Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers or the Lord of the Rings. This was written for entertainment purposes only.

'One of you,' said Nick Fury slowly, 'must do this.'

The Avengers were sitting in a circle, listening to the council of Director Fury. They had just been briefed about the necessity of destroying a certain ring.

'It had better not be Hawkeye,' said Thor. 'He doesn't even have any superpowers.'

'Excuse me,' said Clint coldly, 'no superpowers means I'm better than any of you since I made it here without them. Oh, except for Natasha,' he added hastily.

'It's gonna be me,' said Stark, leaning back and putting his hands behind his head. 'Guys, seriously, I'm the obvious choice.'

'Which is why you shouldn't be the one,' said Steve. 'That's what they'll be expecting.'

A long, intense argument began. No one wanted to go (except Stark, and Fury couldn't trust him with such an important mission), and no one wanted any one else to go. Nick Fury sighed. This was going nowhere. Suddenly he had a bright idea.

'You are all going,' he said. Silence reigned for five seconds.

'What?' said Natasha. 'Are you serious?'

'I am,' said Fury. 'I need that ring destroyed. I need it done fast.' He looked around the room at each of the team. 'Steve Rogers will take it.' There was a long silence. Steve shifted uncomfortably, hoping someone would object. No one did.

Coulson sighed in relief. He had been afraid for a moment that Director Fury would send him.

'Don't look so happy, Agent,' said Fury. 'You and Hill are going, too.'

'Director, do you really think this is a priority right now?' said Hill, trying to get out of going.

'Yes. Oh, and one more thing,' said Fury, turning to leave. 'You'll also be taking Loki. I need you to look after him and make sure he doesn't get into any trouble.'

The Avengers were silent, aghast. This was not how any of them wanted it to be. But they had no choice. Slowly they went to pack their things, readying for the long, dangerous journey to Mordor.

'Mordor, Stark,' said Steve, 'is it right or left?' They were officially starting off, and Steve was piloting the jet.

'Left,' said Stark, who was sitting comfortably in the back, eating PopTarts.

'My friend, give those to me,' said Thor, reaching for the box.

'Ahh!' said Tony, jumping in surprise. 'No you don't!'

'So where are we going, exactly?' asked Loki. He was sitting apart from everyone else because no one wanted to be near him.

'I don't think you should know,' said Clint.

'Mr. Stark, Thor is about to take your PopTarts,' stated Agent Hill.

'Will you stop that?' said Iron man, jumping away.

'Guys, stop shaking the plane,' Rogers called from the front. A rumble of lightning shook the jet. Loki looked disturbed.

'What's the matter?' asked Natasha. 'Scared of a little lightning?'

'I'm not overly fond of what follows,' said Loki. There was a jolt.

'We're falling!' yelled Steve. 'Stark, get out there and hold us up!'

'I'm busy,' said Stark.

'We're dropping from the sky, for Pete's sake!' exclaimed Natasha.

'Whatever,' said Tony, finishing his Poptart while holding the box out of Thor's reach.

There was a crash. And silence.

Slowly the Avengers picked themselves up from among the rubble. Stark and Thor both gazed sadly at the smashed box of Poptarts.

'Now what?' said Dr. Banner. He looked a little green.

The Avengers were out in the middle of nowhere. The jet was completely smashed, and it was beginning to snow. Besides that, some of the company were having problems. Banner was looking ready to Hulk out any minute; Steve was already feeling the effects of possessing the One Ring; and Thor was hungry.

'What do we do?' asked Coulson. Unfortunately, Fury wasn't there to answer the question.

'OK, everyone,' said Natasha, taking charge, 'we're going to walk towards that mountain.'

'What is that mountain exactly?' asked Bruce.

'That is Mount Caradhras. And we're going to do this quickly. Now!'

'I'll just fly,' said Stark, pulling a suitcase out from the wreckage. It was labelled 'STARK'S'.

'No you won't,' said Natasha. 'You'll get way ahead. You're supposed to be helping Cap destroy the Ring, remember?'

The Avengers started walking, with varying levels of moodiness. The snow fell more thickly, and blanketed the surrounding slopes. Soon they were trudging in snow up to their knees, then to their wastes. A strange noise seemed to echo through the air; a sort of singing, if it could be called that. Someone was wailing, 'Let it go! Let it gooooo!'

'There is a fell voice on the air!' cried Agent Barton.

'Clint!' yelled Natasha.

'I need to get that as my ringtone,' said Loki to himself.

'Loki!' yelled Steve, 'if this is some sort of trick. . .'

'Who, me?' asked Loki, looking as innocent as a kitten. 'I would never. . .'

'It's Red Skull!' yelled Stark. 'He's trying to bring down the mountain!'

'Natasha!' roared Thor, 'we must turn back!' He looked at Coulson and Hill, who were slumped over and were barely going a foot per minute. 'This will be the death of the agents!'

'Let's take the Gap of Rohan!' said Hawkeye, shooting an arrow into the darkness at random.

'The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Hydra!' said Dr. Banner.

'We should go through the Mines of Moria,' said Loki with a sneaky smile.

'Let the Ring-bearer decide,' said Natasha, finally, as agent Hill collapsed in a heap.

'. . .'

'That's you, Cap,' said Stark, who hated walking, and was currently just hovering in the air.

'Oh, um,' said Steve, trying to focus. Bearing magic rings didn't agree with him. 'Let's go the most dangerous route. Through Moria.'

'Good idea,' said Loki. The Avengers and company turned back towards the foot of the mountain. 'Hahahm!'

There's the beginning of the quest to destroy the Ring. Please review! Reviews make my day.