Cody's music hit, but when he walked out, something was off. His outfit looked thrown together, dark circles were around his eyes, and his hair was messy. But the oddest thing of all? His demeanor. He was looking down at the floor, not making eye contact with anyone. And when he went to hit his signature pose? Nothing. He just stood there, trembling, his fists clenching and unclenching.
The audio crew cut off Cody's music. Triple H was about ready to send the medical team out to check on him, but then, Randy's music hit. Randy stepped out of gorilla, walked over to Cody, and gently lifted his chin. "Hey," the gorgon whispered, "Are you ok?" Cody shook his head. "You want me to go in the ring with you." Cody nodded. Randy wrapped his arm around the younger man and gently led him to the ring.
Once they were in the ring, Cody received a microphone. Instead of speaking, he just stared at it. After a moment, he buried his face in Randy's shoulder, confusing the audience. Randy chuckled. "It's ok, baby," he cooed, "I'll do all the talking." Randy gently scratched at Cody's scalp as he raised the microphone to his mouth.
"You guys remember what happened last Friday? Cody destroying ringside, me knocking him out with a replica belt, and him getting wheeled out of here on a gurney?" The crowd's chatter grew. "You're probably wondering why Cody was taken out on a gurney instead of in handcuffs. That wasn't him being aggressive for the sake of aggression...Cody's been suffering from manic episodes since the day after Night of Champions."
The crowd's chatter grew even louder. "The company keeps giving him championship opportunity he doesn't want. And he doesn't know how to handle it anymore." A soft, barely audible whimper escaped Cody's lips and was picked up by the microphone. Randy continued to scratch at Cody's scalp as he spoke. "So for his safety, my safety, the staff's safety...and honestly your safety, Cody is regressed tonight. Now, Cody's been open about being an age regressor, but in case you don't know what age regression is, it's psychological phenomena where a person's brain reverts back to a younger age as a coping or defense mechanism. It can also make an excellent coping mechanism when used and controlled properly. It. Is not. A kink."
Cody nosed at Randy's neck, silently asking to be picked up. Randy obliged, gently scooping the smaller man into his left arm and setting him on his hip. "Now, about what happened after we left the arena. Cody, Mischa, and I all rode in an ambulance to the local hospital. On that ambulance ride, Cody was sedated, which leads back around to me hitting him with the replica belt. Before I hit him, he was unable to hold still enough for the medics to sedate him safely. The hospital stay went well. He stayed overnight so the psych team could monitor him. The lead psychologist suggested he indulge in his coping mechanisms a little bit, which is why he was a little off at the house show last night; he was regressed there as well."
The crowd watched as Cody nosed at Randy's neck again, cooing when the gorgon kissed the alien's forehead. Randy smiled before turning his attention back to the crowd. "Finally, the situation with the championship opportunities. ...as long as I am still active in this company, I am going to do my goddamn best to make sure that Cody doesn't get that belt around his waist again until he's ready."
8/14/26, Smackdown, 8:30 PM
Cody couldn't remember what Sami told him even if he tried. His eyes were heavy, his mind was foggy, and he was gently suckling on his thumb. But one statement managed to cut through his brain fog: "Cody, me, in that ring, tonight. I'm going to show the world that I'm Undisputed Champion material.
This is how he ended up sitting in his private locker room, in his tights, suckling on his blue pacifier while lifting weights. Randy was also there, spotting him. "Easy, Codes," the older man whispered, "Don't push yourself too hard." Cody gulped. "...don' wanna wrestle." "I know, bubba. Dada tried his best to stop it, but the fans want it." He gently kissed the alien's forehead. "You want me to go out with you?" Cody sniffled and nodded.
8/14/26, Smackdown, 9:55PM
"This match was a fucking mistake," Randy mumbled to himself. Sami had just stepped out of gorilla when the gorgon noticed that Cody had fully dissociated. It was clear he was on the way there when the two walked out of gorilla, as he weakly hit his signature pose. But the moment Sami came out? Gone. The alien was completely gone. Randy climbed into the ring to check on the younger man. He clapped, snapped, waved his hand in front of Cody's face, basically anything he could think of the get his boyfriend out of his head.
In the end, Randy went with most desperate option. He gently led Cody into position for an RKO. He leaned in and whispered in Cody's ear. "I'm sorry, baby...but it's for the best." Randy took a deep breath, turned around, and BAM! He RKO'd Cody into the mat.
This worked in snapping Cody out of his head, but now there was a new problem: a terrified wrestler who is currently regressed to the mental age of two. Cody immediately scrambled out of the ring; Randy followed, holding his hands up in an attempt to show Cody that he's safe. "It's ok, Codes. It's just me. It's just Dada." Cody didn't believe the older man, darting off into the crowd. Randy instantly ran after him.
Sami was yelling at the referee, who in turn, was attempting to calm him down. CRASH! The two men looked up at the monitor above the ring. Cody, in his fear-induced manic state, had just thrown a trash can at Randy. Randy was now sitting up. He rubbed his head as he stood up, causing Cody to bolt again.
When Randy caught up with Cody this time, the alien was on top of the announce desk, wielding a steel chair like a mace. Randy approached again, his arms up. He climbed onto the table; Cody swung the chair, only for Randy to catch it. Randy didn't make any sudden movements, waiting for Cody to remember who he was.
After a grueling two minutes, Cody finally remembered who Randy was. He dropped the chair and crumpled to his knees. Randy knelt down, gently cupping Cody's face. The younger man was crying. "Hey...heyyyy...it's ok, baby." "You...you RKO'd me..." "I know, but you weren't responding to my other actions. I'm sorry that I scared you." "...I wanna go home." "You wanna go back to your bus?" Cody sniffled and nodded. Randy climbed off the table and picked Cody up. He carried the alien past Sami, up the ramp, and into gorilla. Sami just stood there, wide-eyed. "WHAT ABOUT MY MATCH?!"
