Giovanni was relieved that, after he had come to an understanding with Pegasus, the man had stopped coming to the bar where they had first met. The band had a regular gig there, and it would have caused problems if he had been expected to turn Little Lord Fauntleroy into someone presentable where Giovanni was widely known. After beating him up in front of everyone, he couldn't start doing him favors. His reputation with both sexes would be compromised (though he only cared about one's opinion). Instead, they met at a bar that was in the next city, to assure themselves of privacy. Neither one of them had agreed which of these "lessons" would be first, it just somehow ended up with Giovanni setting the date to start helping Pegasus. Truth be told Giovanni would have chosen not to go first and have had Pegasus help him find connections ASAP; "take the money and run" being one of Giovanni's credos. So part of him respected that Pegasus had made sure that he would fulfill his part of the bargain. And of course, part (the rest) of him hated him for it.

Tonight would be the first meeting with teaching as its goal. They had met once or twice before this, to get to know each other's personalities better; and to set up this meeting.
When they were trying to get to know each other, they had met in a bar known for its atrocious lighting, for the previously mentioned reason that Giovanni did not want to be associated with Pegasus. Not yet, anyway. He wore that ridiculously pristine outfit once again, and Giovanni had told him that if he ever saw Pegasus in those clothes again he would beat him up, deal or not.
"If you want people to fear you, then they're going to have to respect you. So you'd better wear something that you can actually look less like an idiot in."
He could tell Pegasus was put off by his bluntness, but he saw no point in sugar-coating anything. The faster Pegasus got what he wanted, the faster Giovanni could as well.

When Giovanni entered the sports bar they had agreed upon, he was pleased that his orders had been heeded. Pegasus was wearing a black turtle-neck with jeans, and reddish-sports jacket was folded neatly over the back of his chair. Giovanni could work with this.
Pegasus's outfit was similar to Giovanni's own tonight. It was a nicer bar than what his band performed at, so he wore a shirt with cut-off sleeves under his vest and had his long hair in a loose, low pony-tail.
Giovanni thought it was best for Pegasus to work his way down to seedier joints.
He came up to the bar and sat next to him; not even looking at the man before he ordered his beer.
"So, what's the first lesson?"
Giovanni took a drink from his bottle.
"Depends," was his answer. "What, exactly, is this dream of yours that you need a punk like me?"
Pegasus looked uncomfortable and didn't answer.
Giovanni took another long drink, "Listen, I don't really care what it is. I'll tell you right now that I believe if you can get away with something, you should. I really don't care."
He was still quiet.
Giovanni put down his empty bottle and signaled for another.
"Alright, I'll just point out all your flaws. That'll be fun."
He looked him over slowly.
"First off, you're too quiet. And I don't mean you have to talk more. But the only reason I noticed you in the first place is because you were dressed in something that made you look like a clown. That'll only get you contempt. And beat up. But you know that, don't you?" he said the last part with false sweetness, enjoying Pegasus's reaction and the way he stopped himself from touching his nose.
"So, act confident. Even if you don't feel it. And I'm not saying any more because I'm starting to sound like an after-school special."
Giovanni then turned out toward the rest of the bar, and concentrated on drinking and scanning for women.
"…But…what do I do then? I could be as obnoxious as you quite easily, but I still couldn't win in a fight."
"You could learn how. Just find one and jump in. Or start one yourself."
"I'd rather not."
Giovanni smiled to himself, "I didn't think you would. But fighting isn't important right now. How do you get respect at your fancy parties? Or don't you? Am I dealing with a total wuss?"
Pegasus sniffed. Sniffed. If he didn't know what he was dealing with before, Giovanni knew now. Here was a grown man who sniffed in annoyance.
"I am well liked in my usual circles."
"Why?"
More annoyance. Good.
More sniffing. Also good.
"I don't have to answer that."
"You sniff too much."
"Silence."
"I bet when the boys want a good ride, they call you."
Pegasus grabbed him by the vest and shook him.
"How. Dare. You."
This time is was Pegasus who threw the first punch, but it wasn't fast or well aimed. Giovanni ended up with a hard knock on the side of the head, which stunned him for a moment but not much else. Giovanni was able to knee him in the stomach before security broke them up and threw them out.
When they were outside, Pegasus tried to start the whole thing again.
"So, the first lesson," Giovanni said as the man rushed toward him. "Is to exploit weaknesses. Are your buttons so easy to push all the time?"
Pegasus came up short. "So, so that was all—" His anger began to rise again.
"The second lesson is never fight angry. You do dumb stuff. Like attack me."
Pegasus took a few deep breaths to calm down.
"Alright. I'm beginning to see your point about being more confident. Confident people wouldn't let that bother them."
"You're smarter than you look. Your homework is to play some poker."
"Poker?"
"Learn to read poker faces. That'll help with finding weaknesses. And while you're playing, practice being the guy they can't read. Keep your confidence no matter what your hand."
Pegasus nodded.
"And get in another fight. You're pitiful."
"You said fighting wasn't important!"
"The third lesson is that I lie."
And with that, class was dismissed for the time being.

The next class was a few weeks later at a bar where Giovanni could come shirtless and with hair free and flowing. He had arrived before Pegasus this time. Giovanni wanted to see how much progress the man had been able to make. He didn't have to wait too long. He was half-way done with his first beer when Pegasus came in. He didn't look that much different—he had switched from dark turtle-neck to dark tailored shirt, but at least it was no longer tucked into his pants—But Giovanni did notice that he walked with a little more swagger. He didn't receive as many glares from the regulars in the bar; a very decent improvement. He was almost someone Giovanni wasn't embarrassed to be sitting next to. As it was, he was tolerable. Pegasus even claimed a seat next to him with more aggression than he had been showing. It was a quiet kind of aggression, but Giovanni knew that Pegasus wouldn't have the same style he had anyway. They thought too differently. It was quiet, but sufficient.
"I see you've been practicing."
Instead of looking happy at finally being more "bad", Pegasus instead just looked smug. He had learned quite a bit, indeed. It wasn't a complete transformation, though, as he quickly began explaining what he had been up to.
"I thought your poker advice was stupid when I heard it, but…you were right. The more I did it, the better I got! I started noticing all these little things I never paid attention to before."
"How much did you lose?"
Pegasus started to get annoyed, but quickly caught himself and smiled instead.
"I didn't lose a thing."
"I see that you lie now as well."
The smile became more strained, but it remained.
"Not a thing, Gio-boy."
Giovanni smothered his spark of irritation from the nickname. Something Pegasus had discovered as part of his confident persona, obviously. It would put anyone on edge, but Giovanni was determined not to let himself be beat on his own turf.
"Let's move on," Giovanni said. "Are you ready to tell me what this amazing dream of yours is?"
There was silence again.
"I guess I could continue on with general skills…I'll show you how to snag a woman."
"N-no. I need nothing like that." The protest was too fast to sound normal, and Giovanni raised an eyebrow at him.
Pegasus sighed. "I…have a woman already. Well, an angel. I would never…" He trailed off with a sadness to his voice that Giovanni didn't understand.
"…Having a woman implies one. As in the singular."
"Some men only need one, Gio-boy."
With the return of the nickname, and a hint of venom behind those words, Giovanni let it drop.

They sat in silence for a long time, unmoving from their spot at the bar.
Giovanni finally spat out, "Listen, this was your idea! I'm not asking you to trust me with everything, but tell me whatever you expect to learn or I'm going to leave. Are you serious about this or not?!"
Something he said seemed to have struck a chord inside Pegasus. He looked faraway in thought.
"Serious…? Of course I'm serious! This is the most serious undertaking of my life!"
"Then start acting like it and cooperate!" Giovanni rumbled out.
Pegasus started to say something, but quickly stopped and looked at Giovanni. Giovanni stared back.
"I…can't tell you the whole thing. You wouldn't believe me. But…I'm looking for…something.
And I probably won't be able to get this item by…conventional…means. So…I need…I need to find people I can trust."
"You can't trust anyone."
Pegasus was annoyed. "I know that. Trust isn't the word, but…I need to make sure they'll do what I want."
Giovanni gave a thin smile, "So, you want control. Don't we all? In your case, however, I think it can be done. Let me ask you something: During your card games, did you ever use those weaknesses you discovered in other people to your advantage?"
Pegasus snorted. Better than sniffing, but still not quite there.
"You take me for a fool? Of course I did."
"And what happened?"
"They became quite upset, naturally."
"And that is what you've been looking for."
Pegasus thought hard, "Are you telling me I have to make others angry?"
"Don't you remember lesson two?"
"All I remember is wanting to pummel you. That wasn't control."
"Yes, it was. I made you come after me; that wasn't your idea. But that's the most basic kind of control.
If you want more…fear is good. Fear of violence works wonders."
"I told you, I don't want to fight. I'm not suited for it."
Giovanni sighed, "Yes, yes. Can't have you breaking those delicate hands of yours…But how about we switch our thinking? I was after a woman—"
"Why am I not surprised that this is your example?"
"Because it's perfect. Now shut up. This woman I was after, she had a boyfriend. He was a big hulking mass of muscles; it's what she liked. I could've taken the guy down, and I would've, but I'd be too beat up after winning to enjoy my prize-If she stuck around long enough for me to get the blood off. So, what should I do?"
Pegasus waited politely with no enthusiasm.
"Whenever she was in the bar without him, I go out of my way to be better to her than he is. I got her drinks; I stared into her eyes when I was playing those stupid love songs my drummer likes; sent her flowers. And soon, Muscle-Head doesn't look too hot anymore. She leaves him and I get her and I don't have to get blood out of my vest again."
"I'm not sure if I understand what that's supposed to teach me," Pegasus said slowly.
"I made a weakness and used it to my advantage. I gave her something better than Muscles, so he became his own worst enemy. And later, I broke his legs with a bat."
Pegasus just stared at him in apparent horror.
Giovanni wondered how the man could be smart one second and stupid the next.
"If there's a weakness, use it. And if there's no weakness, make one. And when you find your own weaknesses, make them into strengths. You can be creative. I seem to remember some annoying guy who kept buying me drinks so he could talk to me…"
"I...I think I understand!" He clapped his hands in excitement. Giovanni winced. He didn't think Pegasus would ever get normal enough to actually be seen with.
"Just wait right here," Pegasus said.
He left the spot where they had been sitting and went towards the back of the room, where a bombshell in expensive clothes that Giovanni had been keeping an eye on all night was sitting. Giovanni might have made a pass at her if Pegasus hadn't been there; though her clothes indicated that she went for men who had an expense account. It was because this was a seedy bar near the good side of town where CEOs sometimes got drunk that someone of her caliber would even think of spending the evening there. Dressed as he was, Giovanni didn't compare well with Pegasus.
Pegasus made his way back.
"Glad I was able to help you in so many areas," Giovanni said through clenched teeth.
Pegasus handed him some keys, "I told her you were the CEO of Harley-Davidson looking for some fun. As your loyal secretary, I thought it only right to inform you that you bought her the most expensive bottle of champagne in the bar and you are going to take her for a ride in your Rolls later."
Giovanni looked at the keys, debating the idea of not accepting them.
"I'm just putting your ideas into practice. It's a thank-you present."
He still said nothing, thinking to himself.
"…I don't care what happens on it or inside it."
Giovanni hated being so transparent; he couldn't refuse now even if he had wanted to.
As he passed Pegasus to join the woman he said, "I still hate you."
Pegasus smiled, "Likewise, Gio-Boy, likewise."