Manehattan Mysteries

The untitled eighth story arc of IDW Comics' comic series spans Issues #21 and #22. In the story, Trixie is accused of stealing a rare diamond, and Applejack, Apple Bloom, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Babs Seed set out to clear her name.

Issue #21
In Manehattan, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Apple Bloom, and Babs Seed—all dressed in formal attire—go to Carneighie Hall to catch a magic show. When Fluttershy asks Rarity about the necklace she planned on wearing, Rarity mentions a recent string of jewel thefts happening in the city. As the five ponies take their seats, the performing magician appears from behind the curtains: Trixie.

Trixie impresses her audience with a series of tricks and sleight of hand. Her (rather elaborate) finishing act involves making the famous Ostlerheimer Diamond disappear. When the trick is finished, the crowd goes into an uproar. Trixie tells the audience that the diamond was under her hat the whole time. But when she takes her hat off, the diamond is nowhere to be seen, puzzling everyone present.

Suddenly, Manehattan police officers burst into the auditorium. Applejack and her friends, noticeably confused, ask Trixie what's going on. Trixie is revealed to be a cooperator with Manehattan police to apprehend a notorious thief named Rough Diamond, who was behind the city's jewel thefts. Trixie's magic act was a trap, and the diamond she used in the act was a fake with a magical tracking chip. With her magic, Trixie tracks the fake diamond... to Applejack's hat!

Before Applejack is arrested under suspicion of theft, other officers alert the ponies and chief of police about a break-in in the theater director's office—where the real Ostlerheimer Diamond was hidden. When they open the director's safe, a smoke bomb is set off, and the real diamond is discovered missing. Luckily, the police chief had placed a tracking chip to the real diamond too, and one of his officers tracks it... to Trixie's hat!

Trixie says the diamond was planted on her, but the police chief doesn't believe her, having heard about her past attempt to take over Ponyville. He places Trixie, as well as Applejack and the others as accomplices, under arrest. Before Applejack and her friends can plead their case, Trixie sets off a smoke bomb and escapes, dragging Applejack and company along with her.

The ponies start pointing hooves at Trixie, but Trixie swears that she's innocent (though she'd inadvertently taken the Ostlerheimer Diamond with her during her escape). Applejack believes her and decides they need to catch the real thief. They leave the diamond in a trashcan for the police to find and head toward the subway. After boarding the train bound for Babs' home, the ponies come up a plan to catch Rough Diamond. They also try to figure out who she is, reasoning that almost anyone who was in the theater is a suspect.

At that moment, Babs notices something stuck in Trixie's mane: a piece of a map that Rough Diamond must've left while slipping the Ostlerheimer diamond under Trixie's hat. Babs realizes that it's part of the Manehattan Museum of Art, where Rough Diamond's next target must be.

Quotes

 * Applejack: Whoo-ee! This'll get you some culture, Apple Bloom!
 * Apple Bloom: Culture, schmulture! I'm just happy to hang out with Babs again!
 * Babs Seed: Yeah! Welcome to Manehattan, cousins!


 * Trixie: Ah ha ha ha ha ha! Trixie's cunning plan has succeeded!


 * Trixie: Everypony thinks I'm bad, but... I'm trying so hard to be good.


 * Rarity: There are plenty of jewels in Manehattan she could go after.
 * Apple Bloom: Well, what's the shiniest?
 * Rarity: Most of them are shiny, Apple Bloom.