Line #52 Webcomic/TwoKeys


1	[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Two_Keys_Cover_2_4564.jpg]]
2
3	->''"A dubious case with a shaky explanation, questionable sources and shadiness up the wazoo? I really need to take a look at that weakness I have for blondes."''
4	-->-- '''Colin Aston'''
5
6	''Two Keys'' is an online manga created by Chloe Chan and Aliena Shoemaker, authors of another successful web-manga, ''Webcomic/HoneydewSyndrome''. It can be read in its entirety on [[http://tapastic.com/series/430 Tapas]].[[note]]The Website/SmackJeeves [[http://twokeys.smackjeeves.com/ version]] is not up-to-date. It also used to be hosted on their [[http://www.two-keys.net/ joint site]] and on [[http://www.inkblazers.com/ Inkblazers]], but the former redirects to its current repository and the latter's host has shut down. [[/note]] It used to update on the fourth week of every month with new chapters, but updates have stopped since December 2016.
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8	The story follows Colin Aston, an antisocial diner owner with a MysteriousPast who [[UnreliableNarrator apparently]] used to be a mediocre PrivateDetective. When an equally mysterious [[FemmeFatale blonde]] from the [[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction AFIA]] shows up with a job only Colin is capable of performing, he reluctantly accepts, despite knowing full well it will thrust him back into the world of the Occult. Colin faces sorcerers, politicians, and little old ladies... and a secret that destroyed nearly half the city and hits a little too close to home. The setting was inspired by Creator/{{Robin McKinley}}'s ''Literature/{{Sunshine}}''.
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11	!!Tropes Appearing in Two Keys:
12
13	* AGodIAmNot: The Titan, said this almost word for word in the form of a BadassBoast. It's still unclear what exactly the Titan ''is''.
14	--> '''The Titan:''' [[AGodIAmNot I am not a God.]] If I were, I wouldn't be the healing kind. [[SealedInsideAPersonShapedCan I was summoned]] to fight a '''war.'''
15	%%* AntiHero: Colin, seems like a Type II.
16	%%* AmateurSleuth: Colin. Pretty competent, though, despite what he says.
17	* BadassNormal: Lucas tends to be pretty on top of this Occult stuff despite being a {{Muggle}}.
18	* BarBrawl: Chapters 8 and 9. Furniture smashing everywhere!
19	* {{Bizarrchitecture}}: Fortress West seems to be this. At any rate it appears to be predominantly populated by alleys.
20	* BlackEyesOfCrazy: or magic, or something. [[http://www.mangamagazine.net/read-manga/Two-Keys-Chapter-8-Come-Together/9/7/16?lang=en Colin's sclera turn black after fending off London's mental attack.]] Seems to happen when ever he does his superpower [[spoiler: Titan]] things.
21	* BlackEyesOfEvil: The Seraphim have these. [[UncannyValley Lucas finds them unsettling]].
22	* BlatantLies: Colin, trying to dodge the subject. Lucas catches him on it but is so impressed by his quick-thinking in cooking up plausible explanations that he gives him a pass.
23	* BountyHunter: London and [=McKenzie=] as well as some other Occult.
24	* TheCasino: various ones owned by the Seraphim. Paradigm in particular.
25	* ChangelingTale: Flicka's story. She's an Occult whose real parents switched her with a human child after killing the baby in a spell to make her look like a human.
26	* CrystalBall: Lucas wants one for Christmas.
27	* EasterEgg: Hovering your mouse over some of the pages in www.two-keys.net will show you hilarious alt-text.
28	* TheFaceless: London. he always wears that helmet, so we don't know what he looks like.
29	* FantasticGhetto: Fortress West a huge slum overflowing with Occult.
30	* FantasticRacism: Humans toward the Occult, despite the fact that there is so much Occult blood flowing around that no one in this story qualifies as strictly human. Flicka notes that full Occult aren't allowed to go to her school.
31	%%* FemmeFatale: Audrey certainly qualifies.
32	%%* FilmNoir: All over the place.
33	* FirstPersonSmartass: Colin can be quite the DeadpanSnarker in his head. Outside his head, too.
34	%%* PrivateEyeMonologue: Wouldn't have that Noir Spin without it.
35	* FriendOnTheForce: Lucas and Audrey for Colin, though 'friend' might be pushing it.
36	* FortuneTeller: Madame Fortuna. Colin calls her Miss Misty.
37	* GovernmentAgencyOfFiction: The ''AFIA'', which has the primary goal of "rectifying" Occults.
38	%%* GreatOffScreenWar: The Jinx Wars.
39	* HoistByHisOwnPetard:
40	** The Seraphim. Generations of interbreeding in order to maintain the "purity" of their bloodline has allowed them to keep most of their original abilities and is one of the reasons why they are practically running Fortress West, but [[spoiler: now they're dying from a disease that solidifies them into stone. [[AndIMustScream While they're still alive]].]] It was stated by Colin that this was directly caused by them interbreeding for centuries.
41	** Also, the Occult. Apparently the summoning was meant to help them win the [[GreatOffScreenWar Jinx War]]. Ended up forcing them to surrender.
42	%%* TheLancer: Lucas is turning out to be this.
43	* LoopholeAbuse: Occults are technically illegal but a loophole in the law allows them to live in an area known as Fortress West without persecution from the cops or AFIA.
44	* MysteriousPast: Everyone, pretty much, by virtue of the fact that we just don't know much about them but especially Colin.
45	* ThatMysteriousThing/ NoodleIncident: Something happened to Colin seven years ago. We don't know what, though.
46	%%* PapaWolf: [=McKenzie=] for London.
47	%%* PowerTattoo: All sorcerers have them to do their magic.
48	* PrivateDetective: Colin used to be one. He's even got the PrivateEyeMonologue.
49	%%* ProfessionalGambler: D'arby the Gambler.
50	* PsychicPowers: London seems to have some kind of psychic powers that mess with Colin whenever he's around.
51	* PsychicNosebleed:
52	** Of the ear-dripping variety, in the second confrontation between Colin and London, Colin's ears bleed.
53	** [[FromBadToWorse It gets worse]] when he starts pushing himself. in later chapters blood starts coming out of his mouth. [[{{Squick}} And eyes]].
54	* RefusedTheCall: Colin a number of times, none of them stick. Oh Colin, when will you learn?
55	* SealedInsideAPersonShapedCan: The Titan. Apparently the conduit is the person shaped can.
56	* ShoutOut: To the creators's other comic, with [[http://www.mangamagazine.net/read-manga/Two-Keys-Chapter-17-Just-like-Wisdom/9/16/10 Colin's phone contact list]] being full of the names of the main characters of Webcomic/HoneydewSyndrome.
57	* TearsOfBlood: Colin gets them briefly in chapter 22 while arguing with a Seriphim.
58	* TheTrickster: Solder.
59	* ThresholdGuardians: Literal examples in the guards outside of Fortress West.
60	%%* UrbanFantasy
61	%%* VoluntaryShapeshifting: Dopplegangers, Ned in particular.
62	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman?: Not explored in depth yet but a definite theme.

Context Webcomic / TwoKeys