Prologue: The Skull Children
They always said you can't breeze through life. That in order to be happy and wealthy, one needed to be diligent and hard-working. They must persevere through troubling times and slog through the grimiest of mud to achieve status as a successful individual. For Link and the other members of The Skull Children, this was all a beautifully painted lie.
The rowdy quartet had hopped on a boxcar train and were planning their soon-to-be heist in Hyrule Castle Town. The leader, Kaebora, was a heavyset, yet brilliant man. With hair, white as snow, his most distinguishable features were his refined uni brow and mustache. Accompanied with his wide eyes, he had an appearance similar to that of an owl. He wore ratty clothes and tended to pass of as a beggar when performing heists. It was a quick way to take cover when anyone got suspicious.
"Alright men!" Kaebora yelled to the other three, "It is 2:00 A.M. Most of Hyrule is asleep. That makes this the perfect time to rob those who laugh at the less fortunate!"
"Here, here!" the other three yelled back.
"However," Kaebora said, slamming his hand on the side of the car, "You all must be absolutely aware that in even the most foolproof plans, things can go horribly wrong!" Kaebora took out a piece of chalk from his worn jacket and began drawing up diagrams.
"Father," a small child piped up, "I thought you said this wasn't dangerous." The child who'd spoken clearly wasn't Hylian. He was of the Skull Kid race, which was very fitting for the group. Skull Kid's were generally denied homes and often lived in woods alone. Though mischievous, Kaebora had taken this one in once he found it nearly dead in the woods. He gave the Skull Kid the name Pico. Pico sadly had no recollection of the events that had taken place before being rescued. In fact, his first memory was of Kaebora carrying him in his arms.
Kaebora laughed at Pico's comment, "It won't be dangerous for you! The guards aren't allowed to harm a child. Even if it isn't a Hylian child. Besides, you're the stealthiest one here! Your part is the safest, yet most vital part of the mission!"
"Really!? I'm that important!?" Pico exclaimed.
"Of course!" A large creature declared, "I'll be getting all the dirty work."
The large creature was also not Hylian, but rather a Goron. His name was Dungo, and while he wished with all his might that he wasn't a part of the Skull Children, he had to be a part of it to survive. Dungo came from a tribe of Goron on Death Mountain. The Goron all had a strong sense of brotherhood, so Dungo hated to leave. However, after committing a heinous crime, he was exiled from the tribe. Dungo refuses to speak of the incident to anyone, so it isn't exactly known why he was exiled. But the Skull Children were the only brothers he had, and he couldn't leave them behind and live in solitude, no matter how much he missed his true brothers.
"Oh, Dungo, you make it hard to support my son!" Kaebora said laughing.
Dungo smirked, "Well that's what I'm here for. Other than breaking down a wall of course."
"Right!" Kaebora said, "That's where everything starts. We all sneak into Hyrule at separate times," he began drawing a map of Castle Town, "We'll come in from the south gate. I'll enter first, disguised as a beggar. I'll make my way towards the wealthy district and hopefully be able to convince anyone who roams the streets I'm a real one. Shouldn't be too hard since plenty of beggars go there during the day. Once I've confirmed that the coast is clear, I'll use my bird call."
"And that's where I come in!" Pico yelled.
"Right!" Kaebora said, "The ivy growing on the city walls should make it easy for you to climb since you're light and nimble. Once you've scaled the wall, you need to go across rooftops and to a house with a purple roof. That's where that evil Jovani lives!" Kaebora began to mumble, "Constantly donating money to remodel the high-class shops, it makes me sick!
"Go on," Dungo said.
"Er, right," Kaebora said startled, "Once Pico is on top of the building, he will throw a pebble at my position. I will then wait three minutes and then signal another bird call. That's when dungo comes in, pretending to be a spring water merchant."
"My cart's back in the corner. I used water from a puddle to save money," Dungo said, pointing to a rugged wooden cart with a couple of bottles tucked inside.
"Yes," Kaebora said back, "You'll enter and wheel your cart close to an empty lot. Pico should see you from his position. It is then that you will give a thumbs up. Wait five minutes. During those five minutes, Pico will climb down the chimney and make his way toward Jovani's sleeping quarters with the knockout gas container. Pico is immune to the effects so he won't have to worry. Once in, Pico will lay in wait until the time has passed. Once those five minutes have passed, you will use your strength to bust open a hole in his wall. This will more than likely wake him up, but Pico will release the knockout gas, and within seconds he'll fall right back asleep. That's when you and I will quickly make our way into the house. The treasury room should be right where the hole is made."
"But Dad, what happens if the noise wakes other people up?" Pico asked.
"That, my boy, is where Link comes in!" Kaebora said. He looked to Link, "I assume you know what your part is?"
Link leaned back and sighed, "Enter when I hear the wall being destroyed. Keep an eye out, and shoot out the nearest light with my slingshot if someone comes by."
"Precisely!" Kaebora said, "And then, assuming everything goes as planned, we'll make it out of the city with more loot than we can imagine!"
"It's sad how the city can't even hire a night watch. Have there seriously been no robberies?"
"Not in many years! That's why this will be our biggest heist yet!" Kaebora yelled, "Now get ready! We're close!"
Link lied on his back and took a deep breath. He always got lookout, even when it was a three-man team. This was Pico's first heist and he was already gonna be the star. Though he couldn't really complain. The Skull Children were all treated the same. Each got an even share. But his 33% would lower to a 25% pay with Pico now on board. Still, Link wasn't fond of the status he'd received. He joined Kaebora and Dungo when he was twelve, after His home of Kakariko Village was attacked by Gerudo. With his family gone, Kaebora gladly took him in. It's been five years, and he'd never strayed from the lookout position.
"Link?" Pico said sneaking up.
"Huh? What is it Pico?" Link asked.
"Well, you see," Pico scratched the back of his head, "You're, like, some kind of pro at this heist business. But you don't seem to excited or worried. Even Dungo prays to the Goddesses before going on a heist, and he's huge!"
"Haha!" Link laughed, "Well I guess you could say I've been doing it so long that it comes naturally. It's just a lookout position though, nothing compared to yours."
"Well," Pico said, "That's why I'm a little nervous. What if I fail? Then Dad might not care about me anymore. What if he tries to find another son?"
Link smiled and put his hand on Pico's head, "Listen to me. Kaebora's the greatest man alive. He took you in, not because he saw potential in the rupees you could rake in, but because of how much he wanted to get to know you. And for that he loves you."
Pico shed a tear, "Y-You really think so?"
"Of course, buddy," Link said standing up, "And besides, if he keeps a worthless kid like me around all the time, I don't think you need to worry about being replaced!"
Pico laughed, "I'm glad I have a big brother like you, Link!"
"Big brother, huh?" Link said, "Well in that case, I'm glad you're my little brother."
The train barreled toward Hyrule Castle Town, only moments away from the Skull Children's most daring stunt ever.