught herself about halfway across. Cadance notice this and just smiled, levitating the foal off her back and walking over to the yellow skinned human.

“Princess Flurry Heart, this is Human Fluttershy” Cadance spoke to her foal as she passed it over, Fluttershy carefully cradling the foal in her arms. Flurry wasn’t too sure what to make of the strange creature holding her, but once it used its fingers to gently stroke her mane and face seemed more than happy with the arrangement.

“I think you may have trouble getting her back, Princess” Rarity laughed as she walked over

“Oh?” Cadance replied with a smile “Wait until she grows a bit bored and starts firing some magic blasts off her horn, she’ll soon hand her back.”

Rarity’s face took a serious turn “Magic blasts?”

“Don't worry, since her Crystalling they aren't harmful any-more, but they will cause a bit of a sting.”

As the human friends went over to see the baby, Princess Twilight approached a pair that hadn't moved. “Hey Twilight” Pony Twilight greeted her counterpart.

“Gahhhh!” was all human Twilight could still say in response, staring at the five foot purple winged unicorn in front of her.

Pony Twilight turned to Sunset “She okay?”

“Yeah. It’s still tough for her to understand the whole pony thing. Same would be if any of the humans meet their pony counterparts. Can you imagine if Rarity meet Rarity, or Pinkie….”

“It was agreed never to let Pinkie meet Pinkie”[3] Twilight reminded Sunset, and both of them shivered at the thought, before laughing it of. The two former students of the immortal Princes Celestia caught up with all the boring magic relating business of running an inter-dimensional portal, whilst Spike tried to comfort the still perplexed human Twilight. Needless to say, being offered support by a talking baby dragon did not help the situation.

Whilst it would have been nice to have stayed in Canterlot High with friends, this was not a social visit and shortly one of the minders approached the Princesses to remind them that there was a schedule to keep. Farewells were said, promises to visit again were made, the four pony guards handed over responsibility to the human guards, and guests from Equestria were whisked away in a swanky limousine.

Author's Note

[1] You can tell this is a peice of fiction, the trains are on time
[2] Spike was just thankful the change meant he was no longer a dog
[3] Little did they know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58SF0PzbzVw