With one of his hands free again, Marie attempted to release the other from the vine's grip. It didn't work out to well. He was jerked forward and his stomach connected with Bulba's fist.

Oh. Ow.

For a split second, Marie cracked a half-smile. He had hoped Bulba would fight back. But that expression quickly dissolved and his face caught up with the pain in his gut, contorting awkwardly to match his physical discomfort. He realized when he recovered, however, that Bulba had pulled him in such a direction that he was in a prime position to elbow his opponent in the face. And so he did.