Welcome, reader, to the first of my interviews with the ladies of Los Coyotes. This recently formed group of Latina superheroes has taken to the streets of Paragon City to fight crime in its many forms. I start off my series of interviews with the leader of the group, known as La Baldera.
I met Consuela Gurrera, her given name which she uses freely when not fighting crime, at a street café in Talos Island. The beautiful young Mexican-American girl arrives promptly for our meeting. Shes wearing casual jeans and a loose fitting cotton top, both in a burnt orange color. Her long black hair is pulled back in a ponytail and shines in the sun with red highlights. Her dark brown eyes flash as she spots a couple of young men wearing the crest of the Warriors gang, but since they are minding their own business, she smiles back at me and settles into her chair.
Mucho gusto, Consuela. I begin, quickly using up the small amount of Spanish that I speak.
Mucho gusto, Jonny, she replies with a smile, then thankfully switches to a thinly accented English for the rest of our talk. Thank you for inviting me. Im sure there are more interesting stories in Paragon City than me and my small group of friends.
I suppose that depends on ones point of view, I say, returning her smile.
She laughs lightly then asks, What would you like to know?
Well, start with a little about yourself. Who are you? Where do you come from?
Ah. Start with the most boring then. Well, Ive lived my whole life in Paragon City. I grew up in Steel Canyon. My father, grandfather, and both my uncles were firefighters. So it just seemed natural for me and my cousin Antonio to join the family business as it were.
Did anyone have any idea of the powers you had at the time?
No. Nobody had a clue at all. I guess talking to some of the experts in the field that my particular powers didnt show up as early as most. I went through school and even firefighting school before I realized there was anything special about me.
Can you tell me about the first time you realized you were different?
Well, my instructors mentioned several times that I didnt seem to be as afraid of fire as most of the student firefighters. But I figured that was just because I grew up around guys who ran into burning buildings for a living. It wasnt until the first time Antonio and I went into a burning apartment building that my abilities really became obvious.
What happened there?
Antonio and I had volunteered for the search and rescue positions on our squad. We entered the building with our team leader, Jason, because we had information that someone was trapped on the third floor. Antonio was leading, I was in the middle, and Jason was following.
When we got to the top of the steps to the third floor, Antonio started down the hallway to find the trapped woman. He only took three steps before the floor gave way and he fell down to the second floor below. The flames came roaring up through the hole hed made in the floor.
Despite Jasons warnings to stay still, I jumped forward to help. I looked down and saw Antonio lying motionless on the floor below. The fire was surrounding him. Without really thinking about what I was doing, I took my hands and made a motion like I was pushing down the fire and spreading it out. To Jasons surprise, the fire backed away and formed a circle around Antonio. I jumped down to help my cousin.
But I didnt expect to land facing Fyromania. Most of the firefighters knew him. He was a two-bit hood with delusions of grandeur. He used to like setting fires and then seeing if he could kill a firefighter or two in the chaos. He looked at me and said Two for the price of one! Get them while theyre hot!!
I tossed my hand out, pointing at him. A small ball of fire leapt from my hand and struck him in the chest. He flew backward and yelled. Hey! Thats not fair! He raised his hands as if to do something to me and I made the same motion that Id used to protect Antonio from the flames. But this time, I raised my hands at the end and the fire got a lot hotter.
Fyro started yelling, but he couldnt get out of the circle. Just as he collapsed to the floor, Jason came back down the stairs. He put out the fire around Fyro and hauled him out of the building. I carried Antonio out. The PPD came and took Fyro into custody, and I had a lot of explaining to do.
I guess the fire department wasnt ready to have a woman on their team who uses fire as a weapon. So after a bit of soul searching, I voluntarily resigned. But I wanted to keep that connection to my family heritage, so when I fight crime now, I call myself La Baldera ... meaning The Firefighter.
And now you fight crime on our city streets, I interjected.
Yes. Although I didnt expect this to be my calling, my father and Antonio convinced me that I needed to use my gifts in some positive way.
We were just about out of time for the appointment Id set, but I wanted to ask her a little bit about her Super Group.
So how did you come to lead Los Coyotes?
First, I should say that I dont really lead Los Coyotes as you might mean it. Sure I own the charter and I take care of the base and all, but other than answering some questions and providing guidance, the girls all pretty much handle their own affairs.
Ok, fair enough, I said. But how did Los Coyotes come to be?
That started with when I literally bumped into Maria, you may know her better as Gatita Fatal. I was in Atlas Park, registering as a hero with Freedom Corp as required. This big oaf covered in armor pushed me aside and I stumbled into this short Rican girl. She called me ... well ... you probably shouldnt print what she called me. But then she pulled out these two daggers like she was ready to fight.
I lit my hands on fire and said Realmente desea hacer esto? (Do you really want to do this?)
She sighed, put away her knives and apologized. We started talking and found out that we had a few things in common. Besides when youre kind of an outsider like most Heroes, its nice to find someone else who understands where you come from.
Eventually we attracted others, just by hanging out and talking with people. Then they asked me to register us as a group so that we could lease some space for a base instead of being stuck in Atlas Park all the time. I wasnt too sure, but since I had some connections in city hall, I figured I might as well.
Where did the name come from? I asked.
Have you ever been out in the desert at night and heard the coyotes calling?
No, I cant say that I have.
"As a little girl, we used to take trips to my Abuelitas ranch in Arizona. When the coyotes call to each other at night, the desert hushes as if to listen for the ones who own the nighttime. I guess I liked the romantic idea that eventually, when the crime lords hear that Los Coyotes are on the prowl, theyll freeze or run for cover.
So now Los Coyotes own the night in Paragon City?
Not yet. But I hope so one day. And, of course, being Latina we have to look good doing it! she added with a laugh.
Thank you for your time today, Consuela.
Youre welcome, Jonny. Thank you for the interest.
[ OOC ]
The preceding is a bit of a biography on one of my City of Heroes characters, La Baldera on Freedom. She's a fire/fire blaster currently in her mid-20's level wise. The Los Coyotes super group that is mentioned is all filled with my alts; so it's a single-player, multi-character supergroup.
[ /OOC ]
[u]Interview with a Hero[u]
By Jonny Ray
Welcome, reader, to the first of my interviews with the ladies of Los Coyotes. This recently formed group of Latina superheroes has taken to the streets of Paragon City to fight crime in its many forms. I start off my series of interviews with the leader of the group, known as La Baldera.
I met Consuela Gurrera, her given name which she uses freely when not fighting crime, at a street café in Talos Island. The beautiful young Mexican-American girl arrives promptly for our meeting. Shes wearing casual jeans and a loose fitting cotton top, both in a burnt orange color. Her long black hair is pulled back in a ponytail and shines in the sun with red highlights. Her dark brown eyes flash as she spots a couple of young men wearing the crest of the Warriors gang, but since they are minding their own business, she smiles back at me and settles into her chair.
Mucho gusto, Consuela. I begin, quickly using up the small amount of Spanish that I speak.
Mucho gusto, Jonny, she replies with a smile, then thankfully switches to a thinly accented English for the rest of our talk. Thank you for inviting me. Im sure there are more interesting stories in Paragon City than me and my small group of friends.
I suppose that depends on ones point of view, I say, returning her smile.
She laughs lightly then asks, What would you like to know?
Well, start with a little about yourself. Who are you? Where do you come from?
Ah. Start with the most boring then. Well, Ive lived my whole life in Paragon City. I grew up in Steel Canyon. My father, grandfather, and both my uncles were firefighters. So it just seemed natural for me and my cousin Antonio to join the family business as it were.
Did anyone have any idea of the powers you had at the time?
No. Nobody had a clue at all. I guess talking to some of the experts in the field that my particular powers didnt show up as early as most. I went through school and even firefighting school before I realized there was anything special about me.
Can you tell me about the first time you realized you were different?
Well, my instructors mentioned several times that I didnt seem to be as afraid of fire as most of the student firefighters. But I figured that was just because I grew up around guys who ran into burning buildings for a living. It wasnt until the first time Antonio and I went into a burning apartment building that my abilities really became obvious.
What happened there?
Antonio and I had volunteered for the search and rescue positions on our squad. We entered the building with our team leader, Jason, because we had information that someone was trapped on the third floor. Antonio was leading, I was in the middle, and Jason was following.
When we got to the top of the steps to the third floor, Antonio started down the hallway to find the trapped woman. He only took three steps before the floor gave way and he fell down to the second floor below. The flames came roaring up through the hole hed made in the floor.
Despite Jasons warnings to stay still, I jumped forward to help. I looked down and saw Antonio lying motionless on the floor below. The fire was surrounding him. Without really thinking about what I was doing, I took my hands and made a motion like I was pushing down the fire and spreading it out. To Jasons surprise, the fire backed away and formed a circle around Antonio. I jumped down to help my cousin.
But I didnt expect to land facing Fyromania. Most of the firefighters knew him. He was a two-bit hood with delusions of grandeur. He used to like setting fires and then seeing if he could kill a firefighter or two in the chaos. He looked at me and said Two for the price of one! Get them while theyre hot!!
I tossed my hand out, pointing at him. A small ball of fire leapt from my hand and struck him in the chest. He flew backward and yelled. Hey! Thats not fair! He raised his hands as if to do something to me and I made the same motion that Id used to protect Antonio from the flames. But this time, I raised my hands at the end and the fire got a lot hotter.
Fyro started yelling, but he couldnt get out of the circle. Just as he collapsed to the floor, Jason came back down the stairs. He put out the fire around Fyro and hauled him out of the building. I carried Antonio out. The PPD came and took Fyro into custody, and I had a lot of explaining to do.
I guess the fire department wasnt ready to have a woman on their team who uses fire as a weapon. So after a bit of soul searching, I voluntarily resigned. But I wanted to keep that connection to my family heritage, so when I fight crime now, I call myself La Baldera ... meaning The Firefighter.
And now you fight crime on our city streets, I interjected.
Yes. Although I didnt expect this to be my calling, my father and Antonio convinced me that I needed to use my gifts in some positive way.
We were just about out of time for the appointment Id set, but I wanted to ask her a little bit about her Super Group.
So how did you come to lead Los Coyotes?
First, I should say that I dont really lead Los Coyotes as you might mean it. Sure I own the charter and I take care of the base and all, but other than answering some questions and providing guidance, the girls all pretty much handle their own affairs.
Ok, fair enough, I said. But how did Los Coyotes come to be?
That started with when I literally bumped into Maria, you may know her better as Gatita Fatal. I was in Atlas Park, registering as a hero with Freedom Corp as required. This big oaf covered in armor pushed me aside and I stumbled into this short Rican girl. She called me ... well ... you probably shouldnt print what she called me. But then she pulled out these two daggers like she was ready to fight.
I lit my hands on fire and said Realmente desea hacer esto? (Do you really want to do this?)
She sighed, put away her knives and apologized. We started talking and found out that we had a few things in common. Besides when youre kind of an outsider like most Heroes, its nice to find someone else who understands where you come from.
Eventually we attracted others, just by hanging out and talking with people. Then they asked me to register us as a group so that we could lease some space for a base instead of being stuck in Atlas Park all the time. I wasnt too sure, but since I had some connections in city hall, I figured I might as well.
Where did the name come from? I asked.
Have you ever been out in the desert at night and heard the coyotes calling?
No, I cant say that I have.
"As a little girl, we used to take trips to my Abuelitas ranch in Arizona. When the coyotes call to each other at night, the desert hushes as if to listen for the ones who own the nighttime. I guess I liked the romantic idea that eventually, when the crime lords hear that Los Coyotes are on the prowl, theyll freeze or run for cover.
So now Los Coyotes own the night in Paragon City?
Not yet. But I hope so one day. And, of course, being Latina we have to look good doing it! she added with a laugh.
Thank you for your time today, Consuela.
Youre welcome, Jonny. Thank you for the interest.
[ OOC ]
The preceding is a bit of a biography on one of my City of Heroes characters, La Baldera on Freedom. She's a fire/fire blaster currently in her mid-20's level wise. The Los Coyotes super group that is mentioned is all filled with my alts; so it's a single-player, multi-character supergroup.
[ /OOC ]